Pepe Aguilar, Midland and more: 5 shows to see in the Coachella Valley this weekend

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HOT PICK

Friday

Pepe Aguilar will perform at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., on July 21, 2023.
Pepe Aguilar will perform at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., on July 21, 2023.

Mexican music: Pepe Aguilar comes from a family of prominent regional Mexican singers. It's no surprise that he made his stage debut as a toddler singing with his father during a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York. Even though he tried to be a rock singer, he began singing regional Mexican music that embodied his Latin pop and rock influences, selling more than 10 million records around the globe, winning five Grammy Awards and four Latin Grammy Awards.

His recent three-hour live shows have featured traditional Mexican music genres such as Banda and Mariachi, 15 horses, bull riding, 40 live musicians and more. This tour also features family members Angela Aguilar, Leonardo Aguilar and Antonio Aguilar Jr.

See for yourself when Aguilar performs Friday at Acrisure Arena.

If you go: 8 p.m. Friday, Acrisure Arena, 75-702 Varner Road, Palm Desert. Tickets start at $39.50. 888-695-8778. ticketmaster.com

BEST BETS

Thursday

Cabaret: Maximo Marcuso is an internationally acclaimed tenor known for operatic arias and classical music. But he also sings a mixture of other genres such as Broadway standards, jazz and contemporary music. Marcuso has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Ensemble, Santa Monica and Nevada symphonies, Pasadena Symphony and Pops Orchestra and more.

Marcuso will perform on Thursday at Coachella Valley Repertory as part of its Summer Cabaret Series.

If you go: 7 p.m. Thursday, Coachella Valley Repertory, 68-510 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City. $50. 760-296-2966. cvrep.org

Friday

Country: When the country band Midland released its 2017 album "On the Rocks," it debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart and received critical praise from Rolling Stone, NPR, Variety and more. Midland had a distinctive sound often described as "neo-traditionalist," which refers to the classic country instrumental and vocal styles from the 1940s to 1960s. Rolling Stone described the band's sound as "a mix of George Strait, 'Urban Cowboy' and Seventies yacht rock."

Midland will perform on Friday at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa in Rancho Mirage.

If you go: 8 p.m. Friday, Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa, 32-250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage. $65 to $100. 888-999-1995. aguacalientecasinos.com

Acid King will perform at Pappy and Harriet's in Pioneertown, Calif., on July 21, 2023.
Acid King will perform at Pappy and Harriet's in Pioneertown, Calif., on July 21, 2023.

Metal: It's been a while since Acid King has released an album, but the San Francisco doom metal band is back with its new offering in eight years, "Beyond Vision." Even though frontwoman Lori S. is the original member, she is determined to keep the band going and said in a statement on the band's website, "I feel like it keeps getting better."

Acid King will perform Friday at Pappy and Harriet's.

If you go: 9:30 p.m. Friday, Pappy and Harriet's, 53-688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown. $25. 760-228-2222. pappyandharriets.com

Country: A Dwight Yoakam concert is a difficult experience to explain. It feels like traveling back to the '60s to see a performance show by Buck Owens, Merle Haggard or George Jones. Yoakam debuted in the '80s performing classic country music. One of his biggest influences is Owens and a subgenre of country music known as the "Bakersfield sound," which he has featured in his music throughout his career.

He's also an actor and has appeared in films such as "The Newton Boys," "Crank" and "90 Minutes In Heaven." He's well-known for his role as Doyle Hargraves in the 1996 film "Sling Blade."

Yoakam will perform on Friday at Spotlight 29 Casino.

If you go: 8 p.m. Friday, Spotlight 29 Casino, 46-200 Harrison Place, Coachella. Tickets start at $50. 760-775-5566. spotlight29.com

Desert Sun reporter Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment. He can be reached at brian.blueskye@desertsun.com or on Twitter at @bblueskye.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Pepe Aguilar, Dwight Yoakam: 5 shows to see in the Palm Springs area