10 great concerts in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs this April: REO Speedwagon, Brandon Lake
Classic-rock legends Cheap Trick and REO Speedwagon. Gulf Coast Symphony playing Disney tunes. Eye-popping Pink Floyd tribute Brit Floyd.
Those are just three of the biggest concerts happening this April in the Fort Myers, Bonita Springs and Cape Coral area. Here are our top picks for the best shows to see:
Cheap Trick and REO Speedwagon at Hertz Arena
Classic rockers REO Speedwagon play their first Hertz Arena show in more than a decade. Quirky rockers Cheap Trick opens. REO Speedwagon's many '80s hits include "Keep On Loving You," "Take It On The Run," "Time For Me To Fly" and "Can't Fight This Feeling." Cheap Trick's Top 40 singles include “Don’t Be Cruel,” “I Want You To Want Me” and the No. 1 “The Flame." 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 6. $70-$289. There are also verified resale tickets for sale via Ticketmaster. Parking on site is $30 (no cash). Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero. 948-7825 or hertzarena.com
The Guess Who at B.B. Mann Hall
Canadian rock stars who brought us “American Woman” and other hits. 8 p.m. Saturday, April 6. $43-$83. Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 FSW Parkway, south Fort Myers. 481-4849 or bbmannpah.com
Rock the Arches Music Festival at Alliance for the Arts
The fourth-annual concert raises money for the nonprofit Restore Fort Myers Beach Arches, which wants to restore the Spanish-style arches that once marked the entrance to Fort Myers Beach. The fest opens Saturday with a day of rock acts, including Hairdaze, Rock Candy and Rock Republic. Then it continues Sunday with country bands, including Unforgiven. Hillbilly Ryezin and Way Out South. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 6-7. $13 per day. $70 for VIP seating per day. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. rockthearches.com
Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials at The Buck
The world-renowned Chicago blues act is led by singer/guitarist Lil’ Ed. 8 p.m. Thursday, April 11. $25. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Road, Buckingham. 693-7111 or buckinghambar.com
Victor Wainwright & The Train at Arts Bonita
The popular American singer/songwriter/pianist and his band return for another Arts Bonita show. Victor Wainwright has won multiple Blues Music Awards and was nominated for a 2019 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 13. $49-$55. Arts Bonita Center for Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs. 495-8989 or artsbonita.org
Sofia Talvik at the ACMA
Singer-songwriter Sofia Talvik's delicate music has been compared to “Laurel Canyon”-era folk artists such as Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins and Buffy Sainte-Marie. Kim Mayfield opens. 7 p.m. Saturday, April 13. $12-$18. The Americana Community Music Association Listening Room inside All Faiths Unitarian Church, 2756 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. americanacma.org
Gulf Coast Symphony: 'Disney In Concert'
The Fort Myers orchestra performs a family concert packed with "magical music" from Disney movies. The program includes songs from “The Lion King," “Frozen,” "Beauty and the Beast," “Aladdin” and more. 7 p.m. Sunday, April 14. $35-$90. Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 FSW Parkway, south Fort Myers. 481-4849 or bbmannpah.com
Pink Floyd tribute Brit Floyd at Hertz Arena
The popular Pink Floyd tribute act celebrates the 30th anniversary of the band's hit 1994 album "The Division Bell." The show includes songs from that album and more, plus a Pink Floyd-style lasers and light show. 8 p.m. Friday, April 19. $45-$65. Parking on site is $30 (no cash). Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero. 948-7825 or hertzarena.com
Wheeler Walker Jr. at The Ranch
The foul-mouthed outlaw-country singer is actually a satirical character played by comedian Ben Hoffman. He brings his The Spread Eagle Tour to The Ranch. Logan Halstead opens. Show starts at about 9 p.m. Friday, April 26. Doors open at 7 p.m. $35. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. 985-9839 or theranchfortmyers.com
Brandon Lake at Hertz Arena
The Christian worship singer, songwriter and guitarist brings his Tear Off The Roof Tour to Hertz Arena. The nearly sold-out show also features Doe and Jon Foreman. 7 p.m. Sunday, April 28. $48-$200. Parking on site is $30 (no cash). Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero. 948-7825 or hertzarena.com
MORE SHOWS IN FORT MYERS, NAPLES, BONITA SPRINGS
There are many more worthy concerts happening this April in Southwest Florida. Here are some other shows that might interest you:
Three Dog Night: 8 p.m. Thursday, April 4 at Seminole Casino Immokalee. seminoleimmokaleecasino.com
The Blue Dogs: 7: 30 p.m. Friday, April 5 at Arts Bonita Center for Performing Arts. artsbonita.org
Damon Fowler: 2 p.m. Saturday, April 6 at at Buckingham Blues Bar in Buckingham. buckinghambar.com
Stacey Kent: 8 p.m. Saturday, April 6, at BIG ARTS on Sanibel Island. bigarts.org
Southland Bluegrass Music Festival: Sunday, April 7, at Seminole Casino Immokalee. seminoleimmokaleecasino.com
Lee County Community Band: 3 p.m. Sunday, April 7, at Mariner High School in Cape Coral. leecountyband.org
The Stardust memories Band: 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, at Riverside Park in Bonita Springs. stardustmemoriesbigband.com
Led Zeppelin tribute Zoso: 9 p.m. Thursday, April 11, at The Ranch Concert Hall and Saloon in Fort Myers. theranchfortmyers.com
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper: 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 12, at Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center in downtown Fort Myers. sbdac.com
Southwest Florida Symphony's 'Cryptic Symphony': 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 13, at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in south Fort Myers. bbmannpah.com
The Upchurch Show: 8 p.m. Saturday, April 13, at The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, Fort Myers. theranchfortmyers.com
Patti LaBelle: 7 p.m. Sunday, April 14, at Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee. seminoleimmokaleecasino.com
High Lonesome Sound Songwriter Round: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 18, at Nice Guys Pizza, Cape Coral. facebook.com/NiceGuysPizza
Zach Bartholomew Trio: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 18, at Arts Bonita Center for Performing Arts. artsbonita.org
New Jazz Underground: 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 19, at Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, downtown Fort Myers. sbdac.com
Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. To reach him, call 239-335-0368 (for tickets to shows, call the venue) or email him at [email protected]. Follow or message him on social media: Facebook (facebook.com/charles.runnells.7), X (formerly Twitter) (@charlesrunnells), Threads (@crunnells1) and Instagram (@crunnells1).
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Fort Myers, Bonita Springs shows in April: REO Speedwagon, Brit Floyd
