Happy February! I hope you love all that the Coachella Valley entertainment scene has to offer this month.
The Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival returns from Friday, Feb. 16, through Sunday, Feb. 25, to spread community joy and a love for dates at the Riverside County Fairgrounds in Indio. This year’s headliners are late ’90s garage-pop rockers Smash Mouth (performing Friday, Feb. 16) and country hit-makers Diamond Rio (Monday, Feb. 19). Tickets range from $10 to $35. For tickets or more information, visit datefest.org.
Acrisure Arena features a run of diverse and impressive pop singers. At 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 2, international icons Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull and Ricky Martin bring three sets of radio hits to Palm Desert. Remaining tickets as of this writing started at $128. At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 9, Mexican singer, dancer and renowned “Supreme Diva of Mexican Pop” Gloria Trevi is set to perform. Tickets start at $39.50. Four-time Grammy Award winner, eight-time Latin Grammy Award winner, and top selling tropical-salsa artist of all time Marc Anthony will provide an enchanting evening at 8 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 14. Tickets start at $67. Acrisure Arena, 75702 Varner Road, Palm Desert; 888-695-8778; www.acrisurearena.com.
The McCallum Theatre features a range of genre-spanning entertainment. Some highlights: At 3 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 4, enjoy a performance of Selected Shorts, during which actors Joshua Malina, Jane Kaczmarek and Kirsten Vangsness will read short stories by well-known and emerging writers as part of the popular radio show/podcast. Tickets range from $25 to $55. At 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 8, catch a different kind of musical experience with Industrial Strength Broadway, featuring performances from musicals written—often by Broadway greats—specifically for corporate events in the ’50s to the ’80s. Tickets range from $35 to $65. At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 9, comedy, Broadway, television and film guy Robert Klein teams up with accomplished guitarist Leo Kottke for a special show. Tickets range from $35 to $75. McCallum favorites The TEN Tenors return to Palm Desert with a show featuring love songs. Performances take place from Tuesday, Feb. 13, through Saturday, Feb. 17. Tickets range from $55 to $105. At 8 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 25, funnyman Tom Papa celebrates two decades in standup comedy with a sure-to-be hilarious performance. Tickets range from $25 to $55. McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert; 760-340-2787; www.mccallumtheatre.com.
Fantasy Springs has too many events to list them all; here are a few. At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 2, ’80s rockers Great White and Slaughter team up for a night of rock. Tickets start at $59. If you’ve ever wondered what popular Top 40 songs sound like in the style of Yacht rock, check out Yachtley Crew at 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 3. Tickets start at $49. At 8 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 18, experience Mexican music magic when singer Alicia Villarreal heads to Indio. Tickets start at $49. Another Fantasy Springs team-up is happening at 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 24 when hard-rock titans Extreme and Living Colour bring guitar solos and more to the stage. Tickets start at $39. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 760-342-5000; www.fantasyspringsresort.com.
Spotlight 29 features some unique music acts. At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 2, dance to a night of Spanish music by Mi Banda el Mexicano and Banda Arkangel R-15. Tickets start at $15. The love of Latin music continues with Latin Legends, happening at 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 10. The show will feature El Chicano, Tierra Malo, Thee Midniters and A Lighter Shade of Brown. Tickets start at $35. A few tickets remained as of this writing for R&B, hip-hop and soul singer Keyshia Cole’s performance at 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 17. Tickets start at $50. At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 23, Spanish songwriter Pablo Alboran will head to Coachella. Tickets start at $35. Spotlight 29 Casino, 46200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-775-5566; www.spotlight29.com.
Morongo’s February schedule features some blasts from the past. At 9 p.m., Friday, Feb. 16, R&B quartet 112 will bring late ’90s/early ’00s hits to Cabazon. Tickets start at $59. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 17, soul band Tony! Toni! Tone! is set to perform with founding member D’Wayne Wiggins. Tickets start at $49. At 9 p.m., Friday, Feb. 23, Banda El Recodo will fill the high desert with music. Available tickets start at $132. Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon; 800-252-4499; www.morongocasinoresort.com.
Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage is pulling in some big names, and tickets are removing fast! Here are some shows that were not sold out as of our deadline: At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 9, Bronco will perform hits featuring their modern norteño sound. Tickets start at $75. Standup comedy legend Bill Burr will perform a second date at The Show at 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 17, after his Friday show sold out. Tickets start at $125. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 24, classic-rock pioneers Styx are set to perform. Tickets start at $75. Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888-999-1995; www.aguacalientecasinos.com.
Agua Caliente Palm Springs hopes you love their residencies! Desert Blues Revival Wednesdays offer a mix of music, drama and history with Evolution of the Blues (Feb. 7), a Valentine’s Day Mardi Gras celebration with the Gand Band and Madame LeRoux and Crewe (Feb. 14), the 1940s rock of Pachuco Jose (Feb. 21) and the modern blues rock of Bodhi Corbett (Feb. 28). Shows are at 7 p.m., and tickets start at $15 to $20, available at eventspalmsprings.com. Jazzville Thursdays feature the baritone vocalist Nicolas Bearde (Feb. 1), classic mambo jazz by Angel and his Mambokat Quintet (Feb. 8), a tribute to Ol’ Blue Eyes by Matt Forbes and Sinatra Sextet ’62 (Feb. 15), a live tribute to the 1962 jazz album Love Is a Drag (Feb. 22) and great tropical movie jazz from Hollywood Film Noirchestra: Exotica! (Feb. 29). Shows take place at 7 p.m., and tickets start at $15, available at jazzvillepalmsprings.com. Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs, 401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs; 888-999-1995; www.sparesortcasino.com.
Pappy and Harriet’s has a wide mix of great music, as is normally the case. At 8 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 4, folk favorite Buck Meek will perform an enchanting evening of song. Tickets are $25.49 Funk band Diggin Dirt will groove up Pioneertown at 8:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 5. Tickets are $20. Tickets are moving fast for Vieux Farka Touré; this Malian musician dubbed as the “Hendrix of the Sahara” will bring his desert blues to our desert at 9:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 9. Tickets are $32. Tickets are also going quickly for a special acoustic set from Hot Tuna—members Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady are both in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame—at 9:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 17. Tickets are $65. At 9 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 18, indie Spanish folk artist Helado Negro will visit Pappy’s. Tickets are $28. At 9 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 29, Japanese punk-ettes Otoboke Beaver return to once again ignite pandemonium inside the Pioneertown Palace. Tickets are $30. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown; 760-228-2222; www.pappyandharriets.com.
Oscar’s Palm Springs features some festive events in addition to the normal residencies. San Francisco “drag treasure” Matthew Martin pays tribute to the leading ladies of old Hollywood at 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 2, and Saturday, Feb. 3. Tickets start at $34.95. At 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 7, New York comic and musician Amy Veltman will perform her show Pelvic Service Announcement. Tickets start at $29.95. Legendary actor Tony Danza brings his four-piece band to Palm Springs for the very first time to perform selections from the Great American Songbook. You can catch the show at 7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 19; Tuesday, Feb. 20; and Wednesday, Feb. 21. Tickets start at $80. Oscar’s shows usually include 5:30 dinner reservations and a food/drink minimum. Oscar’s Palm Springs, 125 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs; 760-325-1188; oscarspalmsprings.com/events.
The Purple Room features double dates for every weekend performer—and a lot of the shows are sold out. Tickets remained as of our press time for these shows: At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 2 and Saturday, Feb. 3, Broadway Barbara brings funny stories and great songs to Palm Springs. Tickets start at $40. At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 9, and Saturday, Feb. 10, acclaimed classic jazz singer Anthony Nunziata offers some “Romantic Classics for Valentine’s Day.” Tickets are $40. These Purple Room shows include a 6 p.m. dinner reservation. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room, 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-322-4422; www.purpleroompalmsprings.com.
