Joan Baez, Willie Nelson and local legends galore
Live music, the greatest art form humanity has come up with! Too much? Fine. Live music, probably the greatest art form humanity has come up with. Now that we got that out of the way, here is the Herald's Fall Concert Preview Spectacular. As usual, we have a huge range of sounds and styles to pick from. Get out your calendar, buy some tickets and support local artists (and international, jetsetting megastars).
• Muck + the Mires, tomorrow, the Plough & Stars, Cambridge: The local garage rock titans celebrate the release of the aptly titled “Muckus Maximus.” Raise a glass to the band that knows how to “Twist & Shout” and “Blitzkrieg Bop.”
• Joan Baez, Sept. 14-15, the Wang Theatre: Last year, days before being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Baez released her first song in 27 years: “Nasty Man,” a protest song aimed at Donald Trump. The return suited her, and in March, she released the new album “Whistle Down the Wind” just in time for her farewell tour.
• The Bliss, Sept. 15, Lizard Lounge, Cambridge: At this late date, it's near impossible to invent a new genre. Enter The Bliss and what frontwoman Jess Baggia calls “true grime.” On the band's debut disc, “Forensic Styles” (out Sept. 14), Baggia and crew blend such U.K. styles as grime and trip hop with a film noir feel. Start with the track “Make It Real,” where Baggia's cool vocals slink and sway over electro beats and tremolo guitar.
• A Celebration of Womxn in Music, Sept. 19-23, The Burren, Somerville: Bust Out Boston presents its first music festival, featuring an astounding set of local artists covering folk, punk, hip-hop and whatever you call the magic of Petty Morals. Too many aces to list them all, but let's start with Abbie Barrett, Neon Blk, Dark Matter, Lonely Leesa, Magen Tracy and Radium Girls.
• Willie Nelson and Sturgill Simpson, Sept. 21, Xfinity Center, Mansfield: Sturgill sounds like Willie in 1975. Willie sounds like, well, Willie. Too simple? Both are country outlaws happy to absorb bits of soul, bluegrass and honkytonk along the way. Bonus
points: The (soon-to-be) legendary Margo Price opens the show. • Terri Lyne Carrington,
Sept. 27, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Carrington is a Berklee instructor, three-time Grammy winner and one of the world's finest drummers. The jazz giant kicks off the fourth season of Rise, the Gardner series that features upand-coming acts from across a handful of genres.
• Fuzzstival, Sept. 28-29, Once Ballroom, Somerville: Be wowed by the buzz, be bowled over by the fuzz. Nearly two dozen garage, noise, punk and alt-rock bands get together to get loud. A few highlights: The Monsieurs, Lady Pills, Mr. Airplane Man. • The Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival, Sept. 29, intersection of Massachusetts and Columbus avenues: Speaking of Carrington, the Mass. native curates this free festival. Not surprisingly, she's selected some tiptop acts to play, including the Gregory Lewis Organ Monk Trio, Tia Fuller's Diamond Cut and Catherine Russell.
• Courtney Barnett, Oct. 21, House of Blues: Rock rises again and again. Patti Smith,
Pixies, PJ Harvey, the Hold Steady and now, Australia's Courtney Barnett. Thanks to Courtney for reminding us rock can't be killed. And for having the great Waxahatchee open up your fall tour.
• The Revolution, Oct. 27, the Wilbur: Let's get crazy. Let's get nuts. Let's go see the backing band that made Prince's little red corvette purr in the '80s. • The Lantern Tour with Emmylou Harris, Oct. 27, Orpheum Theatre: Harris teams with Jackson Browne, Lila Downs and Steve Earle for a concert to benefit the Women's Refugee Commission. Art and advocacy stand hand-in-hand at this acoustic show looking to raise funds for and shine a light on America's immigration crisis.
• Lake Street Dive, Nov. 17, the Wang Theatre: The Bostonborn quartet begins their new album, “Free Yourself Up,” with lead singer Rachael Price sounding like Diana Ross doing disco, intergalactic funk and Motown pop all at once. But listen to bassist Bridget Kearney's lyrics to “Baby Don't Leave Me Alone with My Thoughts” and you'll realize that sweet groove is fraught with contemporary troubles. This is Lake Street Dive: irrepressible pop and modern angst.