ORANGE — The concert season for the summer of 2012 is shaping up to be one of the busiest in recent years as dozens of big name artists make their way to Southeast Texas, Houston or even Southwest Louisiana.

Whether it’s country music or rock, local music fans will be able to find plenty of both are venues close to home. Upcoming events include country music shows at Ford Park with Miranda Lambert, while Nutty Jerry’s concerts include appearances by Kenny Rogers on June 23 and Merle Haggard on June 28. Hard rock fans will be foaming at the mouth for Dog Jam 2012 featuring Five Finger Death Punch, Killswitch Engage, Pop Evil and many others at Ford Pavilion on July 28.

As always, the Houston area venues will have the biggest shows of the summer including concerts from chart topping acts like Van Halen on June 24, pop band One Direction on the same night at a separate venue. Rock legends such as Aerosmith and Cheap Trick will perform at the Toyota Center on July 30, while Kiss and Motley Crue team up for a show on Aug. 3 and Def Leppard, Poison and Lita Ford have scheduled a Sept. 1 performance.

Our neighbors to the east in Louisiana also have plenty of big shows to draw the attention of Texas music fans as well.

The “Party By the Pool” concert series at L’Auberge du Lac Casino in Lake Charles will feature plenty of big names every Thursday through the end of August, including Aaron Lewis of Staind in a solo show (July 5), Candlebox (July 12), Theory of a Deadman (July 19) and All American Rejects closing out the series on Aug. 30. Boston will perform at Coushatta Casino and Resort on July 6, while Journey, Pat Benatar and Loverboy take aim on the Cajundome in Lafayette on Aug. 28. Three Dog Night will perform on Sept. 8 at Delta Downs Casino and Resort as well.

See what shows interest you and make plans now. Most tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com or www.livenation.com, while some venues use their own ticket sales system or a smaller ticket agent.



June 19

The Cult, Against Me, The Icarus Line @ House of Blues



June 21

Il Divo @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion (CWMP)

John Conlee, Johnny Lee @ Whiskey River



June 22

ZZ Top, 3 Doors Down, Gretchen Wilson @ Baton Rouge River Center in Baton Rouge, La.

Miranda Lambert, Pistol Annies, Wade Bowen, Josh Abbott Band @ Ford Arena

Foreigner @ L’Auberge du Lac Event Center



June 23

ZZ Top, 3 Doors Down, Gretchen Wilson @ CWMP

Candlebox @ House of Blues

Kenny Rogers @ Nutty Jerry’s



June 24

Van Halen, Kool and the Gang @ Toyota Center

One Direction @ CWMP



June 25

Coldplay, Robyn, Wolfgang @ Toyota Center



June 26

Coldplay, Robyn, Wolfgang @ Toyota Center



June 27

Puscifer @ Bayou Music Center

Six Feet Under, Dying Fetus @ Scout Bar

 

June 28

Merle Haggard @ Nutty Jerry’s

Uncle Kracker @ L’Auberge du Lac Party by the Pool



June 30

Howard Jones @ House of Blues

 

July 5

Aaron Lewis of Staind @ L’Auberge du Lac Party by the Pool



July 6

Boston @ The Pavilion at Coushatta Casino in Kinder, La.

The Music of Abba @ Isle of Capri



July 11

Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival feat. Slipknot, Slayer, Motorhead, Anthrax, The Devil Wears Prada, White Chapel and more @ CWMP

 

July 12

Candlebox @ L’Auberge du Lac Party by the Pool



July 13

Cinderella, Seventh Rize @ House of Blues

Big Time Rush @ CWMP



July 14

The Jacksons @ Bayou Music Center

Rascall Flats, Little Big Town, more @ CWMP

Indigo Girls @ House of Blues



July 15

311, Slightly Stoopid @ CWMP



July 17

Reel Big Fish, Suburban Legends, more @ House of Blues

 

July 19

Theory of a Deadman @ L’Auberge du Lac Party by the Pool



July 20

Helmet, Toadies, Molly Ringwalds, Ume @ House of Blues

Barenaked Ladies, Blues Traveler, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Cracker @ CWMP



July 21

Joe Cocker, Huey Lewis and The News @ CWMP



July 22

Chicago, Doobie Brothers @ CWMP

 

July 26

Eve 6 @ L’Auberge du Lac Party by the Pool



July 28

Dog Jam 2012 featuring Five Finger Death Punch, Killswitch Engage, Trivium, God Forbid, Emmure, Pop Evil, Battlecross @ Ford Pavilion

Summer Slaughter Tour feat. Cannibal Corpse, Between the Buried and Me, The Faceless, Goatwhore, Job for a Cowboy, more @ House of Blues

Chevelle @ CWMP

Nicki Minaj @ Bayou Music Center



July 30

Aerosmith, Cheap Trick @ Toyota Center



Aug. 2

Pitbull, DJ Havana Brown @ CWMP



Aug. 3

Kiss, Motley Crue @ CWMP



Aug. 9

Rod Stewart, Stevie Nicks @ Toyota Center



Aug. 11

Gary Allan @ The Pavillion at Coushatta Casino and Resort in Kinder, La.

Evans Blue @ House of Blues

Band of Heathens @ Fitzgerald’s



Aug. 14

Sublime with Rome, Matisyahu, more @ CWMP



Aug. 15

Crosby, Stills and Nash @ CWMP

 

Aug. 16

Finger Eleven @ L’Auberge du Lac Party by the Pool



Aug. 18

Iron Maiden, Coheed and Cambria @ CWMP



Aug. 19

Lindsey Buckingham @ Lutcher Theater



Aug. 24

Journey, Pat Benatar, Loverboy @ CWMP

Rehab @ Scout Bar



Aug. 26

Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez, Wisin and Yandel @ Toyota Center



Aug. 28

Linkin Park, Incubus, Mutemath @ CWMP

Journey, Pat Benatar, Loverboy @ Cajundome in Lafayette, La.

 

Aug. 30

All American Rejects @ L’Auberge du Lac Party by the Pool



Sept. 1

Def Leppard, Poison and Lita Ford @ CWMP

Marc Anthony, Chayanne, Marco Antonio Solis @ Toyota Center



Sept. 7

Kelly Clarkson, The Fray @ CWMP

Metalocalypse: Dethklok, Lamb of God, Gojira @ Bayou Music Center



Sept. 8

Toby Keith @ CWMP

Three Dog Night @ Delta Downs Event Center



Sept. 15

Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival feat. Shinedown, Godsmack, Staind, Papa Roach, POD, Fozzy, In This moment, Adelita’s Way, Deuce, Redlight King, more @ CWMP



Sept. 20

Rise Against, The Gaslight Anthem @ Bayou Music Center

America @ Nutty Jerry’s



Sept. 21

The Psychedelic Furs @ House of Blues

Eric Church, Justin Moore, Kip Moore @ Toyota Center