Love you live

Here’s just a small handful of picks for what is going to be another fine concert season in Western New York.

ZZ Top

ZZ Top—Wednesday, September 19 at Seneca Niagara Casino. That “Lil’ Old Band From Texas” is still rocking…and it’s not all about the beards, shades and the red car. Though usually heralded for their 1980s, MTV-era breakthrough albums backed by sly videos loaded with raunch and fun, their records from the decade before that—like Rio Grande Mud and Tres Hombres—are absolute rock-and-roll masterpieces that meld the blues, heavy rock licks and a deep psychedelic boogie. ZZ Top is a band every rock fan should see at least once. You will not leave disappointed.

Andrew Bird

Andrew Bird—Monday, September 24 at Asbury Hall at the Church. Since the last time Chicago singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird played Buffalo—about five years ago by our count—he’s grown from a cult artist to a bona fide sensation. Bird’s ever-expanding sonic boundaries, as evidenced by the boldly enigmatic 2006 record Armchair Apocrypha (Fat Possum), fueled his buzz in the blogosphere and has brought him to the national spotlight with NPR, David Letterman and Conan O’Brien. His jaw-dropping live show is also responsible for Bird’s ascendance. He’s moved from shows at tiny clubs to sold-out theaters and headline stages on festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza.

Southern Culture on the Skids

Southern Culture on the Skids—Thursday, September 27 at Mohawk Place. It’ll be like an autumn picnic with the finger-lickin’ goodness of Southern Culture on the Skids. The trio is almost certain to trailer-trash their way through a raucous set of their own rockabilly faves like “Eight Piece Box,” “Voodoo Cadillac” and “Liquored Up and Lacquered Down,” along with classic C&W nuggets from their recent cover album, Countrypolitan Favorites.

The New Pornographers—Saturday, October 20 at Riviera Theater. One of indiedom’s most revered acts finally makes a stop in Western New York this October as head Pornographer A.C. Newman brings his cohorts—reportedly with revered chanteuse Neko Case among the fold for this tour—to run through the powerpop complexities of the band’s just-released fourth album, Challengers (Matador).

Every Time I Die—Tuesday, October 23 at Evolution. These local boys gone bad return to town to revel in their grinding, uncompromised brand of metalcore. Their latest, The Big Dirty (Ferret), is on shelves this Tuesday but is already garnering great reviews, including a New York Times clip where writer Ben Ratliff raves on the “stout, idiomatic American English” quality in singer Keith Buckley’s lyrics. ETID—comprising Buckley and his brother Jordan, Andy Williams and Mike “Ratboy” Novak—should have a big season in front of them. The ETID gang will share the bill with Underoath and Poison the Well.

They Might Be Giants

They Might Be Giants—Friday, November 16 at Town Ballroom. John Linnell and John Flansburgh have been making music for 25 years and have seemingly not slowed down a bit. Though they’ve found a huge second career penning and performing kid’s songs and themes for Disney, their alternative rock icon status hasn’t diminished. They recently issued The Else (Idlewild) and their quirky, skewered pop and musicianship still makes for an unmatched live spectacle.

Album anticipation

Try as it might, downloading can’t kill the album format and there is a handful of hotly tipped releases expected to hit in the coming fall months.

September 18:

Broken Social

Scene presents Kevin Drew

Spirit If…

(Arts & Crafts)

One of the mainmen of the sprawling Canadian art-rock collective Broken Social Scene takes center stage with a grandiose pop soundscape collage. The track “Back Out on the…” features J. Mascis and could be one of the best rock songs of the year.

September 25:

Joni Mitchell

Shine

(Hear Music)

One of the greatest songwriters on the planet makes her first record in a decade for the Starbucks imprint.

October 2:

Bruce Springsteen

& the E Street Band

Magic

(Columbia)

The Boss is “getting the band back together” for their first together since 2002’s lauded The Rising. Vinyl fans will reportedly be able to pick up the new Brooooce platter a week early as the LP version is slated to hit September 25.

October 16:

Neil Young

Chrome Dreams II

(Reprise)

A sequel to a 30-year-old album that he never officially released: only Neil Young!