Good evenings start with good choices.
Finding a concert you’ll love—and somewhere to enjoy a drink or dinner—shouldn’t take hours of searching.
Desert After 5 brings together Happy Hour, Live Music, and Desert Dining to help you plan an enjoyable evening in the Coachella Valley. Each week, we research what’s coming up, check the details, and curate the choices worth your attention.
It started with our own evenings out.
My wife and I have enjoyed concerts together for years. But finding them had become a chore.
I searched venue websites, ticket sites, casino entertainment pages, and event calendars. I tried alerts and other tools, but the information wasn’t always reliable. Once, it sent me to a venue for a free concert that wasn’t happening.
Other times, we’d hear about a show we would have loved—a day or two after we’d missed it.
I wanted to solve that problem. So, I developed a better way to research upcoming performances, verify the details, and narrow down the options.
When I shared my findings with friends, they asked me to keep sending them. Then they asked me to include their friends. As the requests grew, a newsletter became the natural next step.
The music is only part of the evening.
A happy hour before the show or dinner afterward can make the whole evening more enjoyable.
My wife and I had fallen into the habit of visiting the same restaurants because choosing somewhere different took more effort. Now we’re exploring, finding new favorites, and enjoying that part of going out again.
Desert After 5 helps you do the same, with happy hours and dining recommendations to consider alongside the music.
An open mind. An honest recommendation.
I love music, and I’m always open to something new. From tribute bands and jazz to heavy metal, symphonies, and the occasional musical, every genre deserves consideration.
We look at performance quality, the venue, the listening experience, and value for money. Both free concerts and ticketed shows can earn a recommendation.
Our selections draw on research and, where available, firsthand experience. We’re clear about the difference.
You’ll get a carefully chosen selection each week, with fewer recommendations when the options are limited. We won’t add a show simply to fill a list.
Whether you’re planning a date night or looking for your next favorite band or restaurant, I hope Desert After 5 feels like hearing from a knowledgeable friend who wants you to have a good evening.
Dave Woolsey
Founder, Desert After 5
Let us help you plan your next evening out.
Join our free weekly newsletter for curated concerts, happy hours, and dining discoveries across the Coachella Valley.
We do the searching and curate the best options, so you get to enjoy more of the desert.
