If you're thinking, "what the hell is 'Rocktober?'" let us help you out. Almost every band heads out on tour in October and our calendars are jam packed. Do you feel overwhelmed? Do you want to know which shows to attend? That's what we're here for: to be your guide to a Boston Rocktober. See you at the gig!
Click through for the shows ahem
October 1-7
10/2: Kurt Vile and Waxahatchee at Paradise
Two beautiful songwriters on indie elite Merge Records team up for a highlight tour of our year. We spoke to Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee before the show, too.
10/5 and 10/6: Girlpool, Eskimeaux and Told Slant at Middle East
Girlpool, Eskimeaux and Told Slant is a bill not to be reckoned with, and they even have local support each night: Ian on 10/5 (downstairs) and Gracie (upstairs) on 10/6. If you spaced on getting upstairs tickets, you weren't alone. There are tickets still left for 10/5—so don't space any longer. Eskimeaux played earlier this year at Cuisine en Locale with Mitski and Elvis Depressedly and put on one of the most solid performances we've seen in a while. Girlpool also came through a few months back with Waxahatchee, playing a secret acoustic after show to benefit Smash it Dead Fest. Not only are the pair rad musicians, but also rad people who love to support a great cause.
10/7: Silent Barn-ifit with Disipline, Ursula, Blood Club and FKA Cum Bong at Middle East Upstairs
In the wake of a devastating fire that ravished the Silent Barn in Brooklyn, a donation site has been established to support those who are left without a home, job, performance space supported by the Barn. Benefits are happening across NYC. Here in Boston, Sonam Parikh of Ursula, Mina's World and Fast Apple wanted to help out, too.
October 8-14
10/8: Beauty Pill, Dirty Dishes, Soft Fangs and Rachel Hael at O'Brien's
Beauty Pill and Dirty Dishes are easily two of the best live bands touring through right now, and it's your duty as an avid music fan to see them. We've told you enough how much we love Soft Fangs, so we won't bore you with the details. Rachel Hael will play beautiful acoustic jams to start the night off smoothly.
10/13: Protomartyr, Growwing Pains and The Channels at Middle East Upstairs
Protomartyr is fantastic, and his new rough rock jams are bound to get the crowd feeling all kinds of emotions at this show presented by pals Boston Hassle. Growwing Pains are on tour from Detroit, and their self-described as "anxiety pop" is fun and, of course, sad—the best kind of music! We featured The Channels on our most recent mixtape, a band who's been rocking out their chaotic yet wonderful tunes for all sorts of audiences in their short, but blossoming, lifetime.
October 15-21
10/15: Krill's final Boston shows at Great Scott
It's the end of an era for Boston music; Krill is breaking up. We can be sad, pout and continue to cry, but let's do Krill true justice to their services to the Boston music scene. Let's make their last night the best night. They're playing an early and late show this night, and they're both sold out. Conspiracy theories on who will be opening are welcome. Ovlov? Arvid Noe? You Can Be a Wesley? Pretty & Nice?
10/17: Kal Marks, Left & Right, Milk, Dinoczar and Rye Pines at O'Brien's
Another stacked bill at O'Brien's this month and it's brought to us from Coach and Sons. Thanks, Coach! Local heavyweights Kal Marks top the bill, and we're hoping for some new tracks from their upcoming album. Left & Right is touring from Philly. Milk, Dinoczar and Rye Pines bring an eclectic mix of local support to leave you anything but snoozing.
10/18: Meat Wave, The Dirty Nil and Animal Flag at Great Scott
Did someone say they needed a reason to feel extra punk? Probably not, because a real punk wouldn't say that but this is the night for you, punk friends. Meat Wave and The Dirty Nil come from the far-off lands of Chicago and Toronto respectively to bring you the edge you need. Meat Wave's strong 2014 EP and 2015 album Delusion Moon represent some of the best hard punk we've heard in a while. The Dirty Nil hasn't played in Boston since that weird thing went down at Tasty Burger. Animal Flag is a local band that fits like the middle pea in the pod between these two touring peas in a pod. I'm hungry sorry.
October 22-31
10/23: Peaches at Paradise
I don't know about you, but sometimes we like to to get WEIRD and DANCE. This is the show if you want to do that (we wouldn't judge you if you did that at every show). Peaches is on tour supporting her new album, so show your support and get to the gig.
10/24: Moor Mother Goddess, Blood Club and Thighmaster at a house somewhere don't tell the cops
Moor Mother Goddess performs some truly electric and powerful hybrid of noise/hip hop/spoken word. It's honestly very hard to explain, so you need to see her live. She truly puts her all into her performance and touches on topics worth hearing about about like racism, sexism and oppression. She blew us away at Smash it Dead Fest this past June.
10/27: Chance the Rapper at House of Blues
If you missed your chance to see Chance (a ha we got you) at The Sinclair during a crazy week of free Converse shows, you aren't alone. The young rapper has proven himself powerful among the higher ranks, and House of Blues is a fairly intimate venue for an artist his size. See him before he starts playing all those arenas. Thank goodness Surf finally dropped.
10/28: Joanna Gruesome, Aye Nako, King of Cats and Bent Shapes at Middle East Upstairs
Celebrate Halloween early with a little bit of gruesome! Joanna Gruesome is coming back from the UK, this time featuring two new lead singers. Their sets are always mesmerizing, so don't want miss this. Aye Nako has put out quite possibly the best EP of 2015 with The Blackest Eye. Topics of transphobia, racism and loneliness fill their music, and they are amazing live. Take our word for it! This is a music blog! Bent Shapes are another Boston band we gush over often, and their jangle pop is filled with smart lyricisms that bring fun to the forefront.