Gig Watch – September 2023

Shows not to miss in and around Boston for the month of September.

August may have been a bit of a sleepy month, but live music roars back with a vengeance in September. My picks from a very stacked month below.

9/1 – Rebuilder @ The Sinclair

Beloved Boston punks Rebuilder celebrate the August release of their new record Local Support with, coincidentally enough, some great local support from No Trigger, Choke Up and Trash Rabbit.

9/6 – Dave Longstreth @ Arts at the Armory

Dirty Projectors mastermind Dave Longstreth brings a rare acoustic tour to Somerville, joined by the great ambient project Bing & Ruth.

9/7 – Ted Leo & the Pharmacists @ Crystal Ballroom

Following a string of shows with his old band Chisel earlier this year, Ted Leo hits the road for the first Pharmacists tour since 2019.

9/8 – Jeff Rosenstock @ Roadrunner

Fresh off the release of HELLMODE, punk lifer Jeff Rosenstock hits his biggest Boston stage yet with a headlining date at Roadrunner.

9/11 – Mr. Bungle @ Roadrunner

The star-studded reunion lineup of Mr. Bungle – which unites Mike Patton and co. with Anthrax’s Scott Ian and former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo for a focus on the band’s early thrash material – finally makes its way to Boston this month.

9/12-13 – Death Cab for Cutie / The Postal Service @ MGM Music Hall

It’s a two-for-one anniversary tour and a long night for Ben Gibbard as Death Cab and The Postal Service celebrate 20 years of their classic 2003 releases Transatlanticism and Give Up at MGM.

9/15 – Godflesh @ Middle East Downstairs

Industrial metal icons Godflesh returned this year with the killer Purge, and they’ll be in town for an inevitably skull-crushing gig at the Middle East.

9/15 – Chris Brokaw @ Vivid Oblivion

In between this year’s dates with his and Thalia Zedek’s noise rock outfit Come and duties behind the kit for slowcore pioneers Codeine, local legend Chris Brokaw plays some new solo material at Inman Square’s Vivid Oblivion.

9/15-9/16 – Fuzzstival @ Arts at the Armory

The annual Boston celebration of off-kilter rock music and beyond returns, boasting a host of semi-local favs including Rong, Nice Guys, Editrix, Cliff Notez, Constant Smiles and more.

9/17 – Black Country, New Road @ The Sinclair

Following a cancelled date around the time of former frontman Isaac Wood’s departure, U.K. post-art-rock darlings BC, NR will finally make it to Cambridge with an early and late show the same Sunday.

9/18 – Chat Pile @ The Sinclair

Another much-buzzed band (of a very different scene) makes its local debut, as apocalyptic Oklahoma City noise rockers Chat Pile descend on The Sinclair.

9/19 – Boris / Melvins @ Paradise Rock Club

The aptly-named “Twins of Evil” tour unites Japanese metal shapeshifters Boris (performing Heavy Rocks ’02) and Pacific Northwest sludge royalty Melvins (performing ’91’s Bullhead) for a seismic evening at the Paradise.

9/20 – Death Grips @ House of Blues

Enigmatic noise-rap collective Death Grips are in the midst of a fairly rare U.S. tour that will bring them to Boston this month for the first time in over eight years.

9/22 – Fiddlehead @ Royale

Local post-hardcore luminaries Fiddlehead will headline one of their bigger hometown shows to date, support their great August LP Death is Nothing to Us with what nearly qualifies as a punk matinee (show at 6, with support from Never Ending Game, Praise, Anklebiter and  Downtalker).

9/25 – Slowdive @ House of Blues

Shoegaze legends Slowdive are back this year with a new record and tour that’ll bring their ethereal tones to the House of Blues as the month draws to a close.

9/27-28 – Broken Social Scene @ Royale

You Forgot It In People – the classic sophomore record from maximalist Canadian indie collective Broken Social Scene – turned 20 last year, and they’re wrapping up a lengthy run of anniversary dates with a run of shows that hits Royale for two nights.

9/28 – Ratboys @ Brighton Music Hall

Finally, Chicago indie rockers Ratboys support their best-to-date new LP Windows with a Thursday night gig in Allston (if you’re still standing by the end of the month).