Best Upcoming Summer Concerts In Sacramento
Kelly Clarkson
Ironstone Amphitheatre at Ironstone Vineyards
1894 Six Mile Road
Murphys CA
(209) 728-1251
www.ironstoneamphitheatre.net
Date: July 28, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.
Price: from $45
Click here for tickets
Since she burst onto the music scene during the inaugural season of "American Idol" in 2002, singer Kelly Clarkson has performed in the finest music venues in America. This time, it's our turn to have the double-platinum artist perform right here in our backyard. Clarkson performs for one night only at the Ironstone Amphitheatre in Murphys. This stunning, five-tier arena has become a renowned destination for a variety of musical and performance artists in the Sacramento area. Each summer, a new roster of world-class performers book the Northern California venue for the Ironstone Summer Concert Series. You can relax and dine in style at the vineyard before the show by making a reservation for the Platinum Dinner package or buffet dinner.
An Evening With Yanni
Sacramento Community Center Theater
1301 L St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 808-5291
www.sacramentoconventioncenter.com
Date: July 29, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.
Price: from $15
Click here for tickets
As one of the pioneers of the 80s new age music boom, Yanni's inspiring and sometimes haunting music has touched millions of people in every continent on the planet. As a composer and performer of instrumental music, his highly coveted sound has remained relevant for decades. Expect to hear music from his newest album, Truth of Touch, the composer's first studio music album in a decade. When he takes the stage, he'll play music he made popular while performing at The Acropolis in Greece, the Taj Mahal in India, and the Forbidden City in China. His music is enchanting and oozes passion and romance.
Weird Al Yankovic: The Alpocalypse Tour
Three Stages at Folsom Lake College
10 College Parkway
Folsom, CA 95630
(916) 608-6888
www.threestages.net
Dates: August 10, 2012 at 8 p.m. and August 11, 2012 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Price: from $39
Click here for tickets
The Alpocalypse Tour is in full swing, and Weird Al is passing through Sacramento this August. He is booked as "the biggest selling comedy recording artist of all time," and for good reason. Al's success rose from his ability to take pop-culture's top musical hits and convert them into non-sensical, inappropriate and just-plain-funny parodies of the original song. In Alpocalypse, Al sets his sights on Lady Gaga, with "Polka Face," and "Perform This Way," among others. Al has been exercising his funny bone since the 80s, with early hits, "Another One Rides the Bus," a spoof of Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust;" and "My Bologna," a parody of "My Sharona" by The Knack.
Related: Best Comedy Clubs in Sacramento
ZZ Top
Thunder Valley Casino & Resort - Amphitheater
1200 Athens Avenue
Lincoln, CA 95648
(916) 408-7777
thundervalleyresort.com
August 17, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.
Ticket prices, from $39.50
Click here for tickets
In a summer concert series that boasts performances by REO Speedwagon, Creed, Styx and Abba, Thunder Valley's summer wouldn't be complete without a night of laid-back blues-rock by Texas trio, ZZ Top. Gibbons, Hill and Beard are still making great music, well into their fourth decade of collaboration. With more than 15 albums released, ZZ Top's authentic and instantly recognizable sound still fills stadiums today, long after their first album, appropriately titled First Album in 1971. Now it's Sacramento's turn to hear the reigning bad boys of blues-rock, in this one-night-only appearance at Thunder Valley Casino & Resort. Sit under the stars in the phenomenal outdoor Ampitheater and enjoy the show.
Related: Best Outdoor Venues in Sacramento
Van Halen
Power Balance Pavilion
1 Sports Parkway
Sacramento, CA 95834
(916) 928-6900
www.powerbalancepavilion.com
Date: August 25, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.
Price: from $48.50
Click here for tickets
Van Halen got their start right here in California in the early 70s, and they're coming back to their homestate to show us they've still got it. The successful hardcore rock band has sold more than 80 million albums to fans across the globe. Although Van Halen has seen its share of band-member drama over the years, they're still one of the most entertaining hair bands still hitting the stage to perform today. Fans will surely hear such hits as "Unchained," "Right Now" and "Without You" at this August concert at the Power Balance Pavilion.
