[Boston-Area Action 7/22/2026] Show-Going Plans & New Show Announcements
Posted on July 22, 2026 at 3:22 pm | No Comments
Hey, so yeah, kinda busy again. Obligations just about every night this week, and another demanding workload, which has me on the verge of just skipping this weekly shows update thing. But I’ve finally got a spare moment so let’s see what I can crank out.
If you’re seeing this for the first time: Once a week, usually Wednesdays, I ramble a bit about a handful of Boston-area shows that are happening in the next 7 days that I’m particularly psyched about (or think you might be), and then chat about some new show announcements, before sharing longer lists of each that you might want to put on your radar.
Highlights from the week ahead: Well, it’s all about NICE, a fest in Somerville on Friday, Saturday, & Sunday (plus a pre-fest shindig tomorrow night). An incredible (and incredibly large) lineup, as usual, but I’m most excited about Friday with the long-awaited area return of Krill. Plus I finally get to see Dari Bay, catch Sad13 solo, & witness some Rick Rude. Soooo many good bands all weekend. I’m excited, but also already pre-tired. Gonna have to dig deep for this one.
Otherwise, in the not-NICE sense, there’s the Allah-Las in Somerville tonight, Los Lobos up in Gloucester, too. Tomorrow brings Twisted Teens to the Sinclair, and the first of two nights with the Smoking Popes (marking their 35th anniversary) & Radiator Hospital at Deep Cuts. Kurt Vile & his band are also at the Royale on Friday, while Passion Pit hit the House of Blues. Francis Forever will be at Warehouse XI on Saturday, up against Lisa Bastoni & Sean Staples in the Rec Room in Belmont (ask an older punk). Speaking of, um, aging, here’s an odd team up on Sunday: Men at Work, Toad the Wet Sprocket, & Shonen Knife at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset. Pretty tempting.
The always-entertaining Robyn Hitchcock will be presenting his new book at the Seaport/Boston location of Porter Square Books on Monday, and since his new album arrives on Friday, I can’t imagine he won’t also be playing some songs, as he did last time he was at the original PSB. After that, you could head straight to the all-Canadian triple-bill at MGM Music Hall with Broken Social Scene, Metric, & Stars. I shy away from huge rooms & huger ticket prices, but I’m close to shelling out just to see “Ageless Beauty” played live in front of me. Guessing I’ll be too worn out by then, but I’ve learned to never say never.
Announcements? We’ve got a few. Bobby Bare Jr. has just this very moment announced a special solo show in Somerville on August 13th. This year’s free Riverfest on 8/22 on Salisbury Beach, which was canceled last year due to high tides from Hurricane Erin before Belly could headline, instead has Spin Doctors, but has kept Buffalo Tom & Gavin Marengi (who I will NEVER not read as “Garth Marenghi”!) on the bill while adding Fantastic Cat in place of the Far Out. I was already near the beach when last year got the axe, and this time I’ll be out of town. Alas. Next year, maybe? Bring back Belly for a do-over.
Other announcements I’m diggin’: Identical Cousins are doing a Catherine O’Hara tribute show on 8/23 at Crystal Ballroom, and Wesley Stace will be back at Club Passim in September. October brings Sylvan Esso to House of Blues, plus Greg Freeman & Hello Shark to the Sinclair. Don’t sleep on that one… Greg sold out his last area show super-fast (and it was freakin’ fantastic).
Ok, I’m already taking too long doing this thing. Time to cut and paste the full lists I’ve gathered. If you see something incorrect, say something. And If there’s a show this week you’re particularly psyched about that I didn’t list (either here or on the Nac’s right-column master-list, over there—>), feel free leave a comment here or on my farcebook post.
On to the lists…
First, imminent Boston-area shows of (my/your?) interest…
Tuesday & Wednesday
July 21st & 22nd
Billy Strings
@ Agganis Arena
Wednesday, July 22nd
Los Lobos
@ the Cut
Wednesday, July 22nd
Allah-Las
Rahill
@ the Crystal Ballroom
Wednesday, July 22nd
Finn Wolfhard
Sleeper’s Bell
@ Royale
Thursday, July 23rd
The NICE, a fest MIX’R
a pre-fest hang
with live sets from
Gollylagging & Otis Shanty
plus other cool stuff
@ the Somerville Armory
Thursday, July 23rd
Twisted Teens
Ravi Shavi
@ the Sinclair
Thursday & Friday
July 23rd & 24th
Smoking Popes
35th Anniversary Tour
with Radiator Hospital
@ Deep Cuts
Friday, July 24th
Man Man
Death Valley Girls
@ the Sinclair
Friday, July 24th
Kurt Vile & the Violators
Being Dead
@ the Royale
Friday, July 24th
Passion Pit
@ the House of Blues
Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
July 24th, 25th, & 26th
NICE, a fest
the lineup was announced!
too many bands to list here.
just go take a look.
@ Davis Square, Somerville
Friday – Sunday
July 24th – July 26th
2026 Lowell Folk Fest
Elida Almeida, Dat Mighty 9,
Melissa Carper & Emily Gimble,
John Doyle & Friends,
Fabiola Mendez,
and Super Chikan
& the Fighting Cocks
@ downtown Lowell
Saturday, July 25th
Fra
@ Warehouse XI
Saturday, July 25th
Lisa Bastoni
Sean Staples
@ the Rec Room
Sunday, July 26th
Men At Work
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Shonen Knife
@ South Shore Music Circus
Monday, July 27th
Robyn Hitchcock
presents his new book
@ Porter Square Books
Seaport/Boston location
Monday, July 27th
Metric
Broken Social Scene
Stars
@ MGM Music Hall
Tuesday, July 28th
Babe Rainbow
Sam Blasucci
Spirit Ghost
@ Crystal Ballroom
And now, recently announced Boston-area shows…
Thursday, August 13th
Bobby Bare Jr.
Live in Somerville
(search eventbrite for info)
Saturday, August 22nd
92.5’s Riverfest 2026
with Spin Doctors,
Buffalo Tom, Fantastic Cat,
and Gavin Marengi
@ Salisbury Beach Boardwalk
Sunday, August 23rd
Identical Cousins Present!
“Home for the Holidays”
A Catherine O’Hara Tribute
@ the Crystal Ballroom
Wednesday, September 9th
Glitterer
Bleary Eyed
Guttered
@ the Sinclair
Tuesday, September 22nd
Wesley Stace
@ Club Passim
Wednesday, September 23rd
Rebecca Black
@ the Royale
Wednesday, September 23rd
Fastball
Spacehog
@ Crystal Ballroom
Sunday, September 27th
Militarie Gun
Softcult
Shady Nasty
Dazy
@ the Paradise
Sunday, October 11th
gymclassheroes
Lupe Fiasco
B.o.B.
@ House of Blues
Friday, October 16th
Don Was
& the Pan-Detroit Ensemble
@ the Sinclair
Saturday, October 17th
Sylvan Esso
@ House of Blues
Tuesday, October 20th
Greg Freeman
Hello Shark
@ the Sinclair
Thursday & Friday
October 30th & 31st
moe
@ the Wilbur
Monday, November 9th
Jessica Lee Mayfield
Rachel Bobbitt
@ Deep Cuts
Saturday, November 21st
Martin Sexton
@ City Winery
Friday, November 27th
Judy Collins
@ Cary Memorial Hall
Sunday, November 29th
Shaun Cassidy
Holiday Show
@ Cary Memorial Hall
Thursday, December 17th
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
@ the Cabot
February 19th, 2027
Dan Reeder
@ the Somerville Armory
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