Bruce is back.
Among the most iconic American musicians of all time, Bruce Springsteen will bring his E Street Band to KeyArena at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
Springsteen is touring behind “The River.” One of his quieter and more personal albums, it first saw release in 1980 and was reissued last year for its 35th anniversary. While critically lauded, the double-disc is not known for its chart-topping hits.
As far as this tour is concerned, that just means fans will get to hear some deep cuts. They also will hear his biggest hits, though. Always a crowd-pleaser, Springsteen is still shooting through his best known material. At other recent stops, he’s played “Born to Run,” “Hungry Heart” and “The Rising,” among others.
Tickets are $65 to $150 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
Also next week, the 1990s will return, sort of, to the Paramount Theatre.
The Smashing Pumpkins, those grunge-era heavyweights, will play the Seattle venue at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, and they’re bringing along another icon of that era as their opener — Liz Phair.
The Pumpkins made their name with their bristly and bombastic take on guitar rock, something epitomized on hits like “Zero” and “Butterfly with Bullet Wings.” Those songs benefited not only from frontman Billy Corgan’s distinctive wail, but also the driving rhythm of drummer Jimmy Chamberlain. Both men are part of the new tour.
Granted, the group will be scaling things back for their Seattle show, promising an “evening of acoustic-based music and electronic soundscapes.” Expect to hear quieter classics like “1979.”
Opener Liz Phair made her name with confessional guitar rock, winning fans quickly with her famed debut “Exile in Guyville.” She’s kept a low profile recently, however. This will be her first U.S. tour in six years.
Tickets are $32.75 to $62.75 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
That’s not all the Paramount Theatre has on tap, though. Slayer also is heading to the Seattle stage, for a concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
The group’s high velocity guitars and graphically violent lyrics made them poster boys for the type of metal fans in the 1980s who had no time for flamboyant hair styles or lovelorn ballads. The group was all about excess.
Since making its name, the act has gone through plenty of upheaval, most recently marked by the death of founding guitarist Jeff Hanneman. Still, the group has soldiered on. It’s touring now behind the release of “Repentless,” which hit stores in September.
Tickets are $41.25 to $51.25 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
August Burns Red is headed to the Showbox SoDo, sharing a bill with Between the Buried and Me at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
August Burns Red formed in 2003, carving out a spot in the sub-sub-genre of Christian hard rock. Albums like “Thrill Seeker” and “Messengers” found the group tackling emotional lyrics amidst an onslaught of guitars and drums.
That sound has helped the act win elite honors. Its latest, “Found in Far Away Places,” managed to top the hard rock, the Christian rock and the independent album charts, all while reaching No. 9 on the Billboard 200 itself.
Between the Buried and Me don’t share the same spiritual connection, instead focusing all their energy on straight-up metal. The group’s latest, “Coma Epileptic,” also went to No. 1 on the hard rock charts.
Tickets are $25 at showboxonline.com or 888-929-7849.
Meanwhile, London-based act Daughter will play the Showbox in downtown Seattle at 9 p.m. Saturday.
The indie rock act formed in 2010, winning praise — not to mentions tens of millions of plays on sites like Spotify — with its electronica-sprinkled take on atmospheric folk rock. Hits like “Youth” and “Smother” showcase the confident vocals of lead singer Elena Tour.
Tickets are $22 at showboxonline.com or 888-929-7849.
And Geoff Tate will draw plenty of local fans to his appearance at the Neptune Theatre at 8 tonight, as the iconic musician — and former Queensryche front man — plays a solo show.
Tate formed Queensryche in the 1980s after spending time in Tacoma. His soaring vocals quickly turned the group into a nationally renowned headliner.
Infighting eventually led to acrimony among the group’s members, however, with Tate kicked out of the group in 2012. Ensuing court battles helped push Tate toward focusing on his solo material, such as his latest album, “The Key.”
That new material won’t be the only thing he plays though. His Seattle show promises to focus on the album “Operation: Mindcrime,” one of Queensryche’s most famed releases.
Tickets are $25 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
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