Synth-pop giants Depeche Mode and Latin-rock pioneers Maná are bringing plenty of star power to San Antonio's AT&T Center this week.
If you didn't score your tickets ahead of time — or if arena shows aren't your thing — don't sweat it. Other live music options abound, including 22-year-old Filipino British singer beabadoobee, emo mainstay Hawthorne Heights and clever hard rock act Screaming Females.
Let's dive in and discuss the details.
Wednesday, March 29
Exciter, Night Cobra, Sadistic Force, Tiny, Viole
Pioneering Canadian speed metal act Exciter will tear through town for a night of metal madness. Think of fire-and-brimstone '80s bands like Grim Reaper — but on steroids. If you decide to join in what's bound to be a wild mosh pit, try not to knock down any of the older guys in the crowd. They might be pissed if you get their battle vests dirty. $20-$27, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary's St., papertigersatx.com. — Brianna Espinoza
Friday, March 31
beabadoobee
It would be a crime to underestimate Beatrice Kristi Laus based on her Instagram-born pseudonym beabadoobee. Her voice straddles so many styles, it's almost impossible to categorize the 22-year-old Filipino British singer. Her sound encompasses anything from folk to indie rock to bossa nova soul. The daydream-inducing vocals on her track "Coffee" even got sampled by Canadian rapper Powfu, placing her in yet another genre. With a longing voice reminiscent of Mazzy Star's Hope Sandoval or Morcheeba's Skye Edwards, Expect beabadoobee — or Beatrice — to continue making a name for herself. $130 and up, 8 p.m., Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary's St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. — Danny Cervantes
Saturday, April 1
Hawthorne Heights, Armor for Sleep
After two decades in the business, Hawthorne Heights — one of the biggest successes of the early 2000s emo wave — has shown time and again that it can keep up with the younger generations of bands that have sprung up its wake. Smudgy makeup is the theme for the night, and if you're not good at recreating the look, don't worry: the band will surely have you in tears thinking about that toxic ex who left an indelible scar. $28-$103, 7:30 p.m., Vibes Event Center, 1223 E. Houston St., (210) 255-3833, facebook.com/vibeseventcenter. — BE
Maná
Drawing on a sound that fused funk, pop, ska and even calypso, Maná became one of the biggest-selling rock bands to come out of Latin America during the '90s and early 2000s. Its nine albums during that period moved more than 40 million copies. Little surprise then that the band had to add a second Alamo City date on its México Lindo y Querido Tour — which will return to the AT&T Center on Sept. 2. $79.50 and up, 8 p.m., AT&T Center, One AT&T Center Parkway, (210) 444-5000, attcenter.com. — Marco Aquino
Sunday, April 2
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode, arguably among the godfathers of synth-pop, is returning to San Antonio for the first time since 2018. And so much has changed for the band in those five years. For one, the band got inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but more shocking was the sudden death of keyboardist and founding member Andy Fletcher last May at age 60. Dave Gahan and Martin Gore pressed on with the development of Depeche Mode's 15th studio release, Memento Mori, which dropped on March 24. Themes of death and loss are sure to hang heavy on the new tracks, but there will surely be moments of musical familiarity to get the crowd moving. $170 and up, 7 p.m., AT&T Center, One AT&T Center Parkway, (210) 444-5000, attcenter.com. — DC
Eric Johnson
Exemplary guitarists are often recognizable by their tone alone. Perhaps one of the best examples is Austin guitar hero Eric Johnson, whose signature piece "Cliffs of Dover" is a masterclass in how to coax a warm and inviting sound from a stringed instrument. Since that song appeared on Johnson's 1990 album Ah Via Musicom, he's racked up a decades-long career producing accessible, blues-based rock and pop that highlights songwriting over six-string heroics. $25-$45, 8 p.m., Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary's St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. — Mike McMahan
Tuesday, April 4
Screaming Females, Generacion Suicida, Heavy Comforter
Screaming Females' borderline-goofy name, gritty guitars and punkish vocals give the band something of a primitive feel, but there's definitely craft lurking underneath all the madness. Marissa Paternoster's forceful, almost crisp vocals and her tough guitar heroics are at the forefront of smartly written, expertly delivered hard-rock tunes. $18-$20, 7:30 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary's St., papertigersatx.com. — BE
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