Nelly Furtado burst onto the scene with a groove- heavy folk vibe, but it wasn’t until she took a break and returned to her hip-hop roots that she scored her first No.1 album.
Soaking up influences from Radiohead to Salt-N-Pepa, the Canadian-born singer appeals to both the hip-hop and pop crowds, and she should. The genres cross over frequently on her latest album, “Loose,” expertly produced by hip-hop Svengali Timbaland.
Furtado’s agile, birdlike voice seems more suited to this new dance-friendly incarnation than her last two. She no doubt took cues from other pop star makeovers like Justin Timberlake and Gwen Stefani, and you can’t blame her. She’s a smart self-promoter who has matured into an artist who knows exactly what she wants.
Tickets for Furtado’s June 15 concert at the Fillmore Auditorium are on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($42, Ticketmaster)
Diana Krall has ruled the contemporary jazz world for some years and crossed over to more mainstream audiences with soundtrack and TV appearances. Still, many remain unaware of the Canadian-born vocalist, who counts husband Elvis Costello among her admirers. Last year the singer and piano player released her 10th album, “From This Moment On,” revisiting the Great American Songbook with a big band in tow. Tickets for Krall’s Aug. 27 concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre are on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($48.50-$88.50, Ticketmaster)
Josh Groban’s classical pop approach and diverse influences help each of his albums become increasingly popular, selling out tours and making him a TV fixture. To prove his versatility, the young vocalist works with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Herbie Hancock and Dave Matthews on his latest disc, “Awake,” and even sings a few songs in Spanish and Italian. Take that, Celine Dion. Tickets for Groban’s Aug. 29 show at the Pepsi Center are on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($39-$99, Ticketmaster)
The Vans Warped Tour will again invade the parking lot of Invesco Field this summer with its usual slate of acts. Pop-punk godfathers Bad Religion will lead the Used, Tiger Army, Coheed and Cambria, New Found Glory and others with diverse attractions (comedians, skate ramps, Girlz Garage, Brothers Grimm Sideshow) for the pierced-lip and mohawk set. Tickets for the July 8 tour are on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($27.50, Ticketmaster)
Dream Theater’s John Petrucci is one of those insanely technical metal guitarists who inspires equal amounts of disbelief and amusement – as should anyone that shreds that hard. Still, Petrucci often seems more sparkle than grit, a latter-day metal curse in some circles. You can bet on our area’s long- haired guitar instructors attending Dream Theater’s July 31 Paramount Theatre show. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($35-$40, Ticketmaster)
Snow Patrol will likely continue its commercial dominance when the lead single for the “Spider-Man 3” soundtrack, “Signal Fire,” sees the light of day next week. The aggressively mediocre, inoffensive alt- pop group from Northern Ireland will hit Red Rocks Amphitheatre on July 30. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($37, Ticketmaster)
