July's must-see St. Louis concerts include Niall Horan, Alanis Morissette and Phish (2024)

Daniel DurchholzSpecial to the Post-Dispatch

July’s concert schedule packs plenty of heavy hitters: Niall Horan, Phish, Luke Bryan, Alanis Morrissette, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Maren Morris, Santana, AJR and others. But there are also a lot of terrific comedy shows happening, too, including Jordan Klepper (“The Daily Show”), Sarah Sherman (“Saturday Night Live”), Demetri Martin and Kevin McDonald (“The Kids in the Hall”). You can laugh or rock out all month — or both! It’s your choice.

Iron & Wine with Amythyst Kiah

Sam Beam, once again dba Iron & Wine, has returned with a new album, “Light Verse,” his first in … yikes, seven years. “Light” doesn’t mean to imply “happy,” however, and the album is mostly mellow and melancholy. Get there early enough to catch opening act Amythyst Kiah a fine solo artist as well as a member of Our Native Daughters. Kiah recently released a new single, “In the Pines,” a treatment of the traditional folk tune.

Jeezy

Divorce, custody battles and nasty accusations are dominating headlines involving Jeezy these days, but this is the guy who titled his 2023 memoir “Adversity for Sale: Ya Gotta Believe.” Kind of along the same lines, the Atlanta rapper’s latest album — also from last year — is titled “I Might Forgive…But I Don’t Forget.” Hmm.

Niall Horan ‘The Show Live on Tour’

Niall Horan’s 2020 tour was scuttled by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the former One Direction heartthrob has been making up for lost time for more than a year now touring behind his album “The Show.” We’re happy his fans finally get to see him again, but you’d better bring earplugs to this one; not to block out the music, but rather the high-decibel scream-singing of the Niallers. It’s all in good fun, but tinnitus is real, people.

Lake Street Dive ‘Good Together Tour’

Lake Street Dive’s latest album, “Good Together” was only recently released, but early listens reveal it’s what we’ve come to expect from the group: impeccable musicianship, great lead vocals from Rachael Price, and well-constructed, tuneful material. For the first time, all of the band members got together to write the songs from scratch.

Jordan Klepper ‘Suffering Fools’

In this insane political climate, has anyone captured the absurdity and cluelessness of both the pols and the general public better than Jordan Klepper? The Emmy-nominated “Daily Show” correspondent and sometimes host recently released a new comedy special, “Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse: Moscow Tools.” It (along with everything else Klepper does) is recommended viewing.

Maren Morris 'RSVP Redux Tour'

Earlier this month, Maren Morris went on Instagram and wished everyone “Happy pride.” She also announced that she was “happy to be the B in LGBTQ+.” That’s neither here nor there in the grand scheme of things, but if it further infuriates the haters that drove Morris from country music to pop, so be it. Ever since her hit “The Middle,” she’s been heading that direction anyway. Morris’ other hits include “My Church,” “‘80s Mercedes” and “The Bones,” and she’s also a member of the supergroup the Highwomen.

Alanis Morissette ‘The Triple Moon Tour’

“The Triple Moon Tour” offers a strong triple bill of artists from different eras. Alanis Morissette’s prime time was the 1990s and into the aughts, with albums such as “Jagged Little Pill” and “Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie.” Joan Jett, who started rocking in the ‘70s, at first with the Runaways and then on her own, generating undeniable hits including “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “I Hate Myself for Loving You.” Fast-rising country star Morgan Wade’s time is now. Her second album, calmly titled “Psychopath,” was released last year.

Barry Manilow ‘The Last St. Louis Concert’

Barry Manilow isn’t under oath, and that’s a good thing. This concert is billed as “The Last St. Louis Concert,” and it may indeed be true. But Manilow — purveyor of a plethora of hits including “Mandy,” “Looks Like We Made It” and “Copacabana” — has been saying that he’s retiring since at least 2015. He just turned 80, so maybe this time it’s true. But don’t be surprised if it’s not.

Santana and Counting Crows ‘Oneness Tour’

“Man, it’s a hot one,” is the opening lyric to Santana’s 1999 mega-smash “Smooth.” And really, couldn’t every St. Louis meteorologist lead their forecast with a few bars of that nowadays? Summer is also when Santana seems to show up here and the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s shows tend to be pretty hot, too. This time, Counting Crows, of “Mr. Jones” and “A Long December” fame are coming along, making for a fine double bill.

Phish

If you haven’t seen Drew Carey’s unabashed — and we mean REALLY unabashed — rant on TV’s “After Midnight” about seeing Phish at Las Vegas’ Sphere … well, check it out, but it’s NSFW. Trey, Page, Jon and Mike are playing other cities, too, of course, including a two-night stand in ours. Maybe it won’t be as visually splendiferous as the Sphere shows, and maybe it won’t melt your brain like it did Drew’s. But it’s Phish, man. The real show is inside your own head.

Honorable Mentions

Musiq Soulchild, 6 and 9:30 p.m. July 2-3 and 5, City Winery, 3730 Foundry Way, $65-$85, citywinery.com/st-louis

Celebrate St. Louis — Lupe Fiasco, Locash, the Urge, Feel, 4:15 p.m. July 4, Gateway Arch Park, free, celebratestlouis.org

Def Leppard and Journey “The Summer Stadium Tour” with Cheap Trick, 6 p.m. July 6, Busch Stadium, 700 Clark Avenue, $49-$550, mlb.tickets.com

AJR “The Maybe Man Tour” with mxmtoon and Almost Monday, 6:45 p.m. July 6, Enterprise Center, $45.50-$145, ticketmaster.com

The Kid Laroi “First Time Tour” with Glaive and Chase Shakur, 7:30 p.m. July 9, the Factory, $50-$70, ticketmaster.com

Hiatus Kaiyote, 7 p.m. July 10, the Big Top, 3401 Washington Avenue, $35-$40, metrotix.com

Earth, Wind & Fire and Chicago “Heart & Soul Tour,” 7:30 p.m. July 10, Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, $41-$171, livenation.com

Futurebirds with Pernikoff Brothers, 8 p.m. July 10, Old Rock House, 1200 South 7th Street, $22, etix.com

Sarah Sherman, “Sarah Squirm: Live + In the Flesh,” 7:15 p.m. July 11, Helium Comedy Club St. Louis, 1151 St. Louis Galleria Street, $27-$37, st-louis.heliumcomedy.com

Demetri Martin, 8 p.m. July 12, River City Casino & Hotel, 777 River City Casino Boulevard, $20-$50, ticketmaster.com

Whiskey Myers with Whitey Morgan & the 78’s and Reid Haughton, 6:30 p.m. July 13, St. Louis Music Park, $36-$99, ticketmaster.com

OK Go with Winona Forever and Mirthquake, 7:30 p.m. July 13, the Pageant, $30-$45, ticketmaster.com

Train and REO Speedwagon “Summer Road Trip” with Yacht Rock Revue, 6:25 p.m. July 16, Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, $37-$245, livenation.com

The Wallflowers with William Matheny, 8 p.m. July 16, the Pageant, $29.50-$49.50, ticketmaster.com

Chuck Mead, 7 p.m. July 17, the Golden Record, 2720 Cherokee Street, $20, etix.com

Loserville 2024, 6:30 p.m. July 18, Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, $48-$221, livenation.com

Pecos & the Rooftops 8 p.m. July 18, the Hawthorn, 2231 Washington Avenue, $22, ticketweb.com

Dan + Shay “Heartbreak on the Map Tour,” 7 p.m. July 20, Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, $30-$134, livenation.com

Fruit Bats, 7 p.m. July 20, the Big Top, $30-$35, metrotix.com

Kidz Bop Live 2024, 4 p.m. July 21, Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, $37-$152, livenation.com

Jazz Triple Play featuring Norman Brown, Paul Taylor, and Brian Simpson 7 p.m. July 21, Touhill Performing Arts Center, 1 Touhill Circle, $55-$75, touhill.universitytickets.com

The Head & the Heart with Phosphorescent, 8 p.m. July 21, St. Louis Music Park, $39-$59, ticketmaster.com

Lucky Daye “The Algorithm Tour” with Fana Hues, 8 p.m. July 21, the Pageant, $32.50, ticketmaster.com

Mates of State, 8 p.m. July 21, Old Rock House, $25, etix.com

Jason Mraz & the Superband, “The Mystical Magical Rhymical Radical Ride” with Molly Miller Trio, 7:30 p.m. July 23, St. Louis Music Park, $25-$99, ticketmaster.com

Kevin McDonald featuring stories from “The Kids in the Hall,” 7:30 p.m. July 24, City Winery, $30-$40, citywinery.com/st-louis

Vampire Weekend “Only God Was Above Us Tour” with Ra Ra Riot, 7 p.m. July 25, St. Louis Music Park, $47-$89, ticketmaster.com

Dailey & Vincent, 8 p.m. July 26, $36-$51, the Sheldon, metrotix.com

Kaskade, 10 p.m. July 26, Ryse Nightclub, 1 Ameristar Boulevard, $55-$1350, ticketmaster.com

The Struts with Barns Courtney, 8 p.m. July 27, the Factory, $32-$54, ticketmaster.com

Luke Bryan “Mind of a Country Boy Tour,” 7 p.m. July 28, Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, $58-$248, livenation.com

Red Hot Chili Peppers “Unlimited Love Tour” with Otoboke Beaver and Irontom, 7 p.m. July 30, Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, $133-$542, livenation.com

Tate McRae “Think Later Tour,” 8 p.m. July 30, St. Louis Music Park, $154-$588, ticketmaster.com