The summer concert season will be sure to heat up with this year’s line-up of big-name musicians and wide variety of genres.

Complied by Mitch Ringenberg
<[email protected]>
School’s out and it’s prime time for concerts. In these economically-minded days, concert-goers have to get the most out of their ticket price. Whether it’s a show at the Verizon Wireless Music Center or a festival in California, there are countless opportunities to jam out.

Guitar Gurus

ZZ Top- The concert starts at 3:30 p.m. On May 28 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The show is free with $10 Carb Day admission. Go to imstix.com for more information.

Eric Clapton-The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. on July 2, at the Verizon Music Center. The ticket prices range from $37.50 to $175. Go to livenation.com for more information.

Santana- The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. on July 7 at the Verizon Music Center. Ticket prices range from $30.50 to $135.50. Go to livenation.com for more information.

John Mayer-The concert starts at 7 p.m. on Aug.15 at the Verizon Music Center. Ticket prices range from $35 to $68.50. Go to livenation.com for more information.

Annual Favorites

311- 331 comes to town on June 28. They will be performing at the White River State Park down town. Tickets are $39. Pepper is their opening band to guarantee that it will be an entertaining concert.

Dave Matthews Band- A popular crowd pleaser will be playing at Verizon Wireless Music Center on June 18 and 19 for a consecutive two-night stand for his 9th year now. It begins at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $39 ranging to $74.

Pop Sensations

Lady Gaga- The concert begins at 8 p.m. on July 15 at the Conseco Fieldhouse. Gaga’s second sold out performance in Indiana this year. Ticket prices range from $49.50 to $175. Visit ebay.com for possible tickets.

Rihanna- The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 3 at the Verizon Wireless Music Center. Tickets to see Rihanna start at $35 to $68.50. To find out more about this concert visit livenation.com

Jonas Brothers- The concert is on Aug. 8, at Verizon Wireless Music Center. Ticket prices range from $36 to $125. More information will be available on livenation.com

Justin Bieber- The concert takes place at 7 p.m. on Aug. 12 at Conseco Fieldhouse. Admission ranges from $31.50 to $51.50.

American Idols Live- The ten finalists perform at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 4 at Conseco Field house. Admission prices are to be announced. For more information visit livenation.com.

Festival Frenzy

Country Throw Down- This festival hits town on May 23 beginning at 3 p.m. at the Verizon Wireless Music Center. Admission prices begins at $21 and range to $41. A few musicians featured are Jamey Johnson and Montgomery Gentry.

Mayhem Festival- Mayhem comes to Indy on July 31, it is located at the Verizon Wireless Music Center, and starts at 2:15 p.m. Tickets range from $30 to $54.50. Korn and Rob Zombie are a few big names featured in this 13-band event.

Indy Jazz Festival- Dates and venues of this festival are to be announced as well as the admission price. Organizers are planning the 12th year of this festival. Big names from last year were Joshua Redman and Branford Marsails. For more information go to indyjazzfest.com.

Country Craze

Brad Paisley- The concert will take place June 5 at 4 p.m. The Verizon Wireless Music Center will be hosting the event. Tickets range from $29.95 to $58.75.

Tim McGraw- Tim McGraw will be in Indianapolis on June 17. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Verizon Wireless Music Center; admission starts at $35 and ranges to $79.50.

Brooks & Dunn- The concert will take place on July 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Verizon Wireless Music Center. Tickets to attend range from $28.75 to $68.75.

Rascal Flatts- The concert will take place at Verizon Wireless Music Center on Aug. 7 at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $48 to $84. For more information visit livenation.com.

Keith Urban- On Aug. 14 Keith Urban will be performing Aug. 14 at the Hoosier Lottery Grand Stand. Tickets are $40 to $67. Just another award winning performer joining the line-up of artists stopping by the Indiana State Fair.

Sugarland- On Aug. 20 Sugarland will be performing at the Hoosier Lottery Grand Stand. With the Indiana State Fair in town, Sugarland will be a popular event and a great way to end a summer of good music. Admission is $35 to $60. For more information visit indianastatefair.com.

Toby Keith- Keith will be performing on Aug. 28 at Verizon Wireless Music Center. Admission prices are to be announced. For more information on this concert go to megaticket.com.

Mitch’s Suggestions

Tom Petty- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will be coming to the Verizon Wireless Music Center July 10. Admission will range from $41 to $131. A Petty show is almost a guaranteed great time, and even though it’s promoting his latest studio album “Mojo,” he’ll be sure to run through some of the classics. Visit Livenation.com for more information.

Jack Johnson- Jack Johnson will be playing his brand of chilled-out, beach music this July, and his tunes are accessible enough for almost anyone to enjoy. Also, Johnson announced that all profits from his tour will be donated to charity, so if you’re feeling a little generous, you’ll be hard-pressed not to have a good time. Ticket prices are $34 to $54.

Phish- The concert is being held Aug. 12 and 13 at 7:30 p.m. and will be held at the Verizon Wireless Music Center. After a ten-year hiatus including stints in rehab, the members of Phish are reunited and back on tour. Music fans know that Phish concerts are bound to be epic experiences, and their two-day stint at Verizon is set to be a killer show. This one’s sure to sell out fast, so grab ‘em now, kids. Tickets are $49.

Warped Tour- Personally, I hate all these screamo bands that try to hide behind some corporate “punk” façade. However, if you’re a fan of that kind of thing, Warped Tour is one of the cheapest festivals, with over thirty bands for only 30 dollars. The show is on July 6 at noon. Located at Verizon Wireless Music Center.

Pitchfork Music Festival- As far as music festivals go, this is the one that excites me the most. This year’s lineup is enough to give indie-rock fans like myself a coronary attack. Pavement, playing together for the first time in eleven years, will likely be the closing act, while genre mainstays such as Broken Social Scene, LCD Soundsystem, Raekwon, Big Boi and plenty of others will be there to keep the party going. At only $40 a night, and a (somewhat) close location, this is the best bet on a music festival this summer. This festival will be taking place in Chicago’s Union Park July 16-18, for a three-day gig.