September
Peter Gabriel
The “Back to Front” tour promises to deliver what its title sug-gests, with songs that span his entire career, and probably draw heavily from his 1986 classic, “So,” which comes out in a big 25th anniversary edition next month. Sept. 21, Wells Fargo Center
Twin Shadow
Twin Shadow’s sophomore al-bum, “Confess” picks up at the perfect moment where the debut left off. There’s a warm sensibility to George Lewis Jr.’s lyrics and the songs exude an icy cool that makes them feel like they could have been produced in the 1980s. But this is no studio trickery; live, the band faithfully reproduces the record’s sound. Sept. 25, Union Transfer
David Byrne with St. Vincent
David Byrne kind of owned “Love This Giant,” the collaborative album he just released with St. Vincent. But the dude is a giant of sorts, having helped give birth to America’s new wave movement in the late 1970s. That said, we hope Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent) will step to the front more for the live shows, as she is a real monster on the guitar.
Sept. 27, Tower Theatre, Upper Darby
Gotye
The “Somebody That I Used To Know” singer continues his bid to be more than just somebody that you used to know. The French musician’s live show features elaborately timed film projections and an artsy delivery that will reward attendees who go to the show just to see him play that one song. Sept. 29, Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ
October
Alabama Shakes
This bluesy rock band blew everybody away who saw them this spring. Then all of those people told all their friends about it. Now the Shakes are back (and at bigger venues), ready to accommodate all of those people and their friends. Oct. 1, Electric Factory
The Walkmen
“Heaven,” the Walkmen’s recent mainstream effort, didn’t feel quite as deep as their previous releases, but watching singer Hamilton Leithauser in-person may change the way you feel about that. The way he expels perfect-pitch yells will make you wonder why they didn’t just do the album live.
Oct. 6, Electric Factory
Waka Flocka Flame
Watching Waka live is kind of like seeing a one-man Wu-Tang. It’s not always easy to know what is going on if you don’t know the tracks already, but it’s guaran-teed fun. Oct. 10, The TLA
Dispatch
Dispatch was once a jammy Boston band that seemed like a fluke success story. They had earned a loyal following but decided to call it quits in 2004 and played a farewell show. That show drew 100,000 people! They’d get together occasionally to play reunion shows, but now with a brand-new album, “Circles Around the Sun,” they appear to be in it to win it again. Cape Cod-based “don’t miss” act the Parkington Sisters opens. Oct. 12, Tower Theatre, Upper Darby
Rush
If you haven’t already checked out setlists for the shows that Rush have played on this tour so far, you’ll be relieved to know that a concert earlier this week included these notes: “Where’s My Thing?” (with drum solo), “Headlong Flight” (with drum solo) and “Drum Solo” (The Percussor). Not only do they do two songs with drum solos, but Neil Peart plays one drum solo so immense that it has its own title! Oct. 12, Wells Fargo Center
Beach House
Fall is a chill season that awakens somber feelings of death and a hope for renewal. That’s’ kinda what Beach House do as well.
Oct. 16, Union Transfer
Father John Misty
Josh Tillman has played on his own and with bands like Fleet Foxes, but under his current moniker he seems to have really found his voice. His songs are folky, confident and evocatively weird. Consider this lyric: “Pour me another drink and punch me in the face/you can call me Nancy.” And go see him before everybody else learns how cool he is.
Oct. 21, Union Transfer
November
John Legend
John Legend’s loverman soul music is the perfect date night concert, setting the mood for what happens after the show, but if you catch opening act Lianne La Havas, you might have to leave to get intimate with whoever you brought with you before the headliner even takes the stage.
Nov. 1, Tower Theatre, Upper Darby
Smashing Pumpkins
Billy is back, with musicians who didn’t play on the original recordings of the songs that made his band famous. So what? They’ll still play all those songs. Need proof? The first three songs from a set in South Korea last month were “Zero,” “Bullet With the Butterfly Wings” and “Today.”
Nov. 2, Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ
Justin Bieber
The Biebs! If you’re going, you already bought tickets to this show months ago. If you’re not planning on going, there’s really not much we can tell you to persuade you to say, “Hmmm, I think I’m going to go out and buy Justin Bieber tickets.” Carly “Call Me Maybe” Rae Jepsen is opening! Did that work? Nov. 4, Wells Fargo Center
Catch ’em while you can
“Hope I die before I get old”? Yeah, right. Many of these musicians have entered their seventh decade. They may have hearing problems but none of them seem to have rocking problems. Actually, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen don’t “rock” per se, in the traditional way, but their poetry rocks!
Bob Dylan, Nov. 19, Wells Fargo Center
Neil Young & Crazy Horse (with Patti Smith), Nov. 29, Wells Fargo Center
The Who, Dec. 8, Wells Fargo Center
