[Boston-Area Action 10/8/2026] Show-Going Plans & New Show Announcements
Posted on October 8, 2026 at 2:40 pm | No Comments
Dangerously close to punting this week’s edition of the ol’ Weekly Boston-area Shows Post thing, as I’m feeling very much out-of-sorts and a bit overwhelmed with work and the weight of a jammed personal calendar. Starting tonight, I think I’ve got something planned for every one of the next 10 days. I’m already pre-tired. I do it to myself, so I’m not complaining, just statin’ some facts. But writing this thing will help me sort through my own must-go list, so might as well get to it: Boston-area events happening within the next seven days that you/I/we might want to check out, and ones that have been announced since the last time I did this, including my own highlights and longer lists below.
If I had gotten this done yesterday as planned, I’d have mentioned last night’s Modest Mouse show at Roadrunner, and probably the second Phoebe Bridgers stop at the Garden. Lots of friends attended and wrote rapturously, though I think she’s far outgrown my willingness to brave such large spaces. I shall hold on to the fond memories of shows past. Tonight, being Thursday, Piebald’s Travis Shettel is at the Somerville Armory opening for Movielife, and Todd Thibaud will be at the Burren with openers Tinkertown.
Tomorrow brings the final free Friday Hilken & Melissa residency at Notch Brewing in Brighton with guests Highway Hosiery. Those early evening hangs have become a regular end-of-the-work-week ritual for me, and I’ll miss ’em. After Notch, there are too many options, including a do-not-miss screening of URGH! A MUSIC WAR over at MassArt with a post-film discussion featuring hosts “the Professors of URGH!” Chaki & Chris Slusarenko along with special guest (Go4 drummer) Hugo Burnham. You could also cruise up to Beverly to catch Ted Leo solo at Off Cabot, or hit the Basic show at Deep Cuts. And Kyle “Coop” MacLachlan is at the WBUR Cityspace. Oh, the choices. Superdrag plays the first of two nights at the Paradise, too (with the Gravel Pit), though I’ll be catching the second show on Saturday (with the Hilken & Melissa band) given all those Friday conflicts. Bobcat Goldthwaite is at the Comedy Studio on both nights, too. Jeez.
Saturday gives us an appealing afternoon down at the Bellforge Arts Center in Medfield titled “Rock Bottom: A Funny Kind of Recovery”, featuring a wealth of guests (see details below), and the evening brings Kingsley Flood to the Burren, along with a sure-to-be-fun show at State Park with Beware the Dangers of a Ghost Scorpion, the Chip Rockers, & DJ Kathy Snax on the turntables. Sunday has Laura Viers & Karl Blau at Passim, Monday is the big Sunn O))) gig with opener David Grubbs (!) at the Paradise, and Tuesday is the very-sold-out Dave Davies show at City Winery. And you’ve already got your tickets for Wednesday’s EARFULL show with Fuzzy (in their original form!), Arto Vaun, & authors Nick Flynn and David Ryan, right?
As far as announcements go, I’m most excited that we finally get a Boston-area stop from Manchester band Westside Cowboy, who I’ve been hoping to see since hearing their debut full-length. The fact that it’s an opening slot for Fontaines D.C. at MGM Music Hall in April made ticket acquisition a bit of a struggle, but persistence paid off. In the more immediate future, Hole bassist Melissa Auf der Maur will spotlight her book in conversation with Naomi Yang at the ICA on October 17th, Future Teens have been added as openers for all three of the Julien Baker dates at the Middle East later this month, and Ward Hayden & Greg Hall will play together at the Acoustic Den in Dorchester on the 24th (message me for info). November 5th has a killer bill at O’Brien’s with Arto Vaun, Shadow Monster, Dyr Faser, & Unmade Bed, and the 13th brings the OBGMs to Warehouse XI in Somerville, where Star Moles will also play in January. And looking even further into next year, the last-ever edition of DARK SPRING BOSTON has announced a date: Saturday, April 10th at the Middle East. I will patiently await the lineup reveal for that one.
Alright, on to the lists. The regular disclaimer: These aren’t even close to complete Boston-area events run-downs… there are other places for that who do it much better. These are just shows that jump out at me and might be of interest to my circle of show-going friends & venue-centric acquaintances. If there are errors to be found, or shows you’re psyched about that I omitted, feel free to leave a comment. Getting your recommendations is part of the reason I keep doin’ this.
For shows beyond this week, check out the column over there on the right side. See you out there. I’ll probably be up near the front.
First, imminent Boston-area shows of (my/your?) interest…
Thursday, October 8th
The Movielife
Travis Shettel (Piebald)
True Crime
@ the Somerville Armory
Thursday, October 8th
White Denim
Arc Iris
@ Deep Cuts
Thursday, October 8th
Todd Thibaud
Tinkertown
@ the Burren Back Room
Friday, October 9th
The Hilken Mancini &
Melissa Gibbs Residency
Week 10 with guests
Highway Hosiery
free @ Notch Brewing Brighton
Friday, October 9th
Kyle MacLachlan
presents his new book
@ WBUR Cityspace
Friday, October 9th
Revolutions Per Movie
and Culture Saves presents
URGH! A MUSIC WAR
with Chaki, Chris Slusarenko,
and guest Hugo Burnham
@ Tower Auditorium, MassArt
Friday, October 9th
Big Special
@ the Rockwell
Friday, October 9th
Ted Leo
@ Off Cabot, Beverly
Friday, October 9th
Basic
Ohm Foam
@ Deep Cuts
Friday, October 9th
Teddy Swims
@ TD Garden
Friday, October 9th
Ingrid Andress
@ the Sinclair
Friday, October 9th
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
voice + piano
@ the Somerville Armory
Friday & Saturday
October 9th & 10th
Bobcat Goldthwaite
@ The Comedy Studio
Friday & Saturday
October 9th & 10th
Superdrag
The Gravel Pit (Friday)
Hilken & Melissa Band (Sat)
@ Brighton Music Hall
Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
October 9th, 10th, & 11th
the HONK Festival
in Somerville & Cambridge
Saturday, October 10th
Studio 52 Powerhouse Matinee
free show with
Execution Style, Mantooth,
Das Muerte, & Blatch
@ O’Brien’s
Saturday, October 10th
“Rock Bottom:
A Funny Kind of Recovery”
featuring
Simon Kirke (Bad Company),
Chris Redd (SNL), Lenny Clarke,
Tony V, Steve Sweeney,
Woody Giessmann (Del Fuegos),
Jim Mayer (Jimmy Buffett),
Dave Herlihy (O Positive),
and more
2pm @ Bellforge Arts Center
Saturday, October 10th
Kingsley Flood
@ the Burren
Saturday, October 10th
Outlander in Concert
Music by Bear McCreary
@ the Shubert Theatre
Sunday, October 11th
Snax on Wax presents…
Beware the Dangers
of a Ghost Scorpion
& the Chip Rockers
with DJ Kathy Snax
@ State Park
Sunday, October 11th
Laura Viers
Karl Blau
@ Club Passim
Sunday, October 11th
gymclassheroes
Lupe Fiasco
B.o.B.
@ House of Blues
Monday, October 12th
Tricky
@ the Sinclair
Monday, October 12th
Sunn O)))
David Grubbs
@ the Paradise
Monday & Tuesday
October 12th & 13th
Fred Armisen
@ the Wilbur
Tuesday, October 13th
Johnny Blue Skies
(Sturgill Simpson)
& the Dark Clouds
@ TD Garden
Tuesday, October 13th
Steve Lacy
@ MGM Music Hall
Tuesday, October 13th
Dave Davies
(of the Kinks!)
@ City Winery Boston
And now, recently announced Boston-area shows…
Saturday, October 17th
Book Talk:
Melissa Auf der Maur
with Naomi Yang
@ the ICA Boston
Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday
October 21st, 22nd, & 23rd
Future Teens added as opener
for Julien Baker & her band’s
three night residency
@ the Middle East Downstairs
Saturday, October 24th
Ward Hayden
& Greg Hall
@ the Acoustic Den
in Dorchester
(dm me for info)
Saturday, October 31st
Halloween Cover Show with
My Chemical Chungus (as MCR)
Tiffy (as Charli XCX)
Makeout Palace (as Cake)
@ Deep Cuts
Thursday, November 5th
Arto Vaun
Shadow Monster
Dyr Faser
Unmade Bed
@ O’Brien’s
Friday, November 13th
The OBGMs
@ Warehouse XI
Friday, December 11th
John Cafferty
& the Beaver Brown Band
@ the Cut, Gloucester
Tuesday & Wednesday
December 30th & 31st
Deer Tick
with Al Olender (30th)
& James Felice (31st)
@ City Winery Boston
Wednesday, December 31st
Cabot Rockin’ New Year’s Eve
with Jon Butcher,
Barrence Whitfield,
and Quinn Sullivan
@ the Cabot
Friday, January 13th
Jess Williamson
@ the Sinclair
Wednesday, January 27th
Star Moles
@ Warehouse XI
Friday, February 13th
Chelsea Cutler
Lamb
@ Roadrunner
Friday, March 5th
Greta Van Fleet
The Kooks
@ TD Garden
Wednesday, March 17th
Def Leppard
Goo Goo Dolls
The Struts
@ TD Garden
Friday & Saturday
April 2nd & 3rd
Gary Gulman
@ the Wilbur
Saturday, April 10th
DARK SPRING BOSTON
The Final Festival
one last gathering!
@ the Middle East
Tuesday, April 13th
Lola Young
Sofia & the Antoinettes
@ Roadrunner
Friday, April 23rd
Fontaines D.C.
Westside Cowboy
@ MGM Music Hall
Wednesday, May 19th
Carly Rae Jepsen
@ MGM Music Hall
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