Avril Lavigne was just 17 when she released her first album, “Let Go,” and 18 when she had her first hit, “Complicated.” But she was already invested in a music career long game.
“I have looked forward to having a greatest hits tour since I was first starting out,” says the Ontario-born Lavigne, now 39, who’s in the midst of exactly that kind of trek this year following the release of a new “Greatest Hits” album in June. “I love and am so proud of all the music I have put out over the past 22 years, but there is something super special about having a setlist that is all hits and knowing that these songs really resonated with people not only when the songs were first released, but consistently over the years.”
Lavigne has a lot to show for those years — six more albums and Top 10 hits such as “I’m With You,” “My Happy Ending” and “Girlfriend,” record sales of more than 40 million worldwide, 10 Canadian Juno Awards and an Order of Canada Honor. Divorces and a debilitating 2015 case of Lyme disease have left her unbowed, and Lavigne promises there’s more to come soon.
“I can’t spill too much right now,” she says, “but once I finish this tour I am going to get back in the studio and really map out what I want the next year of music to look like. I know people are waiting for new songs and I am excited to share them, but I really want to make sure it is all perfect first.”
Avril Lavigne said she plans to return to the studio once she finishes her current tour. (Photo courtesy of Tyler Kenny)
In the meantime, she’s happy to celebrate what she’s done to this point.
“I still feel like a teenager,” Lavigne notes, “and every night when I get up onstage, I am reminded of what an amazing life I have been able to live. I’m just so glad I started as young as I was — ’cause I still feel young.”
Avril Lavigne, Simple Plan and Girlfriends perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7 at Pine Knob Music Theatre, 33 Bob Seger Drive, Independence Township. Tickets are sold out.
Other music events of note this weekend (all subject to change) include …
FRIDAY, SEPT. 6
• Pontiac’s Flagstar Strand Theatre kicks off its fall season at 8 p.m. with the Del McCoury Band and its decades of bluegrass. 12 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac. 248-309-6445 or flagstarstrand.com.
• The Beatles live via 1964 The Tribute, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the group’s first appearance in Detroit, at 8 p.m. at Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-576-5111 or dso.org.
• Columbus, Ohio’s Starset journeys into Wolverine country to bring its Immersion: The Final Chapter tour to the Fillmore Detroit, 2115 Woodward Ave. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-961-5451 or thefillmoredetroit.com.
• Jake Hoot, winner of Season 17 of “The Voice,” performs at 8 p.m. at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.
• The KPOP Breakout Tour features Trendz, Craxy, Ichillin’ and U-Chae at 7 p.m. in the Pike Room in the Crofoot complex, 1 S. Saginaw St. 248-858-9333 or thecrofoot.com.
• Nashville’s VEAUX stops at the Lager House for an 8:30 p.m. show with the Foxies and Daydream and Bega. 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. 313-500-1475 or thelagerhouse.com.
• British goth rock troupe the Mark Violets, Rosegarden Funeral Party and Siamese gather at Small’s, 10339 Conant, Hamtramck. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-873-1117 or smallsbardetroit.com.
• Kind Beast tops a bill that also includes the High Strung, Touch the Clouds and Cherry Drop at the Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-820-5596 or thelovingtouchferndale.com.
• The Latin-flavored sextet Tumbao Bravo plays through Saturday, Sept. 7 at the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe, 97 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe. 313-882-5399 or dirtydogjazz.com.
• Kimmie Horne sings jazz at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.
• Chicago singer Tony Romiti performs at the Diesel Concert Lounge, 33151 23 Mile Road, Chesterfield Township. Doors at 7 p.m. 586-933-3503 or dieselconcerts.com.
• Hillbilly Knife Fight and Tiffadelic offer a promising start to the weekend at 7 p.m. at the Cadieux Cafe, 4300 Cadieux Road, Detroit. 313-882-8560 or cadieuxcafe.com.
• Sirsy tops a four-act bill at 7:30 p.m. at the New Dodge Lounge, 8850 Jos Campau, Hamtramck. 313-638-1508 or thenewdodgelounge.com.
• The soulful Shemekia Copeland sings at 8 p.m. at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1818 or theark.org.
• Virtual: Blue Canvas Orchestra streams live at 8 p.m. Tickets via veeps.com.
• Virtual: The jam band Goose plays at 8 p.m. from Saratoga Springs. New York, and again on Saturday, Sept. 7, for subscribers to nugs.net.
• Virtual: The Disco Biscuits perform at 8 p.m. from Dillon, Colorado, for subscribers to nugs.net.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 7
• Detroit punk rock favorites the Suicide Machines will rock at Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit. Doors at 6:30 p.m. Hey-Smith, Kill Lincoln and Bad Operation also perform. 313-961-8961 or saintandrewsdetroit.com.
Suicide Machines (Photo courtesy of Fat Wreck Chords)
• Kaleo comes from Iceland to play blues-rock at the Fillmore Detroit, 2115 Woodward Ave. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-961-5451 or thefillmoredetroit.com.
• Detroit techno legend Kevin Saunderson celebrates his 60th birthday with an All-White Party at Spot Lite Detroit, 2905 Beaufait St. Doors at 9 p.m. spotlitedetroit.com or paxahau.com.
• The Motown Museum gets deep with the annual Detroit Bass Day from noon to 4 p.m. on its Rocket Plaza 2648 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit. Bassists of all ages are invited to jam on 10 Motown classics by the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Rick James, the Four Tops, the Commodores, Teena Marie and Jr. Walker & the Allstars. The event also includes food trucks and vendors. motownmuseum.org for more information.
• SiriusXM premieres a new weekly program, “Live From the Motown Museum,” on its Smokey’s Soul Town Channel (74). It will be hosted by John Mason, a veteran Detroit radio personality and the Pistons’ in-arena announcer, and Levi Stubbs III, son of the late Four Tops frontman Levi Stubbs.
• Singer-songwriter Chris Tapper appears at 8 p.m. at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.
• Arizona DJ Markus Schulz heats things up at the Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Doors at 9 p.m. 313-833-9700 or themajesticdetroit.com.
• Syrian singer Omar Souleyman plays a matinee at 1 p.m. at El Club, 4114 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit. 313-757-7942 or elclubdetroit.com.
• Trumpeter Allen Dennard and his Organ Trio blows at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.
• MC Jahshua Smith performs a “Homecoming” date at 8 p.m. at the Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. FROSTisRAD, Krissy Booth and Kwaj are also on the bill. 313-500-1475 or thelagerhouse.com.
• The Toby Keith tribute band Ride celebrates the late country icon at 8 p.m. at The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. 248-453-5285 or theroxyrochester.com.
• The Ark hosts the Ann Arbor Django Reinhardt Festival, featuring Djangophonique, Christo’s Novelty combo and Erik McIntyre at 8 p.m. 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1818 or theark.org.
• Virtual: The Weeknd streams his show from Sao Paulo, Brazil, at 8 p.m. via his official YouTube channel, with a live chat to follow.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 8
• Warm up for the Detroit Lions’ home opener with an early evening set by the a capella vocal group Naturally 7 at the Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 5 p.m. 248-544-1991 or themagicbag.com.
• Grosse Pointe-raised guitarist John 5, now a member of Motley Crue, comes home to play with the Kiss tribute band Strutter and Turning Jane at the Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Road, Westland. Doors at 6:30 p.m. 734-513-5030 or tokenlounge.com.
• Americana up-and-comer Sierra Ferrell brings her vocals, fiddle and more to the Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. Fourth St. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-399-2980 or royaloakmusictheatre.com.
• KK’s Priest, led by former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing, will be live — but before midnight — at District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte. Doors at 6:45 p.m. district142live.com. For an interview with Downing, visit theoaklandpress.com.
• Mike Tramp leads the latest version of his band White Lion into the Diesel Concert Lounge, 33151 23 Mile Road, Chesterfield Township. Doors at 7 p.m. 586-933-3503 or dieselconcerts.com.
• Sweden’s Dead By April is joined by Of Virtue at the Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff, Hamtramck. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-462-4117 or sanctuarydetroit.com.
• The Duane Parham Society plays at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.
• Bccording, Zion Polanski, GVN and Swan stack up at 7 p.m. at the New Dodge Lounge, 8850 Jos Campau, Hamtramck. 313-638-1508 or thenewdodgelounge.com.
• The Henhouse Prowlers close the weekend with some bluegrass at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1818 or theark.org.
