10 Best Concerts of the Week: Ed Sheeran, Brooks & Dunn, Santana and More

After nearly a month of mostly mid-level acts, North Texas is welcoming some really big names to the area this week. The week starts off with up-and-comers Joseph, the sister trio that is ready to take the U.S. by storm. Saturday night, three huge stars light up the area with classic rock icon Santana in Dallas, pop superstar Ed Sheeran in Arlington and country greats Brooks & Dunn in Fort Worth. Early next week is about as busy as it gets with Placebo returning to Dallas on Monday night, and on Tuesday Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit bringing a little bit of country to Deep Ellum and indie-rockers Yeah Yeah Yeahs playing to a packed house in Irving. Wednesday brings the concert week to an exciting conclusion with indie-pop band Future Islands in The Cedars, Billy Porter (yeah, from Pose) in the Dallas Arts District and Ben Folds playing a special exclusive performance in Oak Cliff. Act now, because some of these shows are already sold out.
Joseph
7 p.m. Friday, May 5, The Echo Lounge & Music Hall, 1323 N. Stemmons Freeway $29.50+ at livenation.com

After nearly a decade flying under the radar, sisters Natalie, Meegan and Allison Closner, who comprise the Portland-born indie pop-folk trio known as Joseph, have released the band's fourth album, The Sun, to widespread critical acclaim. Following their first performance at the Royal Albert Hall on April 26, the sisters kicked off their North American tour last week on April 28, the same day the new album was officially released on ATO Records. While the band has released a steady stream of decent albums since 2014, what sets this album apart from the others is its lush production, building on the standard indie-folk sound that has carried the sisters this far. As its title suggests, the album is bright, seeking to light up all that is dark in the world with positivity and inspiration. English indie-folk duo Flyte will be there to open the show.
Ed Sheeran
6 p.m. Saturday, May 6, AT&T Stadium, 1 AT&T Way, Arlington. $49+ at seatgeek.com

Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran began playing and recording music at the age of 13, and at the age of 18, he dropped out of the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford, Surrey, to support hip-hop artist Just Jack. From that point forward, Sheeran dedicated his life to writing and recording music. His big break came in 2012 when pop singer Taylor Swift heard his music and asked him to support her on the North American leg of her RED Tour. By the end of 2013, Sheeran was a household name, selling out shows at Madison Square Garden. Over the last decade, Sheeran's popularity has continued to grow on the strength of earworm singles and incredible collaborations with musicians from Elton John to J Balvin. Sheeran kicks off the tour for his fifth album, Subtract, on Saturday the day after the album's release. R&B singer Khalid and English singer-songwriter Dylan open the show.
Brooks & Dunn
7 p.m. Saturday, May 6, Dickies Arena, 1911 Montgomery St., Fort Worth. $57+ at ticketmaster.com

The epitome of '90s neo-traditional country, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn come to Fort Wort on their Reboot tour. The duo had a slew of hits throughout the '90s and '00s, culminating in two epic greatest hits collections before retiring from the music industry in 2009. They came out of retirement in 2019 with their album Reboot — a collection of re-recorded classics with guest vocalists such as Luke Combs on "Brand New Man," Kacey Musgraves on "Neon Moon" and Midland on "Boot Scootin' Boogie." Critics were split on whether or not the group's older sound paired well with modern production, but fans sent the album to No. 1 on the Billboard country chart. The Reboot tour will not be able to accommodate all of those incredible guest vocalists, but Brooks & Dunn will have opening support from Scotty McCreery and Megan Moroney.
Santana
7 p.m. Saturday, May 6, Dos Equis Pavilion, 1818 First Ave. $115+ at livenation.com

Carlos Santana has been fronting classic Latin rock band Santana since 1966, when his outfit was known as the Santana Blues Band. For nearly six decades now, the band has always been more of a collective, with multiple recording and performing lineups using more than 70 members. Santana's popularity peaked in the 1970s with a slew of classic albums and hits including "Evil Ways" and "Black Magic Woman." Throughout the '80s and '90s, Santana lay mostly dormant until the 1999 release of Supernatural solidified his status as a living legend. His recipe for success continued with the artist inviting guest vocalists to sing on his albums. On his 2021 release, Blessings and Miracles, Santana included a pair of songs written by his children. Earth, Wind & Fire will get the show started.
Placebo
7 p.m. Monday, May 8, House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St. $35+ at livenation.com

Alternative rock band Placebo graces Dallas with its presence Monday night with support from Los Angeles singer-songwriter Poppy Jean Crawford. Placebo's best-known song in the U.S. is the 1998 single "Pure Morning," and the iconic opening line "A friend in need's a friend indeed / A friend with weed is better." However, Placebo's significance extends far beyond this minor, late '90s single. Cited as a major influence by emo icons My Chemical Romance and Panic! at the Disco, Placebo maintained a rabid cult following in the States due in large part to the lyrical themes of depression, isolation and addiction. A collaboration between Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal since its inception in 1994, Placebo released its eighth studio album and first album in nearly a decade, Never Let Me Go, last year to positive reviews and have since been on a massive world tour.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 9, The Factory in Deep Ellum, 2713 Canton St. $55+ at axs.com

Subject of the recent HBO documentary Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed, Jason Isbell and his stalwart band, The 400 Unit, return to Dallas ahead of the release of Isbell's ninth studio album, Weathervanes. Isbell has always been known for his deeply introspective songwriting and left-leaning ideology — a welcome departure from the brazen lyrics and politics that dominate the world of country music. In the days after the 2020 election, when the state of Georgia was still tabulating its votes, Isbell promised that if the state turned blue, he would record a covers album of all Georgia artists. The next year, he released Georgia Blue, an album of songs from Georgia artists including R.E.M., Cat Power, James Brown, The Allman Brothers and Indigo Girls. All proceeds from the album are going to charity. Isbell will have Tennessee singer-songwriter Amythyst Kiah as opening support.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
7 p.m. Tuesday, May 9, The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, 300 W. Las Colinas Blvd., Irving. $29.95+ at livenation.com

In April 2013, New York art rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs released its fourth album, Mosquito, to mixed reviews. Critics generally favored the album, but others noted that the band just sounded tired and uninspired. The reviews were atypical for a band that had so boldly announced its presence a decade earlier and had released three solid albums that helped define the sound of the '00s. It wasn't just the critics that called it; it seems as though the band felt it too. In December of the following year, Yeah Yeah Yeahs announced a hiatus that would ultimately last nearly another decade. The band started playing the occasional show in 2017 along with reissuing its classic Fever To Tell album. At the end of last year, Yeah Yeah Yeahs released its long-awaited fifth album, Cool It Down, to rave reviews. The band is officially back and will be playing Tuesday night in Irving after a set from indie rock band The Faint.
Future Islands
7 p.m. Wednesday, May 10, South Side Ballroom, 1135 Botham Jean Blvd. $38+ at ticketmaster.com

North Carolina synth-pop band Future Islands had been doing just fine on the indie circuit before March 3, 2014. Adored in smaller circles for their first three albums, Future Islands knew how to combine the most intense feelings with the most elevating music, and it was all held together by singer Samuel Herring, wearing his trademark short-sleeved, white button-down shirt and black slacks, bellowing his heart out with the occasional death metal growl. On March 3, 2014, the world found out what it had been missing when Future Islands appeared on the Late Show With David Letterman to play "Seasons (Waiting on You)" from their fourth album, Singles. The performance became the most-viewed video on the show's YouTube page. Future Islands is sure to deliver a remarkable performance Wednesday night after an opening set from JOON, the electronic solo project from Maltese producer Yasmin Kuymizakis.
Billy Porter
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 10, Winspear Opera House, 2403 Flora Dr. $49.50+ at attpac.org

Winner of a Grammy, an Emmy and two Tony awards, Billy Porter brings his first-ever, career-spanning pop music concert tour, Black Mona Lisa Tour: Volume One, to the Dallas Arts District. Porter will have a full band behind him as well as a video installation as he tells his life story through song. The event is set to last about 90 minutes and is said to include his hit songs “Love Is on the Way” and “Love Yourself.” The show is intended to have something of a Broadway feel, with performances of songs from Porter's forthcoming album Black Mona Lisa. This is more than a concert. This is a carefully curated music experience that is sure to dazzle the audience. Porter has described this show as his magnum opus and the first opportunity he has had to fully express himself on stage through music.
Ben Folds
8 p.m. Wednesday, May 10, The Kessler, 1230 W. Davis St. Sold out

Here's yet another very good reason to become a sustaining member of KXT radio. Station members had access to tickets to this special performance with Ben Folds, and it is totally and completely sold out. No verified resale. No StubHub. Sold out. Folds will return to Dallas for a pair of shows at the Meyerson Oct. 20–21, but this will be his most intimate show in more than eight years and, likely, for many years to come. Folds is also preparing to release his new album, his first in eight years, What Matters Most, on June 2. During these past eight years, Folds has been spending time writing his New York Times best-selling memoir, A Dream About Lightning Bugs, and launching the Lightning Bugs podcast, an interview series on creativity and the creative process. You can hear the first single from his new album, "Winslow Gardens," on rotation at 91.7 KXT just before you become a sustaining member.