Warm Wishes

Ms. Lavigne scares the hell out of music critics. First of all, she's kind of got psycho eyes. Second, her legion of teenage fans could rip us to bloody shreds if we lashed out against her in print. And last, she trounced the Arcade Fire at the Canadian Juno awards. We were hoping that a country with superlenient marijuana laws had more sense when it came to rock and roll. Things'll get even more complicated when Lavigne accompanies herself on piano and guitar tonight as she leads the crowd in the catharsis of the forever misunderstood.

Def Leppard and Bryan Adams
August 3 at Community America Ballpark

Taking over center field for the T-Bones are two of the greatest summer-anthem composers of all time. "Summer of '69" is still probably Bryan Adams' best- (if not only) loved song, and with Def Leppard, it's just a matter of which song is playing while you're washing your car on a hot day in cutoff jeans, a neon baseball cap, and one of those charity 5K-run shirts with the logos of local businesses printed all over the back. Incidentally, the aforementioned outfit constitutes perfect attire for this show.

Suzanne Vega
August 9 at Liberty Hall

Composer of the weirdest Top 40 hit of all time ("Tom's Diner," the version we know actually being a remix by UK dance group DNA), Suzanne Vega writes trippy, folky pop for thinking people. Her song "Caramel" was featured both in the movie The Truth About Cats and Dogs and the trailer for Closer, which only proves that the entertainment industry still can't figure her out. We'll see if we can during this intimate show at Liberty Hall.

Lynyrd Skynyrd
August 11 at Missouri State Fair in Sedalia

The pungent mixture of livestock, funnel cakes, carnies and classic rock finally comes to Missouri late in the summer, bringing with it the chance to yell "Skynyrrrrd!" at a concert and actually be accommodated by the band, which is now led by the diminutive Johnny Van Zant, brother of original belter Ronnie.

Brotherhood Tour
August 19 at City Market

Los Lonely Boys, Ozomatli and Robert Randolph and the Family Band bring a fraternal, funky vibe to the River Market for a concert that's sure to be safe for the entire family -- that is, unless your children are allergic to frequent and indulgent electric guitar solos, which have been known to stunt emotional maturation and development (which explains a lot about us).

Brian Wilson
August 25 at Starlight Theatre

Brian Wilson is probably the greatest resident American mad genius since Nicola Tesla. Fortunately for the populace, instead of setting off earthquakes in Manhattan with steam-driven oscillators, Wilson bends his superhuman powers of mind to crafting tunes and harmonies of such rainbow precision that, if listened to at a high enough volume, can actually cause spontaneous cell regeneration, taking years off the listener's life. Those who come to this concert only to get some good vibrations are bound to walk away with a whole lot more.