As the first semester of the 2016-2017 school year gets going, the musical scene in San Antonio looks forward to some big names that could potentially attract students to venture outside the comfortable Trinity Bubble.
Part of the reason San Antonians don’t see big names pouring into their city is because of the proximity of Austin, a national magnet when it comes to hosting concerts. Austin City Limits attracts hundreds of musical groups from around Texas and the rest of the country to come and perform. It also doesn’t help that Austin gains recognition and national familiarity as the Texas state capitol.
Despite Austin’s popularity, San Antonio is managing to bring some well-established artists for the second half of the year.
Maroon 5
September 3, AT&T Center
Together since 1994, Adam Levine and Mickey Madden will be representing the band at the AT&T Center here in San Antonio. Maroon 5 has yet to release an album this year, but remains popular due to their old classics and 2015 hit album “V,” which included billboard-topping tracks “Maps,” “Sugar” and “Animals.”
Though not all of the band’s members will be in attendance, the concert will include performances by Tove Lo and Rock City. Both featured artists bring their own unique flavor to the concert, with Tove Lo’s electro-pop hits and Rock City’s Caribbean vibes.
Students might be interested in this because the early timing may be optimal for getting out without worrying about being weighed down by a heavy workload from classes.
Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas
September 10, AT&T Center
Lovato and Jonas will appear together in their “Future Now” Tour, which promotes each of their individual albums. Lovato’s 2015 “Confident” and Jonas’s 2016 “Last Year Was Complicated” offer fresh takes from the performers. However, the two sharing the stage will be refreshing to see because their long-time friendship, dating back to their work in Disney’s hit “Camp Rock,” will bring a unique fun to the concert.
The two offer a great show for the die-hard Disney Channel fans who have longed to see the older stars return to perform together.
5 Seconds of Summer
September 14, AT&T Center
This Australian rock band may still be up-and-coming, but has started out strong by topping international charts and making it into the 2016 “Ghostbusters” soundtrack.
Before making it into the movies, 5 Seconds of Summer released their second album in the summer of 2015, and this year is only the second time the group has headlined a tour, previously touring with One Direction.
Keith Urban
October 13, Alamodome
Keith Urban brings to San Antonio a reputation of huge success in the country music genre, and as a singer-songwriter in general. Invited into the Grand Ole Opry in 2012, Urban is a traditional country singer who only relies on the mic, his guitar and his voice to make some of the best music in the field.
Coming up in mid-October, Urban’s concert in San Antonio could be a great chance to take a break from labs, study guides and essays in order to bring students’ blood pressure down with some easy-listening country music.
Billy Joel
December 9, AT&T Center
Billy Joel is an American singer, most famous for his skills on the piano, that first came into the world of rock and roll in the early 1970’s with his smash hit, “Piano Man,” and has been producing hits ever since. It’s hard to describe the entirety of Joel’s success throughout his career, but it’s worth mentioning that he has won several Grammy Awards and been inducted into more than one hall of fame, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Coming at the most stressful time of the year for college students, Joel’s experience on the stage provides an opportunity for people to sit back and enjoy one of the all-time greats do his thing.
