Music is the big headliner in Dallas-Fort Worth this weekend, with no fewer than five concerts featuring big names on the docket. Some feature singers in the prime of the careers, while others will be a big trip down memory lane. But all will be worthwhile.
Below are the best options for your precious free time Thursday through Sunday. Don't like what you see? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.
Thursday, June 20
Robert Plant in concert with Lil' Band O' Gold
No matter how many new projects he undertakes, Robert Plant will forever be known as the lead singer of Led Zeppelin. But that band hasn't officially been together since 1982, so fans will take any Plant they can get, even with his new band, the Sensational Space Shifters. They play with Lil' Band O' Gold at Palladium Ballroom.
2013 Shakespeare in the Park: Pericles
Striking while the iron is hot, Shakespeare Dallas is wasting no time in presenting its second Shakespeare in the Park production of 2013, Pericles. If that title doesn't sound familiar to you, it's because Shakespeare likely didn't write all of it. But that just means it'll probably be a new experience for most viewers, one you can see at Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre through July 19.
Friday, June 21
Dallas Arts District 2013 Summer Block Party
June 21 is the official start of summer and therefore also the longest day of the year, so there's no better time for the Dallas Arts District to hold another block party. The Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, Crow Collection of Asian Art and Klyde Warren Park all have special late activities. Food trucks parked up and down Flora Street serve the masses.
Cheap Trick in concert
It's not likely that Cheap Trick would be high on anyone's list of greatest bands of all time, but there's something to be said for their longevity. The members have barely changed since the 1974 debut album, and the band still makes new music and tours incessantly. Drawing on hits from way-back-when as well as the latest album in 2009, Cheap Trick takes the stage at Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie.
Saturday, June 22
Dr Pepper Arena presents Cirque Musica
Fort Worthians had their chance to see Cirque Musica, a unique blend of music and acrobats, last November. Now Frisco gets not one but two performances at Dr Pepper Arena. In addition to contortionists and high-wire walkers, the show also features two new songs from '80s pop star Debbie Gibson.
Tim McGraw in concert with Brantley Gilbert and Love & Theft
If you're good to country music, country music is good to you, and there's no truer personification of that than Tim McGraw. His popularity has not waned one iota since his debut in the early '90s, thanks to a steady stream of hits and his marriage to another country icon, Faith Hill. He comes to Gexa Energy Pavilion in support of his latest album, 2 Lanes of Freedom.
Sunday, June 23
Bret Michaels in concert with London's Dungeon, Blackout, No Rest For The Wicked and Ragdoll
For an aging '80s rock star, Bret Michaels sure knows how to keep his name in headlines. He's now a veteran of reality TV, thanks to three seasons of Rock of Love and two appearances on The Celebrity Apprentice. Oh, and he still makes music too. His latest album, Jammin' With Friends, will be released June 25. He shows you a good time at the Rail Club in Fort Worth.
Pitbull in concert with Kesha
Collaborators Pitbull and Kesha (or, if you prefer, Ke$ha) both seem to be unlikely success stories in the hip hop world. But Pitbull has used his Cuban ancestry to his advantage, while Kesha has used her songwriting abilities to stand out in a crowded scene. They're nearing the end of their co-headlining tour, wrapping up the weekend with this concert at Gexa Energy Pavilion.
The three Dallas Arts District museums — Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center and Crow Collection of Asian Art — stay open late for the Summer Block Party on June 21.
