Here’s the live music you do not want to miss this weekend
It’s the last big weekend of the year for touring artists swinging through metro Phoenix as we head into the holidays with Trans-Siberian Orchestra at Footprint Center updating “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve” and “Country Grammar” rapper Nelly topping the bill at an Under the Mistletoe concert at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
You’ve also got ZZ Top rocking it poolside, Social Distortion giving two sold-out performances at Tempe’s Marquee Theatre, Soundcloud rapper Yung
Gravy in a downtown Phoenix theater, and very different shows by Modest Mouse and Frankie Valli.
Our picks for the best live music in Phoenix this weekend include the first edition of what promises to be one of the better music festivals the Valley has ever known, an annual holiday tradition for a good cause and a soul survivor in his 70s who still sounds like he’s in his prime.
Alice Cooper’s Christmas Pudding
Alice Cooper’s Christmas Pudding is always a good time for a good cause, benefiting Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock
Teen Centers in Phoenix and Mesa, which offer free music, dance, arts and vocational programs for youth ages 1220.
This is the 20th edition of a holiday tradition known for its often surreal combination — or pudding — of musical guests. As Cooper once explained his Pudding-making strategy to The Arizona Republic, “I love the idea of a show where you don’t have any idea what’s gonna happen next.”
This year’s wild card may be Sammy Hagar, whose Pudding appearance in 2016 found him very … let’s say, caught up in the Christmas spirits.
Rob Zombie is sure to turn in the heaviest set of the day on a bill that also features Gin Blossoms, comedian Jim Breuer, Sixwire and Wally Palmar of the Romantics.
No, that’s what I like about YOU, Christmas Pudding.
As is tradition, the show will end with Cooper dusting off the songs that earned him a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame before leading an all-star ensemble in a wonderfully sloppy rendition of the Yuletide rocker “Run Rudolph Run.”
It’s sure to be what Kevin Bacon’s character in “Diner” liked to call “a
How to watch the 2022 APS Electric Light Parade in Phoenix
Phoenix’s Parks and Recreation Department shared tips to make sure everyone has a smooth and safe experience while traveling to and attending the Electric Light Parade:
Arriving several hours early is strongly recommended.
The parade will take place rain or shine.
Consider taking the Valley Metro rail, which stops near the intersection of Central Avenue and Camelback Road.
Bring chairs and blankets.
Street parking is available around the parade route and is first-come, first-serve. Private lots may offer paid parking.
Coolers are allowed, but alcohol and glass containers are prohibited.
There will be temporary restrooms along the route.
If you’re unable to attend in person, you can watch it on TV: The parade will be broadcast from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 25, on ABC15 (Channel 15) and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily through Dec. 25 on the PHXTV Web Stream, www.phoenix.gov/phxtv.
APS Electric Light Parade road closures
From 5 to 11 p.m., the following streets will be closed to traffic in addition to the parade route:
Central Avenue from Camelback Road to Bethany Home Road.
Seventh Street from Indian School Road to Osborn Road.
Camelback Road from First Avenue to Seventh Street.
Reach the reporter at kimi.robinson@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @kimirobin and Instagram @ReporterKiMi.