Making a splash with music: Upcoming spring and summer concerts for every genre, budget

Spring is here and summer is fast approaching, which means popular music artists and legendary rock bands are going to be performing in the Detroit area. Below is a concise list of seventeen major bands of all genres that are going to be playing this spring and summer, May through early September. However, for a quick overview, here are a few choices that might be worth your while:

Best Country Value: Brad Paisley with The Band Perry and Scotty McCreery, $46 per ticket
Best Classic Rock Value: KISS and Mötley Crüe, $50 per ticket
Best Rock Value: Thrice, $28 per ticket
Best Pop Value: Foster the People, $67 per ticket
Best Overall Value: Queen Extravaganza $25-$40 per ticket
Most Anticipated: Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, about $105 per ticket

Spring Concerts
Who: LMFAO, Far East Movement, Quest Crew, Sidney Samson, Eva Simons, and Natalia Kills
Date: Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Time: 07:00 PM
For about $80 per general admission ticket, you can see the popular “Sexy and I Know It” electro-pop group at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan. There’s also a VIP Package available for the extreme fans, which includes various prizes including a possible meet-and-greet with LMFAO. The package prices vary, but of course the best way to get a good deal is to buy the tickets early. For more information, visit ticketmaster.com.

Who: Drake, J. Cole, Waka Flocka Flame, Meek Mill, 2 Chainz, French Montana
Date: Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Time: 07:00 PM
Last-minute tickets are still available for purchase to see Drake and the other musicians who will perform at the DTE Energy Music Theater in Clarkston, Michigan on May 30. The best seats offered right now are in the lawn section for general admission; ticket prices are about $50 per ticket. VIP Packages are also available, but the cost is pricey- about $325 per person. The VIP Packages include a concert t-shirt, early entry into the venue, and a premium reserved ticket for admission within the first fifteen rows. For more information, visit ticketmaster.com.

Who: Creed
Date: Thursday, May 31, 2012
Time: 07:00 PM
Currently, for about $85 you can purchase a ticket to see rock band Creed at the Fillmore in Detroit, Michigan. The best tickets available now are at center stage, several sections back from the front row. Since tickets are going fast and price will continue to increase in value, it’s best to make the purchase soon. For more information, visit livenation.com.

Who: Queen Extravaganza
Date: Thursday, May 31, 2012
Time: 07:30 PM
As a tribute band to Queen with their iconic drummer, Roger Taylor, the Queen Extravaganza will be touring across North America and will make their stop on May 31 to the Fox Theater in Detroit, Michigan. The tribute band will be playing Queen’s most famous and beloved songs, so the show is expected to be worth the wait. Tickets are currently on sale; one ticket near the front of the stage is about $40, but for a bit more farther back in the theater tickets can range from $25 and under per person. To get the best seats available, purchase these tickets as soon as possible. For more information, visit ticketmaster.com.

Who: Thrice, Animals as Leaders, and O’Brother
Date: Friday, June 1, 2012
Time: 07:00 PM
On their Farewell Tour, Thrice will be performing with Animals as Leaders and O’Brother at the Saint Andrews Hall in Detroit, Michigan. For about $28 per ticket you can join the other rockers in the mosh pit (general admission floor), or bring a friend and the cost will only be $55 for the pair of tickets. This is a smaller building to hold a concert, so tickets may go fast. For more information, visit livenation.com.

Who: Country Throwdown (Gary Allan, Rodney Atkins, Josh Thompson, and more)
Date: Friday, June 1, 2012
Time: 03:00 PM
For those who love country music, several country artists, including Gary Allan, Rodney Atkins, and Josh Thomson, and more are set to perform at the DTE Energy Music Theater in Clarkston, Michigan on June 1 as part of the Country Throwdown tour. Right now the best seats available are on the very left of the stage, just before the lawn area. The tickets are not at the ideal price at $62 each, but unless purchased soon, ticket prices will only continue to rise. For more information, visit ticketmaster.com.

Who: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Date: Friday, June 1, 2012
Time: 08:00 PM
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are playing at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan on June 1, but the seat availability isn’t the best; for one ticket in the Upper Bowl, it’s about $75. So unless you are a die-hard Peppers fan, or you’re forced into going, be prepared to not see the band much and hope for an exciting ambience- that will be the only bang for your buck. For more information, visit ticketmaster.com.

Who: Radiohead
Date: Monday, June 11, 2012
Time: 07:30 PM
English rock band Radiohead will be performing at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan on June 11. A pair of tickets can range from $81 to $135, depending on location of the seats and the time that the tickets are purchased. To get the best seats available at the best price, visit vividseats.com.

Summer Concerts
Who: Brad Paisley with The Band Perry and Scotty McCreery
Date: Saturday, June 16, 2012
Time: 07:30 PM
Calling all country fans! Even though the seats aren’t the best, you may still be able to purchase lawn seat tickets to see Brad Paisley, The Band Perry, and Scotty McCreery. They’re going to perform at the DTE Energy Music Theater in Clarkston, Michigan on June 16; one ticket can be bought at around $46, and the concert should be full of fun and life, even from the view of the lawn. For more information, visit ticketmaster.com.

Who: Foster the People with Tokyo Police Club
Date: Sunday, June 17, 2012
Time: 07:00 PM
Grammy-nominated Indie-pop band Foster the People will be performing at the Fillmore in Detroit, Michigan on June 17. Ticket prices range from $67 to upwards of $200 (VIP seating), but general admission tickets can be purchased by several different websites. To see the best deals, visit vividseats.com or livenation.com.

Who: Aerosmith and Cheap Trick
Date: Thursday, July 5, 2012
Time: 07:30 PM
For all the Aerosmith fans out there, now may be a time to see them in concert. The legendary rock group is going to be performing at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan on July 5. The seats available seem to be in the “nosebleed” section, but tickets can be purchased at about $90 apiece; seats closer to the stage can range from $130 to $300 per ticket. VIP Packages are also available, with the options of meeting the members of Aerosmith or Cheap Trick. For more information, visit ticketmaster.com for VIP tickets, or vividseats.com for various ticket prices from private vendors.

Who: Rascal Flatts with Little Big Town
Date: Friday, July 20, 2012
Time: 07:00 PM
For around $90 per ticket, you can set up a lawn chair on a nice evening at the DTE Energy Music Theater and see the Rascal Flatts play live. The tickets will officially go on sale on April 20, but to order them ahead of time you may choose to become part of the fan club for $25 if you are not already. Otherwise, you’re able to go to vividseats.com to get great seats from private vendors. However, with that route you pay upwards of $200 for a seat close to stage, while a general admissions ticket in the lawn area can still cost around $50. For more information, visit vividseats.com. or ticketmaster.com.

Who: Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival (Slipknot, Slayer, Motorhead, Anthrax, As I Lay Dying, The Devil Wears Prada, Asking Alexandra, High on Fire, and White Chapel)
Date: Sunday, July 22, 2012
Time: 12:00 PM
This year’s Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival will feature popular metal bands Slipknot, Slayer, Motorhead, and more! All music groups will be performing at the DTE Energy Music Theater in Clarkston, Michigan. Tickets are on sale now. The best seats available are in the pavilion area near the stage for about $105. However, for about $100 more you can get a VIP package ($200 per person), which provides you with special gifts and prizes, early entrance into the venue, and a reserved seat within fifteen rows of the stage (a.k.a. mosh pit). For more information, visit rockstarmayhemfest.com.

Who: Florence and the Machine
Date: Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Time: 07:30 PM
Indie-pop band Florence and the Machine will officially be performing on July 31 at the Fox Theater in Detroit, Michigan. Tickets are on sale now; they currently range from $41 to $77, depending on the location. To view seating options or for the best deals, visit vividseats.com. or ticketmaster.com.

Who: Coldplay
Date: Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Time: 07:00 PM
British alternative rock band Coldplay is ready to set the stage at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan this August. While tickets are somewhat pricey- at about $90 per seat in the “nosebleed” section- people will get to experience the performance of Coldplay live. Other tickets could be purchased for about $112 to get seats closer to the stage (and facing towards the back of the artists). Since the seating isn’t the best, those who would like to go to the concert should purchase the tickets soon to reserve their place. VIP Packages are also available, but of course they come with a pretty expensive price tag. For more information, visit ticketmaster.com.

Who: Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw
Date: Saturday, August 18, 2012
Time: 04:30 PM
Country artists Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw are planned to perform on their Brothers of the Sun Tour at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. Ticket prices are already starting to escalate, but if you buy them soon there are optional ticket prices of around $77 per ticket, and the seating location isn’t too bad. For more information, visit ticketmaster.com.

Who: KISS and Mötley Crüe
Date: Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Time: 07:00 PM
To see the classic rock bands KISS and Mötley Crüe live in concert, ticket prices are merely $50 per person when choosing the lawn section at the DTE Energy Music Theater in Clarkston, Michigan. Of course there are other seating options available, but tickets that allow you closer to the stage can easily grow in cost. For more information, visit ticketmaster.com.