George Strait is retiring — sort of.
The country music legend will bring his “The Cowboy Rides Away” tour to the Tacoma Dome at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
While the concert is billed as part of Strait’s retirement tour, it’s worth remembering the country music legend isn’t quite riding into the sunset.
The 61-year-old star says he’s done with major-scale touring, but still plans to crank out another five albums or so. He also hasn’t ruled out future concerts — just, again, no major tours.
Admittedly, that could mean that fans in the Northwest, living far away from Strait’s home state of Texas, might not get a chance to see Strait sing some of his dozens of No. 1 hits, including “Fool Hearted Memory,” “The Best Day” and “You Know Me Better Than That,” among others.
Tickets are $89.37 to $113.20 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
Pink Martini also is heading to the area, playing a sold-out show at the Edmonds Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
The group got its start in Oregon 20 years ago and has since established a loyal cult following in the Northwest with its eclectic hybrid of pop, swing, jazz and world music.
The group’s most recent album, “Dream a Little Dream,” found them pairing with the Von Trapp family—yes, that Von Trapp family, the one made famous by “The Sound of Music.” They still sing.
While that album may serve as a curiosity in Pink Martini’s catalogue, the band can also tout its 2013 album, “Get Happy,” which hit No. 1 on the Billboard jazz chart.
Though sold out, tickets may become available at stubhub.com or through the venue at 425-275-9595.
Dream Theater, meanwhile, will play Seattle’s McCaw Hall at 7:30 p.m. Monday.
The sharply talented heavy metal group got its start in 1986 and quickly became known for its technical mastery of guitar, along with its high-energy live shows.
The group is said to be one of heavy metal’s most boot-legged bands, despite releasing several live albums cataloguing past shows.
It’s touring now behind its 2013 self-titled album, which hit No. 7 on the Billboard 200 in September.
Tickets are $42.56 to $63.67 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
Diana Krall also is coming to Seattle for a show at the Paramount Theatre at 8 p.m. Wednesday.
The pop jazz singer returned to the charts in 2013 with “Glad Rag Doll,” which hit No. 6 on the Billboard 200.
Like past outings, the album found Krall reworking old jazz and vaudeville standards. Unlike past outings, many of her choices were obscure this time around — not the well-worn songs that helped make her a popular favorite.
Tickets are $45.75 to $95.75 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
A very different band will hit the Paramount Theatre a few nights earlier, as Volbeat plays the venue at 7 p.m. Monday.
The Danish metal band has one thing in common with Krall, and probably only one thing: It too has carved out its own niche on the charts. The group hit No. 9 on the Billboard 200 in April with “Outlaw Gentlemen and Shady Ladies.”
That album again showcased the group’s love of early rock ‘n’ roll and bristly metal music. The band is possibly the only one going that pays homage to Memphis rockabilly and Metallica alike.
Tickets are $35 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
Indie rock icon Stephen Malkmus also will return to Seattle, as he brings his latest backing band, the Jicks, to the Neptune Theatre at 9 p.m. Saturday.
Malkmus became a living legend in the 1990s as the frontman for the idiosyncratic rock band Pavement. Since then, he’s spit out a string of albums with the Jicks, including 2011’s “Mirror Traffic,” produced by Beck, and this year’s “Wig Out at Jagbags,” a self-produced album.
Tickets are $18.50 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
Finally, the Afghan Whigs are coming to the Showbox at 9 p.m. Tuesday.
The group made waves during the alt-rock boom of the 1990s, carving out a name for itself by mashing up soul with post-punk.
After a long hiatus that began in 2001, the band returned this year with news of not only a tour but also a return to the studio. The group plans to release a new album, “Do to the Beast,” this month on Sub Pop Records, the label that released some its earliest albums.
Tickets are $31.50 at showboxonline.com or 888-929-7849.
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