Oct 16 – Oct 22 • Essential Weekly Concert Guide • NYC Edition

Des Delgadillo

Springsteen on Broadway at Walter Kerr Theatre | Through Feb. 3, 2018
“The Boss” plays his most intimate venue in years when he takes the stage for a string of Broadway shows full of his own music and majesty. Tickets are already practically impossible, but there is a lottery for fans to score a few last-minute passes. This might be the highlight of any Springsteen devotee’s fandom, so act now and make the dream happen.

Billie Eilish at Baby’s Alright | Oct. 16
A teenage songstress building momentum thanks to her pristine pop sensibilities, Billie Eilish has quickly become a must-see live act. It’s clear she’s destined for big things, so getting to catch her act at a venue like Baby’s Alright might not be an experience New Yorkers get to enjoy again.

Guns N’ Roses at Madison Square Garden | Oct. 16
The legendary outfit that scored a generation of risk takers and troublemakers returns to NYC for a few sold out shows guaranteed to rock everyone’s face off. There’s no limit to the energy these guys exude when they take the stage, commanding it with such poise it’s clear Guns N Roses are true masters of their craft. They’re hitting Madison Square garden one more time as part of their NYC takeover.

MC Lars at Mercury Lounge | Oct. 16
A student of the rap game with a punk rock work ethic, MC Lars thrives on a steady stream of recording and touring, with only minor gaps in between that he fills merging hip-hop and literature. He has written rap songs about everything from the evils of Hot Topic to a club-banger singing the merits of Daenerys Targaryen, and you can always find the hard-working MC at the merch booth ready to mingle with his adoring fans. He hits the Mercury Lounge in support of his latest EP, “The Jeff Sessions,” alongside MC Frontalot, Mega Ran and Schaffer the dark Lord.

The Underachievers at Irving Plaza | Oct. 16
From the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, the rap duo of AKTHESAVIOR and Issa Gold landed on Flying Lotus’s Brainfeeder label and haven’t looked back since, crafting some of hip-hop’s more experimental gems of late. Their latest album, 2017’s “Renaissance,” keeps the idea of psychedelia alive, proving the duo are unafraid to take an established genre and flip it on its head in order to unearth something new. They play a date in support of “Renaissance” at Irving Plaza. All hip-hop heads should be in attendance to catch one of the more intriguing acts in the genre right now.

Chelsea Wolfe at Irving Plaza | Oct. 17
If you dare to trace Wolfe’s discography, you’ll notice a trend of things getting progressively heavier. That same trend proves true on “Hiss Spun,” a bone-crunching array of ambience powered forward by aggressive percussion and dark textures. Wolfe brings that evolved, sludgy sound to Irving Plaza on Oct. 17.

Jessica Lea Mayfield at Baby’s Alright | Oct. 17
Mayfield cut her teeth in a family bluegrass band before embarking out on her own and perfecting her ominous songwriting. These days she’s captivating her fans with that signature style that borrows minimalistic elements from both rock and country, giving her sound a unique allure that’s hard to replicate. Mal Blum joins her on this exciting date at Baby’s Alright.

TIDAL X Benefit Concert ft. Jay-Z, Cardi B, DJ Khaled, Jennifer Lopez and more at Barclays Center | Oct. 17
A slew of music’s most prolific powerhouses unite under one roof for a worthy cause. Stars like Jay-Z, DJ Khaled, Stevie Wonder, Chris Brown, Joey Bada$$, Fat Joe, Fifth Harmony and so many more will be rocking the house, with proceeds going to organizations dedicated to cleaning up the recent natural disasters that have decimated Houston, Florida and Puerto Rico. It’s a big cause and a big show.

Moon Taxi at Bowery Ballroom | Oct. 17 + Music Hall of Williamsburg | Oct. 18
The indie outfit has over 11 years of jamming to their credit, belting tunes that sound gritty and polished at the same time. It’s a testament to their work ethic, hitting the tour circuit and never slowing down. They’ve been teasing a new album for quite some time, so expect a few newer tracks to be peppered into their set when they hit The Bowery Ballroom and the Music Hall of Williamsburg with opening act Too Many Zooz.

Nicolas Jaar at Brooklyn Steel | Oct. 17-19
The founder of the Other People record label, Nicolas Jaar functions as an important catalyst for experimentation. Originally winning over the club scene with a series of EP’s the Chilean musician has since taken more exploratory journeys into the experimental realm and allows others to go on similar journeys thanks to his label. He’ll be bringing the noise for three straight nights at Brooklyn Steel, so get your dancing shoes ready, and come early for Amnesia Scanner.

First Aid Kit at Town Hall New York | Oct. 18
The Swedish folk duo are quite the hit live, bringing in a drummer and all manner of other instruments to compliment the stories they weave into their work. The sisters tasted some viral success after their cover of Fleet foxes’ song “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” made the Youtube rounds. They make a rare New York stop, so make sure to catch them in action.

Toadies at Gramercy Theatre | Oct. 18
The group that caught fire thanks to their breakout single “Possum Kingdom” took a long break, but in 2008 they rejoined forces and have enjoyed a sonic renaissance of sorts. Their latest album, 2017’s “The Lower Side of Uptown,” features a sound remarkably different from the grunge sound they purveyed in the mid-90s. They’ll be hitting the Gramercy Theatre for a show full of deep cuts and new fare.

Andy Mineo at Irving Plaza | Oct. 19
The former C-Lite returns to Irving Plaza to lay down some of his hottest and most spiritual raps. A fixture in the Christian hip-hop scene, Mineo has been in the booth with some of music’s most masterful minds. Now he brings his own stylings to New York for a show that needs to be witnessed in order to be believed.

Brand New at Kings Theatre | Oct. 19
The band that’s seemingly done it all added another impressive notch to their legacy recently, with their latest album “Science Fiction” hitting no. 1 on Billboard’s 200 albums chart. Their live performances are incredibly exhilarating, raucous affairs, with bodies flying to and fro. There’s going to be an absolutely electric atmosphere when they come to the Kings Theatre for a huge date with Nada Surf.

Lee Brice at Playstation Theater | Oct. 19
The country crooner touches down in the middle of NYC’s entertainment hub when he plays a date at The Playstation Theater, looking to shake the room with his big sound and even bigger personality. Make sure to show up early and catch Morgan Evans, who will be opening things up.

Son Little at Music Hall of Williamsburg | Oct. 19
Son Little draws from a rich tapestry of influences to infuse his signature r&b stylings with a colorful pallet of musical touchstones. It’s quite fitting that his latest album is called “New Magic,” because every time Little takes the stage, his songs are downright enchanting. He’ll be swinging by Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg with opening act ALA.NI.

Baauer at Terminal 5 | Oct. 20
The domineering force behind the “Harlem Shake” is bringing his various trap and dance stylings to Terminal 5 for one night and one night only. Baauer inadvertently created a viral sensation with “Harlem Shake,” and he looks to create just as much frenzy when he hits terminal 5 for a show for the ages. 16yrold will also be joining Baauer at this show.

Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden | Oct. 20
The legendary piano man continues his residency at MSG with another show full of some of his most timeless classics. Bring plenty of tissues, because his music has been known to make even the surliest of attendees into blubbering messes.

Noah Gundersen at Music Hall of Williamsburg | Oct. 20
Gundersen has a strong following already, especially as the founder for The Courage. Now he brings his remarkably frank indie folk stylings to Brooklyn for an acoustic show that will blow away any doubters. He’s hitting the Music Hall of Williamsburg in support of his latest EP, “White Noise.” Silver Torches will also be on the bill providing support.

Party favor at Irving Plaza | Oct. 20
The frequent Dillon Francis collaborator brings his party-ready and fresh EDM joints to Irving Plaza for a night of straight fire. Get ready to groove the night away as Party Favor spins hits like his breakthrough “Shut it down.” Anything can happen when Party Favor comes to town, so get ready.

Paula Cole at City Winery NYC | Oct. 20
Although this generation might know her best as the artist behind the “Dawson’s Creek” theme song, Paula Cole has quite a few impressive scores to her name. She toured with Peter Gabriel before recording an incredible duet, “Hush Hush Hush,” and her song “Where Have all the Cowboys gone” rocketed her up the ladder to Grammy contention. Her latest project, a crowdfunded compilation of cover songs, has all of her fans riveted and excited to catch her live. She’ll be bringing her talents to the city winery for a show full of covers and original material, as well as Cole’s impressive knack for incorporating various instruments into her live performance.

Kali Uchis at Bowery Ballroom | Oct. 20 + Music Hall of Williamsburg | Oct. 21
The Columbian-American indie pop songstress brings all her glorious tunes to NYC for two can’t-miss dates. Before she hits the road with Lana del Rey, a huge feather in Uchis’ cap, she’ll be showing off cuts from her latest EP, “Por Vida.” She lands at the bowery Ballroom on Oct. 20 before heading to Brooklyn and the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Oct. 21 with rap collective Phony Ppl in tow.

Nahko at Brooklyn Bowl | Oct. 20 + Bowery Ballroom | Oct. 21
For his first time away from Medicine for the People, Nahko has unleashed a slew of powerful songs that evoke some pretty incredible stories in “My Name is Bear.” The album features numerous songs about finding a real awakening swathed in some awe-inspiring psychedelia and lucid dreaming. Nahko hits the stage with contemporaries 1,000 Fuegos and Christina Holmes.

Ben Folds at Kings Theatre | Oct. 21
Widely regarded as one of the musical influencers of our generation, Ben Folds has the ability to create magic with just a piano, and he’ll be doing just that as part of his latest tour, which brings him to the Kings Theatre. Once upon a time, Folds defied skeptics by rocking countless venues to their very core with just a piano and his powerful singing voice, and he’s out to prove he’s still got what it takes. Catch the acclaimed musician along with Boston’s Tall Heights on Oct. 21.

BØRNS at Rough Trade | Oct. 21
BØrns made an impression with his dreamy single, “Electric Love,” and now he’s out to win even more of a fanbase over when he hits rough Trade for a stellar show. He recently unleashed two massive singles, “Faded Heart” and “Sweet Dreams,” in the lead up to a sophomore album due out in January. Catch some of his older gems and sample some new cuts when he finally comes to NYC on Oct. 21.

Gryffin at Terminal 5 | Oct. 21
A revered remix artist, Gryffin has been spinning some of the best music out there as part of his DJ sets. Now he brings his act to Terminal 5 to really get the party going. Groove to some of his original tunes along with his slew of banging remixes. It’s the ideal Saturday night for an NYC bash.

High Valley at Gramercy Theatre | Oct. 21
The Canadian country group made a big splash with their single “Make You Mine” and are poised for many more great things in the country music scene. They effortlessly bring the party with bluegrass tunes, but they’re also able to slow things down quite a bit. They bring their fledgling tunes to the Gramercy Theatre, and country music fans ready for a new artist to blow them away should plan to be in attendance.

Kaleo at Hammerstein Ballroom | Oct. 21
If Kaleo had been around a few decades ago, it’d be a safe assumption that the Hammerstein was built just for them. Their bluesy alternative rock exudes the kind of energy that constantly ripples through the venue, and fans who attend this show aren’t going to be disappointed in the slightest.

Wolf Parade at Brooklyn Steel | Oct. 21
When Wolf Parade announced their plans to end their hiatus and start making music again, most of their fans howled with joy. They weren’t disappointed, either. Their latest album, “Cry Cry cry,” buzzes with the energy and character that everyone has come to expect from the indie outfit. They take Brooklyn Steel by storm on Oct. 21 alongside Charly Bliss.

Benjamin Booker at Music Hall of Williamsburg | Oct. 22
No one is quite as raw with their straight blues as Benjamin booker. His guitar hits the ear with the force of a shot of whiskey, and it’s probably more intoxicating. Get ready to groove to Booker’s fiery brand of rock, and come early to catch She Keeps bees holding it down, too.

Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions at Brooklyn Steel  | Oct. 22
The winning collaboration hasn’t been active since 2009, and although both Sandoval and Colm O C’osoig have been hard at work with a litany of other projects, their coming back together just feels right. “Through the devil Softly,” the duo’s second joint effort, unfolds a brilliant and pleasing world of sounds and vibrations that soothe, motivate and inspire. Sandoval’s voice perfectly accents the tremendous production and instrumentation on the record, and all of that comes to life when she and Warm Inventions bring their act to Brooklyn Steel with special support from Holy Wave.

Psychedelic Furs at Warsaw | Oct. 22
The Psychedelic Furs come from the time-honored British post-punk revival, and they’ve amassed numerous big hits over their career while influencing myriad superstar acts. The legendary group are coming to New York for an all-encompassing set that will touch on every facet of the group’s awe-inspiring career. Catch them at Warsaw where they plan to play all of their most highly regarded singles.

Soulfly at Gramercy Theatre | Oct. 22
Are you ready to mosh, bang and thrash? You’d better be when masters of groove metal, Soulfly, crash the party at the Gramercy. You’re going to want to be in the pit for this intense event, especially with metal legend Macs Cavalera on-hand to play Nailbomb’s “Point Blank” in its entirety. Soulfly make sure every show encourages fans to “Jumpdafuckup.”