Start September off with a bang at the State Theatre, as rockers Chevelle take the stage with Kyng on Sept. 3. A few weeks after that, the Wilco frontman now known as Tweedy (pictured) plays with Hospitality on Sept. 28, and a few weeks after that, there’s some serious dubstep for the kids with Bassnectar, Kill Paris and Son of Kick on Oct. 8. You can get your dancey dancey on with Sound Tribe Sector 9 on Oct. 16, Natalie Merchant plays a reschedule show on Oct. 23, indie hip hop artists Aer, Dizzy Wright and Njomza are set for Oct. 25, and metal rules with Mastodan, Gojira and Kvelertak on Oct. 28.
Port City Music Hall, Portland
It’s almost overwhelming how much is going on at Port City this fall. Starting this week, there’s Les Claypool’s Duo de Twang on Aug. 28, and the Portland Soul Summit pre party featuring DJs Golf Clap, Marissa Guzman and Demarkus Lewis on Aug. 31. Next week, Future Islands, Operators and DJ Disco Phantom are set for Sept. 4, songwriters M. Ward and Jennifer Castle are set for Sept. 5, and Moon Hooch will play on Sept. 6. Another three day stretch begins shortly after that, with the New Mastersounds and Tauk on Sept. 9, Astronautilus (pictured above), Sarah Jaffe, Endless Jags and Transit on Sept. 10 and Rubblebucket with Body Language on Sept. 11. On Sept. 16 there’s the Weeks with Brave Baby and on Sept. 18 there’s indie songwriter Sun Kil Moon. Then there’s a four-day stretch featuring such diverse shows as a Portland soul revue featuring Kenya Hall, Lyle and Phil Divinsky and Spencer Albee Sept. 19, a hardcore show with Cruel Hand, Bane and Too Late the Hero Sept. 20, Billy Bragg Sept. 22 and Kevin Drew with Eleanor Friedburger Sept. 23. Wrap up September with a true blue rock n’ roll show on Sept. 27 featuring the Black Lips and King Khan & BBQ Show.
In October, Port City starts it off with some electro pop featuring Cherub, Ghost Beach and Gibbz Oct. 2, songwriter Marco Beneveneto Oct. 3, and duo BoomBox Oct. 5. Rustic Overtones will re-release their album “Viva Nueva” on Oct. 10, and on Oct. 11, bass god Mike Watt’s new project Il Sogno de Mariano is set for Portland. Rock duo JEFF the Brotherhood will play with Diarrhea Planet (yes, that’s their name) on Oct. 16, and indie rockers We Were Promised Jetpacks will play with the Twilight Sad on Oct. 17. Canadian favorites the Sam Roberts Band are set for Oct. 23, and indie favorites Lights are set for Oct. 24. October winds down with gnarly blues rocker Shakey Graves (pictured at left) on Oct. 25.
The Asylum stays pretty quiet until mid-September, when Dean Ford, Miss Fairchild and Justin Levinson play a show on Sept. 12. Then there’s Phish tribute band Pardon Me Doug on Sept. 19, rapper Mike Stud on Sept. 25, and European metal band Lacuna Coil with Devil You Know and Starset on Oct. 5. Country singer Gareth Emery is set for Oct. 9, 90s rockers Days of the New are set for Oct. 10, and country duo Love and Theft will play on Oct. 16. Finally for October, Twizted is set for Oct. 21, and country singer Joe Pardi is set for Oct. 25.
Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield
This lovely, intimate western Maine venue hosts folk and roots luminaries including Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder on Aug. 28, Asleep at the Wheel Sept. 12, Texas-via-Maine songwriter Slaid Cleaves Sept. 14, banjo legends Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn Sept. 18, mandolin man Sam Bush Sept. 21 and songwriter John Hiatt Sept. 26. In October, enjoy either Dar Williams Oct. 3, Gaelic Storm Oct. 10, Arlo Guthrie Oct. 16, Heather Masse (pictured at left) with Mike & Ruthy Oct. 17, Brett Dennan Oct. 23, and the legendary Dr. Ralph Stanley with the Clinch Mountain Boys Oct. 24.
Collins Center for the Arts, Orono
For the first time in a long time, the Collins Center offers up a robust schedule of rock and pop concerts for the fall, thanks to a partnership with Waterfront Concerts. This fall, enjoy either jam band legends moe. on Sept. 12, big band from the 1990s Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on Sept. 20, country-rocker Chris Isaak on Sept. 25, or soulful singer-songwriter Boz Scaggs on Oct. 12.
Tickets for all shows are available via the venue’s website.