The spring months bring one of the most anticipated concerts of the year, because it’s been delayed twice: Bruce Springsteen at Mohegan Sun Arena. That’s just one of several shows coming up that sold out within hours of being announced — the XL Center alone has Bad Bunny, Nicki Minaj and AJR. But concerts also start feeling poppier and bubblier in springtime, perhaps in anticipation of the even warmer, wilder and grander music events of festival-frenzied summertime.
This is the busiest spring concert season since the COVID-19 shutdown. The season begins on indoor stages and gradually expands to outdoor amphitheaters like Westville Music Bowl in New Haven, Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater in Bridgeport and Hartford’s own Xfinity Theater. The musical journey ends in a very different place than it begins, moving from darkness (indie pop, metalcore) into the light, blossoming like spring itself.
Here’s a rundown of highlights at a baker’s dozen of Connecticut’s top concert venues. They all have their own programming passions and most are very clear about what sort of band works best in their fine-tuned environment. Connecticut is blessed to have such a full range of venues, clubs, theaters and arenas that can accommodate every type of performer from punk and indie to R&B/funk to hip-hop/rap to chart-topping mainstream rock and just about everything else you can imagine.
The Bushnell
166 Capitol Ave., Hartford
The Bushnell fills a lot of niches that other venues don’t specialize in, from children’s songs (Raffi, May 18), Broadway show tunes (Patti Lupone, May 19), drag lip-synch routines (Sasha Velour, June 1) and fusion/world music (As We Speak featuring Bela Fleck, June 15). bushnell.org
College Street Music Hall
238 College St., New Haven
The comfy, well-managed concert hall in downtown New Haven offers solo or scaled-down concerts from Chappell Roan (April 3), Ben Folds (April 23) and Marcus King (June 4), as well as the return of 1990s literate indie legends The Decemberists (May 4) and even a 50-anniversary tour from 1970s rockers Kansas (May 18). collegestreetmusichall.com
Foxwoods Resort Casino
350 Trolley Line Blvd., Mashantucket
For sheer range, whether you’re measuring in historic periods or musical genres or special events you won’t find at other venues, Foxwoods’ two main performance areas (the Premier Theater and the Great Cedar Showroom) are in full bloom. On April 5, there’s a special “Sessanta” 60th birthday party for Maynard James Keenan with the bands Puscifer, A Perfect Circle and Primus sharing the same stage. Big names from the 1980s run from Adam Ant (April 6) to Berlin (May 24). The 1960s are represented by Tower of Power on April 12 and a double bill of The Temptations and the Four Tops on April 26. Things get soulful with a May 11 slate of Keyshia Cole, Bobby V and Nivea, a May 17 show by The Brian McKnight 4 and the inimitable Keith Sweat on May 24. There are special solo shows by the leaders of renowned bands including Aaron Lewis (of Staind) on April 6 and Rob Thomas (of Matchbox Twenty) on April 12. Add to this vocalist Delilah on April 11, the rowdy ska/funk/pop outfit Sublime with Rome on April 19 and country star Miranda Lambert on June 8. foxwoods.com
Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
500 Broad St., Bridgeport
Some of the biggest acts of the ‘60s and ‘70s are finding their way to Bridgeport in the spring: Neil Young & Crazy Horse on May 18, The Beach Boys with special guest Dave Mason on May 24 and Bonnie Raitt on June 14. There’s also a country klatsch of Cole Swindell, Dylan Scott and Mackenzie Carpenter on May 31, a hip-hop gathering of Bryson Tiller, Slum Tiller and DJ Nitrane on June 1, a blues night of Trombone Shorty, Orleans Ave. and Big Boi on June 13 and boy-band-icon-gone-solo Niall Horan on June 18. hartfordhealthcareamp.com
Infinity Hall Hartford
32 Front St., Hartford
Infinity Hall has been among the best “listening rooms” in the state for lean-in-close concerts by blues and pop virtuosi, from folk guitar legend Richard Thompson (April 4) to longtime Jerry Garcia sideman Melvin Seals (April 13) to singer/songwriter Josh Ritter (June 7). Bands like The Jayhawks (May 3) and The Wood Brothers (May 5) are best appreciated in a venue this size. infinityhall.com
Mohegan Sun Arena
1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville
Bruce Springsteen with his E Street Band is at Mohegan Sun Arena on April 12 after two postponements. It’s been a few years since his plans to play at the venue were first announced. Three stars who shared the pop charts with Springsteen in the ‘70s and ‘80s are also coming: Rick Springfield, whose May 19 date was announced just days ago, the ever-fashionable Stevie Nicks on June 9 and John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival in a double bill with guitarist George Thorogood on June 16. Latino vocalists are a big draw at the arena, with Victor Manuelle’s “Retromántico” tour on April 27 and Luis Miguel on June 2. mohegansun.com
Oakdale Theatre
95 S. Turnpike Road, Wallingford
The Oakdale is just the right size for a certain level of loud rock bands whose fans would rather see them headline a large indoor venue than be swamped by other acts at a big outdoor festival. This spring that means anything from Casting Crowns on April 13 to the legendary Judas Priest on April 18 to modern metallists Avatar on May 15. Modern country music is represented by singer/songwriter Jessie Murph on April 3 and the duo Brothers Osborne on April 20. Buddy Guy’s postponed farewell tour finally arrives May 11. livenation.com
Space Ballroom
295 Treadwell St., Hamden
Space Ballroom doesn’t just give a leg up to the new generation of indie acts, it’s a showcase for those that have endured. There are many many shows at the ballroom in the next couple of months, from Surfer Girl (the new project from Carter Reeves of Aer) on March 27, ‘90s British hitmakers Jesus Jones on April 3, long-lived metal act Cro-Mags on April 9, Philadelphia’s longwinded Clap Your Hands Say Yeah on April 28, Canadian indie rock exemplars Of Montreal on June 6 and the righteous roots rocker Reverend Horton Heat on June 7. British drummer Terry Chambers fronts ExTC — a tribute act to a band he was in from 1972-82, XTC — on April 26. There’s a two-day Connecticut Ska Weekend on April 19 and 20, where the headliners hail from far-away places (Sonic Boom Six from the UK on Friday, The Aggrolites from Los Angeles on Saturday) and many of the other bands on the bill are local, including a rare reunion of ‘90s local ska saviors Spring Heeled Jack USA. Another great local act returning to the Space Ballroom is the New Haven-based pop experimentalist Ceschi on May 5. spaceballroom.com
Toad’s Place
300 York St., New Haven
Toad’s Place still has a claim on the motto “Where the Legends Play” which defined it when U2, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Weezer and Eddie Murphy all found reasons to play the too-small-for-their-fame club in the ‘70s, ‘80s or ‘90s. The dual reunion of punk royalty The Descendents and Circle Jerks on April 9 has sold out. Metal legends still play there, like Queensrÿche on April 28 and Sebastian Bach on May 21. And where else will you find such a carefully crafted ‘80s revival bill as The Alarm with Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel plus Belouis Some (May 26). There are plenty of bands that could play larger venues but just love the shape, feel and location of Toad’s Place. That goes for everybody from Makeout Shinobi (April 5) to City Morgue (April 7) to Neon Trees (April 12) to Wacahatchee (April 25) to The Ghost Inside (April 30) to frequent returnee Buckethead (May 23). toadsplace.com
The Webster
31 Webster St., Hartford
The Webster finds fascinating metalcore, hip-hop and R&B acts from around that country that no other venues in Connecticut seem to be booking, like the multi-act “A Soulful Night” on April 26 with DreGotTheBlues, Arhamis.wav, Bloodbath Blair, Reggie Blu and Aqmni or unique outfits like Mariah the Scientist (April 7), Kublai Khan TX (April 19), Maxi Priest (May 10) or Guardian, whose sharply named “Loneliest Tour in the World” hits The Webster on May 17. It’s like a special self-contained universe. But The Webster certainly does know what’s going on in the outside world as well. Witness its timely Bad Bunny afterparty with DJ Orma following the superstar’s XL Center concert on April 20. They have themed dance parties celebrating everything from the ‘80s to Taylor Swift but also do live tribute shows like Joby Rogers’ Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience on June 1. The Webster’s new management has drastically increased the number of shows held there, and this spring is jam-packed. thewebsterct.com
Westville Music Bowl
45 Yale Ave., New Haven
The Westville Music Bowl, a former tennis stadium that’s beautifully equipped for arena concerts, starts its season on May 4 with the all-star “Freestyle Extravaganza” of Stevie B, Lisa Lisa, TKA, Cover Girls, Judy Torres, Betty D, Noel, Cynthia, Kid & Play and Onyx. Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, one of those incredibly specific Grateful Dead tribute acts, plays the Music Bowl on May 18. The Avett Brothers, who have been developing their own Broadway musical “Swept Away,” are also back on the road and appearing in New Haven on May 21 with Sierra Ferrell opening. Bleachers, Taylor Swift producer Jack Antonoff’s fun bouncy pop band, plays June 7 with Samia opening. westvillemusicbowl.com
Xfinity Theatre
61 Savitt Way, Hartford
The vast expanse of grass and auditorium once known as The Meadows doesn’t really get going until late June and early July, but the spring brings the lively 21 Savage on June 1 and country music deity Hank Williams Jr. on June 7. livenation.com
XL Center
1 Civic Center Plaza, Hartford
There are only a handful of concerts amid the sports events at XL Center this spring, but they’re major events, including Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2 World Tour on April 5, pop trio AJR’s Maybe Man Tour on April 6, the global superstar Bad Bunny on April 20, Los Tigres del Norte on April 27 and Feid’s Ferxxocalipsis Tour on June 9. xlcenter.com/
