Happy February! Although it’s the shortest month of the year, the beautiful weather means the days are filled with entertainment galore. Stay safe, and savor all that the desert has to offer this month.
At Acrisure Arena, enjoy a double dose of hip-hop shows. At 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11, catch a performance by Grammy Award-winning rap queen Cardi B, the songstress behind hits like “WAP” and “I Like It.” Tickets started at $124.20 as of this writing. At 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 14, celebrate the history of rap with How the West Was Won, a show featuring performances from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, E-40, Warren G, Jason Martin aka Problem, Suga Free, Brown Boy and Glasses Malone. Tickets started at $53.40. Acrisure Arena, 75702 Varner Road, Palm Desert; 888-695-8778; www.acrisurearena.com.
The Plaza Theatre is super busy; here are some highlights. At 7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6, and Saturday, Feb. 7, an all-star cast of film, TV and Broadway performers will conduct a staged reading of The Importance of Being Earnest (in New York). Featured stars include Christine Ebersole, Isabella Coben, Judy Kaye, Priscilla Lopez, Jess Salgueiro, Ryan Spahn, Michael Urie and Lillias White. Tickets start at $34.95. At 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 10, the Palm Springs Speaks series hosts multi-hyphenate cultural icon Cheech Marin, from Cheech and Chong. Tickets start at $84.05. At 8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12, spend An Evening With Priscilla Presley, as she shares stories from a life of acting, music and being married to the King. Tickets start at $69.90. At 9:30 a.m., Friday, Feb. 20, take a local history lesson and experience Hollywood Meets the Palm Springs Plaza Theatre: A Multimedia Journey. Lucie Arnaz (daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz), Plaza Theatre historian Jim Cook and Plaza Theatre Foundation president J.R. Roberts will educate and entertain while sharing the star-studded history of the local theater, during this official Modernism Week event. Tickets are $137.91. Plaza Theatre, 128 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-593-5818; www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com.
Fantasy Springs hosts comedy and classics. At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 13, say goodbye to iconic pop-vocal duo the Righteous Brothers, as they make another pitstop in the desert on their farewell tour. Tickets start at $52.50. At 8 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 15, indulge in romantic grupera jams with BXS Bryndis X Siempre, a group honoring the legacy and ballads of Mexican band Grupo Bryndis. Tickets start at $52.50. At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 20, catch the original Jersey boy himself, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, for what may be the final time, as the band is on “The Last Encores” tour. Tickets start at $82.50. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 21, get ready to laugh at the crude humor stylings of Jim Jefferies. Tickets start at $82.50. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 760-342-5000; www.fantasyspringsresort.com.
Here are some notable events from a busy February at the McCallum Theatre. At 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 3, witness the artistic clash of Counterpoint, a music and dance collaboration between pianist and composer Conrad Tao and choreographer and dancer Caleb Teicher. Tickets start at $47. Hear classic songs from films performed by the McCallum Theatre Orchestra, made up of today’s top Hollywood studio-recording musicians who travel to Palm Desert especially for these concerts, at 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6, and Saturday, Feb. 7. Tickets start at $73. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 21, catch the legendary Count Basie Orchestra, a group who has continued honoring the jazz icon, even more than four decades after his passing. Tickets start at $68. Board game-turned-stage show Clue: Live on Stage! will bring the high-stakes murder-mystery experience of the tabletop game to life for multiple performances happening Wednesday, Feb. 25, through Sunday, March 1. Tickets start at $72.99. McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert; 760-340-2787; www.mccallumtheatre.com.
Morongo is hosting two headliner concerts. At 9 p.m., Friday, Feb. 27, enjoy the technobanda and reggaeton sounds of Mi Banda El Mexicano de Casimiro Zamudio. Tickets start at $68.50. At 9 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 28, R&B star Brian McKnight brings the lovin’ jams to town. Tickets start at $68.50. Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon; 800-252-4499; www.morongocasinoresort.com.
Spotlight 29 welcomes three music legends. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 14, soul star and Disney songwriter Peabo Bryson is set to perform. Tickets start at $38.80. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 21, catch 89-year-old romantic-ballad fave Engelbert Humperdinck. Tickets start at $38.80. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, legendary soul and gospel singer Dionne Warwick returns yet again to the desert. Tickets start at $38.80. Honest Goodness Comedy Fridays feature Dustin Ybarra (Feb. 6), Dick Salas (Feb. 13), Rodrigo Torres (Feb. 20) and Frankie Gonzalez (Feb. 27). Tickets start at $17.32 to $20.52, and you must be 18+ to attend. Spotlight 29 Casino, 46200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-775-5566; www.spotlight29.com.
Agua Caliente in Rancho Mirage features some intense entertainment! At 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 14, Australian rock outfit Air Supply celebrates more than five decades of rock and romantic jams. Tickets start at $59.08. Actress and singer Bernadette Peters brings songs from her Broadway and film career, and will team up with the Desert Symphony at 8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 19. Tickets start at $69.42. At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 20, experience the rock ’n’ soul combo of Sons of Legion. Tickets start at $24.46. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 21, legendary soul singer and Motown leader Smokey Robinson is set to perform. Tickets start at $73.75. At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 27, experience a local appearance from indie-pop act Fitz and the Tantrums. Tickets start at $39.91. Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888-999-1995; www.aguacalientecasinos.com.
Agua Caliente in Palm Springs rolls on with blues and vintage music residencies. Desert Blues Revival Wednesdays feature soulful blues guitar from Celso Salim (Feb. 4), love songs and love-lost songs from the Gand Band (Feb. 11), a mix of blues past and future from BoneThumpers (Feb. 18) and a celebration of Motown from Funk Monks (Feb. 25). Shows are at 7 p.m., and tickets start at $17.85, available at eventspalmsprings.com. Carousel Thursdays feature the swingin’ rhythms of Cosmo Alleycats (Feb. 5), jump blues and vintage R&B from Lil’ Mo and the Dynaflows (Feb. 12), phenomenal crooner Lynda Kay (Feb. 19) and a powerful Louis Armstrong and Jack Teagarden Tribute (Feb. 26). Shows are at 7 p.m., and tickets start at $17.85 to $19.98, available at eventspalmsprings.com. The monthly musical time-capsule show, this time dedicated to 1958, will take place at 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6, and feature performances from Tod Macofsky and the Gand Band. Tickets start at $22.11, available at eventspalmsprings.com. Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs, 401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs; 888-999-1995; www.aguacalientecasinos.com.
Pappy and Harriet’s has the live-entertainment goods, per usual, so here are a few selections. At 9:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6, catch Drink the Sea, a new rock-music supergroup featuring members of R.E.M., Screaming Trees, Queens of the Stone Age, Alvvays and more! Tickets are $48.96. Get ready to groove when funky vocal trio Say She She returns to the desert, bringing disco-pop vibes for a performance at 9:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 7. Tickets start at $48.96. At 9:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 13, country storyteller Sunny Sweeney will spread Southern vibes at the Pioneertown Palace. Tickets are $26.68. Indie-pop and folk duo JOSEPH is set to perform at 8 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 24. Tickets are $54.14. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown; 760-228-2222; www.pappyandharriets.com.
Mojave Gold is hosting some cool events this month. At 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4, the venue’s open mic, Poets, Pickers and Prophets, invites all creatives to share their stuff on Mojave Gold’s beautiful stage. The event is free, and signups to perform start at 6 p.m. At 9 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6, sing along to your favorite angsty hits when Emo Kids, an emo-rock cover band, takes the stage. Tickets are $21. At 9 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 7, dance the desert off at Dance Mojave Dance!, a movin’ and groovin’ party hosted by DJ Ceddy Ced. The event is free. Local-goth event promoters Luna Negra bring dark-electro pop outfit LUCKYANDLOVE to the high desert at 9 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 21. Tickets are $10 for the first 50 purchasers, and $15 thereafter. At 8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 26, multi-genre performer Bob Schneider and alt rock duo Me Nd Adam team up for a night of noise. Tickets are $35. Mojave Gold, 56193 Twentynine Palms Highway, Yucca Valley; 442-205-0192; mojavegolddesert.com.
Oscar’s in Palm Springs is extremely busy with residency events—and a one-off headliner event: At 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 14, Tony and The Kiki are set to perform. The glam-rock outfit goes the extra mile, pouring flamboyance and androgynous style into catchy, powerful jams. Tickets are $24.95. Oscar’s Palm Springs, 125 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs; 760-325-1188; oscarspalmsprings.com/events.
The Purple Room in Palm Springs exudes fun! At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6, and Saturday, Feb. 7, Pitch Perfect and Drag Race combine for Dragapella!, an evening of song, satire, drag, dance and more! Tickets start at $50.85. At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 20, and Saturday, Feb. 21, acclaimed vocalist Ben Jones (pictured below) will explore 100 Years of the American Songbook. Tickets start at $50.85. At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 27, enjoy a tribute to jazz icon Sarah Vaughan from Purple Room favorite Rose Mallett. Tickets start at $45.70. All ticketed shows include dinner reservations two hours before showtime. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room, 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-322-4422; www.purpleroompalmsprings.com.
