Your monthly dump (of Fresno area concerts for June 2024)
Fulton 55 goes dark, but we get a Motown legend and Steve Aoki.
The summer is a notoriously hard sell for events in Fresno and those who follow the calendar listings will notice that Fulton 55 has a six-week hole in its schedule.
Having learned from experience over the last few years, the venue is going dark for the month of June.
Here are the concerts happening at the rest of the venues around town this month, in a curated, but also also kinda comprehensive list, broken up by week for sake of ease.
Week 1 (June 2-8)
Outline in Color, NightLife, FoxCult, Cloud Construction, SedIT, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, June 2, Full Circle Brewery. $22. All ages.
Cancer Christ, 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, Strummer’s. $15. All ages.
Brooks and Dunn, 7 p.m. Thursday, June 6, Save Mart Center. $24-$164 plus.
Israel Flores, the voice of Macondo, with New Old Man and Jonathan Lo-Fi, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 6, Saint J Wine Bar. Free.
EDM Summer House, 8 p.m. Friday, June 7, Granite Park. $10.
June Boom, with Red Keep, Resider, Fire to the Throne, Perception and Forgotten Faces, 6 p.m. Saturday June 8, the Fulton. $10. All ages.
Belmont, Can’t Swim, Capstan, 7 p.m. Saturday, June 8, Strummer’s. $20. All ages.
Summer Nights, a tribute to Grease, with the Olivia Show, 7 p.m. Saturday, June 8, the Tower Theatre. $25-$40. All ages.
Week 2 (June 9-15)
One could create entire playlists on the songs that Smokey Robison created.
As leaders of the the Miracles, the 84-year old lent his voice and songwriting chops to any number of Motown classics (“Tears of a Clown” is a particular favorite). But he also had an hand in songs by the Temptations, Marvin Gaye and others.
If you’re someone who’s into seeing all the legends of rock and roll, Robison should be on the list. And he still performs. The singer was last in town in 2021 at the Big Fresno Fair. He makes a return Friday June 14 at the Saroyan Theatre. Tickets are $42 to $300+
When Doves Cry, a tribute to Prince, 7 p.m. Friday, June 14, the Tower Theatre. $38-$50. All ages.
Trish Toledo, 8 p.m. Saturday, June 15, the Tower Theatre. $26. All ages.
Week 3 (June 16-22)
Brit Floyd, 8 p.m. Sunday, June 16, Saroyan Theatre. $45-$195+
Vision Video, Calabrese, Nox Novacula, 8p.m. Tuesday, June 18, Strummer’s. $20. All ages.
The Dollyrots, with Go Betty Go, Kutie, Devil Like Me, Skank Stomp, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 19, Full Circle Brewing. $22. All ages.
Cel Damage, Drip Fed, Elder Devil, Farooq, 7 p.m. Thursday, June 20, Strummer’s. Free. 21+
Jeremy Elvis Pearce, the ultimate tribute to Elvis, 6 p.m. Friday, June 21, Englemann Cellars. $20.
DannyLux, 8 p.m. Friday, June 21, Saroyan Theatre. $28-$53+
The Iron Maidens bills itself as the world’s only all-female Iron Maiden tribute band. That seems like hyperbole given the vastness of the planet and the popularity of these kinds of tribute acts these days.
The Maidens were instrumental in raising the status of tribute band musicians (especially female musicians) and using the band a springboard. Former guitarist Nita Straus became the touring guitarist for Alice Cooper (and later Demi Lavato) and was Ibanez guitars’ first female signature artist.
Another former guitarist Courtney Cox is the touring guitarist for the Swiss metal band Burning Witches.
Bottom line: A good bet if for Iron Maiden fans.
The band plays Friday, June 21 at the Tower Theatre. Tickets are $25-$39.
Zep-La with Purplish, 6 p.m. Saturday, June 22, the Tower Theatre. $35-$125. All ages.
Week 4 (June 23-30)
It’s year two of Haunt’s Frozen in Time Fest.
The day-long festival is a celebration of the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal (NWTHM to fans), as curated by Haunt mastermind Trevor Church. It brings in several acts that likely wouldn’t roll through Fresno otherwise (meaning, get there if you’re a fan of NWTHM or adjacent genres).
Haunt will perform, along side Hell Fire, Grey Hawk, Sabre, Angel Fury, Devilution and more. The festival starts 3 p.m. Saturday, June 22 at Strummers. Tickets are $20.
SWMRS, Lost Cat, 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 25, Strummer’s. $20. All ages.
Clan of Xymox, Curse Mackey, Sine, 8 p.m. Thursday, June 27. $25. All ages.
Louie the Singer, 6 p.m. Thursday, June 27, Rainbow Ballroom. $49-$350.
Intocable, 7 p.m. Saturday, June 29, Saroyan Theatre. $39-$119+
Steve Aoki doesn’t like to know how much he’s getting paid for a gig.
That’s a little factoid I picked up via Billboard that is apropos (maybe) given the super star DJ is signed on to headline this year’s Sun Kissed Festival, along with Mitis, ALRT, Cam Girl and Danny Greko.
Aoki is a kind of pioneer in the electronic dance music scene (check out the Nextflix documentary “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead”) though he cut his teeth in indie rock in the late 1990s breaking bands such as Gossip, Bloc Party and the Kills on his with Dim Mak Records.
Here’s another factoid: Aoki has a name twin living in Fresno. The two got to meet up when the DJ played the Rainbow Ballroom in 2011 (that concert looked like this …).
The Sun Kiss Festival happens Saturday June 29 at Granite Park. Tickets are $40 an on sale now.
That’s it for this week. Remember you can now hear me on the Homegrown Show Sundays at 8 p.m. on New Rock 104.1 FM. Follow my other writing at The Fresno Bee. If you have anything you think I need to be looking at or listening to, feel free to let me know: jtehee@gmail.com