March brings both the revelry of St. Patrick’s Day and increasingly warmer weather—which, given the relatively cold February we had, will be even more welcome than normal.
Oh, and March is also bringing a lot of great shows, too!
The McCallum Theatre has plenty going on in March. At 8 p.m., Friday, March 8, get in the Saint Patrick’s Day mood with The Irish Rovers. The Irish Rovers provide audiences with a good time featuring traditional Irish music; don’t be surprised if you find yourself singing and clapping along. Tickets are $25 to $85. At 8 p.m., Saturday, March 9, Grammy Award-winning vocalist Steve Tyrell will be performing. Tyrell has been a regular at the McCallum for 15 years now. After a dozen or so albums, appearances on soundtracks for films such as That Thing You Do and Father of the Bride, and other accomplishments, he’s guaranteed to put on a good show. Tickets are $48 to $78. Here’s an interesting one … at 8 p.m., Friday, March 29, actor Rob Lowe will be performing his one-man show Stories I Only Tell My Friends. He’ll reveal tidbits about his life in Hollywood and his acting career, which now spans four decades. Tickets are $65 to $150. McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert; 760-340-2787; www.mccallumtheatre.com.
Fantasy Springs Resort Casino has a superstar-packed March. At 8 p.m., Friday, March 1, the former lead vocalist for Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers, Michael McDonald, will be performing. He’s collaborated with artists from Kenny Loggins and Van Halen to Grizzly Bear and Thundercat. He’s also won five Grammy Awards and charted with several singles. Tickets are $39 to $69. At 8 p.m., Friday, March 8, ventriloquist and comedian Terry Fator will take the stage. Ever since he won America’s Got Talent in 2007, he’s been a huge hit with audiences. Tickets are $39 to $79. At 8 p.m., Friday, March 22, classic-rock band Creedence Clearwater Revisited will be returning to the Coachella Valley. I’ve seen this band perform on three occasions, and the group—made up of two members of the original Creedence Clearwater Revival lineup and three other fantastic musicians—sounds just as good as the original. Tickets are $39 to $69. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 760-342-5000; www.fantasyspringsresort.com.
Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa has a couple of events of which you should take note. At 8 p.m., Friday, March 15, Latin-music duo Los Temerarios will be performing. Adolfo and Gustavo Angel have become Latin-music superstars since they started in 1978, earning a Latin Grammy Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin Billboard Music Awards. Tickets are $55 to $85. At 8 p.m., Saturday, March 23, Prince-tribute band Purple Reign will take the stage. I watched this band’s soundcheck one time, and I couldn’t believe how well this band does Prince’s music. Others have taken notice as well—the group appeared on The Late Show With Dave Letterman on New Year’s Eve in 2009. Tickets are $25 to $35. Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888-999-1995; www.hotwatercasino.com.
Spotlight 29 has a couple of Latin superstars coming through in March. At 8 p.m., Saturday, March 16, enjoy a double bill of Voz de Mando and Kanales. Since the group began in 2002, Voz de Mando has released seven albums; recent single “Pa’ Que No Me Anden Contando” became a Top 10 Billboard Latin Music hit in the United States. Kanales came to the United States from Sinaloa and became a big star in Norteño-music world. Tickets are $40 to $45. At 8 p.m., Saturday, March 23, Latin-music duo Amanda Miguel and Diego Verdaguer will be performing. They are Latin-music legends who have been together since the 1970s. Tickets are $51 to $106. Spotlight 29 Casino, 46200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-775-5566; www.spotlight29.com.
Pappy and Harriet’s is the place to be in March … or, well, any other time of the year. At 8 p.m., Thursday, March 21, Cold Cave (upper right) will be performing. Cold Cave is a project of Wesley Eisold, of the bands American Nightmare and Some Girls. Eisold was born without a left hand, which means he does not play an instrument—but he excels as a vocalist. He’s also a published writer. Tickets are $20. At 8 p.m., Sunday, March 24, cosmic-country band Green Leaf Rustlers will take the stage. The band features Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes, Pete Sears of Jefferson Starship, John Molo of the Phil Lesh Quartet, and Greg Loiacono of The Mother Hips. A “cosmic-country” band should definitely be a hit at Pappy and Harriet’s. Tickets are $30. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown; 760-365-5956; www.pappyandharriets.com.
The Purple Room has a diverse list of events for March. At 6 p.m., Saturday, March 2, powerhouse cello and vocal duo Branden and James (below) will be performing. The duo features America’s Got Talent finalist Branden James, a classically trained tenor, and cellist James Clark. Tickets are $35 to $40. At 6 p.m., Saturday, March 9, Scot Bruce will be performing the songs of Elvis’ early years. Bruce is a regular performer at Disneyland and is considered one of the best Elvis-tribute acts in the country. Tickets are $30 to $35. At 8 p.m., Saturday, March 23, get ready to laugh in tribute to one of the most iconic comics who ever lived when Joe Posa stars as Joan Rivers. He’s an impersonator of many stars, including Michael Jackson and Liza Minnelli. Tickets are $30 to $35. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room, 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-322-4422; www.purpleroompalmsprings.com.
