Upcoming Fall Concerts in Boston

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Boston residents should feel very lucky. Over the next few months, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Jay Z, as well as Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar (together!) will all be gracing us with their presence with what are sure to be unforgettable concert experiences.

But that’s not all Boston’s music scene has to offer us this fall. In addition to big names, a variety of classic favorites like Cyndi Lauper and Elvis Costello, on-the-rise indie bands like Walk the Moon and The Head and the Heart, former Disney Channel stars like Selena Gomez and the Jonas Brothers, and Boston Calling alumni like Bad Rabbits and Lucius will tide you over until the festival’s third edition in May 2014. Below, check out some of this fall’s can’t-miss concerts.

SEPTEMBER

“Icona Pop @ The Belmont for SXSW 2013” by Mark Runyon on Flickr

Icona Pop at Paradise Rock Club, September 19

The Swedish electro-pop duo will perform at Paradise Rock Club less than a week before the release of This Is… Icona Pop, their highly anticipated debut international album. It’s nearly impossible not to jump up and down and belt at the top of your lungs when you hear their hit single “I Love It”—just one of many reasons this show promises to be a blast.

$20+, Thursday, September 19, Paradise Rock Club, 967 Commonwealth Ave., ticketmaster.com 

Walk the Moon at House of Blues, September 20

If you haven’t heard of Walk the Moon, give their single “Anna Sun” a listen, and when it undoubtedly gets stuck in your head, head over to the House of Blues to catch a live performance. This indie quartet has previously opened for Panic! at the Disco, Weezer, Grouplove, Local Natives, and Young the Giant, so they must have learned a thing or two about putting on a good concert.

$20+, Thursday, September 19, House of Blues, 15 Lansdowne St., houseofblues.com

Life is good Festival at Prowse Farm in Canton, September 21 and 22

Nearly 30 artists, including Jack Johnson, The Roots, Boston-based Gentlemen Hall, and Yo Gabba Gabba! will perform across three stages at this two-day celebration on a farm in Canton. It’s good music and interactive activities for all ages, and all for a good cause—100 percent of the profits will be donated to help kids in need through the Life is good Kids Foundation.

$65+ for adults, $20+ for kids, Saturday, September 21, and Sunday, September 22, Prowse Farm, 5 Blue Hill River Road, Canton, lifeisgood.com

Kid Cudi at Bank of America Pavilion, September 27

Kid Cudi is touring again—in a spacesuit. He’s wearing the “Satellite Academy Space Suit” on every stop of the Cud Life Tour, including the one at Bank of America Pavilion later this month, transitioning into a new mindset for his highly anticipated Man On The Moon III album next year.

$30+, Friday, September 27, Bank of America Pavilion, 290 Northern Ave., livenation.com

Michael Bublé at TD Garden, September 27

Grammy Award-winning crooner Michael Bublé has just hit the road in support of his most recent album, To Be Loved. His decade-long career has produced four consecutive number-one albums—that’s quite a feat in this ever-changing music industry, so don’t miss a chance to see him live when he makes a stop in Boston in late September.

$62+, Friday, September 27, TD Garden, 100 Legends Way, tdgarden.com

Portugal. The Man at House of Blues, September 29

This past May, Portugal. The Man played to a pretty resilient crowd as rain beat down on City Hall Plaza during Boston Calling. They’re relatively low on the mainstream radar, but they have eight albums’ worth of great music, so it’s worth checking them out, along with the opener, Crystal Fighters, a folktronica band guaranteed to make you dance, when they come back to Boston at the end of the month.

$25+, Sunday, September 29, House of Blues, 15 Lansdowne St., houseofblues.com

OCTOBER

Phoenix at Agganis Arena, October 1

The French indie rockers are hitting the road to promote Bankrupt!, the follow-up to their Grammy Award-winning album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, and conveniently for BU kids, their Boston concert takes place at Agganis Arena again.

$33+, Tuesday, October 1, Agganis Arena, 925 Commonwealth Ave., agganisarena.com

* Update 9/24/2013: The venue for this event has been changed.

Sorry, BU kids. The show has been moved to the House of Blues, but all tickets purchased for Agganis Arena will still be honored.

“Selena Gomez” by Lisa Bjorheim on Flickr

Selena Gomez at TD Garden, October 12

While Miley Cyrus has been wowing everyone with her edgy music videos and risqué performances, Selena Gomez has been a shining example of a smoother transition beyond Disney Channel. She’s hitting the road in support of her debut solo album Stars Dance and making a stop at TD Garden next month. We can only hope that her BFF Taylor Swift makes an appearance to show some support.

$38.50+, Saturday, October 12, TD Garden, 100 Legends Way, tdgarden.com

Ra Ra Riot at House of Blues, October 13

Ra Ra Riot’s band members include a violinist, which makes their live concerts especially fun to watch. (How often do you see someone rocking out on a string instrument?) If you missed them at the first Boston Calling, you can enjoy their catchy synthpop at the House of Blues next month.

$22.50+, Sunday, October 13, House of Blues, 15 Lansdowne St., houseofblues.com

Janelle Monae at House of Blues, October 16

She’s best known for her vocals on fun.’s hit song “We Are Young,” but Janelle Monae is also a force to be reckoned with on her own. Her recently released album The Electric Lady has been widely acclaimed by critics, so it’s worth checking out her retro-funk, soulful sound live.

$25+, Wednesday, October 16, House of Blues, 15 Lansdowne St., houseofblues.com

Jonas Brothers at Orpheum Theatre, October 18

Over the past few years, they’ve aged, grown facial hair, and developed a more mature sound. It’s been a while, but the Jo-Bros are back and you can catch them at the Orpheum Theatre next month.

$48+, Friday, October 18, Orpheum Theatre, 1 Hamilton Pl., ticketmaster.com

* Update, 10/11/2013: Jonas Brothers Concert Canceled

People magazine has reported that the Jonas Brothers tour, including the Boston stop at the Orpheum Theatre, has been canceled. The brothers were unable to resolve their creative differences.

Drama, drama, drama…

Cyndi Lauper at Wang Theatre, October 19

Girls just want to have fun, and this girl—now a well-respected woman with a career that spans four decades—shows no sign of stopping.

$30+, Saturday, October 19, Wang Theatre, 270 Tremont St., citicenter.org

Franz Ferdinand at Orpheum Theatre, October 20

Around for more than a decade and now on tour in support of their recently released fourth studio album Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action, Franz Ferdinand is living proof that good rock bands still exist.

$27+, Sunday, October 20, Orpheum Theatre, 1 Hamilton Pl., ticketmaster.com

Rusko at House of Blues, October 22

Remember when the Dirty Projectors stunned you with their vocal acrobatics at the first Boston Calling? Well, lead singer Amber Coffman also lends her voice to Rusko’s “Hold On,” a staple track in his live set, which he’s guaranteed to play at the House of Blues late next month.

$25+, Tuesday, October 22, House of Blues, 15 Lansdowne St., houseofblues.com

Krewella at House of Blues, October 30

This is the kind of show where it doesn’t matter if you don’t know any other Krewella songs besides their popular single “Alive”—you’ll dance all night anyway.

$35+, Wednesday, October 30, House of Blues, 15 Lansdowne St., houseofblues.com

“Drake” by musicisentropy on Flickr

Drake at TD Garden, October 30

He started from the bottom and now he’s here—at TD Garden with Miguel and Future.

$50+, Wednesday, October 30, TD Garden, 100 Legends Way, tdgarden.com

NOVEMBER

The Head and the Heart at Royale, November 1 and 2

They’re similar to Of Monsters and Men, but more folky. Their traditional concert closer, “Rivers and Roads,” is heart-wrenchingly beautiful:

$25+, Friday, November 1, and Saturday, November 2, Royale, 279 Tremont St., boweryboston.com

Justin Timberlake at TD Garden, November 4

Don’t be scared to admit that you did laps around Fenway when JT and Jay Z headlined a concert there in August, reveling in the fact that you were at least in the same mile radius as them. If you weren’t at that show, you were wishing you were at that show, especially when you saw the aftermath videos of them performing “Forever Young” in a tribute to marathon bombing victims. Luckily, you get another chance to see everyone’s favorite smooth crooner when he returns to perform at TD Garden in November in support of The 20/20 Experience, Part 2.

$50+, Monday, November 4, TD Garden, 100 Legends Way, tdgarden.com

* Update 10/14/2013: Justin Timberlake’s November 4 Concert Postponed to July 19, 2014.

Sorry kids, JT’s November concert has been postponed to next summer. The reason? Extended rehearsals. In the words of this unhappy tweeter:

Justin Timberlake rescheduled his tour date in Boston to next summer so like the rest of 2013 is completely ruined for me…

— Christina Warriner (@chrissyteena) October 11, 2013

But think of it this way, 2014 now promises to be that much better!

* Update 9/24/2013: A second date for Justin Timberlake’s 20/20 tour has been added.

Huzzah, Boston! Justin Timberlake really loves you—so much so that he added a second date at TD Garden to his 20/20 Experience World Tour. The added show will be Thursday, February 27. The Fan Club and Mastercard presale begins Wednesday, September 25; the LiveNation/Facebook presale begins on Friday, September 27; and the regular sale begins on Monday, September 30 (the same day as the release of the 20/20 Experience sequel).

$49.50+, Thursday, February 27, TD Garden, 100 Legends Way, ticketmaster.com 

Born Ruffians at The Sinclair, November 6

Back in April, Born Ruffians played a tiny, poorly advertised show at BU Central. They’ve upgraded to a swankier location at The Sinclair for their upcoming show in November, but it’s sure to attract the same type of crowd—you just don’t have to show a BU ID this time to enjoy their catchy indie tunes.

$12+, Wednesday, November 6, The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Cambridge, sinclaircambridge.com

“Macklemore concert” by Luke Draper on Flickr

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis at TD Garden, November 8

One of America’s current favorite rappers and his sidekick producer are making a stop at TD Garden next month. We know you want to sing along—and most likely join the crowd in waving lighters in the air—when they perform “Same Love.”

$30+, Friday, November 8, TD Garden, 100 Legends Way, tdgarden.com

Sleigh Bells at Royale, November 16

Rock bands get instant cool points when they have an awesome frontwoman. You’ll love Alexis Krauss’s Karen O-esque studded leather outfits and stage antics when Sleigh Bells hit the Royale in November.

$25+, Saturday, November 16, Royale, 279 Tremont St., boweryboston.com

Elvis Costello at Wilbur Theatre, November 17

It’s been 10 years since he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Elvis Costello is still going strong, releasing an interesting collaborative album, Wise Up Ghost, with hip-hop band The Roots this week, and giving an intimate performance at the Wilbur Theatre in November.

$60, Sunday, November 17, Wilbur Theatre, 246 Tremont St., thewilburtheatre.com

Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar at TD Garden, November 17

This is big—Kanye’s hitting the road again on his first tour in five years. And there’s more—he’s bringing Kendrick Lamar along, who will return to Boston shortly after performing for a huge crowd at Boston Calling earlier this month. If the success of their recently released albums—Kanye’s Yeezus and Kendrick’s good kid, m.A.A.d city—is any indication, this is set to be a pretty epic concert.

$40+, Sunday, November 17, TD Garden, 100 Legends Way, tdgarden.com

DECEMBER

P!nk at TD Garden, December 5

P!nk has come a long way since her “Get the Party Started” days. Over the past couple of years, she’s grown into one of today’s classiest, most well-respected performers. Her live concerts combine stunning vocals with impressive dance performances. If you’re somehow not convinced to attend her show at TD Garden and need one last push, check out this video of her absolutely killing it at the 2012 American Music Awards:

$40+, Thursday, December 5, TD Garden, 100 Legends Way, tdgarden.com

Lucius at The Sinclair, December 5

Yes, a lot of indie bands come from Brooklyn, and it’s easy to disregard and place them all in one pile. But Lucius—led by Berklee alumnae Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig—is worth listening to. If you missed their lush harmonies at Boston Calling, make sure not to miss them again when they play at The Sinclair in December.

$15, Thursday, December 5, The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Cambridge, sinclaircambridge.com

Beyoncé at TD Garden, December 20

Why would you ever pass on a chance to be in the same room as Queen B? Beyoncé has extended her hugely successful Mrs. Carter World Show Tour, and luckily for us, she’s coming back to Boston. It’s the biggest concert she’s ever put on—designed specifically for the vastness of stadiums and arenas—so we can’t wait to see what she’ll do to TD Garden.

$48+, Friday, December 20, TD Garden, 100 Legends Way, tdgarden.com

Bad Rabbits at The Sinclair, December 31

It may be a bit early to start planning New Year’s Eve, but spending the night grooving to Bad Rabbits’ “post-R & B futuristic funk punk assault” at The Sinclair seems like a pretty good option.

$30, Tuesday, December 31, The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Cambridge, sinclaircambridge.com

2014

“Jay-Z July 7th 2009” by Ronnie Dyrcz on Flickr

Jay Z at TD Garden, January 18

Refer back to the above entry about Justin Timberlake’s show in November—the same rules apply here. Following in JT’s—and his wife Beyoncé’s—footsteps, Jay Z is coming back to play a solo show at TD Garden. Even though it’s not until next year, tickets went on sale last week, so you’ll want to plan in advance if you don’t want to miss Hova in Boston again.

$33+, Saturday, January 18, TD Garden, 100 Legends Way, tdgarden.com