Fall started nearly a week ago but in the world of music, it didn’t feel like the seasons had properly changed until just now.
It just doesn’t feel like fall until The Meadows Music Theatre, Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater, Westville Music Bowl and the other big outdoor venues wind down. Yes, the fall college semester started nearly a month ago, but the bands that attract that demographic have only just started poking their heads out of the ground and getting on the road.
The biggest trend this year is thankfully not more tribute bands but the classical crossover concerts where a soundtrack to a classical film is disabled and an orchestra is brought onstage to play the music live. This type of show started years ago with the “Star Wars” and “Harry Potter” films but also hearkens back to a century ago when movies were silent and orchestra musicians and pipe organists routinely played along with them. The standard for what sort of film deserves the live orchestra has really changed and broadened to include more TV series.
First, there’s the return of “Outlander in Concert,” with a live soundtrack to scenes from the TV series on Oct. 9 at the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford. “My Hero Academia” marks the 10th anniversary of the hit animated series on Oct. 15, also at the Oakdale. That show is memorably scored by Yuki Hayashi. On Oct. 21, the Oakdale presents “Ghostbusters in Concert,” a rare live comedy to get the live orchestral treatment. There’s also “Blade Runner” live on Oct. 30 at College Street Music Hall in New Haven with a new way to appreciate the synthesizer-based score by Vangelis.
Here’s more of what to listen for this fall:
Made in Connecticut
Fairfield County native John Mayer, who still lives in the area, performs on Oct 9 at Mohegan Sun Arena. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook, aka The Kate, continues to create inspired double bills of longtime favorite local acts. On Nov. 1, it’s The Zambonis, who only sing about hockey, and Big Fat Combo, which has the rockingest stand-up bass player in the state. The groove band Goose, which hails from Wilton, does back-to-back shows on Nov. 13 and 14 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville.
Javier Colon, forever known as the first winner on “The Voice,” lives in West Hartford and does a local show every holiday season at Infinity Music Hall Hartford with special guests. This year, Colon performs on Dec. 5. Nick Fradiani, who has performed with local bands for decades, and his son, Nick Fradiani Jr. of reality show and Broadway “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical” fame, join up for three father-son concerts at The Kate Dec. 21-23.
Of course, there are daily chances to see great local musicians in Connecticut. Some of the best places to start are the Space Ballroom in Hamden and Cafe Nine in New Haven, where a lot of new punk bands get their first shows, Black-Eyed Sally’s, where the blues scene lives, Real Art Ways, where music curator Joe Morris gives local jazz artists an opportunity to experiment, and Toad’s Place in New Haven for the metal scene.
For one-stop shopping in local music, the Glastonbury Apple Harvest & Music Festival, Oct. 16-18 in Glastonbury’s Riverfront Park, offers dozens of Connecticut bands in a wide variety of genres, from the peppy punk rock of The Problem With Kids Today to the Don Minnott & High Voltage reggae band to blues from Chicago Dawgs to Jeff Przech doing a Waylon Jennings tribute.
Rap and hip-hop
Some legendary rappers descend on Connecticut this fall, including Michael Franti, formerly of Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, and his longtime band Spearhead, on Oct. 1 at College Street Music Hall; KRS-One on Oct. 6 at Toad’s Place in New Haven; a Pass the Mic Live tour with Busta Rhymes, Jadakiss, Ja Rule, Nelly and Fat Joe on Oct. 11 at Mohegan Sun Arena; Bow Wow, who began his career 33 years ago at age 6 as Lil’ Bow Wow, and Tricky Ricky on Oct. 17 at the Oakdale Theatre; Arrested Development on Oct. 22 at Ridgefield Playhouse; Insane Clown Posse on Oct. 25 at The Webster in Hartford; and Shaggy on Nov. 20 at Foxwoods Resort Casino’s Premier Theater.
Other rappers and hip-hop artists coming to a club or theater near you are Chief Keef on Oct. 2 at the Oakdale, Arcangel on Oct. 22 at the Oakdale, Kottonmouth Kings on Nov. 8 at The Webster and Lil Tracy on Nov. 14, also at The Webster.
Classical tunes
The big classical performers coming to Connecticut this fall are pianist Emanuel Ax and cellist Yo Yo Ma on Dec. 4 at The Bushnell, with Ax also performing a solo show on Oct. 28 at Ridgefield Playhouse. Matteo Bocelli sings Nov. 28 at the Great Cedar Showroom at Foxwoods Resort Casino.
Quirkier classical concerts include the pop act Five for Fighting playing with a string quartet on Oct. 4 at Infinity Music Hall Hartford, the rock band Guster performing with Hartford Symphony Orchestra at The Bushnell on Nov. 6 and the frisky genre-hopping pop violinist Lindsey Stirling on Dec. 3 at Foxwoods.
Preparing for the departure of their longtime music director Carolyn Kuan, who leaves in May 2027, Hartford Symphony Orchestra is having each of the candidates who may succeed her conduct one of the orchestra’s Masterworks concerts this season. First up are Yaniv Dinur conducting the first Masterworks concert Oct. 23-25, Jonathan Taylor Rush Nov. 20-22 and Alastair Willis Dec. 11-13.
Classic rock
Bands from the days when national popularity meant having a hit record on AM radio still tour constantly. For some of them it’s nostalgia, while others are still actively writing and recording new material. Here’s a sampler of the big names from olden times en route to Connecticut:
Robin Trower, whose ‘60s band was Procol Harum, Sept. 30 at Ridgefield Playhouse; the 1980s heavy metal heroes W.AS.P., Oct. 1 at the Oakdale Theatre; New Jersey’s power pop finest The Smithereens with guest vocalist John Wesley Harding, Oct. 2 at The Kate; Foo Fighters, whose recent appearances in the state were at the smallish Toad’s Place and the vast Total Mortgage Arena, at Mohegan Sun Arena Oct. 4; Ann Wilson (of Heart) and Tipster Oct. 9 at Ridgefield Playhouse; Foghat on Oct. 16 at Toad’s Place; Sebastian Bach, formerly of Skid Row, on Oct. 22 at District Music Hall; hitmakers Godsmack from Lawrence, Massachusetts on Oct. 24 at Mohegan Sun Arena; Canadian rock icons Rush on Oct. 30 and Nov. 1 at Mohegan Sun Arena; The King Crimson retrospective Beat with former Crimson members Adrian Belew, Steve Vai, Tony Levin and Terry Bozzio on Nov. 5 at Mohegan Sun Arena; Don Felder, former Eagles guitarist, on Nov. 11 at District Music Hall; Metallica, Nov. 19 and 21 at Mohegan Sun Arena; Motown legends The Temptations on Nov. 28 at Foxwoods’ Premier Theater; Australian “Jessie’s Girl” and “I’ve Done Everything for You” rocker Rick Springfield on Dec. 4 at Foxwoods’ Great Cedar Showroom; and The Stray Cats strutting on Dec. 6 at the Premier Theater at Foxwoods.
Bluegrass
Bluegrass is a big category this fall, and fiddle music can extend in lots of directions.
Eileen Ivers fiddles on Oct. 10 at The Kate. The progressive folk/rock/bluegrass act Greensky Bluegrass returns to College Street Music Hall on Nov. 21, and a true banjo virtuoso, Bela Fleck, is playing two nights at The Kate on Nov. 15 at 2 and 7 p.m. and they’re nearly sold out.
Punk
The best punk is probably the small club shows popping up at The Webster Underground in Hartford, the Space Ballroom in Hamden and Cafe Nine in New Haven. A few names will be at bigger venues, including Pennywise on Sept. 29 at Toad’s Place in New Haven, legendary punk progenitors The Damned (the first ‘70s British punk band to release a full album) on Oct. 17 at District Music Hall, The Story So Far on Oct. 23 at the Oakdale Dome space in Wallingford and Blood for Blood on Nov. 14 at District Music Hall.
Courtesy of Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center
Karla Bonoff performs on Oct. 6 at The Kate. (Courtesy of Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center)
Jam bands
The Grateful Dead sound is well represented this fall. Yes, Dead co-founder Bob Weir died this year and so did “Victim or the Crime” co-songwriter Gerritt Graham, but this time of year is when college students return so it’s generally the best time to honor the Dead. Shakedown Citi is at the Space Ballroom in Hamden on Oct. 8 and at Infinity Music Hall Norfolk on Oct. 20. The LGBTQ+ Nashville band Bertha brings its acclaimed and fabulous looking Grateful Drag show to District Music Hall in Norwalk on Oct. 13. Melvin Seals and JGB, who carry on the work of the Jerry Garcia Band, play on Oct. 21 at Infinity Music Hall Hartford. The Grateful Shred is at Infinity Music Hall Hartford on Oct. 28.
Slightly less Dead-centric jams emanate from Kendall Street Company on Oct. 10 at Infinity Music Hall Hartford, Max Creek on Nov. 27 at Infinity Music Hall Norfolk and Nov. 28 at Infinity Music Hall Hartford and Big Head Todd and the Monsters on Nov. 15 at College Street Music Hall
Arch Street Tavern in Hartford continues to corner the market in club-sized jam or rock/folk/jazz fusion acts, with Shannon and the Riff Raff on Oct. 10, the eclectic harmony-based act Upstate celebrating its new album “Albalone” on Oct. 16 and a psychedelic funk double bill of Ghosts of Jupiter and the wonderfully named Organ Fairchild on Oct. 23.
Jazz
Spyro Gyra is playing on Nov. 6 at Infinity Music Hall Hartford. The Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme has such class acts as the Jalen Baker Quintet on Oct. 3, the Sean Nelson Jazz Orchestra on Oct. 21 and the all-star Metta Quintet on Oct. 23 to name just a few.
The jazz-oriented improvised “Instantiations” experimental music series has two scheduled shows at Real Art Ways: Oct. 4 with saxophonist Larry Ochs, drummer Michael Wimberly, trumpeter Nate Wooley and series founder Joe Morris on bass, then Nov. 8 with Morris, trombonist Dan Blackberg, trumpeter Charlie Watson and drummer Mark Valdes.
New Haven’s Firehouse 12 has one of the most revelatory jazz series in the state, intense listening-room experiences featuring forward-thinking jazz artists from New York, Europe and beyond. This year’s Firehouse 12 jazz series brings Anna Webber’s Shimmer Wince on Oct. 2, the Angelica Sanchez Nonet on Oct. 16, Laura Ann Singh’s Fracas Quintet on Oct. 23 and many others, ending on Dec. 11 with Prawntail.
That’s just a mild sampling. The best local clearinghouse for Connecticut jazz shows is the calendar compiled by the Hartford Jazz Society. It largely consists of weekly jazz jams at places like Cafe Nine, Real Art Ways and experimental workshops at Wesleyan Center for the Arts.
Erika Kamano
Filipino/British singer beabadoobee comes to Connecticut on her “Power Lines” tour Oct. 1 at Mohegan Sun Arena. (Erika Kamano)
Singer/songwriters
You could classify them as singer/songwriters, folk artists, solo acoustic musicians, pop vocalists or “other,” but their voices are their fortunes and we know them by their voices rather than their genres. The great Tom Jones, who long ago shifted from heart-throbby pop to a bluesier sound, is at Foxwoods’ Premier Theater on Sept. 27. The singular Filipino/British singer Beabadoobee is at Mohegan Sun Arena on Oct. 1. Alanis Morissette, who crafted one of the bestselling pop solo albums of all time, performs Oct. 2 at Mohegan Sun Arena.
An expressive folk double bill of Maine’s Ellis Paul and Connecticut’s Brian Larney open the Olde Church Acoustic series in Meriden on Oct. 2. Karla Bonoff is at The Kate on Oct. 6. Art Garfunkel, the higher voice in Simon & Garfunkel, sings on Oct. 8 at Ridgefield Playhouse. Romantic yet vocalist Ricky Martin is at Mohegan Sun Arena on Oct. 15. Daughtry, fronted by fifth season “American Idol” finalist Chris Daughtry, appears at Mohegan Sun Arena on Oct. 15, and Cheyenne Jackson, who’s both a Broadway star and a pop star, is at The Bushnell on Oct. 17.
The gentle town of Dar Williams can be heard twice in the state this season: Oct. 23 at Ridgefield Playhouse and Dec. 3 at Infinity Hall Norfolk. The duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela warble on Oct. 25 at College Street Music Hall. Paul Anka, who wrote his own hits as well as some for Frank Sinatra, performs on Nov. 7 at Foxwoods’ Premier Theater. Singer/songwriter Phillip Phillips performs on Nov. 13 at District Music Hall. The harmony pop trio Il Volo is at Mohegan Sun Arena on Nov. 15. Chinese singer Wang Feng of the band No. 43 Baojia Street, now a solo artist, is at Mohegan Sun Arena on Nov. 25. Judy Collins is on her farewell tour Nov. 29 and 30 at Ridgefield Playhouse.
Beth Nielsen Chapman, who has written pop and country hits for others, sings her own songs in her own voice on Oct. 11 at The Kate. Jimmy Webb, another singer/songwriter who has reclaimed hits he wrote for others, is at The Kate on Nov. 5.
Rufus Wainwright, one of the most stirring pop voices of his generation but also an extraordinary live performer and an uncompromising composer, has two Connecticut shows this fall: First is a special show at UConn’s Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts on Nov. 21 revisiting his youth by recapturing the spirit of his legendary Judy Garland concert and his “Want: One” and “Want: Two” albums, then a solo show on Nov. 22 at Ridgefield Playhouse.
All grown up
Ringo Starr, who with The Beatles started the whole beat group craze of the ‘60s, brings his All-Starr Band to the Oakdale Theater on Oct. 4.
Shaun Cassidy’s pop career began with a cover of “Da Doo Ron Ron” and ended with a wonderfully bizarre New Wave album produced by Todd Rundgren. Cassidy’s recently gone back on the road, playing Infinity Music Hall Norfolk on Dec. 5.
For a sense of the current state of mainstream teen pop, young pop singers of today bring the soundtracks from Disney TV movie series to life on the latest “Disney Worlds Collide” tour on Nov. 6 at PeoplesBank Arena. The tour features stars from “Descendants,” “Zombies” and “Camp Rock.”
Reggae/ska
Like country music, reggae music can kind of fade into the background in the fall. There is a big show from international reggaeton star Don Omar on Sept. 27 at PeoplesBank Arena and UB40 coming to Ridgefield Playhouse on Sept. 29. Watch for frantic ska bands young and old popping up at Toad’s Place or Space Ballroom.
Country
Country is one of those genres that rules Connecticut in the summertime but all but vanishes in the fall. At least the variety is strong with Randy Travis on Oct. 1 at the Garde Arts Center in New London, Lainey WIlson on Oct. 10 at Mohegan Sun Arena, Little Big Town on Oct. 18 at the Oakdale Theatre and the duo Sugarland on Nov. 12 at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Daria Kobayashi Ritch
Singer/guitarist Snail Mail plays College Street Music Hall on Oct. 3 with Soccer Mommy. (Daria Kobayashi Ritch)
Guitar stylists
Guitars are everywhere on this list but some stand out, such as young female guitar stylist Snail Mail at College Street Music Hall on Oct. 3 with Soccer Mommy, blues great Coco Montoya on Oct. 28 at The Kate and the ubiquitous guitarist Jimmy Vivino, a versatile sideman in the studio and live for dozens of artists as well as a key member of the NBC “Late Night” band when Conan O’Brien had that show. Vivino joins John Sebastian of The Lovin’ Spoonful on Nov. 6 at The Kate. Flamenco/jazz guitar great Jesse Cook performs on Nov. 10 also at The Kate. The eclectic folk/blues/Americana/experimental rock trio The Wood Brothers, with Oliver Wood on acoustic and electric guitars, is at Ridgefield Playhouse on Dec. 5.
Dance/electronic
You can shake your booty this fall to everything from KC and the Sunshine Band on Oct. 2 at Foxwoods’ Premier Theater to The Midnight on Oct. 8 at College Street Music Hall to Sylvan Esso on Oct. 15 at College Street Music Hall to The Living Tombstone on Oct. 24 at College Street Music Hall and Cannons on Oct. 21 at (you guessed it) College Street Music Hall. Thank goodness College Street Music Hall has a sizeable area in front of the stage where folks can move, not to mention wide aisles.
Blues
Black-Eyed Sally’s, which serves up the blues every week alongside its southern BBQ food in Hartford, hosts top local blues acts such as Carl Ricci & 706 Union Ave. on Oct. 2 and nationally known blues stars such as Tyrone Vaughn (son of Jimmie Vaughn) on Oct. 10, Brad Vickers & His Vestapolitans on Oct. 16 and harmonica player Darell Nulisch on Oct. 31.
Tributes but not tribute bands
There are more tribute bands coming to Connecticut to catalogue here. Rest assured that fans of anyone from The Stones to Styx to Billy Joel will be fine. It’s worth noting a few tributes to other artists that are completely different from the lookalike/soundalike bands like Blind Boys of Alabama applying their ethereal harmonies to a fresh interpretation of the Stevie Wonder album “Songs in the Key of Life” on Oct. 19 at The Kate, or Joan Osborne singing the songs of Bob Dylan on Dec. 4, also at The Kate. Massachusetts singer/songwriter Brian Dolzani continues to bring his “The Loner” concerts of Neil Young songs around the state with shows at New Park Brewing in West Hartford on Oct. 30, Nov. 6 at Nod Hill Backspace in Ridgefield and on Dec. 3 at Fairfield Theatre Company’s Stage One.
Rock with roughness
There’s not much that unites this subset of Connecticut concerts except for a certain roughness and raw urgency. The sound of the fall getting dark and creepy includes a “Taste of Chaos” tour with In This Moment, Hollywood Undead, I See Stars, Vana and Melrose Avenue on Sept. 30 at College Street Music Hall; The Linda Lindas on Oct. 7 at Toad’s Place; Alien Ant Farm on Oct. 7 at District Music Hall; the “Soul of a New War Machine” tour featuring Mushroomhead with Fear Factory and Nine Treasures on Oct. 13 at Toad’s Place; Lords of Acid on Oct. 15 at District Music Hall; Trapt on Oct .16 at The Webster; Cradle of Filth on Oct. 16 at District Music Hall; Toad the Wet Sprocket on Oct. 29 at Ridgefield Playhouse; Built to Spill on Oct. 29 at District Music Hall; The Wrecks on Nov. 4 at District Music Hall; Chat Pile on Nov. 8 at District Music Hall; Born of Osiris and Miss May I on Nov. 10 at District Music Hall; fancy metallists Trivium on Nov. 11 at College Street Music Hall; Rival Sons on Nov. 20 at College Street Music Hall and indie icons Deer Tick on Nov. 21 at District Music Hall.
Courtesy of Mohegan Sun Arena
Straight No Chaser brings its holiday show to Mohegan Sun Arena on Dec. 4. (Courtesy of Mohegan Sun Arena)
Happy holidays
As with the theater realm, fall programming has become much more regularly and deeply aligned with the holidays. We’re not just talking about Christmas here. Nekrogoblikon, led by a horrific green-faced imp, is playing District Music Hall in Norwalk on Halloween night. October is also when you see bands with names like All Them Witches, performing on Oct. 18 at District Music Hall.
Thanksgiving has become a time to pay live tribute to “The Last Waltz,” the landmark final concert by The Band which happened on Thanksgiving week in 1976. Some “Last Waltz” events have yet to be announced, but Dave Lefkin and Foxtrotter are leading other members of the shoreline music scene in a recreation of that star-studded concert on Nov. 25 at Small Batch Cellars Winery in North Haven. There is also a screening of Martin Scorsese’s documentary about the concert on Nov. 28 at Sacred Heart University Community Theater in Fairfield. Thanksgiving week is also when a New Haven institution, Dean Falcone’s Vomitorium, takes place at Cafe Nine in New Haven. The annual Vomitorium tradition began in the ‘90s as an outlet for musicians who’d come back to New Haven to celebrate Thanksgiving with their families.
Christmas festivities, some of which return to Connecticut year after year after year, include New Age keyboardist Jim Brickman’s special “Christmas Live” on Nov. 27 at The Bushnell in Hartford, the rap/dance extravaganza “The Hip Hop Nutcracker” on Dec. 22 at the Shubert Theatre, reggae/alternative artist Mihali’s “Mihalidaze” tour on Dec. 12 at Infinity Music Hall Hartford and the jam-happy Slambovian Circus of Dreams’ A Very Slambovian Christmas on Dec. 12 at Infinity Music Hall Norfolk.
Two Connecticut venues in particular have the Christmas season sewn up. Ridgefield Playhouse in Ridgefield has Christmas with the Celts on Dec. 1 and 2, the Johnnyswim Christmas Show on Dec. 4, the Old Crow Medicine Show Holiday Hootenanny on Dec. 7 and the Mickey Guyton and Friends Holiday Tour on Dec. 15. The Kate in Old Saybrook presents The Irish Tenors Family Christmas on Dec. 1 and 2, the Tartan Tenors Celtic Christmas Spectacular on Dec. 6, a “Wintersongs and Carols” concert with former October Project vocalist Mary Fahl on Dec. 11 and a three-night-stand by the New Haven-based Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus annual holiday show, this year titled “Fruitcake,” Dec. 12-14.
On the arena scale, there’s the return of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s “Ghosts of Christmas Eve” for two shows on Nov. 29 and a holiday show from the a cappella sensations Straight No Chaser on Dec. 4, both at Foxwoods Premier Theater in Mashantucket.
And the rest
Emo’s either dying out again or a part of everything, depending on how you define that elastic emotional musical element. Some self-proclaimed emo acts to seek out include Mulligan on Nov. 7 at College Street Music Hall and American Football on Dec. 18 at College Street Music Hall.
You are also going to want to keep a close eye on the listings at The Webster and Space Ballroom. The barely definable sound of Sunn O))), a kind of humane experimental metal drone with umpteen permutations, returns to Connecticut all the way from Washington State for an Oct. 10 show at District Music Hall. And let’s end this overlong yet still far from complete local music overview with “John Reilly is Mr. Romantic” on Nov. 18 at Ridgefield Playhouse, where the celebrated actor basically begs to sing so he won’t be forced back into a wooden box.