The Police, Fall Out Boy, Kelly Clarkson and More: 15 Can't-Miss Summer Tours

Until recently, Fall Out Boy's summer concerts were no-frills Warped Tour sets, but now the Chicago foursome is headlining a flashy minifestival of its own, complete with pyro, jumbo video screens, a Michael Jackson cover and three opening acts. "It's the single biggest show we've ever done," says bassist Pete Wentz. "If something goes wrong, it's not like somebody's out of tune -- it's like, 'Somebody got hit by a pyro and might be dead!' "

Any fond summer-concert memories?
I saw Jimmy Buffett when I was eight years old, and my dad let me drink a beer. I've seen Warped Tour forever. I remember going when New Found Glory was on at the same time as Green Day, and running in between the two stages.

How did "Beat It" make it into your set list?
I have an obsession with Michael Jackson. The only movie I'll watch lately is Moonwalker, which is ridiculous. "Beat It" seemed like a song that would be cool and that we could do our own take on. It's pretty sweet; everyone does some dance moves and whatnot. I'm sure we'll get dressed up for it one day too, costumewise.

What's the best part of the show?
My favorite would be when Patrick [Stump] plays "Golden" on piano by himself. I experience it from offstage, but it seems really poignant.

Do you snack during that break?
I could, but it's like halftime of a soccer game, and at halftime you don't really get snacks. You get orange slices at halftime, and at the end of the game you get a chewy, crunchy granola bar and a Capri Sun.

Fergie
Through July 24th
Opener: Rooney

"I'm so stoked!" says Fergie about her first-ever solo tour. Before the Black Eyed Pea and platinum-selling pop star headed off to blast through songs from her hit album, The Dutchess, she talked with Rolling Stone about her rock & roll jones and essential snack foods.

What are you up to right now?
I'm at home. I got, like, locksmiths and blinds installers coming. Taking care of small stuff, you know?

So what's up with your summer tour? Is it going to be a big, choreographed show?
It'll be a mixture. I have four dancers and choreographed parts. But I am definitely keeping a rock element. I just remade "Barracuda" for the Shrek 3 soundtrack. Two of my vocal idols are Axl Rose and Robert Plant, and you hear them in that song. If I could, I'd crowd-surf every night, but I think I'd end up naked with all my clothes ripped off.

So you have a band playing with you, right?
Yeah, they're like family. I feel comfortable with them. They know my range [laughs].

Are any special guests going to pop up?
I love the guests on my album. Ludacris came onstage with me in San Diego, and Will.i.am of course is always around. If someone's in town, hopefully they'll show up. Come onstage and do your thing!

What keeps your energy up?
It's all about green juice from Trader Joe's -- it's spinach, celery and kale. No sugar!

For the taste or the vitamins?
It's all about the vitamins. But I also love Pirate's Booty. That's a weakness of mine.

Marilyn Manson & Slayer
July 25th-September 1st
Tickets: $49

"It's two completely different audiences," says Manson of his cross-country run of amphitheaters and arenas with thrash-metal gods Slayer. "I'm really interested to see what happens when they combine. Hopefully, it's not anything that will give me nosebleeds ? unless it's related to narcotics." Expect Slayer, riding the lightning of 2006's Christ Illusion (which debuted in the Top Five, a first for the band), to offer cuts from throughout their twenty-five-year career. "And I just want everyone to be happy and have fun," says Manson, who plans to road-test songs from his killer comeback disc, Eat Me, Drink Me. "Like Bobby McFerrin."

Jimmy Buffett
Through September 20th
Tickets $33-$226

Buffett has already started this summer's Bama Breeze Tour, the twenty-ninth since the singer, 60, released mainstays "Margaritaville" and "Cheeseburger in Paradise." His shows typically have all the suspense of a North Korean election, and that's the way the Parrotheads like it. Year after year, they turn out to hear the "Big Eight" -- the major hits Buffett plays at every show -- and make like sharks during "Fins."

Do you ever get sick of the hits?
You have to give people what they want. I'm not out there to make statements. I'm descended from court jesters, not theologians, and I just go out there to entertain. Joseph Campbell said, "If you have a really great old car, and it keeps running, you may want to change the paint and seat covers, but you don't want to sell the car."

Anything new this year?
We went to [Caribbean island] Anguilla and did a show in March, and I said, "Let's find ten songs of mine we haven't done in twenty years." We shot a video of that show that's going to be out in December. There are songs out of that batch, like "Domino College," that are working really well in the show.

Any chance the new material could displace any of the "Big Eight"?
On the last tour, we didn't play "Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw," which is one of the eight. It was an accident, because I plugged some stuff in, and when I finished the show, I went, "Oh, my God, we didn't do 'Get Drunk and Screw,' " which you figure in Texas is a must. Well, nobody yelled or threw anything, so we didn't do it the whole tour.