Fall 2008: Best concert season ever

Dudes! Stone Temple Pilots, Shwayze, Santana! They're all coming to the Valley during arguably one of the best fall concert seasons the area has ever seen.

Promoters have booked some big acts as well as rising stars for the coming weeks. It's almost tough to keep track of it all. No worries, Festiva is here for you.

We've laid out the bands, venues and dates for this fall's biggest shows. So grab our guide, get with your people and plan it out now.

Do you really want to be the guy who misses Ghostland Observatory on the Island because you forgot about it? No, no you don't.

ENRIQUE IGLESIAS September 5 (Dodge Arena) He's a good-looking guy isn't he? Well, lucky for you swooning ladies, you can still see him in person. As of press time, this show still had floor seats available. That means act now and you can get a close up view of this sultry, Spanish-born singer.

• Tickets: Available now at www.ticketmaster.com
• Price: Starting at $54
• Likelihood of future Valley shows: Strong, Enrique has a major fan following here.

A DAY TO REMEMBER September 7 (Cine El Rey) This Florida hardcore band had a hot summer. They played on the Vans Warped Tour, which spanned the country with buzz acts from punk-related genres. They have racked up more than 7 million MySpace page views. And they've carried their momentum into fall, signing on to tour the country with pop punkers New Found Glory. But before that gets underway, they'll be here in the Valley.

• Tickets: Available at Melhart's Music in McAllen and Wireless Toyz locations across the Valley.
• Likelihood of future Valley shows: Slim, these guys are unfamiliar with the Valley at best. They have Cine El Rey misspelled on their MySpace page. Guys, it's not El Ray.

September 11

Divine Heresy

Smokin' Aces

DIVINE HERESEY Sept. 11 (Smokin' Aces) Ok, let's try this again. Divine Heresy scheduled a Valley show in July, but these metal rockers had to cancel. They're back now, and ready to rock Smokin' Aces in Mission. This one is not for the faint of heart or sensitive of ear.

• Tickets: Stay tuned
• Cost: Stay tuned, but likely won't exceed $20
• Likelihood of future Valley shows: Decent, Divine Heresy often tours through Mexico, making more Valley stops probable 

SANTANA September 23 (Dodge Arena) Yes it's Santana, THE Carlos Santana. In the guitar world, this hero needs little introduction. He's a veteran performer with four decades of experience. He's shot across genre boundaries and made world music since before most people used the term world music. The Mexico-native's performances rank more as a cultural event than a concert.

• Tickets: Available now at www.ticketmaster.com
• Cost: Starting at $68
• Likelihood of future Valley shows: Decent, if this elder statesman of rock keeps touring, he'll probably make another Valley stop.

SHWAYZE September 25 (Cine El Rey) Like his first single, Malibu rapper Shwayze is buzzin' in the industry. Backed by Cisco Adler, a well-connected producer and the former front man for trash rockers Whitestarr, Shwayze has blitzed the media as of late. He joined on with the Vans Warped Tour. He released his debut album in August. And he and Cisco star in an MTV reality show about their exploits titled Buzzin'.

• Tickets: Available now at Melhart's Music in McAllen and Wireless Toyz locations across the Valley.
• Cost: $20 for general admission, $36 for VIP balcony
• Likelihood of future Valley shows: Slim, Shwayze seems headed one of two ways. Either a flash in the pan or a budding megastar. Both scenarios make future Valley performances unlikely. But who knows, if the crowd shows enough love, he might start seeing McAllen as his Corona and Lime.

FLYLEAF September 26 (Cine El Rey) Flyleaf's lead single, "All Around Me," is one of those songs that you've no doubt heard. I've heard it, you've heard it and my boss has heard it. But we have no idea where. It's a good thing though, because it's one of those songs you've heard and liked. Flyleaf is another band on the rise. They're at 20 million MySpace views and they'll probably grab dozens of new fans at an Austin City Limits festival gig.

• Tickets: Available now at Melhart's Music and all Wireless Toyz locations across the Valley. Or at www.ez-tixx.com.
• Cost: $24 pre sale, $30 the day of the show
• Likelihood of future Valley shows: Strong, they hail from Temple, Texas, which means as their star rises they will likely do a few swings around the state.

ALEJANDRO FERNANDEZ Sept. 28 (Dodge Arena) This Mexican singer has turned out an album a year since 1992. That's 15 total albums, racking up 12 million copies sold. Most dictionaries don't sport pictures these days, but if they did this guy would probably be next to prolific. He's become a famous performer as well, appearing as the Mexican hero Zapata in the critic's gem film "Like Water for Chocolate."

• Tickets: Available now at www.ticketmaster.com.
• Cost: Starting at $39.50
• Likelihood of future Valley shows: 99.9 percent, he's played here before and will almost definitely play here again.

LUIS MIGUEL October 8 and 9 (Dodge Arena) Get ready to swoon again ladies. This belter of romantic ballads is doing a two-night stint here in the Valley. And if his record sales are any indication, he should pack the house both nights. Luis Miguel has sold 90 million albums during a career that spans back to the 1980s.

• Tickets: Available now at www.ticketmaster.com.
• Cost: Starting at $48
• Likelihood of future Valley shows: Whenever an entertainer books a two-night stint, it's a pretty good indication that interest is high enough for a return visit

BRAD PAISLEY WITH JEWELOctober 16 (Dodge Arena)

• Tickets: TBD
• Cost: TBD
• Likelihood of future Valley shows: Slim, but then again, who would have guessed Jewel would still be touring 13 years after her biggest hit?

October 21

SENSES FAIL (October 21) Cine El Rey - Valley music fans dig hardcore, metal and hard rocking, guitar heavy bands, no secret there. And this is one of the best of the genre. They're touring in support of their newest album, which drops Oct. 7. These guys are as hardcore with their touring as they are with their music. This gig is part of trip that hits 38 venues in about 50 days.

• Tickets: TBD
• Cost: TBD
• Likelihood of future Valley shows: Great, the Valley loves this type of music, and the crowd should feed off these guys big time.

STONE TEMPLE  PILOTS October 22 (Dodge Arena) Last year, it seemed like Stone Temple Pilots would never perform live again. Now they're back, and they've booked a show in the Valley. How did that happen? Well, the ‘90s alternative rock powerhouse announced a massive reunion tour this spring. Things went well, shows sold out, a good time was had. So they added dates in South and Central America. They're on their way back up, and they add another date in the Valley. Good news for rock fans.

• Tickets: TBD
• Cost: TBD
• Likelihood of future Valley shows: Slim to none, this show seems to fit into their travel plans. And making the odds even lower, the Pilots have not announced plans for anything past this tour.

MICKEY AVALON November 5 (Cine El Rey) This is more than a concert. This show doubles as a birthday party for Dontgetemo Productions, the group responsible for bringing about one independent artist to the Valley each week. Dontgetemo turns three, and the promoters say the concert will be a big party with a few surprises. Oh yeah, plus headliner Mickey Avalon is a pretty tight alt-rapper.

• Tickets: On Sale September 6 at Melhart's Music in McAllen and all Wireless Toyz across the Valley.
• Cost: $20
• Likelihood of future Valley shows: Unlikely, he's an up and coming alt rapper. But again, this is one of those shows that the crowd reaction might dictate a return.

Zack Quaintance covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4447.