Before you resign yourself to hibernating and watching Scream Queens until New Year’s kicks you off your couch, there’s that grace period (October and November) where tons of bands go on tour to promote new work and spread pre-holiday cheer. Whether you prefer old-school soul, emotional acoustic rock, or upbeat electronica (or maybe even all of the above!), here are 10 suggestions for bands and emerging artists that could be putting on a show near you.
The Suffers
Tour Dates | Essential Song: “Make Some Room”
Thanks to crowdsourcing and word of mouth, The Suffers, a 10-piece group from Houston, will soon release a full-length, self-titled album. Listen for Southern influences mixed with ’70s-style soul – lead singer Kam Franklin has drawn comparisons to Alabama Shakes’ Brittany Howard and Sharon Jones. The group just performed close to home at Austin City Limits and is slated to appear at Voodoo Experience, and they’ll also grace smaller stages around the country, so no matter what venue you see them in, expect an energetic show that’ll get you moving.
Widowspeak
Tour Dates | Essential Song: “Harsh Realm”
For nostalgic fans of Mazzy Star, this two-piece ensemble is the answer. The girlishly sweet, often mournful voice of singer of Molly Hamilton seduces the microphone and will break your heart in the best way. The duo will be jumping around until their tour wraps in Sweden on Dec. 4, performing at mostly small, intimate venues. Tickets mostly range from $10-$15 – a steal.
Grimes
Tour Dates | Essential Song: “Entropy”
After accompanying Lana Del Rey this past summer, Claire Boucher, better known as Grimes, headlines a tour this fall that includes a stop at Fun Fun Fun Fest. The ethereal, enigmatic singer/songwriter – whose style is a blend of electronica, pop and R&B – is inspired by sci-fi and animé. While her most well-known is 2012’s Visions, Grimes’ style evolves quickly. One of her most recent singles is the pop-infused “Entropy,” a collaboration with Bleachers, which was featured on HBO’s Girls.
BØRNS
Tour Dates | Essential Song: “Electric Love”
BØRNS is magical (yes, seriously, he trained to be a magician when he was a kid before music took over), and he lives in a treehouse sanctuary in Los Angeles. While you’d think that might inspire the long-haired Michigan native to pen hippie-ish folk music, he has a glam, psychedelic, and ridiculously catchy sound and a shiny, colorful aesthetic. He will release his first full-length album, Dopamine, on Oct. 16.
Langhorne Slim
Tour Dates | Essential Song: “Southern Bells”
Describing his music as “modern sounds for old souls,” Langhorne Slim (real name Sean Scolnick) blends traditional folk music with country and blues, with an earnest singing voice that’s reminiscent of Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes. Along with his band, The Law, he’s released an album, The Spirit Moves, a collection of confessional tunes that explore his newfound sobriety. The album and his live performances are honest and uplifting without glossing over the struggles he took to get to a better place.
Metric
Tour Dates | Essential Song: “Lie Lie Lie”
Metric‘s frontwoman Emily Haines continues to be electrifying. In the song “Lie Lie Lie” she mocks and exposes the smoke and mirrors of fame, delving into mental, emotional and physical sacrifices it brings. This song is Metric at its finest: a singsongy lullaby that incorporates a healthy dose of rage-pop. (In a letter to her fans, Haines wrote, “I think this is something I have wanted to say for a long time, I just didn’t know how.”) The group tours this fall to promote their sixth album, Pagans in Vegas, a masterpiece followup to 2012’s Synthetica, proving they can dominate at major festivals, in arenas or on smaller stages.
Shakey Graves
Tour Dates | Essential Song: “Dearly Departed”
A former secret weapon out of Austin, Texas, Shakey Graves (real name: Alejandro Rose-Garcia) has been making waves around the country with his eclectic, energetic blend of folk, rock and blues – whether you’re feeling thoughtful or just want to head-bang with a flask of whiskey, a Shakey Graves show will cure what ails you. The winner of the “Best Emerging Artist 2015 Americana Music Awards” made a debut on Letterman earlier this year, which helped bring the shaggy-haired Texan into the national spotlight. Opening for him on select dates are his hometown friends, the indie folk darlings Wild Child, who blend sugary sweet vocals with strings, horns and a cheerful enthusiasm.
Rhiannon Giddens
Tour Dates | Essential Song: “Black Is The Color”
The former lead singer of the Grammy-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops, Rhiannon Giddens released her solo recording debut, Tomorrow Is My Turn, notably produced by T-Bone Burnett (with whom she has worked a few times, including on the album Lost On The River: New Basement Tapes, a collection of formerly unreleased Bob Dylan tracks). Her album takes older songs – made famous by Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline and Nina Simon, and gives them a boost with Giddens’ angelic voice, as she draws influence from gospel, jazz, blues and country. On tour, Giddens shines on the violin and banjo, backed by a five-piece band, but her voice alone could carry the show.
Kurt Vile
Tour Dates | Essential Song: “Pretty Pimpin”
A few weeks ago, Kurt Vile told Uproxx that “Every time I put out a record, it gets a little better.” He’s right: b’lieve i’m goin down…, his sixth album, is evolved, with confessional lyrics, wisdom and the self-deprecation that comes with being a longterm, 35-year-old rock star who has been through many phases and continues to come out on top.
Mac Miller
Tour Dates | Essential Song: “Brand Name”
Mac Miller has grown a lot from his frat rap beginnings. The 23-year-old rapper just released his artistic breakthrough album GO:OD AM, a surprisingly poignant rumination on addiction, depression, and coming out the other side. Now Miller will take those songs of growth out on the road. Given that he’s made friends with some of the genre’s most celebrated artists in recent years, who knows, maybe he’ll bring a surprise guest or two up with him.
