Taylor Swift is one of the highlights in this summer’s concert calendar.
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Whether you’re tailgating before the show or rocking out inside the venue, summer concerts are a ready-made soundtrack that is just awaiting your participation to build memories. Here are the biggest and best bets for your concert dollar.
Kenny Chesney
One thing that has not changed in America for the past 100 years: Cowboys are still really good at herding large groups of mammals into confined open-air structures. Eric Church, Eli Young Band and Kacey Musgraves round out this rootin’-tootin’ bill. June 8, Lincoln Financial Field
The Rolling Stones
It is impossible to refute the naysayers’ complaint that the Stones are old. Their current string of shows is celebrating the band’s 50th anniversary of their formation and first album. But it’s also impossible to refute that the world’s greatest rock ’n’ roll band is still worth seeing. Switching up sets to dip into obscurities in their deep catalogue, you’ll get to hear some classic tunes. Whew! We did that without using either a “Satisfaction” or “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” reference. June 18 and 21, Wells Fargo Center
Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars has turned his “Unorthodox Jukebox” into a 1980s time machine, which works out just fine for his opening act, Fitz and the Tantrums, who have also set the dial for the 1980s with their brand new “More Than Just a Dream.” Wear your neon jams and join them. June 24, Wells Fargo Center
One Direction
If seeing the New Kids/98 Degrees/Boyz II Men show bummed you out, go see a boy band that includes actual boys. June 25, Wells Fargo Center
Justin Bieber
Who would have thought at this time last year that the Justin Bieber tour would become the equivalent of the Rolling Stones’ 1972 tour in terms of rumored debauchery? We can only hope he’s still around for his own “50 and Counting” tour in 2060. July 17, Wells Fargo Center
Taylor Swift
It wouldn’t be summer without a stadium and TaySwi (people call her that, right?). This year she brings with her that huggable British muppet Ed Sheeran, as well as Austin Mahone and Joel Crouse. July 19 and 20, Lincoln Financial Field
Beyonce
Beyonce was going to release a new album this year. Remember that? Seems like she might not have remembered either, as Mrs. Carter sets out on the Mrs. Carter Show World Tour before her new songs have even hit the market. It’s kind of like when it’s the end of the school year, and absolutely all of your friends are psyched to be done with exams, but you’ve still got one left that you totally forgot to study for. The only difference is she has the ability to say, “I’m Beyonce. I don’t have to take your damn final!”July 25, Wells Fargo Center
Americanarama Festival of Music
For a genre that takes itself a little too seriously when at its worst, these three giants of Americana prove that a sense of humor is necessary to separate the wheat from the chaff. By calling their tour Americanarama, Bob Dylan, Wilco and My Morning Jacket are quite obviously not taking themselves too seriously. July 28, Susquehanna Bank Center
Under the Influence of Music Tour
Wiz Khalifa, A$AP Rocky, B.o.B. and Trinidad James are a stellar lineup, but we have to wonder: Now that marijuana is pretty much totally legal, when are musicians going to stop giving their tours titles with little winking references to weed? Aug. 2, PNC Bank Arts Center
Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z
Arguably the biggest tour of the summer, it remains to be seen how Jay-Z and JT will split the stage on The 20/20 World Tour. We can only hope that there are 20 songs from each artist, rather than a staged recreation of the best moments of ABC’s most popular investigative journalism TV show. That said, it would be awesome if they did that for the first few shows and then switched it up by the time they got here. Aug. 13, Citizens Bank Park
John Mayer
We still don’t like the dude’s music, but we can appreciate that his body is a wonderland. Lookin’ good, Johnny! Aug. 23, Susquehanna Bank Center
