Nashville's June concerts: CMA and Bonnaroo are just the beginning
June in Music City marks the long-awaited return of the area's two biggest music festivals – CMA Music Fest and Bonnaroo – which both hold their first installments since 2019.
But that's far from all that's going down on our stages this month: from the monsters of '80s hard rock at the Titans' Nissan Stadium to the pioneers of techno at country music's mother church. Time to make a game plan, Nashville.
June 4: Nashville R&B Fest at Bridgestone Arena
Keith Sweat, Tevin Campbell, Tamar Braxton and 112 head up this all-star gathering of R&B hitmakers from the '80s, '90s and '00s.
June 9-12: CMA Music Festival at Nissan Stadium
Prepare yourself, Nashvillians ... well, that's what we used to say in the days before our town was besieged by tourists year-round. The first CMA Fest in three years features Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean and pretty much every other country star under the sun.
CMA Fest: A guide to unofficial shows with Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett and more
June 10: Legendz of the Streetz Tour at Bridgestone Arena
Proof that the rest of Music City doesn't shut down for CMA mania: This all-star rap tour brings Jeezy, Gucci Mane, T.I., 2 Chainz and Trina to the heart of downtown on a Friday night.
June 16-19: Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
Bonnaroo is back, and this year's lineup, as usual, is all over the map. Stevie Nicks, J. Cole, Tool and The Chicks top a bill of 150-plus performers taking the stage around the clock on "The Farm" in Manchester, Tennessee.
Bonnaroo 2022: See the full schedule and lineup, stage by stage
June 18: Brooks & Dunn at Bridgestone Arena
The iconic country duo of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn are touring arenas for the first time in more than a decade on their "REBOOT" tour.
June 24: Kraftwerk at Ryman Auditorium
The pioneering German electronic music group (founded in 1969) was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year. They return to Nashville for the first time since their Ryman debut in 2015.
June 24: Bon Iver at Ascend Amphitheater
The longtime indie-folk favorites (led by Justin Vernon) hit a new level of prominence during the pandemic with appearances on Taylor Swift's "Folklore" and "Evermore" albums.
June 25: Mandy Moore at Ryman Auditorium
On the heels of the "This Is Us" finale, the actress and musician is hitting the road in support of her recently released seventh studio album, "In Real Life."
June 30: Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Poison and Joan Jett at Nissan Stadium
On hold since 2020, this supersized tour of rock giants (co-headlined by Def Leppard and Motely Crue) is finally unleashed, and it's now a local gig for area residents Vince Neil and Mick Mars.
June 30: Bikini Kill at Marathon Music Works
The immeasurably influential "riot grrrl" punk group – led by Kathleen Hanna – brings its long-awaited reunion tour to Nashville.
June 30: Maverick City Music and Kirk Franklin at Bridgestone Arena
A legend of modern gospel and one of the genre's most exciting new acts recently joined forces at the televised K-LOVE Fan Awards, and you can see them team up in person at month's end.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: CMA Music Fest and Bonnaroo highlight Nashville's June concerts
