Top concerts playing Phoenix in April: Willie Nelson, John Mayer, Ice Cube, Rauw Alejandro

It's April in Arizona, which can only mean one thing for fans of modern mainstream country music — the return of Arizona's biggest party, Country Thunder 2023, bringing four days of music and mischief to Canyon Moon Ranch near Florence with headlining sets by Jon Pardi, Luke Bryan, Cody Johnson and the formerly local Dierks Bentley.

April also brings arena shows by Muse, Rauw Alejandro, Ice Cube and John Mayer on his first primarily acoustic solo tour.

For EDM fans, Phoenix Lights returns to Phoenix Raceway with a new name, PHXLights Among the Stars, and headlining sets by Martin Garrix and Ganja White Night.

And for fans of old-school Outlaw Country, Willie Nelson is on the road again, headed to Mesa with his Family.

Here's a look at April concert highlights in metro Phoenix, from Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan to Mastodon on a co-headlining Mega-Monsters Tour with Gojira.

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Staind at Arizona Bike Week

Led by the Vedderesque vocals of singer-guitarist Aaron Lewis, Staind topped Billboard's album charts with three consecutive releases in their prime, a turn-of-the-century breakthrough largely driven by heavy rotation on rock and alternative radio for post-grunge singles as massive as "It's Been Awhile," "So Far Away" and "Right Here."

Details: 8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 1. The RockYard at WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 N. Pima Road. $69 and up single-day admission. azbikeweek.com.

Carcass

These British extreme-metal veterans returned from a 17-year-absence in 2013 with "Surgical Steel," a brutal reminder of what metal lost when they disbanded back in 1995, from Jeff Walker's tortured howls to the majestic soloing of Bill Steer. And they followed through in style with 2021's "Torn Arteries," an album Consequence proclaimed a "masterpiece of bitterness." They're joined by Municipal Waste and local thrash legends Sacred Reich.

Details: 6 p.m. Saturday, April 1. Nile Theater, 105 W. Main St., Mesa. $25. 480-559-5859, niletheater.com.

Soulfly

Max Cavalera rose to fame in the '80s at the helm of Brazilian thrash-metal legends Sepultura with younger brother Igor playing drums. He moved to Phoenix in the early '90s, forming Soulfly after parting ways with Sepultura. This Soulfly tour is in support of last year's "Totem," an album recorded at Platinum Underground in Mesa to which Kerrang! responded, "There's a pleasingly chaotic air to much of what they pack into 40 minutes."

Details: 5:15 p.m. Saturday, April 1. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $26 and up. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

Muse

The British rockers arrive in support of their ninth album, "Will of the People," with special guests Evanescence. They've developed quite the reputation as a must-see live act through the years. These are the guys, after all, who conceived of a stage made of magnets that would make it look like they were flying. They never pulled that off. But the fact that that's the sort of thing that pops into their heads should tell you everything you need to know.

Details: 6:30 p.m. Sunday, April 2. Desert Diamond Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale. $39 and up. 623-772-3800, desertdiamondarena.com.

Alice Cooper's Coopstock 2

Alice Cooper and a handful of his famous friends will take the stage at a rock 'n' roll fundraising bash for Cooper's Solid Rock Teen Centers at a Mesa golf club. This year's guests include the legendary Robin Zander of Cheap Trick, Kiss guitarist Tommy Thayer, Collective Soul's Ed Roland (an increasingly frequent highlight of these benefits), Sister Sledge, Dave Jenkins of Pablo Cruise, Cooper's bandmate Chuck Garric and Sixwire.

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Details: 5 p.m. Sunday, April 2. Las Sendas Golf Club, 7555 E. Eagle Crest Drive, Mesa. $69-$400. 602-522-9200, alicecoopersolidrock.com.

Built to Spill

It's been 30 years since they rolled out of Boise, Idaho, with an explosive debut they ironically titled "Ultimate Alternative Wavers." Their next three efforts made Pitchfork's greatest albums of the '90s list. And judging from the ragged glory of last year's "When the Wind Forgets Your Name," they're still making epic guitar-hero music for people who don't necessarily care much for epic guitar-hero music while also boldly expanding the scope of their sound.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 2. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $30-$40. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Ruban Nielson and the neo-psychedelic rockers he calls friends are touring the States on an acclaimed fifth album aptly titled "V." Paste magazine hailed the sprawling double album, whose highlights range from breezy daydreams to invigorating instrumental workouts (often in the same song) as "a fun, water-glistening record that waves hi to the palm trees and lies down to take a sun-nap with the sleepy sand dunes."

Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, April 2. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $29.50. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

Lucero

They once titled a song “Went Looking for Warren Zevon’s Los Angeles.” And that makes sense considering how deeply informed by the songwriting greats of the '70s their work is, filtering the essence of Bruce Springsteen through a gritty Southern Gothic edge that frequently places them closer in spirit to the Drive-By Truckers. They arrive in support of an excellent new album, "Should've Learned By Now."

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, April 3. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $35; $32 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

John Mayer

In announcing his first primarily acoustic tour on Instagram, Mayer wrote, “I began my career on stage with only a guitar and a microphone. A lot has changed since then, but I knew one day I’d feel it in my heart to do an entire run of shows on my own again, just like those early days. It took a couple of decades, but I feel it now." The Asbury Park Press said the opening show of the tour was "nothing less than breathtaking, two hours of raw, peerless wonder."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 5. Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $64.50 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.

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101.1 The Bounce Birthday Bash

Hip-hop-legend-turned-movie-star Ice Cube, who famously launched his career as a member of the iconic N.W.A., tops a star-studded bill at the 101.1 Bounce Birthday Bash with Bone Thugs N Harmony, E-40, Warren G, Lighter Shade of Brown, and Amanda Perez rounding out the guest list on what's sure to be a big night out for hip-hop fans.

Details: 7 p.m. Friday, April 7. Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. Verified resale ticket prices vary. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.

PHXLights Among the Stars

The EDM festival formerly known as Phoenix Lights is in its eighth year as one of Relentless Beats' premiere events. This year's lineup features sets by Martin Garrix, Ganja White Night, Diesel (aka Shaquille O’Neal), Afrojack, San Holo (DJ set), AC Slater, Trivecta, Crankdat, Moksi, Wenzday, Sed’s Vortex and Pat Riot.

Details: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 7-8. Phoenix Raceway, 7602 Jimmie Johnson Drive, Avondale. General admission $79.50 and up; general admission plus $129.50 and up; VIP $179.50 and up. phxlightsfest.com.

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Gin Blossoms

It's been 30 years since Gin Blossoms released "New Miserable Experience," a quadruple-platinum triumph that continues to define their place in history thanks to breakthrough hits as timeless as "Hey Jealousy" and "Found Out About You." And if the set they turned in at the Super Bowl Experience is any indication, they're still more than capable of dusting off their greatest hits with a reckless abandon that suggests they haven't aged a day in 30 years.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, April 8. Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino, 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd., Gila River Reservation. $39 and up. 800-946-4452, playatgila.com.

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Gordon Lightfoot

Bob Dylan covered Lightfoot's "Early Morning Rain," and fellow Canadian Robbie Robertson of the Band once told Seattle Weekly that Lightfoot was one of his favorite Canadian songwriters and "absolutely a national treasure." His hits include "If You Could Read My Mind," the oft-covered "Sundown," "Carefree Highway" (yes, the one in Arizona) and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."

Details: 7:30 Tuesday and Wednesday, April 11-12. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $30-$125. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.

Keshi

The Soundcloud sensation is touring the States in continued support of "Gabriel," which had the highest first-week sales of any 2022 debut, hitting the album charts at No. 16 while earning praise from Rolling Stone and Consequence for the lo-fi charms of a promising debut defined by his ethereal falsetto.

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 12. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $39.50 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.

Mesa Music Festival

Mesa Music Festival returns to downtown Mesa with more than 200 performances, including Everclear, L.A. Guns and Dreamers, at various locations, from sidewalk cafes to the Nile. The festival starts Thursday with keynote speaker Martin Atkins, a former member of Public Image Ltd., Killing Joke and Pigface. Atkins also worked with Nine Inch Nails and Ministry during their most celebrated periods. A full schedule is available at mesamusicfest.com/schedule.

Details: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 13; 5 p.m. Friday, April 14; noon, Saturday, April 15. Downtown Mesa. Free. mesamusicfest.com.

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Country Thunder Arizona

Jon Pardi, Luke Bryan, Cody Johnson and the formerly local Dierks Bentley headline this year's festival. Other artists on tap include Ashley McBryde, Bailey Zimmerman, Midland, Jackson Dean, Chase Matthew, Mackenzie Carpenter, John Morgan, Josh Ross, Parker McCollum, Kip Moore, Parmalee, Lonestar, Tracy Byrd, Nate Smith, Randall King, Hailey Whitters, Shane Profitt and the Reklaws.

Details: Thursday-Sunday, April 13-16. Canyon Moon Ranch, 20585 E. Price Station, Florence. $150 and up per day; $300 and up weekend pass. TicketSmarter.com.

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Key Glock

The new face of Memphis rap brings his Glockoma Tour, presented by Sirius XM's Hip-Hop Nation, to downtown Phoenix in support of his third studio release, "Glockoma 2." HipHopDX advises, "If you haven’t listened to a Key Glock album yet, it’s like riding down Elvis Presley Blvd in a foreign dripped in designer. Each song represents strolling down the street with a pimp coat and cane energy."

Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, April 16. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. Verified resale prices vary. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

Spiritbox

Perhaps the hottest up-and-coming name in all of heavy metal, Spiritbox are playing Phoenix on their first headlining U.S. tour in support of "The Eternal Blue," a hit debut hailed as "dizzying, cleansing and frightening" by Kerrang!, which awarded the album a perfect score. They're joined by special guests After The Burial and Intervals.

Details: 7 p.m. Monday, April 17. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. Verified resale prices vary. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

Joy Crookes

This alternative R&B singer emerged from South London to near-universal acclaim in 2021 with a full-length debut titled "Skin." The album's rich, seductive blend of jazz and neo-soul certainly felt like the arrival of a major talent in the making. As DIY Magazine noted, "It does everything a debut should, dipping into multiple pools but uniting them all with a consistent outlook and a clear voice."

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 18. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $22-$32. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

Willie Nelson & Family

The man is a piece of American history who won't stop adding to his legacy, having recently released his 73rd album, "I Don't Know a Thing About Love: The Songs of Harlan Howard." Chances are he'll play some subtle variation of the set he always plays, but it's a good one, from "Crazy" and "Funny How Time Slips Away" to "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" and "On the Road Again."

Details: 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 19. Mesa Amphitheatre, 263 N. Center St. $40-$150. 480-644-2560, mesaamp.com.

Sofi Tukker

No one earned a more electrifying crowd reaction on the first two days of M3F in 2020 than this freewheeling house-music duo, whose second-stage set made the subsequent headlining main-stage performance by Rufus du Sol, for all its bells and whistles and much larger crowd size, seem practically anticlimactic. They're here in support of "Wet Tennis," an album whose highlight may well be the "Tom's Diner"-sampling charms of "Summer in New York."

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 19. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $40.50 and up. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

Robert Glasper

That jazz maverick won a Best R&B Album Grammy for his breakthrough album, 2013's "Black Radio." And he did it again this year with a second sequel, "Black Radio III," also winning Best R&B Song for the album highlight "Better Than I Imagined." He also played keyboards on Kendrick Lamar's iconic masterpiece, “To Pimp a Butterfly" in addition to working on albums by Mac Miller, Anderson .Paak and Herbie Hancock.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 19. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St. $35-$75. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com.

Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan

This mariachi ensemble was founded in 1897 by Gaspar Vargas in the Mexican city of Tecalitlan. In 1986, they famously appeared with Linda Ronstadt at the Tucson International Mariachi Conference, where the star sang publicly in Spanish for the first time. In 1987, she released her "Canciones de mi Padre" album, which featured Mariachi Vargas and earned a Grammy, leading to a U.S. tour exposing mariachi music to the masses.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, April 21. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $39.50 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.

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Mastodon and Gojira

Grammy-winning metal mavericks Mastodon bring their co-headlining Mega-Monsters Tour with French metal heroes Gojira to Phoenix with special guests Lorna Shore. Mastodon are touring in support of a critically acclaimed ninth album, "Hushed and Grim," while Gojira are touring on their seventh album, "Fortitude," which earned a Grammy nomination in — what else? — the Best Metal Performance category.

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, April 22. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $39.50 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.

Rauw Alejandro

In early 2019, Billboard heralded this Puerto Rican reggaeton sensation as a Latin Artist on the Rise and heir apparent to Ozuna, Nicky Jam and Daddy Yankee. He's gone on to win two Latin Grammy Awards while being hyped in certain circles as the King of Modern Reggaeton. His biggest U.S. hit to date is "Party," an acclaimed collaboration with Bad Bunny.

Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, April 23. Desert Diamond Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale. $59.95 and up. 623-772-3800, desertdiamondarena.com.

Ha*Ash

This Latin pop duo from Lake Charles, Louisiana, whose music also draws on country pop and pop-rock, was formed in 2002 by sisters Hanna Nicole and Ashley Grace. Named the most popular pop act in Mexico at the 2020 Spotify Awards, the sisters have sent 16 songs to No. 1 on the Monitor Latino charts, which ranks songs based on airplay across stations in Latin American countries and Hispanic stations in the U.S.

Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, April 23. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $39.50 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.

Sabrina Carpenter

The former star of "Girl Meets World," a Disney Channel comedy that ran three seasons, is touring the States in continued support of "Emails I Can't Send," an introspective journey through her deepest thoughts and feelings that became the singer's third release to go Top 40 on the Billboard album charts. She's joined by Blu DeTiger.

Details: 7 p.m. Sunday, April 23. Mesa Amphitheatre, 263 N. Center St. $36-$246. 480-644-2560, mesaamp.com.

Tyler Childers

Childers and his longtime band the Food Stamps are bringing the Send in the Hounds Tour to town in support of "Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven?," a triple album recorded in guitarist James Barker’s home studio that features eight songs presented in three distinct sonic perspectives. They're joined by Charley Crockett.

Details: 7 p.m. Monday, April 24. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. Verified resale ticket prices vary. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.

The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die

Despite the departure of guitarist-vocalists Tyler Bussey and Dylan Balliett and the death of founding member Tom Diaz, these emo veterans managed to remain one of the genre's most convincingly emotional and musically intriguing acts, as evidenced on 2021's "Illusory Walls" and the companion piece that followed in its wake, the live "Thank You for Being Here."

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, April 24. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $28; $25 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

Seal

The Grammy-winning global legend is launching a 30^th anniversary tour in Phoenix, performing the self-titled albums that made him a star while spinning off the massive U.S. pop hits "Crazy" and "Kiss From a Rose." The singer is teaming with longtime producer and collaborator Trevor Horn, who's taken on the role of musical director for the run of shows in addition to performing with the Buggles of "Video Killed the Radio Star" fame.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 25. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $49.50 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.

Yves Tumor

Yves Tumor topped our year-end album list with 2020's "Heaven is a Tortured Mind," a willfully eccentric, erotically charged and transcendently soulful headphone album that blurs whatever lines you feel the need to draw between experimental hip-hop and the world-changing psychedelic soul of '80s Prince. And this year's "Praise a Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)" is as eccentric as its title (in a good way).

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 25. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $34.50 and up. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

Sierra Ferrell

The trouble with old-timey music is it tends to comes to come across as shtick, like someone playing dress-up. Thankfully, that's not the case with "Long Time Coming," this Nashville-based singer's debut, which manages the rare feat of sounding like a record that's been sitting on a shelf somewhere for decades while also sounding genuine and heartfelt. It also helps that she's such a good singer.

Details: 8 p.m. Thursday, April 27. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $25 and up. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

Psychedelic Furs

Led by the distinctive rasp of Richard Butler, the Furs are best remembered for such '80s New Wave classics as "Love My Way," "Pretty in Pink" and "Heartbreak Beat." And they're still adding to that legacy. Their latest album, "Made of Rain," became their second-highest-charting UK album ever and appeared in year-end lists at Mojo, Uncut, Classic Pop and more. They're joined by Evan Dando of the Lemonheads.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, April 28. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $35-$85. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.

Caroline Polachek

A co-founding member of Brooklyn synth-pop heroes Chairlift, Polachek released an album as Ramona Lisa in 2014, using her initials, CEP, on 2017's "Drawing the Target Around the Arrow" before reverting to her real name on 2019's "Pang." She's on tour in support of this year's long-awaited follow-up, a breathtaking career high that earned perfect scores in several publications, from the Telegraph to Consequence, Pop Matters and the Skinny.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, April 28. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $39.50 and up. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives

Known for his blend of rockabilly, honky tonk and bluegrass, Stuart charted in the '90s with a string of classic singles, from "Hillbilly Rock" to "This One's Gonna Hurt You (For a Long, Long Time)." But hits don't tell the tale of what makes Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives one of the greatest live experiences you could ever hope to witness — a wildly entertaining blend of humor, heart and awe-inspiring musicianship with character to burn.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, April 28. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St. $41-$266. 480-499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.org.

Subtronics

This dubstep DJ from Philly was just here to ring in 2023 at Decadence Arizona. Now he's back to do it all again with special guests Rusko b2b Dirt Monkey and opening sets by Level Up, Grabbitz and Sweettooth. Relentless Beats is promising "a new state-of-the-art audio/visual experience supporting 'Antifractals' that is not to be missed."

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, April 29. Phoenix Raceway, 7602 Jimmie Johnson Drive, Avondale. General admission $79.50 and up; general admission plus $129.50 and up; VIP $179.50 and up. relentlessbeats.com.

The Backseat Lovers

The young rockers from Utah were fresh out of high school when they self-released "When We Were Friends," a full-length debut whose calling card is "Kilby Girl," an alternative-radio breakthrough that's gone on to rack up in excess of 300 million streams on Spotify. They've since signed to Capitol Records while hitting the festival circuit from Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits to Outside Lands and Shaky Knees, even playing the Newport Folk Festival.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, April 29. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $40.50 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.

Keb' Mo'

It's been nearly 30 years since the four-time Grammy winner came to our attention with his first release since shortening his name from Kevin Moore, a self-titled album that earned a W.C. Handy Award for Best Country/Acoustic Blues Album of the Year. He's playing Phoenix in support of last year's "Good to Be...."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 30. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $45-$85. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.

Reach the reporter at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter @EdMasley.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Top Phoenix concerts for April: Willie Nelson, John Mayer, Ice Cube