Going to live performances is something I am pretty passionate about not just for myself but to get everyone to experience as much as possible. I have mostly covered theater, the ballet and my beloved Cirque Du Soleil with the occasional concert. Music has always been a huge part of my life, but I’ve only recently started going back to concerts.
It began with going with my child for their first few concerts, either because they had an extra ticket for me or they needed me (and my id) to get into certain venues and now I’m completely addicted again. The energy of a live concert is unmatched and Boston has venues of all sorts, sizes, for all age ranges, and music styles. Here is a combination of my concert line up as well as who else of interest will be performing in the area this September. Feel free to share some of yours too in the comments. I like a huge variety of music styles and tend to prefer the smaller venues over a huge stadium show. I will make exceptions for a few artists that are either artists I have always wanted to see live, or are just known for their incredible productions. In my calendar this month is a combination of shows I have chosen for myself, shows I am going to with my friends’ child who is my concert buddy or perhaps I am theirs, and the occasional show I am taking my friends tween to because you have to start them young right?
Sometimes the smallest venue and concert is the one I’m looking forward to the most. This month I can’t pick a favourite because I am looking forward to all the shows I have planned for a variety of reasons. Here is who is coming to Boston this September, when and where, and why.
Photo: L. Klein
Emily Wolfe, Deep Cuts
Emily Wolfe played at Deep Cuts in Medford on September 12th. Emily Wolfe is self described as breathing new life into classic rock and roll with her incendiary guitar chops and original song-writing and I think that is what I love so much about her. I love her guitar riffs and powerful voice. Her music hurts in the best possible feel-it-in-your-bones-heart+-soul kind of way. I was really looking forward to the show and left completely satiated.
Also playing that nighy, was Carissa Johnson, who I was first introduced to at In Between Days Festival. I looked forward to hearing her again as well and it was great to hear her play solo for a more stripped down show/
On my playlist right now from Emily Wolfe: Walk in My Shoes, Circles, Vermillion Park, Holy Roller, Steady, and Ghost Limb Gambler
Trey Anastasio, Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
Trey Anastasio will be at Hampton Beach in NH playing the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom on September 14th. To Phish fans and may others Trey Anastasio needs no introduction. I had not been to a Phish concert or seen Trey Anastasio in decades, but saw him preform recently at Levitate Music Festival and he definitely caught my attention again. The chill vibe of my youth that the music of Phish evoked was replaced by such a calm joy. Watching Trey Anatasio perform live is to experience the sheer pleasure that the artist himself must feel and shares with the audience throughout the night.
Goose, Leaderbank Pavillion
Goose will be performing two nights at Boston’s outdoor Seaport venue, Leaderbank Pavillion. Like a next generation Phish, Goose has a dedicate fan base community that is active and quite. tightly knit. They are jam band lovers and fans of the escapist nature of Rick Mitarotonda’s musical expression.
Ray LaMontagne, The Wang aka Boch Center
The Wang will fill with the deep, rich, rooted sound of folk on September 15th. In his long career Ray LaMontagne has journeyed from folk songs to “folk plus” with the inclusion of strings and horns and dabbling with a more psychedelic pop and rock sound. His most recent album’s title, Monovision, highlights the entirely self-recorded nature of this 2020 work. His sound makes me a little weak at the knees. I look forward to a night of music with my husband being serenaded by this honey-rich voice.
Janelle Monae, MGM Fenway
Janelle Monae is about to light up Fenway when they have everyone feeling themselves for The Age of Pleasure Tour the night of September 17th at MGM Fenway. Monae is a master of layering different styles of soul, funk, hip hop, and pop in a way that you can’t help but put a song on repeat until you’ve internalized it completely. From the message to the sound you want their music in your body. I’m not sure I want to share which songs I have on my playlist, but my favourite hype song is on there and as a mother of two teenagers who are just about to enter early adulthood there is no way I’m sharing which song it is. Just know that it is really good and just because I’m older doesn’t mean I don’t have all the same feelings and urges of my youth.
Lauren Mayberry, MGM Fenway & Brighton Music Hall
Lauren Mayberry is performing two nights opening for Death Cab for Cutie at MGM Fenway September 12th and 13th and headlining one night Brighton Music Hall, September 18th. This Scottish musician, singer-songwriter, and journalist is primarily known as the lead vocalist of the synthpop and CHVRCHES. Mayberry kicked off her solo tour on September 4th in DC and has released a single single: Are You Awake? So going into these concerts fans are signing up for a night of music slightly blind. Already, Brooklyn, Brighton Music Hall, Toronto, Chicago, Portland OR, LA, and Glasgow are sold out so it seems that fans are on board for whatever Mayberry bings.
On my playlist right now from Lauren Mayberry: Are You Awake? (a question I ask myself often)
Tegan and Sara, Roadrunner
Tegan and Sara were in Boston not that long ago for their book signing and talk at Brookline Booksmith, but on September 22nd they will be at Roadrunner. Tegan and Sara are twins whose band was formed in the late 90 and greatly influenced by the popular grunge music of the day. They last performed in Boston at Royale in 2022. Their music is very autobiographical and touches on themes that anyone coming of age can relate to.
boygenius, MGM Fenway
They connected with a field full of strangers and friends in the way that only this trio can do at Re:SET and are filling MGM Fenway for two nights September 25th ad 26th. boygenius, comprised of Julian Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus have taken each of their solo artist talents and amplified them by creating music together. While I gravitate towards Bakers’ angry hurt tone and others find Dacus’ sweet hurt songs comforting and then you throw in Bridger’s Fuck You energy and you have the perfect emotional stress ball for the audience to release into.
August 2023 Photo: L. Klein
Mint Green, Club Passim
Ronnica of Mint Green will be doing a solo show as part of Club Passim’s Re-Imagining Lilith Fair. I enjoyed Mint Green at In Between Days Festival this past August and they were high energy and a lot of fun to watch and listen to.
Broken Social Scene, Royale
Broken Social Scene out of Toronto, will be at the Royale with their Anniversary tour or You Forget it In People as well as some tracks of frontman Kevin Drew’s upcoming album, Aging that will be releases November 3rd.
Who Will You See?
This is just a smattering of the music this month. I love seeing photos and clips of all the music people are out in and around Boston consuming. This shared love is completely contagious.
