This week marks the official start of summer, and accordingly, several blockbuster tours are set to visit Tampa Bay over the next three months, including a pop/R&B superstar returning to the same venue where his last performance was watched by millions.
The Weeknd, who headlined last year’s Super Bowl halftime show at Raymond James Stadium, will play an Aug. 4 concert at that same stadium. Fellow rap and pop stars Kendrick Lamar and Lizzo will also visit the Tampa Bay area along with rock and blues legends such as Santana and Rod Stewart, as well as some of the biggest names in comedy, concluding with Jerry Seinfeld’s return to Sarasota’s Van Wezel on Sept. 30.
To help narrow it down, we’ve highlighted 25 of the biggest concerts and comedy shows coming to Tampa Bay and Sarasota-Manatee in July, August and September, listed in chronological order. Event details are subject to change.
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Chris Tucker
July 17, Hard Rock Event Center, Tampa, seminolehardrocktampa.com
Along with an acting career that’s included the “Rush Hour” series, “The Fifth Element” and “Jackie Brown” – and just recently getting cast in Ben Affleck’s next directorial feature – Tucker is also a longtime stand-up comic who’s appeared on “Def Comedy Jam” and his own 2015 Netflix special.
The Doobie Brothers
July 20, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa, livenation.com
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-inducted group known for hits such as “Listen to the Music” and “What a Fool Believes” continues its 50th anniversary tour joined by Michael McDonald, a longtime member of the band before embarking on a successful solo career.
Steely Dan
July 22-23; Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg, themahaffey.com
Steely Dan, still featuring lead singer/keyboardist Donald Fagen but not co-founder Walter Becker after his death in 2017, visits Mahaffey Theater for two nights of shows. The first night has the band performing its classic 1976 album “The Royal Scam,” while the second will feature hits included on their recent concert album “Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live!”
Keith Sweat Birthday Celebration
July 23, Amalie Arena, Tampa, amaliearena.com
The “Twisted” R&B singer celebrates his 61st birthday with this concert also featuring other stars in the genre including Monica (“The Boy is Mine”), Tevin Campbell (“Can We Talk”), Tamar Braxton (“Love and War”), 112 (“Only You”), Ginuwine (“Pony”) and Silk (“Freak Me.”)
Rob Zombie
July 26, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa
Though he’s arguably as well-known these days as a director (his movie adaptation of “The Munsters” comes out later this year), Rob Zombie remains busy as a musician, releasing the album “The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy” last year. Fellow hard-rockers Mudvayne, Static-X and Powerman 5000 also perform.
Kendrick Lamar
July 27; Amalie Arena, Tampa
The Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper tours following the release of his latest acclaimed No. 1 album “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers” earlier this year. The show’s openers include Lamar’s cousin Baby Keem, whose last year’s Best Rap Performance Grammy-winning hit “Family Ties” features Lamar.
The Weeknd
Aug. 4, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, raymondjamesstadium.com
After headlining last year’s Super Bowl halftime show at Raymond James Stadium, The Weeknd returns to the venue for a full-on concert. Since his last visit, the R&B singer released the acclaimed album “Dawn FM,” featuring guests including Tyler, the Creator, Lil Wayne and Jim Carrey.
Buddy Guy
Aug. 5, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, rutheckerdhall.com
The greatest living musician in the blues genre, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-inducted musician who’s also won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and was named the 23rd greatest guitarist by Rolling Stone will perform with singer-songwriter John Hiatt and The Goners featuring Sonny Landreth.
Michael Bublé
Aug. 13, Amalie Arena, Tampa
The Grammy-winning Canadian crooner visits Amalie Arena after releasing his latest album “Higher” earlier this year, featuring covers including Willie Nelson’s “Crazy” performed with Nelson and a version of Paul McCartney’s “My Valentine” produced by McCartney himself.
Jack Johnson
Aug. 19; MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa
The laidback pop-rocker with multiple No. 1 albums to his name tours surrounding the release of his latest full-length “Meet the Moonlight,” which comes out Friday and is produced by musical guru Blake Mills. Multi-Grammy-winning reggae musician and Bob Marley’s son, Ziggy Marley, also performs.
Dierks Bentley
Aug. 20, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa
The country singer visits Tampa on his Beers On Me tour, named after his single featuring Breland and Hardy that was released last year and became a No. 1 country airplay hit this year. Another big name in country, Ashley McBryde, opens along with Travis Denning.
The Black Keys
Aug. 25, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa
The rock group, which went from playing venues like Skipper’s Smokehouse in Tampa in the 2000s to winning multiple Grammys and headlining arenas, return to the area following the release of their latest album “Dropout Boogie” this year. Fellow ’00s rock breakout act Band of Horses also perform.
Santana with Earth, Wind & Fire
Aug. 27, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa
Two of the biggest names in ’70s music (and, in Santana’s case, also the late ’90s and early ’00s following the No. 1 Grammy-winning comeback album “Supernatural”) team up for this show, where you’ll likely hear such classics as “Black Magic Woman” and “September.”
Trick Daddy
Aug. 27, Yuengling Center, Tampa, yuenglingcenter.com
One of the biggest rappers to come from Florida, Trick Daddy will celebrate the 25th anniversary of his 1997 debut “Based on a True Story” with this concert. He’ll be joined by CeeLo Green, who appeared on Trick Daddy’s hit “Sugar (Gimme Some)” and one of the 2000s’ biggest songs in “Crazy,” and fellow Florida rappers Trina and Plies.
Rod Stewart
Sept. 3, Amalie Arena, Tampa
The two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, both as a member of “Stay with Me” group Faces and a solo musician sporting such hits as “Maggie May” and “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?,” will be joined by power-pop group Cheap Trick (“Surrender,” “I Want You to Want Me”), whose frontman Robin Zander lives in Pinellas County.
Ghost
Sept. 6, Yuengling Center, Tampa
The Grammy-winning Swedish hard rock group, known for performing while clad in costume, tour following the release of this year’s new album “Impera,” which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200. They’ll be joined by fellow Best Metal Performance Grammy winners Mastodon.
Amy Schumer
Sept. 8, Hard Rock Event Center, Tampa
After co-hosting the Oscars earlier this year with Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall, the comedian and actress who’s starred in films such as 2015’s romantic comedy “Trainwreck” and TV shows such as “Inside Amy Schumer” and this year’s “Life & Beth” hits the road on a stand-up tour.
Scorpions
Sept. 14, Amalie Arena, Tampa
The German rock band known for hits such as “Rock You Like a Hurricane” and “Wind of Change” perform along with fellow European glam metal group Whitesnake (“Here I Go Again,” “Is This Love”), who are on a farewell tour, and Swedish rockers Thundermother.
Kevin Hart
Sept. 15, Amalie Arena, Tampa
One of today’s biggest movie stars (he co-stars in the action comedy “The Man from Toronto” and animated superhero film “DC League of Super-Pets” this summer alone), Kevin Hart also remains one of the most popular names in stand-up comedy, visiting Amalie Arena on his Reality Check tour.
Alicia Keys
Sept. 18, Hard Rock Event Center, Tampa
The singer-songwriter and pianist who made her debut with 2001’s “Songs in A Minor,” which earned her the first five of her 15 Grammys and was selected for Library of Congress preservation this year, remains popular and active today, releasing the albums “Alicia” and “Keys” in 2020 and 2021.
Wu-Tang Clan with Nas
Sept. 21, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa
Wu-Tang Clan and Nas, whose respective debuts “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)” and “Illmatic” rank high on most lists of the genre’s greatest albums, co-headline this concert. Both acts remain busy today, with Nas releasing “Magic” in December and Wu-Tang Clan’s still-unheard “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin” being sold last year.
Lizzo
Sept. 24, Amalie Arena, Tampa
The pop/R&B performer heads out on tour following the release of her new album “Special” in July, the follow-up to her 2019 breakthrough “Cuz I Love You” that won her three Grammys, including Best Pop Solo Performance for the No. 1 hit “Truth Hurts.” Rapper Latto, who recently scored her own biggest hit yet with “Big Energy,” opens.
David Spade
Sept. 24-25, Tampa Theatre, Tampa, tampatheatre.org
Along with appearing on TV shows and films from the 1990s (“Saturday Night Live,” “Tommy Boy,” “Just Shoot Me!”) to the 2020s (“Lights Out with David Spade,” “The Wrong Missy”), Spade is a stand-up who released his latest special “Nothing Personal” this year and visits the historic Tampa Theatre for two nights of shows.
Karol G
Sept. 26, Amalie Arena, Tampa
The Colombian singer is one of the biggest names in the reggaetón and Latin trap genres today, with this year’s single “Mamiii” with her and Becky G not only already an 11-times multi-platinum Latin hit, but also reaching No. 15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Jerry Seinfeld
Sept. 30, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota, vanwezel.org
Along with his hugely successful sitcom “Seinfeld,” still regularly considered one of the best TV shows of all time, Jerry Seinfeld remains one of today’s biggest stand-up comics with multiple specials including 2020’s “23 Hours to Kill” on Netflix, also the current home of his series “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.”
Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
