For music lovers of a certain age, it’s a huge weekend of shows in the Valley (read: aging Generation Xers), Jane’s Addiction and Smashing Pumpkins, two ’90s alt rock hitmakers in alt-rock, are coming to town. Descendents, an old-school punk band formed in 1977, and The Supersuckers, a Tucson-born hard-rock/cowpunk group (going back to 2007, respectively) are also making their way to town. Late 80s.

Over the next few nights, more than just throwback acts will be performing at local venues. Country superstar Zac Brown and Oddisee, a soul producer and producer, are also scheduled to perform.

Progeny

Friday, 11/18
The Van Buren, at 401 West Van Buren Street. “If growing up means that I have to be like you, then I don’t want to grow up,” Milo Aukerman said in 1985’s I Do Not Want To Grow Up. The title song and the album are reminiscent of The Descendents, California’s punk rock godfathers. Listen to their latest album, “2021”. 9. It’s amazing how similar they sound to the snotty-nosed brats that gave birth to Milo in 1982. Although Aukerman’s voice is more refined over time, the guitars still sound like caffeinated and hornets. Bill Stevenson’s young caveman beats still throb with unerring accuracy. Descendents, like Motorhead and the Ramones before them have found a sound that doesn’t need to change. It’s still fully formed and compelling regardless of when you drop it. Although Descendents are older and more experienced, they still have the same bratty spirit that make their work so inspiring. They don’t want their descendants to look like you, even after all these years. That is what makes the difference. Prince Daddy and the Hyena, 8 p.m. $40/$42 via Livenation.com Ashley Naftule

Fun Bobby’s 55th birthday

Friday, 11/18
Yucca Tap Room, 29 West Southern Avenue in TempeRob “Fun Bobby” Birmingham is the cool uncle and elder statesman who supports the Phoenix music scene. As he fills his glass, the veteran bartender and promoter will be delighted to share stories about his favorite Valley bands with you. Birmingham will turn 55 this weekend. While he is mixed about the idea of aging (“I am almost a senior now,” he said), he plans to celebrate by supporting local indie bands Wyves and No Volcano for a huge blowout. The Bourbon Witch is a local rock band that includes Birmingham, and they will be performing. They will also be wearing green face paint and carrying a pitchfork. Because that’s how he rolls for his birthday. Ticketsweb.com, 8:30 p.m. $15 Benjamin Lederman

Super suckers

Friday, 11/18
The Rhythm Room, 1019 East Indian School Road. Founded in Tucson in 1988, Supersuckers have been delighting audiences for over three decades. They combine fiery rock ‘n roll melodies with country punk and gritty guitarist riffs. Break was formed in the late 2000s. The Supersuckers, already well-known for their raw musicality, will be at the Rhythm Room this Saturday. Their members are ready to rock a room with loud, heavy songs. Eddie Spaghetti, a founding member of the Supersuckers who handles vocals Phoenix New Times, explains that the Supersuckers have mastered not sucking despite being together so long. He says, “It’s great to feel as good at our job after all these years.” “We know what we need to do. “There’s no need to trim fat, or waste movement,” Volk and The Earps will be supporting. 8 p.m. Tickets available at seetickets.us for $17/$20 amy young

Jane’s Addiction and Smashing Pumpkins

Friday, 11/18
Footprint Center, 201 East Jefferson StreetGen Xers rejoice. Jane’s Addiction and Smashing Pumpkins, the bands that rocked in the ’90s with such songs, have teamed up for a night of nostalgia. However, their sets will not only include older material. The Smashing Pumpkins are currently working on Atum, a rock opera in three acts. This ambitious project consists of three albums that will be released in the next six months. (The first album was out earlier this week). Jane’s Addiction has been touring with the majority of their original lineup (except for a COVID-stricken Dave Navarro), while they work on new songs. The Footprint Center crowd will likely be louder and more energetic when the Pumpkins perform “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” or Perry Farrell’s “Been Caught Stealing” or the “Mountain Song” set. Ticketsmaster.com: $74-$94. Benjamin Lederman

Oddisee and Good Company

Saturday, November 19th
Crescent Ballroom, 308 North Second AvenueOdysseus may have been one of the most important heroes of Greek mythology, but he was not a great leader. He was the protagonist of The Odyssey and led a shipful with a 100% mortality rate. Oddisee, a Washington DC-based soul producer and rapper, had much better luck protecting his backing band of five from the rampaging Sirens and Cyclopes. Oddisee’s signature mix of jazz, funk and soul, along with his band Good Compny, creates an epic for the ages. One album at a. While Amir Mohamed el Khalifa (aka Oddisee) has made personal warmth, positive energy and pastoral vibes a cornerstone of his identity as a musician, his music is also informed by an invigorating political perspective (2020s Strange healing is one of the great “that’s-life-in-the-now-rap-pandemic-record”. Oddisee’s music has a similar sound to classic daisy-age hip hop artists like De La Soul or A Tribe Called Quest, with DJ Jazzy Jeff appearing on many Oddisee tracks. It still sounds modern thanks to its fluid wordplay and self-produced music. Odysseus may be the inventor of the Trojan Horse, but Oddisee could not beat him in a rap battle. Habit Blcx, 8 p.m. $20/$23 via Seetickets.us Ashley Naftule

Zac Brown Band

Saturday, November 19th
Chase Field, 401 East Jefferson Street. Over the past few decades, country music slowly but surely has fallen into a pop music hellscape. The glory days of badasses like Willie and Wanda are long gone. Instead, there is a constant stream of cutesy, polished superstars who perform songs closer to the Top 40 than true country. Zac Brown, a Georgia-born musician and songwriter, is one exception to this trend. His Americana/country songs have heartier compositions and spirited lyrics. He also uses elements of bluegrass, reggae and country rock as a musical instrument. His eponymous band won numerous Grammys and has released six hits albums, three of which went platinum. Brown’s Out in the Middle tour is over. This weekend Brown’s band will close it with a huge show at Chase Field in Phoenix. Sam Hunt, 6 p.m. Ticketsmaster.com: $30-$149 Benjamin Lederman

The Cult

Sunday, November 20th
Gila River Resorts & Casinos Wild Horse Pass Boulevard, Wild Horse Pass Boulevard Imagine AC/DC, Jim Morrison’s spirit, merging a New Age store with Bauhaus into one. The Cult of England would produce a bizarre Voltron of cockrock vibes, gothic and bad poetry. The Cult has released a lot of bad records, based on the creative tension created by singer Ian Astbury’s Morrison-esque cosplay and guitarist Billy Duffy’s sickly riffing. “She Sells Sanctuary” is a gothic rock song that they wrote. NASA should send it to space on a gold disc as a gift for all intelligent beings. The first few Cult albums contain a lot of hard rock gold, in addition to the majestic “She Sells Sanctuary”. The 1985 love and 1987 electric albums are both excellent. While “Love Removal Machine” may sound like AC/DC B side songs, Astbury sings them with an unhinged sincerity that’s not unlike a man who has never seen them . This is spinal tap. He wouldn’t recognize his self in it if he did. He did however write “She Sells Sanctuary”. It’s not unusual for someone to write such a great song to be quite absurd. Tickets on the secondary market are available at 8 p.m. Ashley Naftule