A few events worth checking out in the week to come.

Music and Art in Wright Park benefit show

Earplugs are not optional on Saturday. At least not if you want your ears to survive the epic metal sludge and hardcore mayhem that Mico de Noche and C.F.A. will unleash on Tacoma’s New Frontier Lounge. The bands are looking to raise about $2,500 to help finance the MAWP festival, which will also feature the F-ing Eagles, Gold Teeth, Lozen, Girl Trouble and more on Aug. 21 at Wright Park.
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Toby Keith Saturday night at White River Amphitheatre (photos by Keegan Prosser).

By Keegan Prosser
Staff writer

A patchwork of pickup trucks masked the parking lot at White River Amphitheatre Saturday night for Toby Keith’s American Ride tour.

In addition to headliner Keith, the show featured country-cohorts James Otto and Trace Adkins.
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Country superstar Toby Keith is the main attraction at Auburn’s White River Amphitheatre on Saturday, when he’ll have support from Trace Adkins. In a few hours, you’ll also see him on the cover of our GO section. But until then, click the links to hear Keith talk about …

… new songs you’ll hear Saturday and …

… creative freedom he’s achieved with his own label.

Country superstar Toby Keith will headline Auburn’s White River Amphitheatre on July 24, his first stop there since 2007, Live Nation announced. Keith – known for “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue,” “Who’s Your Daddy?” and other hits – will also bring along Trace Adkins and James Otto on his American Ride Tour.

Tickets will go for $25 to $67 and be available beginning 10 a.m. Saturday, June 19. Find pre-sale info and other details here.

After two decades of hits and more than 30 million records sold, country duo Brooks & Dunn have decided to go out on top. Their Last Rodeo Tour, which dropped in on the Tacoma Dome last night, has been billed as their last. But is it, really?
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The dynamic country duo of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn just bid their Puget Sound fans adieu as what’s been billed as their farewell tour wound down at the Tacoma Dome less than an hour ago. Brooks seemed to leave the door open to coming back, but more on that and a few photos later. Meanwhile, here’s what they played.

Pop star and recently infamous n-bomb dropper John Mayer will team up with country superstar Keith Urban for a special “CMT Crossroads” show at the Gorge in Grant County on Aug. 28, organizers announced this week. The Avett Brothers will open the show, wh.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. on May 8th. Find pre-sale info here.

Before the concert, fans will be able to catch the duo on “CMT Crossroads: John Mayer and Keith Urban,” which was taped before an invitation-only audience earlier this year. …

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Every year KMPS-FM (94.1) brings an up-and-coming country star to the Puyallup Spring Fair for a free showcase (well, free after you get in the gate.) And up this year is Justin Moore, the Arkansas native behind “Small Town USA,” “Back That Thing Up” and, of course, “I Could Kick Your Ass.”

“I never know whether to apologize or say thank you after playing that song,” he joked about that last one. “It makes me feel better that it’s …

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George Strait has sold something like 70 million records. So plenty of people will passionately disagree with me, especially the guy sitting two rows behind me at the Tacoma Dome Saturday night, screaming “I LOVE YOU, GEORGE STRAIT!” loud enough to rupture a sober man’s vocal chords after every single song. (OK, we get it, dude. Enjoy your laryngitis.) But I really don’t think Strait should go on after Reba McEntire.

The King of Country’s Twang tour showcased three of country’s brightest stars – also opener Lee Ann Womack – with 4 ½ hours of smash hits delivered in the …

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Dierks Bentley is the latest addition to a Puyallup Fair concert series that already included Willie Nelson, Chris Botti, Natalie Cole and ’80s hit makers Hall & Oates. Full schedule here.

Bentley – a rising star known for “What Was I Thinkin’,” “Free & Easy” and other hits – will headline the Puyallup Fair & Events Center grandstand at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 18, organizers announced.

Tickets for the concert by itself will be $25 to $70. But the show is also being held in conjunction with Bentley’s Music and Miles for Kids, …

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