These concerts are coming to the Fresno area in 2020. Mark your calendars now

Note: Due to the spread of the coronavirus and following state and county health recommendations, many of the events listed in this story have been canceled, postponed or rescheduled since publication.

We have created an updated list of affected events.

The Fresno-area entertainment scene is already looking to be busy in 2020, judging from the number of concert tours, comedy, theater shows and festivals that have already been announced.

March looks particularly full – with eight events booked at the Save Mart Center alone and another five at the Saroyan Theatre.

We don’t yet have any official dates for “Hamilton,” though we know it will be part of Broadway in Fresno’s 2020-21 season and a major draw (ala “Book of Mormon” in 2015 or “Wicked” in 2011).

It’s the same with Grizzly Fest, Fresno’s annual music, food and arts festival. There’s been no official announcement, but it will likely happen over at least two days at Woodward Park in early May, even if a certain city council member is already raising objections about excessive noise.

Here is a look at some of the the events we do have dates for, listed by month. While the end of the year is still bare right now, we’ll keep you updated when groups line up their fall and winter tours.

January

Tool seems to exist on the idea of scarcity. Over the past decade, the art-metal band released exactly one new album’s worth of music (and that came out just this past August) and performed on a strictly limited basis – including a 2014 stop at Selland Arena.

The band plays Jan. 15 at the Save Mart Center. Tickets are $43-$129.50 and on sale now.

Also in January:

▪ Fresno metal band Haunt has its record release Jan. 3 at Strummer’s.

▪ Comedian Dean DelRay performs Jan. 4 at the Tower Theatre.

▪ Fulton 55 celebrates its ninth anniversary with a weekend of concert parties, Jan. 17-18.

▪ The ’90s hip-hop group TLC stops at Table Mountain Casino on Jan. 21.

▪ The jukebox heroes – Foreigner – will be at the Visalia Convention Center on Jan. 27.

February

Miami rapper and Latin pop superstar Pitbull returns to the Save Mart Center on Feb. 7. It is his first show of 2020 and one of just three California stops. Tickets are $39.95-$129.95 on sale now.

Also in February:

▪ Christian songwriter Toby Mac plays the Save Mart Center on Feb. 14.

▪ Latin music legends Leo Dan and Paquita la del Barrio are at the Save Mart Center on Feb. 16.

▪ Country singer and “The Voice” coach Blake Shelton returns to the Save Mart Center on Feb. 21.

▪ “Kerosene” singer Miranda Lambert is at the Save Mart Center on Feb. 27 on her Wildcard tour.

▪ Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox stops Feb. 28 at Visalia Fox Theatre.

March

Fresno’s biggest block party returns to downtown. The annual FresYes Fest happens March 21 on Fulton Street (around Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Company) with a huge selection of food trucks and vendors, plus pop-up venues and a full day of music. The event is free and all ages.

Also in March:

▪ For metal fans, Korn and Breaking Benjamin play the Save Mart Center on March 1 – the last day of their U.S. tour.

▪ The Broadway musical “Chicago” runs for two nights, March 3-4 at the Saroyan Theatre.

▪ Lynryd Skynyrd stops March 13 at the Save Mart Center on its farewell tour.

▪ Pop-opera act Il Volo is at the Saroyan Theatre, March 13.

▪ Comedian Mike Epps brings “The Fabulously Funny Comedy Festival” to the Saroyan Theatre on March 14.

▪ Mexican songstress Ana Gabriel plays March 15 at the Save Mart Center.

▪ The Christian music Roadshow 2020 tour will be at the Saroyan Theatre on March 17.

▪ Siwanatorz take note: The be-glittered pop icon JoJo Siwa brings her D.R.E.A.M. tour to the Save Mart Center on March 24.

▪ Blues singer Johnny Rawls will be at the Tower Theatre on March 26.

▪ Brantley Gilbert fires it up at the Save Mart Center on March 27 with Dylan Scott and Brandon Lay.

▪ America’s coolest a capella group, Straight No Chaser, performs March 27 at the Saroyan Theatre.

April

Remember when “Baby Shark” was just an ear worm of a campfire children’s song and not a worldwide phenomenon that landed on Billboard’s Top 100 chart and spawned its own merchandise line and live concert tour? Neither do we, but here we are.

Baby Shark live stops at the Save Mart Center on April 3. Tickets are $29.50-$59.50 and on sale now.

Also in April:

▪ Nick Cannon brings his improv comedy show “Wild’n Out,” April 5, to the Save Mart Center.

▪ Puerto Rican singer Ozuna returns to the Save Mart Center, April 23, on his Nibiru Tour.

May

Gabriel Iglesias might be the most popular comedian in Fresno. The Netflix star has certainly performed here more often than almost any other. That includes six consecutive years at The Big Fresno Fair. He was not at this year’s fair, but he will be at the Save Mart Center on May 8. Tickets are $41.50-$76.50.

Also in May:

▪ Michael Buble does some hardcore crooning on May 3 at the Save Mart Center.

▪ Author and humorist David Sedaris spends a night at the Tower Theatre, May 9.

▪ “Tennessee Kid” Nate Bargatze brings his stand-up comedy tour to the Saroyan Theatre on May 15.

▪ Mexican singer Alejandro Fernández, son of the famous Vicente Fernández, performs May 22 at the Save Mart Center.

June

Hillsong Worship is the touring arm of Australia’s Hillsong Church. The band has been writing and recording worship and praise music since the 1980s. Its latest album, “Awake,” topped Billboard’s Chirstian Album sales chart in October. Hillsong Worship brings its Awake tour to the Saroyan Theatre on June 19. Tickets are $28-$106 and on sale now.

Also in June:

▪ Banda MS, or Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizarraga comes to the Save Mart Center. The 16-piece band performs June 6.

July

For a bit of Fresno trivia, comedian Steve Martin set attendance (and gross ticket sale) records when he performed at the Fresno Stae Amphitheater in 1978. Martin is currently on tour with fellow funnyman Martin Short. The Funnyest Show in Town at the Moment plays July 19 at the Saroyan Theatre.

August

The reggae-influenced alternative rock band Iration has a new album out this summer and with it a summer tour. The so-called Coastin’ Summer tour kicks off July 9 in Atlanta and runs through August with the Tribal Seeds opening. It stops Aug. 14 at Fresno’s Woodward Park Amphitheater.

September

The Doobie Brothers are celebrating 50 years with a reunion tour of sorts. The classic rock band is bringing back singer Michael McDonald. He will join original members Pat Simmons, John McFee and Tom Johnston, who (trivia time!) grew up in Visalia and went to Mt. Whitney High School.

The band plays Sept. 13 at the Save Mart Center. Tickets are $43.75-$133.25 and on sale now.

Also in September:

▪ The Good Vibes Summer tour with Rebelution hits Woodward Park Amphitheater on Sept. 2.

▪ Matchbox Twenty has put together the totally on-the-nose Matchbox Twenty 2020 tour. It stops Sep. 20 at the Save Mart Center with the Wallflowers opening.

▪ Fresno gets one of the few U.S. shows with Mexican music icon Marco Antonio Solis. He performs Sept. 25 at the Save Mart Center.

October

The Big Fresno Fair has announced the first round of artists for this year’s concert series.

It includes pop-singer Becky G (Saturday, Oct. 10), ’60s icon Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons (Monday Oct. 12), ’90s super group Erza Ray Hart, which features members of Better than Erza, Sugar Ray and Tonic (Thursday, Oct. 15) and the Isley Brothers on their 60th Anniversary tour (Friday, Oct. 16). Pre-sale tickets for all shows on sale March 19.

This story was originally published December 26, 2019 at 7:00 AM.