The summer season is upon us once again and musical performers of every stripe and style of music are gearing up to hit the road to soak in the adoration of the masses.
Among the throngs of bands and performers competing for your concert dollars are a number of queer, queer-ish and queer-friendly artists. With so much talent abounding, we put together a list of shows with LGBT interest, to help you plan your summer concert calendar.
The B-52s
June 7
Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.
215-572-7650
The alt-rock pioneers haven’t released any new music since 2008’s “Funplex,” but their campy and fun brand of high-energy music has always been in demand on the summer-tour circuit. So definitely get yourself a set of keys to the Love Shack and see these Rock Lobsters in action.
Morrissey
June 20
Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.
215-893-1999
Morrissey can be a preachy diva more often than not but, truth be told, he can channel longing and melancholy more gracefully and elegantly that most in his solo work, and in the occasional Smiths’ songs that he throws into the mix.
Bette Midler
June 16
Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.
215-389-9543
Considering this is the Divine Miss M.’s first tour in a decade, this is sure to be one of the more-anticipated shows of the summer. The iconic diva, actor and performer is on the road in support of her latest cover album of classic girl-group songs, but we’re guessing no one is going to let her leave the house before she belts out all of her classic hits.
New Kids on the Block, TLC and Nelly
June 19
Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.
215-389-9543
Your 1988 self and/or your Y2K self are freaking out right now. The grown-up boy band, with at least one gay member, is headlining The Main Event Tour with groundbreaking girl group TLC and rapper Nelly for what is sure to be an evening of pop hits to keep the crowds dancing and screaming.
The Killers
June 20
Borgata Festival Park, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.
609-317-1000
Singer Brandon Flowers takes a break from supporting his new solo album to help his main synth-drenched rock band break in the newest Borgata venue.
Neon Trees
July 21
TLA, 334 South St.
215-922-1011
The new-wave/alt-rock band from Utah with out members keeps rolling on tour in support of its latest album, “Pop Psychology.”
Idina Menzel
July 10
The Borgata Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.
609-317-1000
The actor and singer seen in “Wicked” and “Rent” and heard in the blockbuster animated film “Frozen” comes to the area to charm her faithful fans on her latest tour.
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
July 24
The Borgata Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.
609-317-1000
If you don’t have tickets to this show, we hope you know a good ticket broker. Lady Gaga takes a break from extreme diva-dom and her over-the-top live pop spectacles to get jazzy and croon with the legendary Tony Bennett. What better place to see these two blend their styles than Atlantic City?
Nicki Minaj
Aug. 6
Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.
609-365-1300
Hip-hop’s reigning queen of (b)ass-rattling club anthems rolls her “Pinkprint” tour into town for an evening of booty-shaking moves, colorful costumes and wall-to-wall hits.
Madonna
Sept. 24
Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.
215-389-9543
Sure, the tickets are going to be pricey. Sure, she’s going to insist on doing a bunch of songs from the new album. Sure, the few classic hits she rations out are going to be reworked. But who else is going to give you a big, crazy-ass pop spectacle to top all other pop spectacles this summer? The queen of pop always stays a few steps ahead of whatever else is going on in the world of pop tours, so you are sure to get the appropriate amount of bang for your many, many, many bucks.