We’ve already had a stellar year for concerts. Just a few months ago, we were anticipating Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo, eagerly awaiting arena tours from Foo Fighters, The Who, and Madonna, and wondering whether Alabama Shakes and D’Angelo would continue to deliver on the live performances they had come to be known for. Yeah, we had a pretty great spring and summer for music, but the year is not over yet.
It’s important to note that all of those arena tours have yet to wrap up, and a few major festivals, like ACL, Fun Fun Fun Fest, and Treasure Island, all remain. Special appearances, like Kanye West performing 808s & Heartbreak, also highlight the docket. Plus, there are sure to be a few more late-year runs still to be announced. What’s already been revealed has us all excited to cover live music for the next few months, especially these 25 tours we put at the top of our must-see list.
25. Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder played The Taste of Chicago 2008 in Grant Park as a free event for all the hot dog-hounding denizens of the city. You’d think that music would be the last thing on the minds of folks in meat comas, but sure enough, Stevie’s park showing, his presence and bodacious sound, meted out singing, dancing, and a general sense of wowed appreciation for the legend letting it out. That’s just how good Stevie still can be. So imagine how groovy he might be if you pay to see him. OK, that sounded a little cynical, but come on, his Songs in the Key of Life Tour added 20 extra North American tour dates this past August. The hot tour was a full run of his famous ’76 double LP, and it’s carrying on from September 30th to November 24th, closing out with a big show at Madison Square Garden. —Blake Goble
Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life 2015 Tour Dates:
09/25 – Las Vegas, NV @ Life is Beautiful Festival
09/26 – Toronto, ON @ Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre
09/30 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
10/03 – Washington, DC @ Verizon Center
10/07 – Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
10/09 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
10/11 – Hartford, CT @ XL Center
10/14 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
10/16 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
10/19 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Consol Energy Center
10/23 – Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center
10/25 – St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center
10/31 – San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center
11/03 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Chesapeake Energy Arena
11/05 – Little Rock, AR @ Verizon Arena
11/07 – Indianapolis, IN @ Bankers Life Fieldhouse
11/10 – Knoxville, TN @ Thompson-Boling Arena
11/14 – Charlotte, NC @ Time Warner Cable Arena
11/17 – Charlottesville, VA @ John Paul Jones Arena
11/19 – Buffalo, NY @ First Niagara Center
11/21 – Detroit, MI @ Joe Lewis Arena
11/24 – New York City @ Madison Square Garden
24. FIDLAR
Photo by Philip Cosores
Ever since FIDLAR rose to prominence in their native Los Angeles, the punks have been known for their raucous live shows, which, in their early days, would often get so out of hand that the police would break them up. While they’ve certainly done some growing up since releasing their self-titled debut all the way to their recent Too (if you haven’t already, check out the CoS cover story on the band, which delves into frontman Zac Carper getting sober), that hasn’t sapped any energy out of their gigs. FIDLAR’s young fanbase shows up early and in force, and with the official release of rowdy tracks like “40oz. on Repeat”, “West Coast”, and “Sober”, expect as many mosh pits and boisterous sing-alongs as ever. —Killian Young
FIDLAR 2015 Tour Dates:
09/15 – Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
09/16 – Columbia, MO @ Rose Music Hall
09/18 – Newport, KY @ Thompson House
09/19 – Ferndale, MI @ The Loving Touch
09/20 – Toronto, ON @ Riot Fest Toronto
09/22 – Montreal, QC @Theatre Fairmount
09/24 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
09/26 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
09/27 – Boston, MA @ Boston Calling Festival
09/28 – Washington, DC @ The Black Cat
09/29 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
10/02 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade – Hell Stage
10/03 – Gainesville, FL @ High Dive }
10/05 – Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder
10/06 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks
10/9-11 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Music Festival
10/13 – Oklahoma City, OK @ 89th Street Collective
10/15 – Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
10/16 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom
10/17 – San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
10/19 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
10/22 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
10/23 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
10/28 – San Francisco, CA @ Slim’s
10/30 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theatre
10/31 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theatre
11/10 – Bristol, UK @ O2 Academy
11/11 – Manchester, UK @ Ritz
11/12 – Glasgow, UK @ Garage
11/14 – London, UK @ The Forum
11/15 – Birmingham, UK @ The Institute
11/17 – Berlin, DE @ Posbahnhof
11/19 – Paris, FR @ Le Trianon Hall
11/21 – Kortrijk, BE @ De Kreun
11/22 – Brussels, BE @ AB Club
11/23 – Utrecht, NL @ Tivoliredenburg
23. Ride
Photo by Philip Cosores
Questionable choice of headwear aside, the announcement last November that ‘90s shoegaze pioneers Ride would be reuniting for the first time since breaking up in 1996 left many excited on this side of the pond as well as in the band’s native UK. After playing festivals like Coachella and a few one-off shows, Ride is set to embark this fall on a full US tour, giving the whole country a chance to hear the classics again. While not every reunion is executed as well as it sounds in theory, reports from the band’s spring festival appearances were glowing, indicating that Andy Bell and co. haven’t become too rusty in almost two decades away. Contemporaries such as Besnard Lakes and DIIV, who are set to release their sophomore album this fall, will open select dates on the tour. Reunion tours like this often draw skepticism, but the chance to see one of the most influential bands of the ‘90s again should not be missed. —David Sackllah
Ride 2015 Tour Dates:
09/17 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *
09/18 – New Haven, CT @ College Street Music Hall *
09/19 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts *
09/21 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza *
09/22 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza #
09/23 – Asbury Park, NJ @ The Stone Pony #
09/25 – Chicago, IL @ The Riviera Theater #
09/26 – Cincinnati, OH @ MidPoint Festival
09/27 – Champaign, IL @ Pygmalion Festival
09/29 – Minneapolis, MN @ Mill City #
10/01 – Detroit, MI @ Saint Andrews Hall #
10/02 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues #
10/03 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Club #
10/11 – Leeds, England @ O2 Academy Leeds
10/12 – Norwich, England @ University of East Anglia
10/14 – Brixton, England @ O2 Academy Brixton
10/15 – Liverpool, England @ O2 Academy Liverpool
10/17 – Bristol, England @ Anson Rooms
10/18 – Newcastle, England @ O2 Academy Newcastle
10/19 – Edinburgh, Scotland @ Corn Exchange
10/21 – Nottingham, England @ Rock City
10/22 – Birmingham, England @ The Institute
11/06 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
11/07 – Austin, TX @ Fun Fun Fun Festival
11/09 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
11/10 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
11/12 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
11/14 – Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst
11/15 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
11/16 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune
11/17 – Vancouver, British Columbia @ Commodore Ballroom
11/19 – Honolulu, HI @ The Republik
11/24 – Osaka, Japan @ Namba Hatch
11/25 – Tokyo, Japan @ Zepp Divercity
11/27-29 – Hong Kong, Hong Kong @ Clockenflap Festival
11/28-29 – Singapore, Singapore @ Neon Lights Festival
* with DIIV
# with Besnard Lakes
22. Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo has been a three-piece band for the vast majority of its existence, but on their 1986 debut LP, Ride the Tiger, they had a second guitarist by the name of Dave Schramm. Schramm has since appeared with the band on rare occasions – including on Fakebook, Yo La Tengo’s 1990 precedent to the half-original-half-covers Stuff Like That There – but their current tour behind Stuff will feature him back on lead guitar regularly for the first time since the early days, executing the extra delicate solos brought into play on the new record. See their recent CBS Sunday Morning spin on “Automatic Doom” by their fellow Hoboken band The Special Pillow for an idea of just how delicate those solos can get. —Steven Arroyo
Yo La Tengo 2015 Tour Dates:
09/23 – Troy, NY @ Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
09/24 – Glenside, PA @ Keswick Theatre
09/25 – Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre
09/26 – Durham, NC @ The Carolina Theatre of Durham
09/27 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
09/29 – Millvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre
09/30 – Toronto, ON @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
10/02 – Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre
10/03 – Boston, MA @ Wilbur Theatre
10/10 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre
10/15 – Dublin, IE @ National Concert Hall
10/16 – Glasgow, UK @ The Garage
10/18 – Bristol, UK @ Colston Hall
10/19 – Coventry, UK @ Warwick Arts Center
10/20 – London, UK @ O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
10/23 – Paris, FR @ La Cigale
10/24 – Holland, NL @ Paradiso
10/25 – Leuven, BE @ Het Depot
10/27 – Berlin, DE @ Heimathafen
10/28 – Koln, DE @ Kulturkirche
10/30 – Bologna, IT @ Teatro Antoniano
10/31 – Rome, IT @ Auditorium Parco della Musica
11/05 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre
11/06 – Madison, WI @ Barrymore Theatre
11/07 – Minneapolis, MN @ Pantages Theatre
11/09 – Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theater
11/11 – Las Vegas, NV @ Sayers Club
11/12 – San Diego, CA @ San Diego Music Thing
11/13 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Theatre at Ace Hotel
11/14 – San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic
11/15 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Rio Theater
11/17 – Eugene, OR @ Wow Hall
11/18 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall
11/20 – Seattle, Neptune Theatre
11/21 – Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre
12/18 – Tokyo, JP @ O-East
12/19 – Osaka, JP @ Club Quattro
21. HEALTH
Photo by Philip Cosores
HEALTH has long earned a reputation as a pulverizing live act, but with the LA group’s new album, Death Magic, the band has created music that is less esoteric, with bigger hooks and a softer edge. At FYF Fest, HEALTH leaped around the stage, shouted manically, and created an overall chaotic spectacle, proving that the resulting live show still manages the intensity and force of their previous output, just with some songs with pop backbones thrown in. HEALTH is more well-rounded now, providing pleasures from varying sources, and giving a good reason why they jumped to a major label for their newest album. —Philip Cosores
HEALTH 2015 Tour Dates:
10/09 – Brussels, BE @ Bozar
10/11 – Hamburg, DE @ Mojo Club
10/12 – Copenhagen, DK @ Pumpehuset
10/13 – Berlin, DE @ Berghain
10/16 – Krakow, PL @ Unsound Festival
10/17 – Prague, CZ @ Meet Factory
10/19 – Frankfurt, DE @ Mousonturm Saal
10/20 – Stuttgart, DE @ Im Wizemann
10/22 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Noord
10/24 – Bristol, UK @ Simple Things Festival
10/25 – Liverpool, UK @ Liverpool Music Week
10/26 – Glasgow, UK @ Stereo
10/27 – Manchester, UK @ Gorilla
10/28 – London, UK @ Heaven
10/30 – Paris, FR @ Pitchfork Music Festival
11/10 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
11/11 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
11/13 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk
11/14 – Dallas, TX @ Trees
11/15 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
11/16 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks
11/17 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
11/19 – Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel
11/20 – Philadelphia, PA @ Making Time at Voyeur
11/21 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
11/24 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
11/25 – Montreal, QC @ Le Ritz
11/26 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
11/27 – Detroit, MI @ Pike Room
11/28 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
11/29 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock
11/30 – Omaha, NE @ The Slowdown
12/01 – Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar
12/03 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
12/04 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
12/05 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
12/07 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret
12/08 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos
12/09 – Portland, OR @ Holocene
20. Tobias Jesso Jr. w/ Wet
Photo by Philip Cosores
Tobias Jesso Jr.’s songs are modestly arranged, simply worded compositions that seem like they’ve existed forever, or at least since comparable songwriters like Paul McCartney, Randy Newman, and Billy Joel first emerged in the ‘60s and ‘70s. The 30-year-old’s debut album, March’s Goon, is effective for its comfortingly familiar sound, good for small spaces and bigger venues alike. Jesso will start his fall tour at a historic spot, San Francisco’s The Fillmore, and proceed to take his intimate songs to places as far away as the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, and Belgium after he gets through with the States. –Michael Madden
Tobias Jesso Jr. 2015 Tour Dates:
09/29 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore *
10/1 – Portland, OR @ Star Theater *
10/2 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre *
10/3 – Vancouver, BC @ The Rickshaw Theater *
10/6 – Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center *
10/8 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle *
10/9 – Toronto, CA @ The Mod Club *
10/10 – Montreal, CA @ Theatre Corona Virgin Mobile *
10/11 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair *
10/14 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg *
10/15 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg *
10/16 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer *
10/17 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *
10/19 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel *
10/20 – Nashville, TN @ Exit/In *
10/21 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West at King Plow *
10/22 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn Birmingham *
10/23 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks *
10/24 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater *
10/25 – Austin, TX @ The Parish *
10/27 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom *
10/28 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern *
10/30 – Hollywood, CA @ Fonda Theatre *
11/12-17 – The Hague, NL @ Crossing Border
11/17 – Zurich, CH @ Exil
11/18 – Cologne, DE @ Kulturkirche
11/20 – Amsterdam, NL @ Bitterzoet
11/21 – Nijmegen, NL @ Doornroosje
11/22 – Brussels, BE @ Botanique
11/24 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
11/25 – London, UK @ O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
11/27 – Bristol, UK @ Thekla
11/28 – Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms
11/29 – Manchester, UK @ The Ritz
12/02 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
12/04 – Dublin, IE @ Button Factory
* w/ Wet
19. Titus Andronicus
There are many reasons to anticipate a Titus Andronicus tour in 2015. The New Jersey band turned 10 this past July and celebrated their birthday with a raucous show at Shea Stadium, the Brooklyn DIY venue where frontman Patrick Stickles can often be found when not on tour. That show was also the release party for the band’s 29-song rock opera, The Most Lamentable Tragedy, a monumental work of art that happens to be very fun and very loud. These latter two qualities will take center stage when Titus Andronicus tours America this fall, embarking on a cross-country circuit that seems almost like a victory lap. Stickles takes nothing for granted, though; look for him to end up half-naked and gyrating more often than not. When you’re bent on being the greatest frontman in modern rock, there are no nights off. —Collin Brennan
Titus Andronicus 2015 Tour Dates:
09/18 – Dallas, TX @ Trees
09/19 – Houston, TX @ Walters
09/20 – Austin, TX @ Red 7
09/23 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel
09/24 – San Diego, CA @ Irenic
09/25 – Pomona, CA @ Glass House
09/26 – Los Angeles, CA @ Roxy
09/27 – Visalia, CA @ Cellar Door
09/28 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Catalyst
09/29 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
09/30 – Petaluma, CA @ Phoenix Theater
10/02 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
10/02 – Portland, OR @ Music Millennium
10/03 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret
10/04 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
10/05 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
10/06 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
10/07 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
10/09 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock
10/10 – Madison, WI @ Frequency
10/11 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
10/12 – Detroit, MI @ UFO Factory
10/13 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
10/14 – Montreal, QC @ Le Ritz
10/15 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
11/05 – London, UK @ Village Underground
11/06 – Bristol, UK @ Thekla
11/07 – Brighton, UK @ Bleach
11/08 – Oxford, UK @ The Bullingdon
11/10 – Birmingham, UK @ Hare & Hounds
11/11 – Manchester, UK @ Deaf Institute
11/12 – Liverpool, UK @ Kazimer
11/13 – Glasgow, UK @ Stereo
11/14 – Leeds, UK @ Beacons Metropolitan Festival
11/16 – Nottingham UK @ Bodega Social Club
11/18 – Paris, FR @ Le Mecanique Ondulatoire
11/19 – Opwijik, BE @ Autumn Falls Festival
11/20 – Utrecht, NL @ Le Guess Who Festival
11/22 – Dublin, IE @ The Hangar
18. Garbage w/ Torres
“Hey boy, take a look at me, let me dirty up your mind/ I’ll strip away your hard veneer and see what I can find.” Open those eyes, dears — you’re not dreaming. Even the biggest Garbage fans would not have believed a 20th anniversary tour (christened the 20 Years Queer Tour) could happen, but here we are, staring down the ’90s alt-rock heroes’ first live performance of their ‘95 debut in full. With dense drone cocooned in pop casings, the complex structure of their songs made the maddening mundanity of life sound marginally dreamy. If you thought captivating frontwoman Shirley Manson only existed on record, think again. The stage will highlight every thick corner of her sound, key modulations stripped down and then stitched together to form a formidable body of work. With Torres as support, these shows already sound like a dream. Mackenzie Scott’s raw energy combined with unsettling, heart-piercing simplicity bridges the gap between the ’90s and the present day. —Lior Phillips
Garbage 20th Anniversary Tour Dates:
10/06 – San Diego, CA @ Humphrey’s Concerts By the Bay
10/07 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
10/08 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
10/10 – Las Vegas, NV @ Blvd Pool @ Cosmopolitan Hotel
10/13 – Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center
10/14 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
10/15 – Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
10/17 – Chicago, IL @ The Riviera Theatre
10/18 – Madison, WI @ Orpheum
10/19 – Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Theater
10/21 – Boston, MA @ Orpheum
10/23 – Westbury, NY @ The Space at Westbury
10/24 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theater
10/26 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
10/28 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
10/29 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
10/31 – Cologne, DE @ Palladium
11/02 – Copehagen, DK @ Store Vega
11/04 – Tillburg, NL @ 013
11/05 – Brussels, BE @ Forest National
11/07 – Paris, FR @ Zenith
11/08 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy
11/09 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy
11/11 – Moscow, RU @ Crocus City Hall
11/13 – Manchester, UK @ Academy
11/14 – Edinburgh, UK @ Usher Hall
17. Dave Chappelle
Dave Chappelle didn’t need to tour anytime soon, not in the way that fans needed him to tour when he returned to the road in 2013 after nearly a decade of spotlight-dodging. The comedy world isn’t exactly deprived of what Chappelle brought to the table a decade ago (the similarly culture- and race-minded Hannibal Buress and Key & Peele have found recent success at Comedy Central, which aired Chappelle’s Show), but that doesn’t mean he’s replaceable. We need his tales of stoned misadventures. We need his White People Voices. Mostly, we need his perspective, one of a wildly successful celebrity who continues to struggle with the implications of his own fame. What we don’t need is the allegedly wasted Chappelle who was booed at a Hartford gig in 2013 and again in Detroit this April. –Michael Madden
Dave Chappelle 2015 Tour Dates:
09/16 – Colorado Springs, CO @ Pikes Peak Center
09/17 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
09/19 – Boise, ID @ Morrison Center (7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.)
09/22 – Portland, ME @ Merrill Auditorium
09/24 – Concord, NH @ Capitol Center for the Arts
09/25 – Worcester, MA @ Hanover Theatre
09/26 – Providence, RI @ Providence Performing Arts Center
09/27 – Wallingford, CT @ Toyota Oakdale Theatre
09/28 – New York City @ Gramercy Theatre (9 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.)
09/29 – New York City @ Gramercy Theatre (9 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.)
09/30 – New York City @ Gramercy Theatre (9 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.)
10/02 – Syracuse, NY @ Crouse Hinds Theater at the Oncenter (7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.)
10/03 – Rochester, NY @ Rochester Auditorium Theatre (7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.)
10/05 – Albany, NY @ The Palace Theatre Albany (7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.)
10/06 – Reading, PA @ The Santander Performing Arts Center (7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.)
10/07 – Hershey, PA @ Hershey Theatre (7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.)
16. Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Seeing Godspeed You! Black Emperor live is like seeing mythologies come to life. The Canadian group began as a trio back in the early ’90s before their ensemble, sound, and importance began to swell. Now, in 2015, the military industrial complex they rallied against nearly two decades ago has inflated at 12 times their pace, making for a live experience all the more biting and caustic. The visuals at Godspeed’s shows elevate the live experience; film loops are fed into a projector and light up the wall behind them in real time every night to give context. When those chicken-scratch messages of hope and despair begin shooting across the screen in black and white, you start to forget where you are, wrapped up in the burrowing noise of a protest that’s been building for years, head bowed, with a cult following in its trail. –Nina Corcoran
Godspeed You! Black Emperor 2015 Tour Dates:
09/16 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live Ballroom
09/17 – Dallas, TX @ Bomb Factory
09/18 – Memphis, TN @ Minglewood Hall
09/19 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works
09/21 – Bloomington, IN @ The Bluebird
09/22 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
09/23 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead
09/26 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
09/27 – Boston, MA @ Paradise
09/28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
09/29 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
10/22 – Coventry, UK @ Warwick Arts Centre
10/23 – Bristol, UK @ Simple Things Festival
10/24 – Gateshead, UK @ The Sage
10/27 – Liverpool, UK @ Camp and Furnace
10/28 – Brighton, UK @ Brighton Dome
10/29 – Paris, FR @ Pitchfork Music Festival Paris
10/31 – Groningen, NL @ De Oosterpoort
11/03 – Malmo, SE @ Kulturbolaget
11/04 – Stockholm, SE @ Debaser Medis
11/05 – Stockholm, SE @ Debaser Medis
11/06 – Oslo, NO @ Rockefeller
11/08 – Warsaw, PL @ Progresja Music Zone
11/11 – Berlin, DE @ Huxleys Neue Welt
11/12 – Zurich, CH @ Rote Fabrik
15. Beach House
The big question for Beach House’s tour for their new album, Depression Cherry, is whether the live presentation will further the album’s desire to retreat into the shadows. On record, fewer live drums are employed, and the melodies feel more content to coast rather than soar. For their large-scale live tour, which will undoubtedly continue into 2016, the band will be faced with the choice of letting their songs reach their massive potential or bringing their older material to the level of the new album, recalling their early live presentations when Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally played to much smaller rooms, lulling their fans into a trance. Either way, Beach House fans should be delighted. —Philip Cosores
Beach House 2015 Tour Dates:
09/17 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
09/18 – Cincinatti, OH @ Bogart’s
09/19 – Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Theatre
09/21 – Milwaukee, WI @ Pabst Theatre
09/22 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
09/23 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
09/25 – Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
09/26 – Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Hall
09/27 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
09/28 – Memphis, TN @ Minglewood Hall
09/29 – Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
10/01 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues
10/02 – New Orleans, LA @ Civic Theatre
10/03 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
10/04 – Nashville, TN @ The Ryman Auditorium
10/06 – Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre
10/07 – Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel
10/08 – Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom
10/24 – Belfast, UK @ Mandela Hall
10/25 – Dublin, IE @ Vicar Street
10/26 – Glasgow, UK @ ABC
10/27 – Manchester, UK @ The Ritz
10/29 – Paris, FR @ Pitchfork Music Festival
10/30 – London, UK @ Shepherds Bush Empire
10/31 – London, UK @ Shepherds Bush Empire
11/02 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
11/03 – Brussels, BE @ Autumn Falls
11/04 – Koln, DE @ Gloria
11/05 – Luxemborg, LU @ Den Atelier
11/07 – Reykjavik, IS @ Iceland Airwaves
11/10 – Oslo, NO @ Sentrum Scene
11/11 – Goteberg, SE @ Tradgaarn
11/12 – Stockholm, SE @ Debaser Medis
11/13 – Copehangen, DK @ Vega
11/14 – Hamburg, DE @ Kampnagel K1
11/16 – Berlin, DE @ Huxley’s
11/17 – Munich, DE @ Freiheiz
11/18 – Lausanne, CH @ Les Docks
11/20 – Barcelona, ES @ Apolo
11/21 – Barcelona, ES @ Apolo
11/22 – Madrid, ES @ La Riviera
11/23 – Lisbon, PT @ Armazen
11/25 – Porto, PT @ Teatro sa da Bandeira
12/07 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
12/09 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
12/10 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
12/11 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
12/12 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
12/17 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
12/18 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
12/19 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
14. Sufjan Stevens
Photo by Ben Kaye
Sufjan Stevens’ latest record, Carrie & Lowell, is not a fun time. Don’t take that the wrong way; it’s possibly the best release in his entire catalog, with a candid Stevens opening up about his troubled and complicated relationship with his mother and coping with her death. Appropriately, the Carrie & Lowell tour stops so far have played out like intimate conversations with the whispery-voiced songwriter. Don’t expect a set filled with celebratory anthems and cheerleader outfits, though a few synthesizer detours may erupt from time to time. Instead, there’s a sense of reverence hanging over each mostly stripped-down performance. Church windows hang over the stage, playing home videos and showcasing serene landscapes. Stevens makes himself completely transparent to the audience, and despite the overwhelming melancholy, there’s a sense of healing by the time he ends the final song. —Dusty Henry
Sufjan Stevens 2015 Tour Dates:
09/16 – Berlin, DE @ Admiral Palace
09/17 – Berlin, DE @ Admiral Palace
09/19 – Essen, DE @ Colosseum Theater
09/20 – Geneva, CH @ Theatre du Leman
09/21 – Milan, IT @ Teatro della Luna
09/23 – Amsterdam, NL @ Royal Theatre Carre
09/24 – Amsterdam, NL @ Royal Theatre Carre
09/25 – Relms, FR @ Comidle Theatre
09/26 – Luxembourg @ Grand Theatre
09/27 – Lyon, FR @ Le Radiant
09/29 – Barcelona, ES @ El Forum
09/30 – Madrid, ES @ Teatro Circo Price
10/24 – Santa Barbara, CA @ The Arlington Theatre
10/25 – Phoenix, AZ @ Orpheum Theatre
10/26 – Albuquerque, NM @ Popejoy Hall
10/28 – Omaha, NE @ Orpheum Theater
10/30 – Buffalo, NY @ The Center for the Arts University at Buffalo
10/31 – Jersey City, NJ @ Loews Jersey Theatre
11/01 – Baltimore, MD @ Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
11/03 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Heinz Hall
11/04 – Charlotte, NC @ Ovens Auditorium
11/05 – Atlanta, GA @ Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
11/06 – Orlando, FL @ Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center
11/07 – Miami, FL @ Olympia Theater at Gunsman Center
11/09 – Charleston, SC @ North Charleston Performing Arts Center
11/10 – Birmingham, AL @ Alabama Theatre
11/11 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
11/12 – Louisville, KY @ Robert S. Whitney Hall, The Kentucky Center
11/13 – Cincinnati, OH @ Aronoff Center
13. Neil Young
You remember last month when we named the 25 best rock acts with unique setlists? Well, Neil Young was one of them and for good reason. While he does pay homage to whatever album he’s supporting — which means those of you who weren’t so hot about The Monsanto Years will likely want to take some Pepto — the ol’ Canadian bard tends to pepper his sets with surprise oldies and reworked studio tracks. Now that he’s touring with Promise of the Real, it’s anyone’s guess. A setlist dating back to July 19th, however, has him dusting off 16 classic tracks (“After the Gold Rush”, “Old Man”, “Only Love Can Break Your Heart”, etc.) with only six Monsanto slices (“Wolf Moon”, “Workin’ Man”, etc.). What the hell are we saying? This is Neil fuckin’ Young we’re talkin’ about. Two tickets, please. –Michael Roffman
Neil Young and Promise of the Real 2015 Tour Dates:
09/19 – Chicago, IL @ FirstMerit Bank Pavilion (Farm Aid)
10/01 – Missoula, MT @ Adam Center/U of Missoula
10/02 – Spokane, WA @ Arena Spokane
10/04 – Seattle, WA @ WaMu Theatre
10/05 – Vancouver, BC @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre (Honour the Treaties Benefit)
10/07 – Portland, OR @ Chiles Center
10/08 – Eugene, OR @ Matthew Knight Arena
10/10 – Santa Barba, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl
10/11 – Las Vegas, NV @ Cosmopolitan
10/13 – San Diego, CA @ RIMAC Arena
10/14 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum
10/17 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theater
10/24-25 – Mountain View, CA @ Bridge School Benefit
12. Beirut w/ Julia Holter
Photo by Philip Cosores
For Beirut’s newest album, No No No, Zach Condon and his band relied more on percussion and keys to move the songs, with fewer horns than ever before. If you’ve seen Beirut live, you know that the horn section is one of the defining elements of the show, if not the defining element. The question that Beirut’s tour will answer is how the new material sits beside the old and whether the two will marry into something better than either would be on its own. Perhaps the older material will get the stripped-down treatment, or the new stuff will get a larger arrangement. Or maybe they will simply be played as is, as the differences between the two are subtle. One thing is for certain: With Julia Holter pegged to open some of the dates, the Beirut tour will feature an unmissable opening act. —Philip Cosores
Beirut 2015 Tour Dates:
09/17– Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
09/20 – Berlin, DE @ Columbiahalle
09/22– Paris, FR @ Zenith
09/24 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy
10/01 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
10/04 – Santa Fe, NM @ Santa Fe National Historic Landmark
10/06 – San Diego, CA @ Open Air Theatre
10/07 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
10/08 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
10/10 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre
10/13 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
11/03 – Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre
11/06 – Philadelphia, PA @ Tower Theatre
11/07 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
11/10 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
11/13 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
11/14 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
11. Kurt Vile w/ Waxahatchee and Cass McCombs
Photo by Nina Corcoran
Philly singer-songwriter Kurt Vile makes it look easy, like he’s perpetually shrugging off what’s been apparent for years: He’s a rock star, something that’s partly disguised by the drowsy haze of his music. On September 25th, he’ll return with his sixth album, b’lieve i’m goin down…, which has been preceded by two great singles so far: the swaggering album opener “Pretty Pimpin” and the piano-based mumbler “Life Like This”. It’s a contemplative and warmly produced effort, and it should make for some poised performances this fall, ones for which he’ll be joined by Waxahatchee, Luke Roberts, Cass McCombs, and Heron Oblivion. –Michael Madden
Kurt Vile 2015 Tour Dates:
10/02 – Boston, MA @ The Paradise
10/03-04 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
10/07 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
10/08 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
10/09 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
10/10-11 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
10/14 – Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theater
10/16 – San Francisco, CA @ Fillmore
10/17 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
10/18 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
10/21 – Minneapolis, MN @ Mill City Nights
10/23 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
10/24 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew’s Hall
10/25 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Theatre
10/30 – Paris, FR @ Pitchfork Festival Paris
10/31 – Amsterdam, NL @ London Calling
11/01 – Brussels, BE @ Autumn Falls
11/03 – Hamburg, DE @ Uebel & Gefahrlich
11/04 – Aarhus, DK @ Voxhall
11/05 – Oslo, NO @ Rockefeller
11/06 – Stockholm, SE @ Munchenbryggeriet
11/07 – Copenhagen, DK @ Amerbui
11/09 – Berlin, DE @ Postbahnhof
11/10 – Koln, DE @ Gebaeude 9
11/11 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
11/12 – London, UK @ Electric Ballroom
11/13 – Bristol, UK @ Motion
11/15 – Dublin, IE @ Vicar Street
11/16 – Glasgow, UK @ ABC 1
11/17 – Leeds, UK @ Leeds University Stylus
11/18 – Manchester, UK @ The Ritz
11/20 – Lucerne, CH @ Sudpol
11/21 – Lyon, FR @ Epicerie Moderne
11/22 – Barcelona, ES @ Apolo
11/23 – Madrid, ES @ Penelope
11/24 – Lisbon, PT @ Armazem F
10. Grimes w/ Nicole Dollanganger
Photo by Philip Cosores
We’ll keep this real simple: Grimes is sitting on one of this year’s most anticipated albums, and her tour mate, Nicole Dollanganger, is one of the most promising young voices we’ve heard in some time. Those are two obvious reasons why the Rhinestone Cowgirls Tour is a must-see this season. Admittedly, there’s something worrisome about Grimes’ disdain for her own hits, but it would be quite a surprise if she pulled a Corgan and refused to play them. Even if she does, though, that just means more new material to ingest and decipher. One would like to hope that we’d have the album by then. That “one” is me, who has probably streamed “REALiTi” over 10 times this week alone. Sorry, Claire, but I love it. –Michael Roffman
Grimes 2015 Tour Dates:
10/24 – Santa Ana, CA @ Growlers Beach Goth Party Festival *
10/26 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore *
10/27 – Portland, OR @ Wonder *
10/28 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox *
10/31 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
11/02 – Los Angeles, CA @ Mayan
11/07 – Austin, TX @ Fun Fun Fun Fest
11/09 – New Orleans, LA @ Republic
11/10 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works
11/11 – Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre
11/13 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
11/14 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
11/16 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
11/20 – Boston, MA @ Paradise
11/21 – Montreal, QB @ Metropolis
11/22 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth
11/25 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
* w/ Nicole Dollanganger
9. Duran Duran
Photo by Philip Cosores
Gone are the hallmarks of Duran Duran’s prime: The boats, the bevies of bronzed beauties, and the sprayed bouffants are nowhere to be seen. But these new wave heroes are back on tour strutting (and maybe high-kicking) all the same. We know the Brits are hardly the “wild boys” they sing about in that ’84 chart-crusher of the same name these days, but have you ever seen a 56-year-old prance across the stage with a renewed spirit to show what’s beneath that once gaudy veneer? Part of their current appeal is thanks to the talent of Nile Rodgers and Mark Ronson, who by association recruit a younger generation of ears that are only now grasping the full scope of Duran Duran. But their 14th album charms a star-studded crew, too; Lindsay Lohan, Janelle Monáe, John Frusciante, and Mr Hudson have all followed the scent, and let’s not rule out seeing at least one cameo either. A lyric purged from the new album — “Whatever happens, we’re still here” — might just be the ticket we need this fall. —Lior Phillips
Duran Duran 2015 Tour Dates:
09/20 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre *#
09/23 – Puyallup, WA @ Washington State Fair *
09/25 – Reno, NV @ Grand Theatre #
09/26 – Las Vegas, NV @ Life is Beautiful Festival
09/27 – San Diego, CA @ Cal Coast Union Open Air Theatre #
10/01 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl *#
10/02 – San Francisco, CA @ The Greek Theatre, Berkeley *#
10/03 – Rancho Mirage, CA @ Agua Caliente Casino #
11/27 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Arena
11/28 – Leeds, UK @ First Direct Arena
11/30 – Cardiff, UK @ Motorpoint Arena
12/02 – Brighton, UK @ Brighton Centre
12/04 – Birmingham, UK @ Genting Arena
12/05 – Newcastle, UK @ Metro Radio Arena
12/06 – Glasgow, UK @ The SSE Hydro
12/08 – London, UK @ The O2
12/09 – Bournemouth, UK @ Bournemouth International Centre
12/11 – Nottingham, UK @ Capital FM Arena
12/12 – Liverpool, UK @ Echo Arena
* = w/ Chic
# = w/ Clean Bandit
8. ASAP Rocky and Tyler, the Creator w/ Danny Brown and Vince Staples
Photo by Philip Cosores
There’s a self-made ethos pervading this tour, even with these rappers’ commercial success and affiliations. ASAP Rocky is on the heels of his psych-rap odyssey, At.Long.Last.ASAP, which confirmed his open-mindedness in developing new sounds for himself, and the lineup of the tour he’s about to embark on is similarly varied. Tyler, the Creator will co-headline, performing in support of April’s Cherry Bomb. Danny Brown will bring his livewire energy, making his relatively advanced age (34) irrelevant. Meanwhile, Vince Staples will round things out, effectively squashing rumors that he and Tyler hate each other. Rocky may be the most commercially visible out of everyone here, but alongside those three guys, he’ll have to stay on point with his performances and any new material that he debuts. –Michael Madden
Rocky and Tyler Tour Dates:
09/19 – Lowell, MA @ Tsongas Arena *
09/22 – New York, NY @ Theater at Madison Square Garden *
09/23 – Philadelphia, PA @ Penn’s Landing – Festival Pier *
09/26 – Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre *
09/27 – Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom *
09/30 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheater *
10/02 – Houston, TX @ NRG Center *
10/08 – New Orleans, LA @ Bold Sphere Music at Champions Square *
10/09 – Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom *
11/10 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena *
11/11 – Seattle, WA @ WaMu Theater *
11/14 – Los Angeles, CA @ TBA
11/15 – San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium *
* = w/ Danny Brown and Vince Staples
7. Deerhunter w/ Atlas Sound
Photo by Debi Del Grande
Two of anything can be dangerous. Donuts, hamburgers, pizza — you know your vices. But two of Bradford Cox is always healthy. Somehow, and god willing, the Southern singer-songwriter plans to both open and close his shows with Atlas Sound and Deerhunter, respectively. It’s a noble effort, and one that diehard fans will appreciate, especially those who typically show up early to stake some prime real estate near the stage. Deerhunter’s forthcoming album, Fading Frontier, hits stores the night before their Bradford Jamboree begins in Los Angeles, though anyone eagerly waiting for a follow-up to Atlas Sound’s 2011 Parallax will have to ask him what’s up once he’s at the mic. Don’t be shy; he’s quite cordial. ::rimshot:: –Michael Roffman
Deerhunter 2015-2016 Tour Dates:
10/15 – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House
10/17 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theatre #
10/17-18 – San Francisco, CA @ Treasure Island Music Festival
10/20 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom #
10/21 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox #
10/29 – Paris, FR @ Pitchfork Music Festival Paris
10/30 – Brighton, UK @ All Saints Church #
10/31 – Liverpool, UK @ Liverpool Music Week
11/01 – Dublin, IE @ Button Factory #
11/03 – Glasgow, UK @ SWG3 #
11/04 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club #
11/06 – Manchester, UK @ Gorilla #
11/07 – London, UK @ O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire #
11/09 – Tourcoing, FR @ Le Grand Mix #
11/10 – Reims, FR @ La Cartonnerie #
11/11 – Nimes, FR @ Paloma #
11/12 – Milan, IT @ Magnolia #
11/13 – Ravenna, IT @ Bronson #
11/14 – Geneve, CH @ L’usine #
11/15 – Zurich, CH @ Rote Fabrik #
11/16 – Heidelberg, DE @ Kulturhaus Karlstorbahnof #
11/18 – Berlin, DE @ Lido #
11/19 – Copenhagen, DK @ Vega #
11/21 – Brussels, BE @ Botanique Orangerie #
11/22 – Utrecht, NL @ Le Guess Who Festival
12/04 – Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel #
12/05 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club #
12/06 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer #
12/08 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza #
12/09 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw #
12/10 – Boston, MA @ Royale #
12/12 – Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre #
12/13 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall #
12/14 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue #
12/15 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre #
12/17 – Columbus, OH @ Skully’s Music Diner #
01/08 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
01/09 – Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre
# = w/ Atlas Sound
6. Chance the Rapper
Photo by Nina Corcoran
Family Matters. Not only is that the tagline of Chance the Rapper’s upcoming tour, it’s also a fitting mantra describing the soon-to-be father’s dedication to his crew and his fans. With the long-anticipated release of Surf from Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiment (a free release, the first of its kind on iTunes), the Chicago MC shored up his reputation as an artist committed to making music he contributes to as accessible as possible to his followers. For the series of club shows, Chano is bringing D.R.A.M., Metro Boomin, and Towkio along for the ride for what are sure to be high-energy gigs. —Killian Young
Chance the Rapper 2015 Tour Dates:
10/10 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Outdoors
10/11 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
10/13 – St. Louis, MO @ Pagent
10/14 – Kansas City, MO @ Midland
10/15 – Minneapolis, MN @ Myth
10/16 – Milwaukee, MN @ Rave
10/18 – Detroit, MI @ Fillmore
10/19 – Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy
10/21 – Montreal, QC @ Olympia
10/22 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
10/23 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
10/27 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
10/29 – Richmond, VA @ The National
10/31 – Live Oak, FL @ Suwannee Hulaween
11/01 – New Orleans, LA @ Voodoo Festival
11/02 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
11/05 – St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Landing
11/06 – Miami, FL @ Fillmore
11/09 – Raleigh, NC @ Ritz
11/10 – Charlotte, NC @ Fillmore
11/12 – Houston, TX @ Bayou
11/13 – Dallas, TX @ Southside Ballroom
11/15 – Albuquerque, NM @ Santa Ana Star Center
11/16 – Denver, CO @ Fillmore
11/17 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
11/19 – Seattle, WA @ The Paramount
11/23 – San Diego, CA @ Soma
11/25 – Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine
