Gig Watch – September 2024

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

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Summer’s winding down and much like the droves of confused students roving Allston, gigs are plentiful.

9/4-9/5 – Built to Spill @ Paradise Rock Club

Doug Martsch brings BTS’ 1994 breakthrough There’s Nothing Wrong With Love on the road for a 30th anniversary tour that hits the Paradise for 2 nights.

9/6 – Charly Bliss @ Royale

Indie pop greats Charly Bliss returned from a five-year album gap with last month’s Forever, which they’re bringing on tour for their first major headlining run in as many years.

9/7 – Fabio Frizzi @ Sonia

Get into the Halloween spirit on the early side as composer Fabio Frizzi performs a live version of his score to the classic Fulci gore-fest Zombie (/ Zombi / Zombi 2, depending on your region of choice), set to a screening of the film.

9/10 – Weezer / The Flaming Lips / Dinosaur Jr. @ TD Garden

In another 30th anniversary turn, Weezer celebrate three decades of their classic self-titled Blue debut alongside an alt-rock roadshow featuring the always-theatrical Flaming Lips and volume warriors Dinosaur Jr.

9/14 – The National / The War on Drugs @ Xfinity Center

It’s a 2010s double-feature of indie rock heavy-hitters at Mansfield’s Xfinity Center, juxtaposing the heartland sprawl of The War on Drugs with Matt Berninger and company’s wordy musings.

9/15 – Amenra / Primitive Man @ Middle East Downstairs

An ultra-heavy Sunday night at the Mid East brings together Belgian post-metal crew Amenra and the bleak harsh-doom stylings of Denver’s Primitive Man.

9/18 – PJ Harvey @ MGM Music Hall

For her first proper U.S. tour in seven years, alt/art-rock icon PJ Harvey brings last year’s I Inside the Old Year Dying to the shadows of Fenway.

9/19 – Arooj Aftab @ Paradise Rock Club

Following last year’s mesmerizing Love in Exile collaboration with Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily, Aftab returns with a tour spotlighting the genre-melding jazz, folk and ghazal tradition of May’s Night Reign.

9/24 – Show Me the Body @ Royale

Singular NYC noisemakers Show Me the Body open their fall tour at the Royale with a stacked supporting lineup, including distinctive strains of post-punk in London’s High Vis and New Orleans’ Special Interest.

9/24 – Spirit of the Beehive @ Brighton Music Hall

And across town, Philly art-rockers Spirit of the Beehive bring You’ll Have to Lose Something, their excellent followup to 2021’s also-excellent Entertainment, Death to BMH.

9/25 – The Hives @ Roadrunner

It’s never a dull moment with Swedish garage-rockers The Hives, who return to Boston for a big-room show following last year’s underplay at The Sinclair.

9/25 – Inter Arma / Pyrrhon @ Middle East Upstairs

And across town, Richmond sludge-metal shapeshifters Inter Arma and NYC avant-death metal crew Pyrrhon team up for a night of unhinged heaviness at the tiny Upstairs.

9/27 – Vampire Weekend @ TD Garden

Supporting April’s great Only God Was Above Us, late ’00s indie survivors Vampire Weekend undertake their first full-scale arena tour with a stop at the Garden.

9/28 – Gatecreeper / Frozen Soul / Worm @ Middle East Downstairs

Death metal luminaries in Phoenix’s Gatecreeper and Texas’ Frozen Soul join forces with swampy black metal provocateurs Worm for a killer Saturday night bill in Cambridge.

9/28 – Basement @ Roadrunner

Lastly, and across town once more, beloved U.K. emo/post-hardcore contingent Basement headline Roadrunner with an outstanding supporting bill including local favs Ovlov and Nashville’s Snooper.