4 concerts to see in the Palm Springs area this weekend

In the mood for some live entertainment this weekend? Here are my picks for the can’t-miss live performances in the Coachella Valley and surrounding communities Aug. 29-30.

More: Leading up to Labor Day weekend, here’s 10 Things to do in the Coachella Valley this week

HOT PICK

Friday: Richard Marx at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa

Pop: During the 1980s, pop artist Richard Marx achieved a milestone by becoming the only male artist whose first seven singles reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Songs like “Right Here Waiting,” “Endless Summer Nights,” and “Don’t Mean Nothing” continue to receive airplay today and are considered highlights of ’80s pop music.

Marx has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and has written songs for artists such as Kenny Rogers, Luther Vandross, and NSYNC’s 2000 single “This I Promise You.” In 2022, he released his 13th album, titled “Songwriter,” which features collaborations with various songwriters, including Keith Urban, Darius Rucker, and the late Burt Bacharach, among others.

Marx will perform on Friday, Aug. 29 at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa.

If you go: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa, 32-250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage. Tickets $34.95 to $109.95. aguacalientecasinos.com

BEST BETS

Saturday: Twisted Gypsy at The Rock Yard

Tribute: The Rock Yard at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino is reopening this weekend after a mid-summer break, and on Saturday, Aug. 30, the Fleetwood Mac tribute Twisted Gypsy will perform. True to the original band, Twisted Gypsy features all-live vocal harmonies, vintage costumes and of course, a passionate performance that fans of the classic rock band will appreciate, celebrating the songs and aesthetics Fleetwood Mac is renowned for.

If you go: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, The Rock Yard at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84-245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio. Free admission. fantasyspringsresort.com/rock-yard

Sunday: Emo Nite at Pappy and Harriet’s and Juanita & Juan at Mojave Gold

Dance: Imagine a night celebrating your favorite mid-aughts emo and pop-punk bands — no band required. That’s the energy that Emo Nite brings to clubs and venues around the globe with its DJ parties playing all the angsty anthems. Bring all the feels and sing your lungs out on Sunday, Aug. 31 when Emo Nite performs at Pappy and Harriet’s.

If you go: 9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 31, Pappy and Harriet’s, 53-688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown. Tickets $32.90 to $38.60. pappyandharriets.com

Lounge: What do you get when you combine Kid Congo Powers’ guitar with Alice Bag’s vocals? You get Juanita & Juan, a lounge project that features not only lounge music but also tropical, cumbia and pop music. Powers, who has played guitar in bands like The Gun Club, The Cramps, and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, along with Bag, who fronts The Bags, are icons and innovators among Hollywood’s punk scene going back to the ’70s.

See for yourself on Sunday, Aug. 31 when Juanita & Juan perform at Mojave Gold.

If you go: 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 31, Mojave Gold, 56-193 Twentynine Palms Highway, Yucca Valley. Tickets $23.70. mojavegolddesert.com

Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment for the Desert Sun. He can be reached at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Things to do in Palm Springs: Top 4 concerts in the desert this week