Luke Bryan didn’t seem like he would be the face of spring break when he started out.
The country star launched his career with “I’ll Stay Me,” his 2007 album that, by drawing on more traditional country influences like Randy Travis, seemed to indicate Bryan wasn’t aiming for chart domination.
But then something changed. Bryan started cranking out spring break themed EPs. He released an album called “Tailgates and Tanlines,” and another called “Crash My Party.”
Now Bryan seems firmly established as one of country music’s barn-burners, a guy more than happy to hit No. 1 with songs like “Drink a Beer” and “Country Girl (Shake It for Me).”
Bryan’s now headed to the Tacoma Dome at 7:30 p.m. May 16 on his “Kick the Dust Up” tour, which will find him headlining some of the nation’s biggest venues through at least October.
Tickets are $39.75 to $69.75 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
Passion Pit also is headed to the Northwest, as the lauded rock act plays a pair of concerts at the Showbox. The band is set to appear at 7 p.m. May 19 and May 20.
With his synthesizer-steeped music, frontman Michael Angelakos has managed to make fans out of mainstream music listeners and rock critics alike.
Though debut album “Manners” turned some heads, his act’s true breakthrough came in 2012 with the release of “Gossamer.” That effervescent album featured hit singles including “Take a Walk” and “Carried Away.” The album reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200.
Now Passion Pit is back with a new album, April’s “Kindred.” Preceded by the single “Lifted Up (1985),” the album again showcased Angelakos’ ability at channeling personal reflection into his bubbling 1980s-infused rock.
Tickets are $35 at showboxonline.com or 888-929-7849.
Joe Bonamassa also has multiple dates planned in the days ahead, as he winds down a three-night stand at the Paramount Theatre with shows at 8 p.m. May 15 and May 16.
Billed as being the “guitar event of the year,” the concert will give fans a chance to see the young guitar great as he tours behind his latest album, “Different Shades of Blue.”
That album hit No. 1 on the blues charts after its September release, and again showcased the 38-year-old’s ability to channel influences like Stevie Ray Vaughn into his own original music.
Tickets are $79 to $125 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
The Wombats, meanwhile, play the Neptune Theatre at 9 p.m. May 19.
The group, based out of Liverpool, England, released its debut album, “A Guide to Love, Loss and Desperation,” in 2007, and followed that disc up with 2011’s “This Modern Glitch.”
Both of those albums helped win fans with its sharp-witted lyrics and New Wave-steeped sounds. The act returned this year with “Glitterbug,” a slightly more somber outing from the often fun-loving act.
Tickets are $17.50 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
The Neptune Theatre will host rapper Nipsey Hussle at 9 p.m. May 15.
Known for his gritty lyrics, the California-based emcee has been churning out mixtapes for the past decade. He is finally gearing up to release his much-anticipated studio debut, “Victory Lap,” which has been delayed more than a year since its originally planned release date.
Tickets are $45 at showboxonline.com or 888-929-7849.
Finally, the long-running British rock act the Waterboys will head to the Showbox at 8:30 p.m. May 21.
The band got its start in the early 1980s in London, and established a sound that blended traditional Celtic folk with alt-rock infused pop.
A string of minor hits on this side of the Atlantic pushed the group onto the charts in the late 1980s and early 1990s, although its albums never were huge chart successes.
Nonetheless, its unique sound and ever-rotating line-up of skilled musicians helped win it a loyal following. The act, led by its one constant member Mike Scott, is touring now behind its latest album, “Modern Blues.”
Tickets are $35 at showboxonline.com or 888-929-7849.
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