Neither is a music festival by name, but both the Professional Bull Riding Association (PBR) World Finals in Fort Worth Friday thru Sat, May 21, and the West Main Arts Festival in Arlington on Saturday are bringing a slew of concerts to our little portion of prairie.
Music at PBR World Finals
Venue #1
Will Rogers Memorial Center (3401 W Lancaster Av, 817-392-7469) is hosting the opening concert of the Live Nation PBR World Finals Concert Series with North Texas’ own neo-C&W crooner Charley Crockett at 8:30pm Fri. Also see Travis Tritt on Thu, May 19; LeAnn Rimes Fri, May 20; and Robert Earle Keen on Sat, May 21. Tickets start at $36 at Ticketmaster.com.
Venue #2
Simmons Bank Plaza will be home to three of the PBR’s free Pendleton Whiskey Concert Series shows outside Dickies Arena (1911 Montgomery St, 817-402-9000). See country artist Tyler Braden 5pm-6pm Fri, former saddle-bronc athlete-turned-country musician Chancey Williams 5pm-6pm Sat, Tim Dugger noon-1pm Sun, and then hair-metal outfit Warrant 6:15pm-7:15pm Sat, May 21.
Venue #3
Dickies Arena (1911 Montgomery St, 817-402-9000) will host some star-powered shows next weekend during the closing of the 2022 PBR. Attendees at the main event will be treated to performances by singer-songwriter Danielle Bradberry at 7pm Thu, May 19, and country/pop singer-songwriter Mitchell Tenpenny at 8pm Fri, May 20. PBR Finals tickets are $46-287 per day at PBR.com. There are also VIP options starting at $476.
Venue #4
Mule Alley in the Stockyards (131 E Exchange Av, 800-433-5747) hosts the PBR Finals Street Party 9pm-11pm Thu-Sat, May 19-21, featuring country artists Ashley Cooke on Thursday, Andy Velo on Friday, and Jake Worthington (former contestant on The Voice) on Saturday. The street parties are free to attend.
Music at West Main Arts Festival
Formerly named for its location on the east side of the street, The West Main Arts Festival is back in Arlington for 2022. Along with featuring artists with works for sale, arts and crafts vendors, food and drink purveyors, and all sorts of family fun, this event has a solid music lineup with 26 bands on four stages. West Main is free and open to the public. Here’s who’s who and where.
Stage #1
Candlelite Inn Stage (near Theatre Arlington at 305 W Main St) will feature Noon Da Band (noon), Crimson Skylines (1pm), Yasmeen Zahra Nasir (2pm), The Trespassers (3pm), Voodoo Witness (4pm), the Afterglow-Rock Band (5:15pm), and 5th Sun (6:30pm).
Stage #2
Living Magazine Arlington Stage at Gene Allen Park (121 W Main St, Arlington, 817-459-5474) will feature Good Times Chorus (noon), Roswell A.D. (1pm), Smokin’ Jake Ferris (2pm), the Airstream Outlaws (3pm), Gary Devlin (4pm), Kadie Lynn (5:15pm), and Almost Jaded (6pm).
Stage #3
UTA Radio Stage (near the west festival entrance across from Levitt Pavilion on W Abram St) will feature Meloditations (12:30pm), Sly Fungi (1:30pm), Chef Dee (2:30pm), Lemonade Stand (4pm), Cherry Mantis (5pm), and Psychic Love Child (6:15pm).
Stage #4
Arlington Nights Stage (near the north festival entrance across from Create Arlington Studios at 306 W Main St) will feature Kendra Remedios (12:30pm), Ronda Ray (1:30pm), Wade Johnson (2:30pm), Larry & Darla (3:30pm), Marty Allen Nelson (4:30pm), Tha Craziac (5:30pm), and Barbwire Blues (6:30pm).
Additional live music begins at the Levitt Pavilion (100 W Abram St, 817-543-4308) at 7:30pm with Carlos Ramos. For the complete event brochure and festival map, visit CreateArlington.com.
Festival promoter Mark Joekel, who is also the owner of Create Arlington, asks that you use the hashtag #WestMain2022 on all your pictures on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. “By doing so, you become a part of the diverse community of passionate people who love to live, work, and create in the rich environment that is Arlington, Texas.”
