Waiting for October – Fall ‘011 Concert Preview

Or Freesia and Garrett... whatever.

Autumn’s here, the leaves are changing, and its times for another preview column that features a Mark Mulcahy reference but no Mark Mulcahy show. Damn. Until then, check out some of the great concerts happening around Connecticut in the next month while we wait for October.




--Hanson @ Toad's Place

Hanson is Freesia’s favorite band. That is now on the Internet. Forever. And our blog’s credibility suffers for it.

All kidding aside, Hanson had quite the successful run as the tweens’ favorite band before they had such a dominant market share, all while being everyone else’s favorite band to hate. (MMMBop went #1? Really?) While to some they may have dropped off the face of the Earth, they’ve been thriving in relative obscurity, maintaining a devoted fan base through acclaimed new releases and frequent touring. At the Hanson show I was once dragged to, one (clearly insane) woman said she is now into Hanson like she was once into the Grateful Dead, having seen both acts some umpteen times. As much as I make fun, they did put on a good show, not only playing the sugary pop rock that is their hallmark, but also showing more musical range than a casual listener might be aware of. They make their return to Toad’s Place October 8th, playing their most enduring album Middle of Nowhere in its entirety. 20-something tweens rejoice!

--Man Man @ Daniel Street (Manic Productions)

A look at Manic Productions’ upcoming schedule is almost mind-blowing. Averaging over one show a night, a plethora of outstanding acts are coming to Connecticut. For starters, there’s Yo La Tengo coming to Toad’s tomorrow, 9/23, The Lemonheads coming back to Daniel Street on 10/13, and the dynamic pairing of Surfer Blood opening for The Pixies at Waterbury’s Palace Theater 10/29. This is all not to mention Manic’s continuing free concert series Wednesday nights at BAR, due to feature Lydia Loveless, Sarah Lee Guthrie (Arlo’s daughter) & Johnny Irion, and David Wax Museum in the coming weeks.

Manic Mark has really kicked it into high gear this fall, with a ton of great talent coming through, but the show I’m most excited for is Man Man making another stop in Connecticut. We’ve talked about Man Man a great deal, having been a highlight of this year’s B.O.M.B. Fest and their new LP Life Fantastic being one of the best releases of 2011. Rounding out the bill are Manic regulars Grandchildren and M.T. Bearington, who recently played a 4/20 show at BAR. This might be the best lineup for any single show this year. Don’t miss this one – Wednesday October 12th at Daniel Street.

--Kevin Devine @ Toad's Place

Kevin Devine brings his hard-edged yet folk-tinged rock to Toad’s Place. His packed show at The Space last December was a genre-bending experience, playing songs from across his catalogue as well as a few covers. Having repeatedly sold out The Space, it will be interesting to see him in the larger venue. Will he still fill the room? Will the show stay intimate even with a larger crowd? Will this be a repeat of Daniel Johnston’s outstanding, but extremely undersold 2008 show? We’ll find out Sunday October 23rd, with An Horse opening.

Let us know in the comments if there's any must-see shows we missed.  And check us out on Facebook or on Twitter at @merrypicnic.