Staff Picks
America’s favorite contrived holiday, “Rocktober,” is nearly upon us. Frivolous as the promotional sloganeering may be, we are indeed entering an autumnal portion of the calendar that unfailingly yields a glut of sweet rock ‘n’ roll shows. And much like the Bavarian Oktoberfest, Rocktoberfest, if you will, effectively begins in mid-September, when tons of bands are on the road between festival season and winter’s chill.
These are some of the finest rock shows swinging through Seattle in the coming weeks.
Billy Idol
The new wave hero may have missed out on his first long-awaited Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination this year, but the first-gen MTV rocker did release a new album — his first in more than a decade — with this spring’s life retrospective “Dream Into It.” Joan Jett and the Blackhearts kick-start this throwback rock affair.
7:30 p.m. Sept. 20; Climate Pledge Arena, 334 First Ave. N., Seattle; tickets start at $38; climatepledgearena.com
Vera Project — Generator
For more than 20 years, beloved all-ages venue The Vera Project has provided a stage for countless young bands and youth development opportunities for the next generation of Seattle music and arts. Like anything in Seattle, that critical work ain’t cheap. Accordingly, the nonprofit throws its annual Generator fundraiser, a “punk rock house party and variety show gala” featuring performances from Chicago indie rockers Ratboys, comedian Jonah Ray, a drag show and more, hosted by Irene the Alien of “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” fame. Tickets include food and an open bar.
6 p.m. Sept. 20; Vera Project, 305 Harrison St., Seattle; $100; 21-and-older; theveraproject.org
Linkin Park
The 2000s rap-metal staples re-formed last fall for their first new album and tour since co-lead vocalist Chester Bennington died by suicide in 2017. Bennington’s replacement, Emily Armstrong (of Dead Sara), has proved a controversial stand-in, due in part to her affiliations with the Church of Scientology and past support for actor and convicted rapist Danny Masterson, setting off a PR storm that has followed the nu-metalers as they snake through arenas and stadiums around the globe. Alt-rap shape-shifter Jpegmafia opens.
7:30 p.m. Sept. 24; Climate Pledge Arena, 334 First Ave. N., Seattle; tickets start at $123; climatepledgearena.com
Mac DeMarco
Following a 2023 instrumental album, Canadian indie rock star Mac DeMarco stepped back in front of the mic on this summer’s perhaps ironically titled “Guitar” LP. After scrapping an entire album’s worth of tunes, DeMarco stripped down to this largely acoustic collection of beguilingly drowsy, homespun tracks recorded over two weeks in his home studio. Mock Media opens.
7:30 p.m. Sept. 23; Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St., Seattle; sold out
High Vis
Still touring on last fall’s superb “Guided Tour” LP (think The Stone Roses meet Hüsker Dü), the London-based quintet hits Neumos for the makeup gig of the month after the melodic hardcore/post-punk band postponed a spring date as singer Graham Sayle underwent emergency surgery. The reloaded bill features No Warning, Olympia hardcore destroyers Gag, and Cold Gawd.
7 p.m. Sept. 24; Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., Seattle; all ages; neumos.com
The Who
With Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend now in their 80s, the British rock legends are taking one last North American lap before hanging up their touring boots. Seattle grunge vets Candlebox, who have been coasting on a less final-seeming farewell tour of their own the past few years, opens.
7:30 p.m. Sept. 25; Climate Pledge Arena, 334 First Ave. N., Seattle; tickets start at $50; climatepledgearena.com
S.G. Goodman
We are living in a golden age of Southern-tinged indie rock, and the critically revered MJ Lenderman (who plays a sold-out Moore Theatre on Thursday) is hardly the only star in this constellation. After winning emerging artist of the year at the 2023 Americana Music Association Awards, Kentucky singer-songwriter S.G. Goodman delivered her third and finest album yet with this year’s “Planting by the Signs,” a sun-faded collection of roots-rock postcards. John Calvin Abney opens.
8 p.m. Oct. 1; The Crocodile, 2505 First Ave., Seattle; $37; 21-and-older; thecrocodile.com
Lambrini Girls
These riot grrrl-descendant Brits had Seattle buzzing hard with a purportedly recalcitrant Baba Yaga gig this spring. The politically charged punks bring their no-holds-barred takedowns of performative male allies and “filthy rich nepo babies” back this fall, easily selling out the larger Crocodile. Get on the ticket waitlist and pray.
8 p.m. Oct. 5; The Crocodile, 2505 First Ave., Seattle; sold out
Turnstile
Amid an internet-fueled hardcore renaissance, this mold-busting Baltimore quintet has become the genre’s reinventionalist flagbearers and one of the most exciting young bands in all of rock, fusing pulverizing breakdowns with sparkling synthesizers and anthemic melodies. Australian rippers Amyl and The Sniffers sweeten the pot; Speed and Jane Remover open.
7 p.m. Oct. 7; WAMU Theater, 800 Occidental Ave. S., Seattle; $93; lumenfield.com
Sleep Token
England’s pop-savvy, atmospheric metal hybrids cross the pond for their first stateside arena tour, which almost instantly sold out, making for arguably the most anticipated heavy metal tour of the year. The mysteriously masked juggernauts released their chart-topping fourth album “Even in Arcadia” this spring.
8 p.m. Oct. 7; Tacoma Dome, 2727 E. D St., Tacoma; sold out
Nation of Language
If Seattle wasn’t already home away from home for these synth-heavy post-punks who garnered early KEXP love, signing with Sub Pop for this month’s “Dance Called Memory” LP sealed the deal. After slaying their first arena gig opening for Death Cab for Cutie at Climate Pledge Arena this summer, the Brooklyn trio returns for a two-nighter at Showbox.
8 p.m. Oct. 9-10; Showbox, 1426 First Ave., Seattle; $59.90; showboxpresents.com
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