Between Post Malone and Jelly Roll’s rescheduled Raymond James Stadium date Wednesday and electronic musician Tame Impala’s Benchmark International Arena concert Thursday, it’s been a busy week for shows in the Tampa Bay area. But with Post Malone and Jelly Roll’s concert already having taken place, and Tame Impala’s sold out, you may be wondering what other big names are visiting the area over the next three summer months.
The biggest concert will be pop/R&B singer Bruno Mars, who headlines two shows at Raymond James Stadium in September. Next week, rapper J. Cole and country star Megan Moroney will perform at Benchmark International Arena, which will also feature big names in pop, R&B, rock and stand-up comedy in the coming months. We also have a show in Pinellas Park by a band that’s played massive music festivals Coachella and Bonnaroo earlier this year.
Here are our choices for the biggest concerts and comedians set to visit the Tampa Bay area over the rest of July, August and September, listed in chronological order. Event details are subject to change.
J. Cole
July 15; Benchmark International Arena, Tampa; benchmarkintlarena.com
After briefly taking part in, then wisely backing out of, the Drake and Kendrick Lamar feud in 2024, rapper J. Cole returned this year with the double album “The Fall-Off,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It is his first full-length since the 2024 mixtape “Might Delete Later,” which was nominated for a Best Rap Album Grammy. All of J. Cole’s previous studio albums have gone platinum or multi-platinum.
Megan Moroney
July 17; Benchmark International Arena
Country musician Megan Moroney visits Tampa after earlier this year releasing her new album “Cloud 9,” which also debuted atop the Billboard 200 as Moroney’s first No. 1 album. The album’s musical guests include Ed Sheeran (who will headline Raymond James Stadium later this year) and fellow country star Kacey Musgraves. Moroney’s guests on the tour are JP Saxe, known for his track “If the World was Ending” with Julia Michaels, and Solon Holt.
Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire
July 22; Benchmark International Arena
Two icons of ’70s and ’80s R&B and pop team up for this joint tour. Former Commodores frontman turned solo star Lionel Richie will perform along with “September” group Earth, Wind & Fire. The latter act’s history was detailed in this year’s Questlove-directed HBO documentary “Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs That’s the Weight of the World),” which Richie served as one of the interview subjects for.
Daniel Caesar
July 23; Benchmark International Arena
The R&B singer is known both for his solo work, with his debut album “Freudian” earning three Grammy nominations and winning Best R&B Performance for “Best Part” with H.E.R., and his collaborations, including another five Grammy nominations for appearing on Justin Bieber’s album “Justice” and its No. 1 hit “Peaches.” Caesar tours around last year’s “Son of Spergy,” which reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200. Singer-songwriter Faye Webster opens.
Mumford & Sons
Aug. 7; Benchmark International Arena
The British folk rock band were a success from their 2009 debut “Sigh No More,” which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200, then landed a No. 1 album (a feat they repeated twice more) and won an Album of the Year Grammy with 2012’s “Babel.” The group released its latest album “Prizefighter” earlier this year, featuring musical guests including Chris Stapleton, Gracie Abrams and Hozier, and songwriters such as Brandi Carlile, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and Finneas.
The Strokes
Sept. 12; Benchmark International Arena
One of the big breakouts of the 2000s New York rock scene with their 2001 debut “Is This It,” The Strokes are still going strong 25 years later, recently headlining one night of Bonnaroo and being billed just below Justin Bieber at Coachella. They’re set to release the Rick Rubin-produced record “Reality Awaits” on July 24, their latest release since 2020’s also Rubin-produced “The New Abnormal,” which won a Best Rock Album Grammy. Geordie Greep and Promiseland open.
Bruno Mars
Sept. 12-13; Raymond James Stadium, Tampa; raymondjamesstadium.com
The pop/R&B singer plays two shows at Raymond James Stadium following the release of “The Romantic,” his first solo album in 10 years, which hit No. 1 on Billboard, as did its single “I Just Might.” Mars is also half of the duo Silk Sonic with Anderson .Paak, and had hit songs with Mark Ronson (“Uptown Funk”), Lady Gaga (“Die with a Smile”) and Rosé (“APT.”) .Paak opens these shows as DJ Pee .Wee, along with last year’s Best New Artist Grammy nominee Raye.
Zac Brown Band
Sept. 18; Benchmark International Arena
The country rock group has somewhat unexpectedly been in the news lately, between imagery from their show at Las Vegas’ Sphere being accused of being Satanic by some on social media, or playing UFC Freedom 250. They also continue to tour around last year’s album “Love & Fear,” featuring musical guests Dolly Parton, Snoop Dogg and Marcus King, including this Tampa show. Grammy-winning country duo Brothers Osborne open.
Turnstile
Sept. 19; England Brothers Park, Pinellas Park; axs.com
After playing Coachella and Bonnaroo earlier this year, hardcore band Turnstile continues on a tour bringing them to England Brothers Park in Pinellas County. If it’s like the show they played last year to an estimated crowd of more than 10,000 at Wyman Park Dell in their hometown of Baltimore, it should be a raucous good time. Turnstile, who also won their first two Grammys earlier this year for their 2025 album “Never Enough,” perform with Hatebreed and Cold World.
Gabriel Iglesias
Sept. 25; Benchmark International Arena
The comedian also known as Fluffy followed up his 2022 Netflix stand-up special “Stadium Fluffy” (filmed at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium, which he sold out; the first comedian to do so) with last year’s “Legend of Fluffy,” shot at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Iglesias also appeared in the 2012 Tampa Bay-set and shot male stripper movie “Magic Mike” and 2015’s “Magic Mike XXL.”
Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Bruno Mars, J. Cole lead biggest Tampa Bay concerts ahead
Reporting by Jimmy Geurts, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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By Jimmy Geurts, Sarasota Herald-Tribune | USA TODAY Network
