If you’re a classic rock or ’80s rock fan, you already know that summer is the time to catch all your favorite acts live! Let us at the Clog be your wise advisors on your journey back through the years with this one-stop guide to long hair, mustaches and sweet, sweet guitars.
Roger Waters: Us + Them Tour
Dates: Wednesday, June 7 at 8 p.m. at SAP Center in San Jose
Saturday, June 10 at 8 p.m. at Oracle Arena in Oakland
You’ll get a progressive and political bang for your buck if you go see Roger Waters. Plus, 80 percent of his setlist is basically Pink Floyd songs. Now if only he’ll play again with David Gilmour.
Chicago
Dates: Wednesday, June 7 at 7:15 p.m. at Concord Pavilion in Concord with the Doobie Brothers
Wednesday, August 30 at 7:30 p.m. at The Mountain Winery in Saratoga
These ’70s rock icons decided to go on tour with the Doobie Brothers just for fun! They’ll be kicking off their tour right here in the Bay Area – maybe it’s fate.
Poison
Date: Tuesday, June 13 at 8 p.m. at Oracle Arena in Oakland with Tesla
Who wouldn’t want want to miss seeing ’80s powerhouse Poison live? Even after 30 years (yes, 30, we can’t believe it either), they still rock just as hard. To make things even better, veteran rockers Tesla will be joining them.
Boston: Hyper Space Tour with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Date: Wednesday, June 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View
Hosted by the Bay Area radio station 98.5 KFOX, this show will be “out of this world!” Haha, get it? But seriously, the musical prowess of Boston and Joan Jett isn’t a joking matter. A former Runaways member is always one to be revered (though Sandy and Lita are our baes).
King Crimson
Date: Saturday, June 17 at 8 p.m. at Fox Theater in Oakland
Prog rock legends King Crimson are here for their Radical Action Tour! Get ready to have your mind blown.
Styx and REO Speedwagon: United We Rock Tour
Date: Friday, June 23 at 7 p.m. at Concord Pavilion with Don Felder
Styx and REO Speedwagon have joined forces yet again to rock our socks off, and they’ve brought ex-Eagles guitarist Don Felder on board, too. They’ll surely draw fans from all parts of the Bay Area spectrum and bring them together under one resounding chord.
Queen + Adam Lambert
Date: Thursday, June 29 at 8 p.m. at SAP Center
Honestly, if you haven’t yet seen Queen with Adam Lambert, go now. Though no one can replace the great Freddie Mercury, Lambert does a bang-up job filling in for him. Plus, Brian May. That’s all we need to say and all you need to hear.
Daryl Hall & John Oates
Date: Tuesday, July 15 at 7 p.m. at SAP Center with Tears for Fears
Y’all don’t even need an explanation for this.
Steve Miller Band with Peter Frampton: Summer Send Off
Date: Saturday, August 12 at 6:30 p.m. at Shoreline Amphitheater with Night Ranger
What better way to bid summer goodbye than being serenaded by the Steve Miller Band and Peter Frampton? Another concert hosted by 98.5 KFOX, this one is perfect to “send off” the summer and welcome in the new fall term!
Toto and Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo
Date: Monday, August 21 at 8:15 p.m. at Wente Vineyards in Livermore
Uh, you had us at Toto but Pat Benatar (and, of course, her lovely husband) too? Score!
Foreigner, Cheap Trick and Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience: Bone Bash XVII
Date: Saturday, September 2 at 7 p.m. at Shoreline Amphitheatre
Get your wallets and ears ready to rock out to this triple-threat show hosted by the Bay Area’s No. 1 classic rock station, 107.7 The Bone! You can snag lawn seats for as low as $20 (excluding taxes and fees). This is one concert we won’t miss, so come on down and say hi!
Iron Maiden: The Book of Souls World Tour
Date: Wednesday, July 5 at 7:30 p.m. at Oracle Arena with Ghost
We’re internally metalhead-fangirling at the thought of Iron Maiden coming back on tour for their new album! It’s been a long five years (five years too many) since their last release with The Final Frontier, and we’re super pumped to see them live once again!
Guns N’ Roses
Date: Tuesday, November 21 at 8 p.m. at Oracle Arena
The much-awaited reunion is finally here. Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait until fall, but that’s a small price to pay to see these rock gods.
Hot tip: Keep yo’ eyes peeled for Aerosmith’s final tour coming to the United States late 2017-18!
Summer 2017 is jam-packed with great rock artists, and it’ll surely be a season you’ll never forget. With a bunch of bands coming out of hiding recently to tour, there’ll never be a shortage of great music to go see live. If you have lawn seats, don your binoculars proudly, and if you don’t, well, it still wouldn’t hurt to see the magic as close as you possibly can. Our advice for you is to enjoy every concert as if it’s your last and make a memorable experience out of each and every one. Make sure to pick up a $10 band T-shirt from a street vendor (you know what we’re talking about) because the real $50 one is out of your league.
(But you didn’t hear that from us.)
