Live music never stops in Spokane, yet it certainly slows down a bit in the colder months. But when summer rolls around? There are legitimately too many great shows to even cover in the space. Whether catching massive acts on outdoor stages or checking out album release shows for some of Spokane's best local acts, here are some of the best options to make your summer more sonically invigorating.

There are certain bands that you cannot properly tell Washington's rock history without mentioning. There are the gunge titans like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. There are the fierce females: from Heart to the riot grrrls like Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney to the always-under-heralded, grunge-starting Bam Bam. But there's a strong case to be made that behind only Nirvana, the band that best encapsulates our state's musical identity is Death Cab for Cutie.

While there were scores of underground independent bands making amazing music well before Death Cab's formation in Bellingham back in 1997, Ben Gibbard and Co. were the ones who helped make "indie rock" a household name with their seminal early-2000s albums Transatlanticism and Plans. The group's gentler brand of alternative rock and canny heartfelt lyricism found a massive audience, and the band has never really looked back.

Edging in on three decades of existence, DCFC has entered the status of revered and wildly influential veterans. They've incidentally spawned more indie rock bands desperate for a glowing Pitchfork review than you could shake a literal pitchfork at (despite the band never receiving raves there themselves). The group has compiled an array of meticulously crafted and stupifyingly melodic singles: "Soul Meets Body," "Title and Registration," "Cath," "I Will Possess Your Heart," "The Sound of Settling" and "I Will Follow You Into the Dark," just to name a few. They're earworms that hit listeners directly in the heart.

The day before Death Cab returns home to Seattle to play a concert celebrating the 20th anniversary of Plans, the Washington legends make a pit stop in Lilac City on July 30 to rock out at the Spokane Pavilion. We will eventually shed what's left of our summer skin, but Washingtonians won't shed Death Cab for Cutie anytime soon.

While touring acts swinging through Spokane dominate most summer concert conversation, it's vital to not overlook the locals standouts who are putting out new albums this summer.

Inlander Artist to Watch Vika & the Velvets start things off on the shores of Liberty Lake when the band heads to the Zephyr Lounge on June 22 for a night of retro-infused psychedelic indie rock to celebrate the arrival of its new album, Like a Spade. (They also open for Kansas at the Festival at Sandpoint on Aug. 1.)

For those seeking something a tad more rambunctious, local pop punk mainstays The Pink Socks will whip folks into a frenzy with an album release show for their new EP, Hurts Less Than Heartache, at The Big Dipper on July 12.

Spokane scene staple Karli Fairbanks has also cooked up a new batch of folky Americana tunes in the form of Stay Radiant. The singer-songwriter will unveil the new tunes via an album release show at Placeholder Studios on July 11.

Sierra Ferrell is making a strong case to be the new queen of Americana music. The colorful West Virginian with a charming Appalachian twang combines various roots influences from folk and bluegrass to gypsy jazz and throwback alt-country to create a whirlwind sound capable of getting any hootenanny popping. Her acclaimed 2024 album Trail of Flowers earned her four Grammys, including Best American Album. You can see what all the fuss is about when Ferrell plays the Festival at Sandpoint on July 25.

Gather your sunscreen, water bottles and wildest outfits, because EDM fans will once again experience the dance party of the summer when Beyond Wonderland returns to the Gorge Amphitheatre June 21 and 22. In addition to elite-tier people watching, expect banging sets by big names in the electronic music world like Illenium and Subtronics. Just remember to drink water or the beat won't be the only thing dropping!

There's no separating the gorgeous Afro Appalachian songs Mon Rovîa creates from the Chattanooga-based singer-songwriter's life story. A refugee from war-torn Liberia, Rovîa bounced around various locales in the U.S. in his early years. Eventually, some of his foster brothers introduced him to artists like Vampire Weekend and Fleet Foxes, which helped inspire the gentle tenderness found in his blend of West African and American folk music. After finding an audience via TikTok, he now treks across the states — including a July 5 visit to the Bing Crosby Theater — for work rather than survival. Rovîa serves as a reminder that people who don't think refugees add value to American culture are disingenuous (or dumb) bigots.

After 60 years of crooning, Barry Manilow is embarking on his final arena tour this summer. Lucky for us, one of those stops will bring him to Spokane Arena on July 11. It's almost assuredly the last chance you'll have to catch the 81-year-old icon singing soft hits like "Mandy," "Can't Smile Without You," and "Copacabana (At the Copa)" in the Lilac City. Get ready for your heart to melt under the weight of Mr. Manilow's barrage of power ballads.

While punk rock is an entry point for many teen musicians, respect must be paid to the punk lifers who still bring their A-game every night after decades on the road. Two of the best grizzled veteran punk bands will bring the fury to our neck of the woods when Dropkick Murphys and Bad Religion head to Northern Quest Resort & Casino on July 22. Dropkick's working-class Celtic edge is still sharp (and decidedly anti-MAGA) when busting out pub punk anthems like "I'm Shipping Up to Boston," while Bad Religion has been one of the best SoCal punk bands since its formation in 1980. The combo should make for some generation-spanning mosh pits.

While Washington's west side churns out an abnormally high quantity of great alternative rock bands, most of those emanate from the Emerald City. But Tacoma's Skating Polly proves there's good stuff to be found south of Seattle's city limits. Turning out great records since their teenage days in Oklahoma before relocating to the PNW, the sibling trio has put out some of the best Washington state-made records in recent memory, including 2018's The Make It All Show and 2023's Chaos County Line. If you're seeking some more intimate all-ages rock energy this summer, make sure to mark Skating Polly's July 24 show at The Big Dipper on your calendar.

Are you nostalgic for days sitting around the TV watching MTV's Total Request Live and hoping your favorite boy band will top the charts? Well then do I have a concert for you. On Aug. 22, Spokane Tribe Casino presents the Pop 2000 Tour. Hosted by *NSYNC's Chris Kirkpatrick, the night features a barrage of turn-of-the-millenium hitmakers like Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath, O-Town, LFO and Ryan Cabrera. If you like girls that wear Abercrombie and Fitch who have a halo on their four-post bed, you know where to go.

Summer evokes a lot of feelings, but "coziness" isn't typically one (that's reserved more for seasons that require warm drinks and fuzzy blankets). But for at least one night that won't be the case, as First Interstate Center for the Arts hosts Stardew Valley: Symphony of the Seasons on Sept. 3. A 35-piece orchestra performs the delightfully twee music from the king of cozy video games, the ever-popular farm life simulator Stardew Valley. As scenes from the game play out on a big screen, patrons are treated to game creator Eric Barone's wonderfully calming compositions fleshed out in their full grandeur. ♦