Every week, we present a curated list of live music in a wide range of genres all around the Valley, and this week’s column features acts enjoyed while under the influence, if you know what we mean.
April 19
Willie Nelson and Family
Far be it from us to make an obvious joke about the outlaw country singer and his infamous inclination to toke up, but we can’t resist. Now that Arizona has legalized weed, we hope that the man behind “On the Road Again” comes to perform here more often. 7 p.m., $40-$150, Mesa Amphitheatre, 263 N. Center St., Mesa, 480- 644-2560, mesaamp.com
April 19
Big Wild
The Massachusetts native Jackson Stell started as a hip-hop producer but gained fame for his remix of ODESZA’s “Say My Name.” His 2019 breakthrough Superdream, inspired by his cancer diagnosis, is equally funky and psychedelic. 8 p.m., $29.50, The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix, thevanburenphx.com
April 19
Sofi Tukker
Want to feel old? Tucker Halpern, one-half of the pop EDM duo, cited *NSYNC as an influence on the horn-infused title track of their latest album Wet Tennis. And to be fair, the song, with sultry vocals by Sophie Hawley-Weld, sounds like something Justin Timberlake would have done before he started acting. 8 p.m., $33.50-$38, Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe, marqueetheatreaz.com
April 22
Mastodon and Gojira
Mastodon has been at the forefront of 21st-century heavy metal for over two decades, conjuring up dark imagery and mind-altering myths that would cause Page and Plant’s jaws to drop in amazement. Along for the ride is the French group Gojira, who’ve become worldwide ambassadors for the metal genre. 7 p.m., $49.50-$125, Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix, 602-514-2919, livenation.com
April 23
Melissa Etheridge
The trailblazing singer-songwriter reunited with many members of her first band to perform songs she had written early in her career for her latest record, One Way Out. Many have called it a return to form, which makes her return to the Valley even more exciting. 7 p.m., $72-$112, Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler, 480-782-2695, chandlercenter.org
