Gig Watch – July 2024
Shows not to miss in and around Boston for the month of July.
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Cookout and festival season encroaches, but this month still boasts club shows of note too. My picks below.
7/3 – Grails @ Crystal Ballroom
Post-psych-rock veterans Grails make a relatively rare Boston appearance at the Ballroom on 4th of July eve.
7/6 – Tomb Mold / Horrendous @ Middle East Downstairs
Two of prog-y death metal’s leading lights team up for a can’t-miss co-headliner – the first Tomb Mold show in Boston proper since 2019.
7/13 – Font / Lifeguard @ Warehouse XI
A pair of buzz-y post-punk up-and-comers in Austin’s Font and Chicago’s Lifeguard take over Somerville’s Warehouse XI.
7/18 – Snooper @ Arts at the Armory
Raucous Nashville punks Snooper storm the Armory for a gig that promises to get a at least a little unhinged.
7/19 – Cola @ The Rockwell
If you miss the great Canadian post-punks Ought as much as I do, ex-members Tim Darcy and Ben Stidworthy’s new band Cola making a Friday night stop at the Rockwell this month is a no-brainer.
7/20 – Have Heart @ Roadrunner
Fiercely-beloved Massachusetts hardcore band Have Heart don’t reactivate especially often, and their 2019 show at the Palladium’s outdoor stage in Worcester is now cited as one of the biggest hardcore shows of all time. So, suffice to say, this month’s Roadrunner date (with support from Gel, Wound Man, Speed and more) is probably worth prioritizing.
7/20 – Oneida / E @ Deep Cuts
But if large-scale punk shows are less your scene, Deep Cuts has a strong alternative that Saturday with NYC experimental rockers Oneida joining up with semi-local noise rock supergroup E.
7/24 – Locrian @ O’Brien’s Pub
Chicago’s heavy, genre-hopping trio Locrian swoop into Allston for a heady Wednesday evening gig.
7/25-7/28 – Nice, A Fest
Local super-festival Nice, A Fest returns to Crystal Ballroom and The Rockwell (plus a new outdoor stage) with another lineup showcase the city’s best and brightest late this month. Notables abound on this year’s lineup, including a Sunday headlining slot from Model/Actriz and a Saturday reunion of Exploding in Sound greats Grass Is Green.
7/26-7/28 – Newport Folk Festival
And of course, a July rundown wouldn’t be complete without Rhode Island’s annual Newport Folk Fest. This year’s edition is highlighted (for me at least) by a day one appearance from alt-country-gaze crew Wednesday, what’s sure to be a triumphant return for masked country singer Orville Peck (who had to drop last-minute from a recent lineup) on Saturday, and a Sunday lineup spanning indie rock legends The Breeders, desert-rock icons Tinariwen and your new favorite band Friko. The fest is officially sold out, but a spot on the Dice waitlist could still score you a ticket.