It's a big month for Island Hopper. The music festival celebrates its 10th anniversary this September with headliners Scotty McCreery and Jeffrey Steele and dozens of other singer-songwriters performing at venues all over Lee County.
But that's not all that's happening onstage in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs and the rest of Southwest Florida. Other big shows include guitar hero Yngwie Malmsteem, rap icons The Sugarhill Gang, Gov't Mile singer-guitarist Warren Haynes and lots more.
Here are our picks for the best concerts to see this September:
Gilby Clarke of Guns N' Roses, Heart at Stet's Bar
Singer-guitarist Gilby Clarke is best known for his brief stint with hard rockers Guns N' Roses in the early '90s, including their Use Your Illusion Tour and the covers album "The Spaghetti Incident?" He's also released his own solo albums and played guitar with Heart, Nancy Sinatra, Slash's Snakepit, MC5 and his group Rock Star Supernova (including members of Metallica and Motley Crue). His show at Stet's Bar also features opening acts Grin Cynic and 10,000 Views. 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6. $25 general admission, $50 for VIP. Stet's Bar, 1926 Winkler Ave., Fort Myers. 278-1749 or facebook.com/stetsbarftmyers
Zach Bartholomew plays Miles Davis classic 'Kind of Blue'
Jazz pianist Zach Bartholomew — a resident artist at Arts Bonita — joins trumpeter James Suggs to put their own spin on influential Miles Davis album "Kind of Blue." Together with their band, they'll play every album track, plus new Davis-inspired songs written specifically for the show. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12. $35-$45. Arts Bonita Center for Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs. 495-8989 or artsbonita.org
Candlelight Concerts: The Best of Bridgerton
A classical string quartet plays songs from the hit Netflix series "Bridgerton," including Ariana Grande's "Thank U, Next," Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy," Pitbull's "Give Me Everything" and Sia's "Cheap Thrills." All on a romantic stage covered in flickering candles. Two shows at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. $46-$75. Music & Arts Community Center, 13411 Shire Lane, south Fort Myers. feverup.com/en/fort-myers
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Art Is Essential Bash with Damon Fowler
This outdoor concert is part of the Alliance for the Arts' ongoing Art Is Essential, a fundraising and awareness campaign started after Gov. Ron DeSantis slashed $32 million in grant funding — every single penny — for Florida arts and culture programs in June. Popular Tampa blues singer-guitarist Damon Fowler performs. The event also features a food truck and a full bar. Bring your own chair. 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. $20-$25 (free for the Alliance's "sustaining donors"). Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. 939-2787 or artinlee.org/event/art-is-essential-bash
Wilderpalooza 2: Fundraiser concert for Soapy Tuna, Cinder guitarist
Fifteen Southwest Florida bands perform at this second-annual fundraiser for James Wilder, guitarist for local rock acts Cinder and Soapy Tuna. Wilder has been diagnosed with stage 4, metastasized colon cancer and needs help with his medical bills and other expenses. The lineup includes Soapy Tuna, Rosaline, Smack Daddy, Red Hannah, The Flying Hasslehoffs, Sunshine Bandits, School of Rock and many more local acts. There will also be raffles. Noon to midnight Sunday, Sept. 15. Music starts at 1 p.m. Free admission. Donations are encouraged. Buddha LIVE, 12701 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. facebook.com/TheBuddhaLive
10th annual Island Hopper with Scotty McCreery, Jeffrey Steele
Country singers Scotty McCreery and Jeffrey Steele headline the sprawling, 10th-annual Island Hopper Songwriter Fest. Dozens of singer-songwriters — mostly country-music artists — perform Sept. 20-22 on Captiva Island, Sept. 23-24 in Cape Coral, Sept. 25-26 in downtown Fort Myers and Sept. 27-29 on Fort Myers Beach. Most shows are free. Steele joins Gulf Coast Symphony at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, at Florida Repertory Theatre. McCreery plays a pool party at 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, at Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina on Fort Myers Beach. Tickets are $36-$75 for Steele, $75 for McCreery. island-hopperfest.visitfortmyers.com
The Warren Haynes Band at B.B. Mann
Grammy-winning Gov't Mile and Allman Brothers Band singer-guitarist Warren Haynes brings his solo band to Fort Myers. 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20. $40-$100. Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 FSW Parkway, south Fort Myers. 481-4849 or bbmannpah.com
Banda MS at Hertz Arena
The popular Mexican banda act returns to Hertz Arena. Its hits include “Hermosa Experiencia,” “No Me Pidas Perdón” and the international smash "Sin Evidencias. 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21. $61-$350. Parking on site is $30, plus taxes and fees (no cash). Free parking next door at Miromar Outlets. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero. 948-7825 or hertzarena.com
Yngwie Malmsteem at The Ranch
Swedish guitar god Yngwie Malmsteem, known for his classically-inspired playing, celebrates the 40th anniversary of his solo debut album, "Rising Force." Show starts at about 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26. $36-$102. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. 985-9839 or theranchfortmyers.com
Sugarhill Gang at Arts Bonita
New Jersey rap icons the Sugarhill Gang are best known for the sprawling, influential song “Rapper’s Delight." Rolling Stone magazine ranked it as No. 2 on its 2017 list of the “100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time.” 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27. $60-$66. Arts Bonita Center for Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs. 495-8989 or artsbonita.org
MORE SEPTEMBER CONCERTS IN FORT MYERS, BONITA SPRINGS
Rosaline album release show: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, at Nice Guys Pizza, 1334 Cape Coral Parkway E., downtown Cape Coral. tinyurl.com/ynupdj3e
T.S.O.L.: 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, at The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. theranchfortmyers.com
Sudamerica Latin Groove — World Music Celebration Vol.1: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13, at Arts Bonita Center for Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs. 495-8989 or artsbonita.org
Ultimate Elton John Tribute Band: 6 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14-15, at Z's Music Kitchen, 12655 Tamiami Trail E., Naples. 304-9552 or zsmusickitchen.com
Pepper: 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15 at The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. theranchfortmyers.com
Hed P.E.: 8 p.m. Tuesday. Sept. 17 at The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. theranchfortmyers.com
The Reckless Saints: 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, at Tribby Arts Center at Shell Point Retirement Community, 17281 On Par Blvd., south Fort Myers. tribbyartscenter.com
Dead Set Florida: 6 p.m. Sunday Sept 22, at Nice Guys Pizza, 1334 Cape Coral Parkway E., downtown Cape Coral. facebook.com/NiceGuysPizza
Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. To reach him, call 239-335-0368 (for tickets to shows, call the venue) or email him at crunnells@gannett.com .
Follow or message him on social media: Facebook ( facebook.com/charles.runnells.7 ), X (formerly Twitter) ( @charlesrunnells ), Threads (@crunnells1) and Instagram ( @crunnells1 ).
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Fort Myers, Naples concerts: Scotty McCreery, Sugarhill Gang, more Sept. shows
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