THU 08/10
Gojira and Mastodon
These two terrific hard rock bands bring their co-headlining tour to Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica. Known for albums such as 2012’s L’Enfant Sauvage and 2016’s Magma, Gojira returned in 2021 with Fortitude. Last year, it released the anthemic single “Our Time Is Now,” a tune featuring highly technical guitar work and menacing vocals. Not to be outdone, Mastodon has had its music appear in Game of Thrones and in DC Comics films. Its most recent album, Hushed and Grim, yielded the frenetic single “Pushing the Tides.” Lorna Shore, a group known for its intense live performances, opens. The concert begins at 6 p.m.
2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com.
FRI 08/11
Outlaw Music Festival
Willie Nelson headlines this traveling country/alt-country festival that will also feature performances by John Fogerty, Kathleen Edwards and Particle Kid. Fogerty recently bought back the publishing rights he rescinded to Fantasy Records during the band’s heyday in the late 1960s and early 1970s when his former band Credence Clearwater Revival landed five top 10 albums on the Billboard 200, so expect to hear a few classic CCR cuts when he performs. The show starts at 4:30 p.m. at Blossom.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com.
Rüfüs Du Sol
This electronic dance music group had a hit right out of the gate with its 2011 self-titled debut EP and has continued to a force in the EDM world. The current tour supports the 2021 album, Surrender, which finds the group trying to get emotional on songs such as the treacly “Next to Me” and “Alive,” tunes that channel Depeche Mode with their heavy synths and anthemic vocals. The group performs tonight at 6:30 at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica. Channel Tres opens with a DJ set.
2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com.
Three Dog Night
Songs by this classic ’70s blue-eyed soul band have appeared in movies such as Boogie Nights and Guardians of the Galaxy, helping to keep the group relevant even though it hasn’t had a hit in decades. Founding singer Danny Hutton leads the latest iteration of the group. The act performs tonight at 8 at MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage.
10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, mgmnorthfieldpark.mgmresorts.com/en.html.
SAT 08/12
Alison Brown
This singer-songwriter started playing in the Southern California bluegrass scene when she was still a teenager. Guests such as Steve Martin, Kronos Quartet, Sharon Isbin, Anat Cohen, Sierra Hull, Stuart Duncan and members of the Alison Brown Quintet appear on her latest album, On Banjo. Brown performs tonight at 8 at Cain Park. The Adam Ezra Group opens the show.
14591 Superior Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-371-3000, cainpark.com.
LL Cool J — The F.O.R.C.E. Live
Old school rapper LL Cool J hosts this special tour featuring performances from rap acts such as DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Z-Trip, Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Rakim, Common, MC Lyte, Method Man & Redman, Big Boi, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Ice T, Juvenile, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, De La Soul, Goodie Mob, Jadakiss, Rick Ross and more. Performances will be interwoven within one continuous musical set with the Roots acting as the house band. The show starts tonight at 8 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.
WED 08/16
The O’Jays
This classic R&B/soul group formed in Canton way back in 1958 and became a successful national act after signing to Philadelphia International in the 1970s. On what they have said is that their last tour, the Rock Hall Inductees perform tonight at 8 at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown.
229 East Front St., Youngstown, 330-746-5600, covellicentre.com.
THU 08/17
Pentatonix —The World Tour
The vocal group that famously won the third season of NBC’s The Sing-Off, brings its current trek, simply dubbed World Tour, to Blossom. The group’s most recent album, Holidays Around the World, came out last year and became the group’s ninth Top 10 entry on Billboard’s Top Holiday Albums Chart. Since it’s not the season for Christmas music, expect to hear songs from its extensive catalog of originals and covers at tonight’s show, which begins at 8.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com.
FRI 08/18
Grandmaster Flash
With his Quick Mix Theory, which he perfected in the 1970s, Grandmaster Flash paved the way for DJs to scratch records. As a result, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five became the first hip-hop group to be inducted into the Rock Hall. The hip-hop icon comes to the Rock Hall tonight at 8.
1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216-515-8444, rockhall.com.
Steven Page
A former member of Barenaked Ladies who wrote some of the band’s biggest hits (songs such as “Brian Wilson,” “If I Had a Million Dollars,” “What A Good Boy,” “It’s All Been Done”), Steven Page has become a successful solo artist. He comes to Cain Park tonight at 8.
14591 Superior Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-371-3000, cainpark.com.
SAT 08/19
Buddy Guy
The blues elder statesman who’s now in his 80s has announced that the trek that brings him to Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica tonight will be his last. Not one to rest on his laurels, Guy just released a new studio album, The Blues Don’t Lie, last year. The album commences with the exuberant “I Let My Guitar Do the Talking” and doesn’t let up. Guy performs tonight at 6 at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica. Jimmie Vaughan and Samantha Fish open the show.
2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com.
SUN 08/20
Goo Goo Dolls — The Big Night Out Tour
When this alt-rock band first formed in Buffalo in 1986, its music sounded harsher, perhaps reflecting the city that band members called home. The group would eventually refine its sound and go on to sell truckloads of albums in the ’90s when it delivered radio Top 10 radio hits, including “Name,” “Slide” and “Iris.” The veteran alt-rock band performs tonight at 7 at Blossom.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com.
TUE 08/22
The Offspring with Simple Plan and Sum 41: Let the Bad Times Roll Tour
Formed in 1984 in Garden Grove, CA, the Offspring has sold more than 40 million albums during its career. This year marked the 15th anniversary release of 2008’s Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace. The punk stalwarts also recently launched their brand new podcast, Time To Relax… with The Offspring. The band headlines this tour featuring Simple Plan and Sum 41. It rolls into Blossom tonight at 7.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com.
Joss Stone
Influenced by classic soul singers such as Aretha Franklin and Dusty Springfield, UK soul sensation Joss Stone performs tonight at 8 at Cain Park. Stone’s current tour celebrates the 20th anniversary of her 2003 album, The Soul Sessions.
14591 Superior Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-371-3000, cainpark.com.
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This article appears in Jul 26 – Aug 8, 2023.
