Pump up the volume with these live concerts in RI this winter
New year, same old need to immerse yourself in a live music experience , swaying and singing loudly – and probably badly – with hundreds of other devotees?
The region's best music spots have a lineup with the variety your soul needs. Check out our top suggestions for finding the heat during the heart of winter:
Aztec Two-Step 2.0, Jan. 23, 7:30 p.m., The Courthouse Center for the Arts ( courthousearts.org ), 3481 Kingstown Road, South Kingstown. Founder Rex Fowler presents a reimagined lineup to pump out the folk favorites that built the group a solid reputation more than 50 years ago. Now a quartet, they finesse fan favorites and newer sounds for a fresh experience. Tickets start at $38.07.
" An Intimate Evening with David Foster and Katharine McPhee,Feb. 1, 7 p.m., Providence Performing Arts Center ( ppacri.org ), 220 Weybosset St., Providence. The talent and chemistry of this married musical duo – he's a Grammy-winning producer and composer and she's an "American Idol" alum who dominated Broadway in 2018 in the hit musical "Waitress" – is engaging as they deliver old and new favorites. Tickets start at $41.50.
The New Wave Orchestra,Feb. 5, 7:30 p.m., Vets Auditorium ( thevetsri.com ), 1 Avenue of the Arts, Providence. Get in the DeLorean time machine for transport back to the neon-streaked '80s for a moody and manic orchestral experience. The band encourages sing-alongs as they roll through hits by U2, Depeche Mode, Talking Heads, Duran Duran and Kate Bush. Tickets start at $62.
Black Violin,Feb. 22, 7 p.m., Uptown Theater ( uptowntheaterpvd.com ), 270 Broadway, Providence. Six albums and Grammy nominations have cemented this duo at the forefront of the fusion genre of classical and hip-hop instrumentals. The energy level soars as they bow-dance like no other. Tickets start at $50.99.
Billy Ocean,March 20, 8 p.m., Bally's Lincoln Casino ( casinos.ballys.com/lincol n). Get your easy listening groove on with the Trinidadian crooner who gave us 1980s hits like "Caribbean Queen," "Suddenly" and "When the Going Gets Tough (The Tough Gets Going)." Dancing in your seats is optional but probably unavoidable. Tickets start at $55.10.
MercyMe,March 27, 7 p.m., Amica Mutual Pavilion ( amicamutualpavilion.com ), 1 La Salle Square, Providence. Performances by this contemporary Christian band are uplifting, unique and award-winning. Their "Wonder + Awe" tour mixes tracks from their latest album with older favorites for an energetic night. Tickets start at $41.45.
Lita Ford,April 9, 8 p.m., Greenwich Odeum ( greenwichodeum.com ), 59 Main St., East Greenwich. Decades after hitting the punk scene as lead guitarist for the all-girl band The Runaways and a productive solo career that included the Ozzy Osbourne duet "Close My Eyes Forever" and the chart-topping "Kiss Me Deadly," Ford is still a force on stage and is promoting her new album. Tickets start at $76.
The Outlaws,April 11, 8 p.m., Narrows Center for the Arts ( narrowscenter.com ), 16 Anawan St., Fall River, Massachusetts. These Southern rock legends will perform their debut album in its entirety along with hits such as "Green Grass & High Tides" and "There Goes Another Love Song," plus other highlights from their rich 50-year songbook. Tickets start at $76.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Top concerts in RI this winter: Aztec Two-Step, Black Violin and more
