Phoenix's Six Hottest Events: Winter 2009/2010

Phoenix is one of the biggest cities in the U.S., but you often hear residents complaining that nothing ever happens in Phoenix! Well, this winter aims to right the record -- there is an event for everybody, from your 3-year-old to your deaf grandfather, happening in Phoenix over the next couple of months. We take a look at the best events in Phoenix over winter!

Disney On Ice: Worlds of Fantasy Tickets

Kids love it ... why not give them a Christmas present that actually leaves the house cleaner than it was before you gave it to them? If they're watching ice skating, they can't be destroying things. Disney on Ice concerts have been a staple show around America for more than 20 years, and kids never get tired of it.

Weezer Tickets, Dodge Theater

With their homegrown garage sound, these inventors of the sarcastic singing voice are coming to Phoenix on January 15. They are currently touring their seventh studio album, Raditude, which was released in early November.

Nutcracker, Symphony Hall

You might not have heard of Marius Petipa, but you almost certainly will have heard of the Nutcracker. Tchaikovsky's composition is dainty and beautiful … you'll come home from the symphony concert dancing on air!

Alice Cooper's Christmas Pudding Tickets with Warrant, Dodge Theater

We all know that Alice Cooper doesn’t quite have the Satanic edge that he pretends to … so the Christmas Pudding concert is fun for just about the whole family. Even kids can enjoy the atmosphere and pretend naughtiness of the event. The lineup hasn’t yet been announced, but profits go to helping disadvantaged teens in the city.

Jason Alexander, Celebrity Theater

The "Master of the House" will be bringing his unique Brooklyn brand of comedy to the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix in early January. Phoenix doesn’t often get comedy events -- these concert tickets will certainly give you a night to remember.

Slayer with Megadeth, Dodge Theater

The big four concert (Slayer, Megadeth, Metallica and Anthrax) may have just been a hopeful and widely spread rumor, but at least two of the biggies can be seen playing together at the Dodge Theater in Phoenix in February. Much better value than buying concert tickets for two separate events!

World's Best Concert Venues

Most people will tell you that for their money, the world's best concert venue is the one where their obsession du jour is playing … it's not so much about the dressing as the salad. That said, buying concert tickets to see a good performer in a bad concert venue is sort of like listening to your favorite CD after it's been taped onto cassette, and put on a tinny alarm clock to wake you up. A completely different experience! So if you have a chance to go to any of the following concert venues, even if the feature might not be your favorite, take the opportunity. You'll almost certainly find that the atmosphere and acoustics push the experience far beyond your expectations.

Metropolitan Opera, New York

Just as historic as those in Vienna and France, the New York Met is now home to the world's finest concert pianists, violinists, operas and orchestras. There are LCD screens on the back of each chair, giving even poor seats an up-close-and-personal view.

Symphony Hall, Boston

The acoustics of this hall are part of the appeal -- it has a 1.9 second reverberation time, considered to be ideal for orchestral performances. There are more and more rock bands teaming up with orchestras nowadays, since the advent of Symphony and Metallica … and you can get concert tickets for a variety of acts at Symphony Hall.

Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles

Boston and New York have inclusions in the world's best list … LA couldn’t let them have all the limelight! This was completed only in 2003, and has a much more modern design than Symphony Hall or even the Met. It has a six-level subterranean parking garage, and is now home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Avery Fisher Hall, New York

Not quite as famous as Carnegie Hall, but then again, concert tickets here can actually be afforded by mere mortals! There have been numerous critics and redesigns at Avery Fisher Hall, but to their credit, the board never gives up in their quest for the perfect acoustic.