Allman Family to Zac Brown: A dozen Jacksonville-area concerts to see before year's end

Music fans shouldn’t have any problem finding a dozen concerts they want to see in the Jacksonville area before year’s end. The challenge is finding only a dozen concerts they want to see.

Lots of big-name acts are coming — Yes, Gov’t Mule, Alabama, Luke Bryan, Paramore, Turnpike Troubadours, Debbie Gibson — but you can’t see all of them, so here are a dozen really good bets:

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Zac Brown Band

Caroline Jones is playing in the Zac Brown Band for their 2022 tour.
Caroline Jones is playing in the Zac Brown Band for their 2022 tour.

7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, at Daily's Place. $79.50-$125.

The Georgia-based country/rock act, supplemented on this tour by singer/guitarist Caroline Jones, is always reliable, with tight harmonies, a chicken-fried guitar lineup and a setlist filled with sing-along favorites. They’ve been known to cover Dolly Parton and Peter Gabriel songs in the same show, so you never really know what’s coming next. dailysplace.com

Chris Stapleton

Chris Stapleton is back at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in October.
Chris Stapleton is back at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in October.

7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. $56.84-$350.

Don’t let the mountain man appearance fool you, Stapleton is a master songwriter and performer who can play darned near anything. Stapleton hasn’t been around that long – his debut solo album was released in 2015 — but he’s already collected eight Grammy Awards and a reputation for ferocious live shows. Elle Kings opens. vystarveteransarena.com

Keith Sweat

Keith Sweat headlines the R&B Music Experience in Jacksonville.
Keith Sweat headlines the R&B Music Experience in Jacksonville.

With Monica, Tevin Campbell, Tamar Braxton, 112 and Silk, 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. $75-$175.

It’s been 25 years since Keith Sweat redefined R&B with his debut solo album, “Make it Last Forever,” and its indelible hit single “I Want Her.” He headlines the R&B Music Experience, which also includes sets by Monica (“Angel of Mine,” “Before You Walk Out of My Life”), Tevin Campbell (“I’m Ready,” “Tell Me What You Want to Do”), Tamar Braxton (“Love and War,” “Celebrity Big Brother”), 112 (“Peaches & Cream,” “It’s Over Now”) and Silk (“Freak Me,” “Lose Control”). vystarveteransarena.com

Weird Al Yankovic

Weird Al Yankovic is coming to the Thrasher-Horne Center in Orange Park in October.
Weird Al Yankovic is coming to the Thrasher-Horne Center in Orange Park in October.

7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, at the Thrasher-Horne Center. $39-$329.

He made a name for himself by playing parody songs on an accordion, yet somehow Yankovic has earned five Grammy Awards, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, released nine albums that went gold or better and has a movie about his life being made (starring Daniel “Harry Potter” Radcliffe). He’s on the Unfortunate Return of the Ridiculously Self-Indulgent Ill-Advised Vanity Tour, so it’s fair to guess he isn’t taking things too seriously. thcenter.org

.38 Special

.38 Special, which got its start on Jacksonville's Westside, plays a hometown show at the Florida Theatre in October.
.38 Special, which got its start on Jacksonville's Westside, plays a hometown show at the Florida Theatre in October.

8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, at the Florida Theatre. $42.50-$75.

In the early days, when the young Jacksonville band was putting out its first couple of albums, they were often looked down on as a junior Lynyrd Skynyrd. But they found their voice in the ‘80s, putting out four consecutive gold albums and dominating the FM airwaves with “Wild Eyed Southern Boys,” “Hold on Loosely,” “Caught Up in You,” “Back Where You Belong,” “Teacher, Teacher” and other hit singles. They’re back at the Florida Theatre for a homecoming show. floridatheatre.com

Greta Van Fleet

Greta Van Fleet comes to Jacksonville in October.
Greta Van Fleet comes to Jacksonville in October.

8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. $46.59-$275.

Some day, someone is going to write a story about this young Michigan rock band that doesn’t compare them to Led Zeppelin. But not today, because it’s nearly impossible to listen to their songs without hearing at least an echo of classic Zep songs. The hard-touring band has moved up to headlining arenas for this tour, and it will be interesting to see what they do in the big spotlight. vystarveteransarena.com

Petra

Christian rockers Petra bring their 50th anniversary tour to Jacksonville in November.
Christian rockers Petra bring their 50th anniversary tour to Jacksonville in November.

7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Murray Hill Theatre. $27-$32.

Christian rock may be the hardest genre to stand out from the crowd, but Petra certainly has done it. The band, which has sold 10 million albums, hasn’t played much in recent years but regrouped for a tour to mark the 50th anniversary of its founding. They’re playing at the Murray Hill Theatre, which holds about 600 people, so get your tickets early if you don’t want to be shut out. murrayhilltheatre.com

Bonnie Raitt

Bonnie Raitt comes to St. Augustine in November.
Bonnie Raitt comes to St. Augustine in November.

7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre. $47-$122.

Raitt’s career has been given up for dead more than once since her 1971 debut album, but she always comes back stronger than ever. Along the way, she’s earned 11 Grammy Awards, a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the undying respect of guitar geeks everywhere. Her 18th solo album, “Just Like That...” came out this year. theamp.com

The Last Waltz

Don Was and Jamey Johnson return to the St. Augustine Amphitheatre with the Last Waltz tribute show.
Don Was and Jamey Johnson return to the St. Augustine Amphitheatre with the Last Waltz tribute show.

With Warren Haynes, Don Was, Jamey Johnson and others, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre. $49.50-$149.50.

“The Last Waltz” was the name given to the final concert by The Band in 1976. This tribute tour brings together a sensational lineup of musicians — Warren Haynes, Jamey Johnson, Kathleen Edwards, Don Was, Anders Osborne, Dave Malone, John Medeski, Cyril Neville, Terrence Higgins, Bob Margolin and Mark Mullins — to recreate the show. theamp.com

Allman Family Revival

Devon Allman and Duane Betts are scheduled to play at the Allman Family Revival in November.
Devon Allman and Duane Betts are scheduled to play at the Allman Family Revival in November.

With Devon Allman Project, Duane Betts, Donavon Frankenreiter, Jimmy Hall and others, 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, at the Florida Theatre. $44.50-$79.50.

The Allman Brothers Band, which formed in a house in Riverside, retired from the stage in 2014 but the songs are so good that somebody needs to play them. The Allman Family Revival brings together family (Gregg Allman’s son Devon, Dickey Betts’ son Duane, Butch Trucks’ kids Melody and Vaylor) with friends (Jimmy Hall, Donavon Frankenreiter, Maggie Rose) for a night of favorites. floridatheatre.com

Pentatonix

Pentatonix
Pentatonix

7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. $25-$518

Pentatonix is a five-piece a capella group from Texas. How that’s going to translate to an arena setting might be interesting to see. They’ll be doing a set heavy on holiday songs — the tour is called A Christmas Special — in support of a new album, “Holidays Around the World.” vystarveteransarena.com

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra takes special effects to a new level.
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra takes special effects to a new level.

7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16, at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. $29-$99.50.

Over-the-top light shows and stellar musicianship are the hallmarks of a TSO show. They play vaguely familiar holiday songs in progressive-rock arrangements, but the lasers and smoke and bombast are every bit as much of the show as the music itself. It’s one of those things that everyone should see at least once. vystarveteransarena.com

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville concerts: 12 music acts to see before the end of 2022