The stadium-sized summer is behind us, and it’s time for pop music to move inside.
This selection of two dozen picks includes concerts at the big rooms in town.
Besides those highlighted below, other concerts of note at the newly renamed Xfinity Mobile Arena are Mumford & Sons on Oct. 14, Billie Eilish on Oct. 23, and Playboi Carti on Nov 10.
Plus, there’s Neko Case on Oct. 4 and Big Thief on Oct. 22 at Met Philly, and Gigi Perez at Franklin Music Hall Oct. 16.
Along with the large crowds, the list below aims to spotlight some of the Philly scene’s cozier, less-well-known spaces, from the Fallser Club to the First Unitarian Church Side Chapel.
And among the cool shows happening that didn’t make the top 24, there’s also Team Dresch at First Unitarian Church on Oct. 11, Belly at Underground Arts on Oct. 27, Wax Jaw at Ukie Club on Nov. 8, Making Time with Bar Italia on Nov. 21 at Warehouse on Watts, the Happy Fits at the Fillmore, Dec. 11, and Dream Syndicate on Dec. 12 at Johnny Brenda’s.
And just to keep the avian outfits straight: The jammy Connecticut band that is playing the final show of the Mann Center season on Oct. 4 is Goose. The arty New York rock band at Union Transfer on Nov. 10? That’s Geese.
Los Lobos / X
Lorde
Sept. 30, Xfinity Mobile Arena
After unplugging for 2021’s vaguely psychedelic Solar Power, Ella Yelich-O’Connor — aka Lorde — is back on the electronic trip on her new Virgin. That’s a good thing, as the New Zealand pop star, 28, continues her growing up in public project with producer Jim-E Stack. xfinitymobilearena.com.
NBA Young Boy
Oct. 3, Xfinity Mobile Arena
NBA, in this case, has nothing to do with basketball. The workaholic Baton Rouge, La., rapper born Kentrell DeSean Gaulden’s moniker stands for “Never Broke Again.” And he likely never will be, with more than two dozen albums released since 2016. xfinitymobilearena.com.
Raphael Saadiq
Oct. 4, Keswick Theatre
The Tony! Toni! Toné! cofounder’s “No Bandwidth” tour is a one-man show, with music and stories, of which he has plenty, having worked with Erykah Badu, Beyoncé, Jill Scott, Stevie Wonder, and Whitney Houston. keswicktheatre.com.
Lily Seabird
Oct. 10, the 700
Bucks County-born songwriter Lily Seabird says her excellent new Trash Mountain on Philly’s Lame-O label is about “late-stage capitalism, technology, climate change, my shortening attention span, and “shifting relationships and our ability to deal with the past and move forward.” In other words, it’s universal! 4333collective.net.
Alex G
Oct. 11-12, the Fillmore
Havertown-bred indie songwriter Alex Giannascoli has released his major label debut with his 10th and possibly best album, Headlights. As always, the slightly askew and mysterious songs are bewitching and full of subtle charm. He’s finishing a U.S. tour with two Fishtown shows. fillmorephilly.com.
Philly Music Fest
Oct. 13-19, various venues
This year’s Philly Music Fest gets off to a banner start with two nights at Ardmore Music Hall with Dr. Dog, fresh off the band opening for the Lumineers at Citizens Bank Park. Then the PMF carries on over five more nights in as many clubs, including the fest’s first metal show at Milkboy Philly and first time at the Fallser Club in East Falls. phillymusicfest.com.
David Byrne
Oct. 16-18, the Met
Talking Heads nation is not getting the reunion tour they so desperately crave, but David Byrne is having an active 2025: whether hopping onstage at the Governors Ball with Olivia Rodrigo, announcing his impending nuptials, or releasing a new album Who Is the Sky. themetphilly.com.
Jeff Tweedy
Oct. 20, Union Transfer
When Wilco played the Met Philly in August, Jeff Tweedy half-joked that Philadelphia “is the city that complains the most that we don’t come here.” Wilco isn’t coming back just yet, but Tweedy is, on a tour for his new 30-song solo album Twilight Override, with a band that includes his sons, Spencer and Sammy. utphilly.com.
Joan Shelley
Oct. 23, Harmonie Hall
The Kentucky folk singer whose music exudes a soul-soothing calm has a new album, Real Warmth, on Philadelphia’s No Quarter records. She’s playing the cozy Harmonie Hall, an 1981 historic building in Manayunk. harmoniehall.space.
Laufey
Oct. 24, Xfinity Mobile Arena
Iceland singer Laufey’s rise has been rapid. The clever, fashion-forward presentation of her new A Matter Of Time has sent her into the pop stratosphere, surpassing the popularity of fellow JazzTok stars like Samara Joy and Stella Cole, who also have Philly gigs this fall. Pronounced “Lay-vay.” xfinitymobilearena.com.
Rufus Wainwright
Oct. 25-26, City Winery
There’s no telling which of his intriguing projects Rufus Wainwright will be pulling from. A stage musical version of John Cassavetes’ 1977 film Opening Night? His Rufus Does Judy ode to Judy Garland, or Dream Requiem, his 2025 album, which fuses Verdi and Lord Byron? It’s a solo show. citywinery.com/philadelphia.
Thundercat
Oct. 29, Franklin Music Hall
Stephen Bruner has the best bassist stage name ever, and the anime-loving Los Angeles musician also has an ecumenical musical spirit that’s led him to collaborate with Kendrick Lamar, Kamasi Washington, Haim, and Tame Impala, among others. bowerypresents.com.
Bryan Adams
Oct. 29, Xfinity Mobile Arena
The Canadian “Summer of ’69” rocker and photographer is touring in support of his new Roll With the Punches that will also include plenty of hits. Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Pat Benatar opens, with her husband Neil Giraldo. xfinitymobilearana.com.
Jon Batiste
Oct. 30, the Met
Grammy winning life force and former Stephen Colbert band leader Jon Batiste is more of a charmer than ever on his new album, Big Money. He plays guitar, mandolin, and fiddle, as well as piano. The album features Randy Newman and Andra Day, who opens this show, along with Diana Silvers. themetphilly.com.
John Legend
Nov. 1, Ocean Resort; Nov. 5, the Met
University of Pennsylvania grad John Legend recorded his debut album, Get Lifted, on his 26th birthday on Dec. 28, 2004. This year, he’s celebrating the album’s 20th anniversary, which brings him to Atlantic City and North Broad Street. theoceanac.com, themetphilly.com.
Lola Young
Nov. 8, the Met
Being frank about being “Messy” is rising British alt-pop star Lola Young’s calling card. The songwriter, whose music recalls a more rugged, less tidy Lily Allen, and is sure to please Billie Eilish fans, is following her 2024 breakthrough This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway with the new I’m Only F**king Myself. themetphilly.com.
Marc Cohn & Shawn Colvin
Nov. 8, Lansdowne Theater
Veteran singer-songwriters Cohn and Colvin are highlights at the Lansdowne, the 1927 movie palace that’s reopened after nearly 40 years with a $21 million renovation. So far, it’s mostly tribute bands, plus Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett on Oct. 24 and 25. Once bands get a look at the place, it’ll get busier. LandsdowneTheater.com.
Bill Murray & his Blood Brothers
Nov. 15, Parx Casino
Bill Murray’s fellow Saturday Night Live cast members Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi had their Blues Brothers. Now Murray has his Blood Brothers, a classic rock cover band loaded with legitimate blues-rock firepower, with three ace guitarists in Mike Zito, Albert Castiglia, and Jimmy Vivino. parxcasino.com.
Erykah Badu
Nov. 16, Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
Erykah Badu is mixing the new with the tried and true. She has a new collaborative album with the Alchemist and is coming to Atlantic City in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Mama’s Gun, which included “Bag Lady.” casino.hardrock.com.
Sarah McLachan
Nov. 17, the Met
The Canadian singer-songwriter is touring behind her new album Better Broken, her first in nine years. And her stature as a feminist trailblazer in a male dominated music business is highlighted in Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery – The Untold Story, the new Hulu documentary about the 1990s touring festival she founded that showcased female-fronted bands. themetphilly.com.
Patti Smith
Nov. 29, the Met
Jaws, Born to Run, Horses: 2025 is a year of golden anniversaries of seminal works of art. High on the list is Smith’s debut album, with its iconic B&W Robert Mapplethorpe photo album cover and choice cuts “Gloria,” “Redondo Beach,” and “Land,” which she’ll be performing in its entirety. themetphilly.com.
Claire Rousay
Dec. 6, Side Chapel of First Unitarian Church
Claire Rousay is a Canadian-born, Texas-based experimental composer who uses field recordings to recreate ambient soundscapes. Her music is hauntingly beautiful, and she’s playing the truly intimate side chapel of the Frank Furness-designed First Unitarian Church. r5productions.com.
Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band
Dec. 9, Johnny Brenda’s
Ryan Davis is a Kentucky-based, country-leaning storyteller and a rambling, shambling songwriter-seeker who takes his sweet time on New Threats From the Soul, making music that recalls indie brethren like Will Oldham and Bill Callahan, with a little Waylon Jennings thrown in. johnnybrendas.com.
Algernon Cadwallader
Dec. 13, Union Transfer
Bucks County band Algernon Cadwallader — often categorized as “Midwest emo” despite hailing from Yardley — has delighted its following by releasing its first album to feature the band’s original lineup since their 2008 album Some Kind Of Cadwallader. utphilly.com.
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