Remember the days when the concert schedule wouldn’t really heat up until the summer?
Yeah, neither do we.
That’s because the spring concert season around these parts has been – at least for the most part – every bit as hot as the summer one for years now.
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Chalk it up to the great weather and locals’ unquenchable thirst for live music.
This season is absolutely loaded until tasty tours, representing pretty much every genre in the pop music universe.
To help with planning the calendar – and the corresponding rationing of funds – we present you with our Spring Music Preview.
We’re looking at 25 shows to catch between now and the start of summer – which will be marked, in very loud and awesome fashion, by Metallica coming into Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on June 20 and 22.
Note, we only addressing individual shows her, not festivals – although there are a number of those (hello BottleRock, San Francisco Jazz, La Onda, etc.) beckoning for our attention as well.
Here are our 25 picks for Spring 2025 (listed chronologically):
1. Bob Mould
Let’s kick things off with the pairing of two legends – Mighty Mr. Mould playing the iconic Fillmore in San Francisco. The alt-rock pioneer will be supporting his 15th solo album, “Blue Hearts,” but we’re hoping he’ll also throw some Husker Du and Sugar material into the setlist.
Details: 8 p.m. April 5; Fillmore, San Francisco; livenation.com
2. Kenny Baron
The jazz titan is settling into SFJZZ Center in San Francisco for a lengthy stay as resident artistic director, during which he will perform in four different musical settings – from solo piano to orchestra – over the course of four nights. He also performs at Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz.
Details: April 10-13 at SFJAZZ, sfjazz.org; April 14 at Kuumbwa; kuumbwajazz.org
3. GloRilla
GloRilla’s first full-length – “Glorious” – definitely lives up to its title, representing nothing short of the best hip-hop debut album of 2024. Now, we’re looking forward to hearing how that material translates on the live stage.
Details: 7:30 p.m. April 16; Fox Theater, Oakland; apeconcerts.com
Pianist Hiromi performs during the opening night of the SFJAZZ 2024-25 season at the SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
4. Hiromi
We can’t think of anyone who exhibits more sheer joy on stage than this phenomenal jazz pianist, who returns to the Bay Area in support of her latest album release with Sonicwonder quartet.
Details: April 17-20; SFJAZZ Center, San Francisco; 7 and 9 p.m. April 21; Kuumbwa Jazz Center.
5. Kraftwerk
These Dusseldorf electronic music kings are out on the road celebrating the 50th anniversary of their landmark fourth album — “Autobahn.” It’s the most retro-futuristic fun you can have this side of re-watching (the original) “Tron.”
Details: 8 p.m. April 18; Greek Theatre, Berkeley; apeconcerts.com
6. FKA Twigs
The ambitious artist, whose blends trip hop, R&B, dance-pop and other styles in her music, has drawn rave reviews for this year’s “Eusexua.” It’s her third studio album overall and her first since 2019’s “Magdalene.”
Details: 8 p.m. April 19; Bill Graham Civic Auditorium; San Francisco, apeconcerts.com
7. Kylie Minogue
The Australian “Princess of Pop,” who has sold more than 80 million albums worldwide, visits the home of the Golden State Warriors for a night of deliriously fun dance-floor anthems. It’s part of the Tension Tour, which support Minogue’s two latest Aussie chart-toppers — “Tension” and “Tension ll.”
Details: 7:30 p.m. April 22; Chase Center, San Francisco; ticketmaster.com
Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio performs at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, Calif., on Monday, April 17, 2023. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
8. Phish
Having (sadly) skipped over local Phans in 2024, the undisputed heavyweight champion of the jam-band world – and most likely a future Rock and Roll Hall of Famer inductee – returns to the Bay Area for two big shows. It’s time to Run Like an Antelope, people.
Details: 7:30 p.m. April 22-23; Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco; apeconcerts.com
9. Punk in the Park
The lineup isn’t nearly as good as last year – no Dead Kennedys, no Black Flag, no Descendents – but you’ll still get to mosh about to Pennywise, Lagwagon, Screeching Weasel and others as the SoCal-born Punk in the Park marks its second (hopefully) annual trip to the Bay Area.
Details: Noon May 3; Cow Palace, Daly City; punkinthepark.com
10. Halsey
Bay Area fans will get the first look at the For My Last Trick Tour when the multiplatinum-selling popstar kicks off the road show at the Toyota Pavilion. Halsey is touring in support of “The Great Impersonator,” a work that has produced roughly the same number of hits as her last album.
Details: 7 p.m. May 10; Toyota Pavilion, Concord; livenation.com
11. J Balvin
The Colombian singer keeps right on adding to his collection of precious metal, with his latest gold certification coming for 2024’s “Rayo.” Balvin, known by many as the “Prince of Reggaeton,” supports the new album with a show in San Jose.
Details: 8 p.m. May 10; SAP Center, San Jose; ticketmaster.com
12. Disturbed
The Chicago rockers are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their first – and still best – album, “The Sickness.” So, we’d be down for catching this show – even if means we have to sit through opener Daughtry as well.
Details: 6:30 p.m. May 10; Chase Center, San Francisco; ticketmaster.com
13. Slowdive
This veteran English shoegaze act – which released the debut “Just for a Day” way back in 1991 – delivered the single best set we saw during the jam-packed three days of Outside Lands 2024. So, yeah, you bet we’re looking forward to another helping.
Details: 7:30 p.m. May 11; Fox Theater, Oakland; apeconcerts.com
14. The Go-Go’s
You know the drill: They got the beat. So, everybody get on your feet. And, no doubt, we definitely should rise up to applaud these amazing rock pioneers, who have so many top-tier tunes in their songbook.
Details: 8 p.m. May 13; Warfield, San Francisco; axs.com
15. Nick Cave
He’s one of the most magnetic performers in pop music history, the rare kind you can’t take your eyes off for the entire time he’s onstage. So, come ready to be enthralled by Cave and his Bad Seeds.
Details: 8 p.m. May 14; Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco; apeconcerts.com
16. Madness
The Pride of Camden Town is back and ready to take fans “One Step Beyond.” And we’re prepared to follow this ska-pop act on the journey, given that declining the invitation would, indeed, be utter Madness.
Details: 8 p.m. May 14 at Channel 24, Sacramento; May 15 at Fox Theater, Oakland; apeconcerts.com
17. Jack White
The restlessly creative troubadour is out on the road in support of quite possibly the best solo album of his career – last year’s deeply rockin’ “No Name” – and ready to delight fans with an evening of guitar greatness.
Details: 8 p.m. May 16 at Fox Theater, Oakland; 8 p.m. May 26-27 at Channel 24, Sacramento; apeconcerts.com
18. Diana Krall
We definitely try to answer whenever Krall comes calling. So, yeah, we’re more than willing to grab tickets to see this top-tier jazz vocalist-pianist for the umpteenth time.
Details: 7:30 p.m. May 16 at Mountain Winery, Saratoga, mountainwinery.com; 8 p.m. May 17 at Luther Burbank Center, Santa Rosa, lutherburbankcenter.org
19. Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan
The two legends are teaming up for the second consecutive year on the Outlaw Music Festival Tour, which also features Billy Strings, Sierra Hull and Lily Meola. And it will be interesting to see if the overwhelming commercial success of “A Complete Unknown” will prompt Dylan to put on a more fan-friendly set. (Yeah, we’re not holding our breathe either.)
Details: 4 p.m. May 18; Toyota Amphitheatre, Wheatland; livenation.com
20. Simple Minds
The “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” band is one of the few remaining acts on our bucket list. And, after thinking over the implications of that last statement very carefully, we should probably consider missing Simple Minds once again on this tour with fellow ’80s new wave/modern rock champs Soft Cell and Modern English.
Details: 7 p.m. May 20; Toyota Pavilion, Concord; livenation.com
21. Robby Krieger
OK, so we said we weren’t going to cover (non-touring) festivals on this list, but we simply have to make an exception and mention that one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time is finally heading back to the Bay Area. Yes, the Doors legend is playing a regular set during BottleRock Napa Valley, but he’s also scheduled for one of the festival’s AfterDark club shows. We plan to be at both.
22. Stray Kids
These eight Kids — Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin and I.N. – are more than just alright. Since forming in 2017, this K-pop act has steadily grown to the point where it’s now ranks among the biggest bands in the world.
Details: 7:30 p.m. May 28; Oracle Park, San Francisco; ticketmaster.com
23. Kendrick Lamar, SZA
For our money, this is the No. 1 tour of the year, featuring two artists whose most recent albums (Lamar’s “GNX” and SZA’s “SOS”) both rank among the very finest of the decade. SZA is the best soul singer in the game today. And Lamar simply couldn’t be hotter, coming off a big Grammy sweep and a thrilling Super Bowl Halftime Show victory.
Details: 7 p.m. May 29; Oracle Park, San Francisco; ticketmaster.com
24. Coldplay
It’s absolutely ridiculous that Chris Martin and company have yet to even be nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After all, if Ringo Starr is in the Hall – AS A SOLO ARTIST – then how do you keep the biggest band of the 21st century out?
Details: 5:25 p.m. May 31-June 1; Stanford Stadium; ticketmaster.com
25. Styx, Kevin Cronin, Don Felder
We like Styx and Felder just fine, but it’s really our old pal Cronin who is the main draw here. We’d like to claim that’s not the case and that we’re no longer as interested in hearing Cronin sing those old hits now that REO Speedwagon has called it quits. But, honestly, we can’t fight this feeling anymore.
Details: 6:45 p.m. June 13; Toyota Pavilion, Concord; livenation.com
