Waiting for October - Fall Concert Previews

As summer winds down, so does the concert season, or does it?  The days may be shorter, but the nights are longer, and there are still plenty of shows this fall at venues of all sizes as we find ourselves waiting for October. 

·      While not quite in October, indie darlings Ra Ra Riot will play an intimate show at Toad’s Place September 27^th, having performed to large crowds at All Points West and B.O.M.B. Fest in recent years.  They are currently touring for their new LP The Orchard, once again showcasing indie rock sensibilities with the added depth of their string arrangements.  Mexican group Chikita Violenta as well as We Barbarians will be supporting.

·      Mates of State will be bringing their unique style of indie-pop to the Webster Underground September 29^th, with Oh Land and CT psych-rockers M.T. Bearington opening.  They’ve recently released “Crushes: The Covers Mixtape”, showcasing their take on a diverse selection of artists ranging from Daniel Johnston to Belle & Sebastian to The Mars Volta.  Having just played New London’s I Am Fest, this is another opportunity to see this nationally-touring local act in state, which is co-sponsored by our friends at Manic Productions.

·     Bob Saget @ QU

A far cry from his days as Danny Tanner, Bob Saget has built a reputation for his unexpectedly, unabashedly raunchy humor, as exemplified by appearances in Half Baked and The Aristocrats (embedded below).  Showcasing anecdotes of his Full House days (such as Dave “You Oughta Know” Coulier shaving his balls) and what are hopefully just jokes (claiming to have banged Kimmy Gibbler), Saget will provide a night of 90s nostalgia and riotous laughter to the college crowd at Quinnipiac University October 2^nd.

·      Oct 9^th-15^th Manic Productions

A trio of upcoming Manic shows further prove that concert season does not end with summer, starting off October 9th with I Am Fest alums We Are Scientists playing Daniel Street in Milford.  The experimental electropop act The Octopus Project supports (having moved from Café Nine), with Jerkagram opening.

After paying homage to Joy Division at this summer’s return of the Brooklyn Pool Parties (a set sadly lacking in vocals from Satomi), Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu bring their own tunes about pandas, basketball, and milkmen to Daniel Street October 12^th.  The Italian trio Father Murphy opens, rounding out the experimental nature of the night’s acts.

Ending the week on October 15^th is a performance from Raleigh-based indie rockers The Love Language, who are currently on the rise after playing North Carolina’s inaugural Hopscotch Festival.  Their current LP, Libraries, is one of 2010’s best releases, making this a can’t miss show at Lilly’s Pad {Toad’s Place upstairs} with Pomegranates and 1 supporting act tba.

·      October 15^th – Roger Waters The Wall

               Now that I’ve referred to The Love Language as a “can’t miss” show, the above image is the reason I’ll be missing it.  This fall, Pink Floyd bassist/vocalist Roger Waters once again will be touring his magnum opus/concept album behemoth “The Wall”.  For the first time since the original “tour” in 1980, the theatrics of the stage show will be combined with classic animation sequences from the film version to allow fans to experience “The Wall” as it was intended.  Waters is setting out to “do it right” this time, hitting ~30 cities as compared to the scant four originally visited and eschewing the tension of Pink Floyd’s impending breakup.  Original set and lighting designers are involved as well, giving a feeling of nostalgia and authenticity to the entire production.  Floyd’s guitarist, David Gilmour, will even be joining Waters onstage at one performance, though the likelihood of that being in Hartford is slim.  The XL Center plays host to what is sure to be an unforgettable performance of one of the best selling albums of all time on October 15^th.

·      October 16^th – Tower of Power

After “funkifizing” Hamden’s summer concert series, Tower of Power brings their horn-based old school funk to the Wolf’s Den at Mohegan.  Seeing them for free in Hamden was easily one of the best concerts of the summer, and having the opportunity to see another free performance in such a relaxed setting is a real treat.  Nothing beats getting drink service at a 2-cent slot machine with a direct view of the stage, and we’ll be sure not to miss it.

Use the comments below to let us know about what October concert you’re most excited for, or anything else we’ve missed.  You can look forward to reviews/reports from many of these shows in the upcoming weeks.  Until then, happy trails.