It took more than a decade for Gwen Stefani to top the charts on her own, but she’s done it.
The sometimes-lead singer of No Doubt started a successful solo career in 2004 with the release of her album “Love Angel Music Baby.” Singles like “Hollaback Girl” and “The Sweet Escape” were huge hits for her.
But a chart-topping album didn’t come until this year, when her latest disc, “This Is What the Truth Feels Like,” bowed at No. 1, in part thanks to another batch of glossy pop singles, including “Make Me Like You” and “Used to Love You.”
Now, the bleach-blonde pop princess is headlining KeyArena in Seattle. She’ll play the stadium at 7 p.m. Aug. 24.
Tickets are $29.95 to $149.95 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
She’s not the only big act coming to the Northwest in the coming days — in fact, she’s not the only one headlining KeyArena. The venue will also welcome Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas at 7 p.m. Aug. 21.
The two pop stars have plenty in common. Both got their start as scrubbed-clean Disney pop singers. And both have grown up considerably since then.
Lovato’s gone through some public struggles with bipolar disorder and bulimia — she now strives to raise awareness about the conditions. But she hasn’t let those issues define her, instead racking up hundreds of millions of plays on sites like Spotify for singles like “Confident” and “Cool for the Summer.”
Jonas hasn’t had the same hurdles as Lovato, but has nonetheless seen his image go through a sea change. As part of the Jonas Brothers, he was known for his spic-and-span persona. He’s abandoned that for sexed-up pop in recent years, with hits like “Close” showing his career has long legs.
Tickets are $29.95 to $89.95 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
This weekend also will bring the KISW 99.9 Pain in the Grass to the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn.
The annual hard rock festival will welcome its usual collection of big names to the outdoor venue. Headliners this year include Disturbed, Breaking Benjamin, Anthrax and Alter Bridge, among others.
Tickets are $22.95 to $79.95 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
The White River Amphitheatre will then stay busy with a visit from Journey and the Doobie Brothers at 7 p.m. Aug. 23.
Though Journey no longer has iconic front man Steve Perry — a man whose voice helped turn “Don’t Stop Believin’” and “Any Way You Want It” into classics — the band has found a suitable replacement in Arnel Pineda, who was discovered thanks to covers he posted on YouTube.
The Doobie Brothers’ music hasn’t aged quite as well as Journey’s tunes, but the group still has plenty of fans thanks to hits like “Listen to the Music,” “Long Train Runnin’” and “Black Water.”
Tickets are $29.50 to $151 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
The Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery is welcoming a pair of shows as well in the coming days.
First up is a visit from Josh Groban, who will play the venue at 7 p.m. Aug. 23. The charming singer, who traffics in a blend of classical and pop music, is best known for his soaring vocals on hits like “You Raise Me Up.”
Tickets are $78 to $152.50 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
And the eclectic flamenco pop act the Gipsy Kings will again play the Chateau Ste. Michelle’s amphitheatre at 7 p.m. Aug. 25.
The group’s unexpected worldwide success started in the 1980s thanks to hits including “Volare.”
Tickets are $39.50 to $69.50 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
Fitz &the Tantrums, meanwhile, will head to another outdoor stage as they headline Marymoor Park at 6:45 p.m. Aug. 20.
The retro-vamping alt-pop outfit started turning heads in 2009, when its songs made a splash at festivals like South by Southwest. Since then, its polished its sound even more, shedding any pretensions of indie rock for slick hits like this summer’s “HandClap.”
Tickets are $29.50 at axs.com.
And still another outdoor stage, the Tulalip Amphitheatre, will draw a crowd as the venue brings Sammy Hagar &the Circle to Snohomish County at 7 p.m. Aug. 24.
Hagar had a successful career in the early 1980s thanks to songs like “I Can’t Drive 55,” but didn’t really become an icon until he replaced David Lee Roth as the front man for Van Halen.
He left that group amid heavy publicity in the mid-1990s, and has since dabbled with solo releases, supergroups like Chickenfoot, and his latest touring band, the Circle, with whom he released a live album in 2015, “At Your Service.”
Tickets are $45 to $95 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
Before any of those stadium acts and outdoor stages get busy, though, Seattle’s historic Paramount Theatre will bring a double bill to its stage.
Lord Huron and Trampled by Turtles, both esteemed indie rock acts, will play the venue at 7:30 tonight, Aug. 19. Both acts dabble in rootsy music, with Lord Huron skewing towards folk rock while Trampled by Turtles has embraced a bluegrass sound.
Tickets are $31.25 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
