POP MUSIC
Summer may be the year’s busiest concert season, but autumn also brings scores of musicians to North Texas before they park their tour buses during the fallow days of December and January.
After scanning the calendar for promising shows of all genres and sizes, here are nine of the best for fall 2016:
Kacey Musgraves
The East Texas country star with the offbeat sense of humor kicks off the music lineup at the State Fair of Texas. Other worthy acts later in the fair (which runs Sept. 30-Oct. 23) include rapper Nelly, former Kumbia King A.B. Quintanilla, and zydeco accordion player Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band. Sept. 30 at the State Fair in Fair Park, Dallas. bigtex.com.
The Mavericks
Expect a Caribbean dance party from these Miami veterans, who are best-known for blending country, Tex-Mex and R&B. The group’s latest CD finds singer Raul Malo and company dabbling in Jamaican ska. Oct. 7 at “the world’s largest honky-tonk,” Billy Bob’s Texas, Fort Worth. billybobstexas.com.
Elvis Costello
Performing without his usual band, the Imposters, could afford Costello the chance to spin some of the yarns he included in his ’15 autobiography, Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink. The Atlanta sister-duo Larkin Poe opens and also backs Elvis during part of show. Oct. 11 at the historic Majestic Theatre, Dallas. ticketmaster.com.
Bloomin’ Bluegrass Festival
Mandolins and banjos rule the roost at this free annual country-folk festival. Headliners this year include bluegrass heavyweights Del McCoury, Jerry Douglas, David Grisman and Rhonda Vincent. Oct. 14-15 at Farmers Branch Historical Park, Farmers Branch. bloominbluegrass.com.
Marc Anthony
The former Mr. J.Lo is salsa’s all-time best-selling singer and a multiple Latin Grammy winner. After flirting with English-language pop music earlier in his career, Anthony has refocused on his Latin roots in recent years. Oct. 15 at American Airlines Center, Dallas. ticketmaster.com.
Phish
The eclectic Vermont jam band usually skips North Texas on its U.S. tours, but it’s making up for the slight with two shows this time: Expect a very loose set peppered with covers of tunes by the likes of the Talking Heads, Stevie Wonder and the Rolling Stones. Oct. 24-25 at Verizon Theatre, Grand Prairie. axs.com.
Adele
Of all the artists to come out of the Winehouse school of neo-soul, 28-year-old Adele Adkins has taken that style to the greatest commercial heights. The English singer’s first U.S. arena tour brings her to North Texas for the first time since she played the Granada Theater in ’09. Nov. 1-2 at American Airlines Center, Dallas. ticketmaster.com.
Charles Bradley
A classic late bloomer, Bradley debuted at age 62 with 2011’s No Time for Dreaming, the most soulful LP James Brown never made. The singer stretches out and covers Black Sabbath on his latest album, Changes. Nov. 5 at the Granada Theater, Dallas. granadatheater.com.
Andra Day
If you have to miss the Adele concert, consider seeing Andra Day instead. A young San Diego singer with soaring pipes, Day earned two Grammy nominations this year for her jazzy, bluesy spin on R&B balladry. Dec. 6 at House of Blues, Dallas. houseofblues.com/dallas.