Wanna mix it up this weekend? Check out these shows coming to Tucson

An evening of jazz one night, some head-banging, thrashing industrial rock the next, then cap off the weekend with some side-splitting standup comedy?

Sounds good, right?

Here’s that weekend.

Jazz power trio to make Tucson debut

Whenever artists with cred join forces, critics love to slap the superlative “super” in front of their name.

But you can make the argument that “super” is the only word to describe the Luca Benedetti Trio, making its Tucson debut on Thursday, May 22, at the Century Room.

The trio is led by its namesake, Brooklyn jazz guitarist Luca Benedetti, known for his “nuanced Telecaster tones” and great interpretations of musical styles.

Benedetti’s who’s who laundry list of artists he’s worked with includes roots rock guitarist Jim Campilongo, Martha Redbone and Tucson’s own Arthur Vint & Associates when Vint was living for 15 years in Benedetti’s Brooklyn. (Vint came home several years ago to help Hotel Congress owner Shana Oseran launch the Century Room, the city’s only jazz club; he’s the GM and artistic director.)

Acoustic guitarist/electric bass player Tony Scherr was a teen when he played with legendary jazz big band leader and clarinetist Woody Herman. That experience was a springboard to working with Norah Jones, Bill Frisell, Ani DiFranco and Al Di Meola as well as being part of several bands including The Lounge Lizards, Sex Mob and Chris Brown and the Citizen Band.

Drummer Tony Mason, who toured and recorded with Joan Osborne, Norah Jones and Charlie Hunter, worked with producing greats Nile Rodgers, Camu Celli, Matt Pierson and the legendary Russ Titleman (Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton).

The trio, which has released two albums including 2023’s “Ride Awhile,” plays an early show at 6:30 p.m. at the Century Room, 311 E. Congress St. Tickets are $20-$30 through hotelcongress.com.

Static-X opens tour in Tucson

Static-X opens its “Machines vs. Monsters Tour” 2025 at Tucson’s Rialto Theatre on Friday, May 23, with Dope and A Killer’s Confession.

The tour hits 19 other American cities through June 18 before the band takes a summer break leading into its handful of European dates in early August.

Static-X has been a dominant voice in the industrial metal space since Wayne Static started the band in the midst of California’s 1990s nu metal movement. Static fused industrial rock and electronica, influenced by bands including Ministry and Skinny Puppy, with the harsher elements of speed and thrash metal and techno. He dubbed it “evil disco,” a description the band continues to use today, 11 years after Static died in 2014.

Founding members Tony Campos, Koichi Fukuda and Ken Jay reformed the band in 2018 and released “Project: Regeneration,” a collection of unreleased songs sung by Static. In 2021, they released “Project: Regeneration Vol. 2,” which included more unreleased Static tracks alongside new material sung by a masked vocalist dubbed “Xer0.” After initially denying it, Dope singer Edsel Dope publicly admitted his role.

Friday’s all-ages show at the Rialto, 318 E. Congress St., begins at 7:30 p.m.; doors open at 6:30. Tickets are $37.50-$50 through rialtotheatre.com.

Lopez brings the laughs to Desert Diamond

They say laughter heals all, and surely, standup comedian George Lopez will have that idea floating around his subconscious when he takes the stage at Desert Diamond Casino on Saturday, May 24.

He’ll surely be smarting after learning on May 9 that NBC was nixing his sitcom “Lopez vs. Lopez” after three seasons. He starred alongside his daughter Mayan in a show that explored the father-daughter dynamic in the Hispanic community.

“Lopez vs. Lopez” was his second network sitcom, coming 15 years after “The George Lopez Show” went off the air in 2007 after six seasons.

It’s a coin toss whether he’ll bring it up during his show, which, if he proves true to form, will revolve around his family and culture.

But he might talk about the possibility of retirement.

In recent talk show appearances, the 64-year-old teased the idea that his new Prime Video standup special “Muy Católico” will be his last. He filmed the show in Los Angeles last September, and it premiered on Prime Video on Feb. 18.

Good news for diehard fans, though: While he said “Muy Católico” (Very Catholic) was his last special, he hasn’t come out and said he’s leaving the stage altogether. His tour is booked mostly for weekends through late September; Tucson is his only Arizona date.

Lopez takes the stage at Desert Diamond Casino, 1100 W. Pima Mine Road, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $70-$95 through ddcaz.com.