Beyonce has gone globe-trotting again.
Arguably the world’s biggest pop star, she is headlining coliseums on her “Formation” world tour, stoking excitement for her latest album, “Lemonade,” while playing the songs that have made her a household name. She will hit Seattle to headline CenturyLink Field at 6 p.m. May 18.
Beyonce started her career as the standout lead in Destiny’s Child, and then, after going solo, became the top-selling female artist of the new millennium’s first decade, racking up dozens of gold and platinum albums.
Songs like “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It),” “Drunk In Love,” “Halo” and “Crazy In Love” have established her as a pop queen. And, with the surprise release of her new album tied to an HBO special, she showed that her every move is an event.
So expect a massive spectacle during her stop in the Northwest.
Tickets are $45 to $280 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
That’s not the only arena-sized show coming to Seattle, though. The Who will finally return, after having to postpone their visit last year after singer Roger Daltrey contracted viral meningitis.
The arena rock act, considered one of the last century’s most influential bands, is marking 50 years together on this tour. It will play Seattle’s KeyArena at 7:30 p.m. May 15.
The Who’s legacy stretches back to the 1960s. Its hits started with the 1965 single “I Can’t Explain.” From there, the band’s penchant for experimentation helped it craft rock opuses like “Tommy,” and sprawling anthems, including “Behind Blue Eyes” and “Baba O’Reilly.”
While the group has lost two founding members at this point — drummer Keith Moon and bassist John Entwistle — singer Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townsend are continuing to rock on.
Tickets are $35.50 to $135.50 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
Selena Gomez also is coming to KeyArena, playing the downtown stadium at 7:30 tonight, May 13.
Gomez came out of the same Walt Disney star-factory that produced Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Miley Cyrus. And, like those other stars, she’s grown up substantially since her early tween-pop days.
With hits like “Good for You,” “Hands to Myself” and “Same Old Love,” the singer has shown signs of maturity lately. All those tracks were featured on her most recent No. 1 album, “Revival,” which hit stores this past October.
Tickets are $33.50 to $126 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
Tori Kelly, meanwhile, will headline the Paramount Theatre at 7:30 p.m. May 16, as the pop singer’s star continues to climb.
Kelly first turned heads as an early flame-out on “American Idol.” After that brief flash of fame, she started releasing songs online and performing via YouTube. That drew more attention her way, and before long, she had a substantial following.
Her fans included Scooter Braun, the super-manager behind Justin Bieber and Carly Rae Jepsen. He helped get the singer signed to Capitol Records. Now with a new album co-produced by Swedish pop master Max Martin, Kelly is finally breaking into the mainstream with singles such as “Nobody Love.”
Tickets are $25 to $125 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
Indie-rock survivors Nada Surf will play the Neptune Theatre at 8 p.m. May 18.
The group first came to fame as a seeming one-hit wonder in the 1990s with the track “Popular.” But the band’s strong DIY spirit—and even stronger handle on guitar-driven melody—made them an unlikely success story.
The group is touring now behind its eighth album, “You Know Who You Are,” which was released to acclaim in March.
Tickets are $23.50 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
The Neptune also will host Leon Russell, the lauded 74-year-old singer-songwriter, at 8 p.m. May 15.
Russell has worked with icon upon icon — Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, George Harrison and more. But it’s his own work that has been earning him plaudits as he works into his golden years.
Albums like his solo work “Life Journey” and his duet album with Elton John, “The Union,” have brought him to rare heights late in his career. Both of those discs saw release in the past decade.
Tickets are $33.50 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
Milwaukee’s Violent Femmes will headline the Showbox at 8 p.m. May 14.
The group earned permanent place on alt-rock radio thanks to hits like “Blister in the Sun” and “Add It Up.” Acrimony among its three members have led to occasional split-ups, but the group is touring now with two of its founding members in place, singer Gordon Gano and guitarist Brian Ritchie.
Tickets are $33.25 at showboxonline.com or 888-929-7849.
And the Showbox also will play host to Andrew Bird at 8:30 p.m. May 19.
A critical favorite out of Chicago, Bird has made his name blending his classically trained violin skills with indie pop sensibilities. His ornate albums include “Noble Beast,” which reached No. 12 on the charts in 2009, and this year’s “Are You Serious,” which featured a collaboration with Fiona Apple.
Tickets are $39.95 at showboxonline.com or 888-929-7849.
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