September in Las Vegas: Big Concerts, New Residencies and Two Big Festivals

^{A spectacular view of Janet Jackson performing “Nasty", viewed from the front orchestra seats at the Resorts World Theater (Photo: courtesy of A View From My Seat)} 

The Las Vegas entertainment calendar is heating up in September as temperatures start to fall from the summer peak. Casinos will celebrate Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 16, with several Mexican performers in town before and after the holiday.

The residency calendar is packed all month with familiar faces and a few new acts. Mötley Crüe returns to Las Vegas for a new residency at Park MGM, while Janet Jackson’s run at Resorts World wraps up this month.

As usual, there’s a variety of options for anyone looking to see a major national touring concert. Chris Brown plays two nights at Allegiant Stadium, while the city’s arenas will host classic rock, K-pop and a variety of Mexican musicians. Festivals return in September with two very different events. The iHeartRadio Music Festival hits the Strip for two nights, while Big Blues Bender runs four nights just off the main tourist corridor.

Here are the big concerts and music residencies you might wanna check out in September:

Residency and Limited Engagements

There are new and returning resident performers this month, along with a few limited engagements tied to Mexican Independence Day.

Mötley Crüe’s new residency at Park MGM finally kicks off after a delay. The casino will also host a few more shows from Bruno Mars as part of his long-running engagement.

Sphere welcomes the return of the Eagles and will spotlight electronic music with four nights of UNITY: Insomniac x Tomorrowland. Here’s the full rundown of September’s residencies and limited engagements:

• Bruno Mars at Park MGM: Sept. 3, 5, 6
• Eagles at Sphere: Sept. 5, 6, 12, 13
• Jon Batiste at Wynn: Sept. 6, 7
• Janet Jackson at Resorts World: Sept. 10, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20 (Final Shows)
• Barry Manilow at Westgate: Sept. 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20
• Mötley Crüe at Park MGM: Sept. 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 24, 26, 27
• Pitbull at Fontainebleau: Sept. 12, 13 
• Ricky Martin at Caesars Palace: Sept. 12-13
• Alejandro Fernandez at MGM Grand: Sept. 13, 15
• Marco Antonio Solís at Caesars Palace: Sept. 14, 15
• Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band at The Venetian: Sept. 17, 19, 20, 24, 26, 27
• Ashley Simpson at The Venetian: Sept. 19, 20, 24, 26, 27
• UNITY: Insomniac x Tomorrowland at Sphere: Sept. 19, 20, 26, 27
• Tears For Fears at Fontainebleau: Sept. 24, 26, 27
• Rod Stewart at Caesars Palace: Sept. 24, 26, 27

Big Arena and Stadium Concerts

Just a few years ago, Chris Brown was a resident artist at Drai’s Nightclub inside The Cromwell. Fast forward to September, he headlines two nights at Allegiant Stadium, the largest concert venue in Las Vegas.

Along with major Mexican Independence Day shows, The Who return to Las Vegas, while Benson Boone, Jeff Chang and Le Sserafim bring their tours to local arenas. Here's the shows to keep an eye on this month:

• Carin Leon at MGM Grand: Sept. 12
• BANDA MS at Mandalay Bay: Sept. 12
• Palomazo Norteno at MGM Grand: Sept. 14
• The Who at MGM Grand: Sept. 18
• Chris Brown at Allegiant Stadium: Sept. 19, 20
• Le Sserafim at Mandalay Bay: Sept. 20
• Benson Boone at T-Mobile Arena: Sept. 26
• Jeff Chang at MGM Grand: Sept. 27

Pop and Blues Music Festivals 

Variety is the spice of life in Las Vegas, and that applies to music this month with two very different festivals. One festival highlights pop music from the past few decades, while the other has full sets from a slew of blues bands.

The Big Blues Bender at Westgate features about 50 performers on six stages over four nights, all under one roof just off the Strip. Headliners include the Teskey Brothers and the Mavericks, along with the return of Bill Murray & His Blood Brothers for another quirky performance. Yes, it’s that Bill Murray.

Visit Big Blues Bender for lineups and current information on the festival.

The iHeartRadio Music Festival returns to T-Mobile Arena on Sept. 19 and 20 with a mix of pop stars from yesterday, today and tomorrow. The festival features the hits - and just the hits from a diverse array of performers.

This year’s lineup includes Jelly Roll, Lil Wayne, LL Cool J, Mariah Carey, Maroon 5, GloRilla, Bryan Adams, Justice, Ed Sheeran, John Fogerty, Sammy Hagar, Tim McGraw and more. Visit iheart.com for the current lineup and more information. 

No matter what genre fits your fancy, September has a hot lineup of events for both Vegas locals and visitors — even if the weather finally starts to cool off.