20 Great Shows To See in NYC This October - Oh My Rockness

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20 Great Shows To See in NYC This October

October 1, 2016

Written by Patrick McNamara

Here's the thing about October. This is usually the month of the CMJ Music Marathon, five days and nights of endless good shows.

But not this year. For the first time in FOREVER.

We don't think. Um. Yeah. Pretty sure. Well. Nobody really knows.

You see, CMJ is apparently ghosting their own festival. It seems like their plan is to just not say anything and hope nobody notices that a major music festival that's been happening every fall in NYC since circa FOREVER went missing.

Good exit strategy!

But whatever. The good shows must go on. And go on they do. This feature is irrefutable proof of that.

There are a ton of good shows this month.

The goodness is happening.

With or without you, CMJ.

#1: Built to Spill at Brooklyn Bowl - 10/5/16 A.D.

I just saw Built to Spill a couple of weeks ago and it was amazing.

Please love this picture I took at that show.


After ruling since circa 1992 is it even possible that Doug Martsch and his crew are somehow getting even better?

It sure sounded like it to me.

Go see one of the best bands there is at Brooklyn Bowl so one day you can say you did.

BUILT TO SPILL with HOP ALONG and ALEX G

BROOKLYN BOWL

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5

TICKETS

#2: Sigur Ros at Radio City Music Hall & Kings Theatre - 10/5/16 & 10/6/16 & 10/7/16 A.D.

Credible sources tell me Sigur Ros is HUGE in heaven.

Peeps down here like them too. Both of these shows are sold-out.

Sorry. I didn't do it. I just blob here.

If you don't have a ticket but still want to go......it's gonna take a miracle. The good news is that the angels are on your side.

SIGUR ROS

RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL and KINGS THEATRE

OCTOBER 5, 6 & 7

TICKETS // TICKETS // TICKETS

#3: Fugazi at Town Hall - 10/6/16 A.D.

jUsT kIdDinG!

RICK ASTLEY

TOWN HALL

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6

TICKETS

#4: Crystal Castles at Warsaw - 10/6/16 A.D.

This is one of the most popular upcoming shows so I thought I should include it.

Because this is a blob for the people.

But Crystal Castles make me feel uneasy.

Should I dance..... or should I die.

CRYSTAL CASTLES

WARSAW

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6

TICKETS

#5: Shamir / Waxahatchee / Mutual Benefit at Industry City - 10/07/16 A.D.

Housing Works presents this benefit show at Industry City that has something to do with some design show on TV or something.

I don't know.

But I do know that Shamir and Waxahatchee and Mutual Benefit rule.

And that's knowing enough.

HOUSING WORKS BENEFIT with SHAMIR, WAXAHATCHEE, MUTUAL BENEFIT

INDUSTRY CITY

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7

TICKETS

#6: Joan of Arc at Knitting Factory - 10/7/16 A.D.

Gotta give props to Joan of Arc!

(I'm originally from Chicago and I like indie rock so I kind of have to.)

Who would've thought they'd be the post ___ band to never quit.

Below this is the best album of 1998.

(please note: I didn't research what other albums came out in 1998 - too busy blobbing)

JOAN OF ARC

KNITTING FACTORY

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7

TICKETS

#7: Sunflower Bean at Music Hall of Williamsburg - 10/7/16 A.D.

Remember when Sunflower Bean was our hardest-working band of 2014?

And now they rule.

Let their model be a lesson to all the young up-and-coming bands out there.

All you need to do to reaching ruling level is to practice, practice, practice and have talent, talent, talent.

SUNFLOWER BEAN with THE LEMON TWIGS and B BOYS

MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7

TICKETS

#8: The New Yorker Festival at Various Venues - 10/7/16 & 10/8/16 & 10/9/16 A.D.

Pretty much every week I enter The New Yorker's cartoon caption contest and I never win but one of these days "Jesus Shaves" is gonna come through for me.

Like every year, a whole bunch of people are playing / speaking / engaging / entertaining the mag's annual festival. Feel free to click "whole bunch of people" for the details. I can't really get into it now.

But if you think Father John Misty might be one of the players involved, you'd be right. He plays Gramercy Theatre on Saturday, October 8.

THE NEW YORKER FESTIVAL

VARIOUS VENUES

OCTOBER 7, 8 & 9

TICKETS

#9: Titus Andronicus at Market Hotel - 10/7/16 & 10/8/16 A.D.

This band has been so good for over a decade now (!) that it would be easy to take their goodness for granted.

Don't.

That would be a tragedy of Elizabethan proportions.

TITUS ANDRONICUS

MARKET HOTEL

OCTOBER 7 & 8

TICKETS // TICKETS

(Titus Andronicus also plays a benefit show on L.I. on 10/6)

#10: (Punk) Tribute to Steely Dan at Shea Stadium - 10/8/16 A.D.

This tribute to Steely Dan at Shea features members of Speedy Ortiz, Ava Luna, The So So Glos and more slinging SD songs in the key of chill.

Also. You might want to tell your dad Steely Dan is cool again. I know I'm gonna tell mines.

A TRIBUTE TO STEELY DAN

SHEA STADIUM

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8

TICKETS

#11: Blonde Redhead at Co-Cathedral of Saint Joseph - 10/11/16 A.D.

Blonde Redhead playing their excellent 2004 album "Misery is a Butterfly" in a Brooklyn church?

Blonde Redhead playing their excellent 2004 album "Mistery is a Butterfly" in a Brooklyn church!

BLONDE REDHEAD

CO-CATHEDRAL OF SAINT JOSEPH

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11

TICKETS

#12: Ilana Glazer at Littlefield - 10/11/16 A.D.

Ilana Glazer is great.

Which explains why this show is sold-out.

Sorry. I didn't do it. I just blob here.

ILANA GLAZER

LITTLEFIELD

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11

TICKETS

#13: DJ Shadow at Music Hall of Williamsburg - 10/14/16 & 10/15/16 A.D.

"Guess who's coming????

It's......!

It's.....!

DJ SHADOW.

Back again!

Who is he?????

JUST YO FAVORITE DJ SAVIOR."

Happy 20th Birthday to "Entroducing..."

One of the coolest records of all time.

DJ SHADOW with NOER THE BOY

MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG

OCTOBER 14 & 15

TICKETS / TICKETS

#14: M83 at Terminal 5 - 10/14/16 & 10/15/16 A.D.

Anthony Gonzalez, you my only friend.

Both of these shows are still somehow impossibly improbably NOT sold-out.

But don't snooze. They will be soon.

M83 with SHURA

TERMINAL 5

OCTOBER 14 & 15

TICKETS / TICKETS

#15: CHVRCHES at Radio City Music Hall & Terminal 5 - 10/15/16 & 10/16/16 A.D.

Why wasn't this the official song of the Rio Olympics?

Big mistake. Big.

Who the hell is programming the music for the winners montage over there.

CHVRCHES

RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL and TERMINAL 5

OCTOBER 15 & 16

TICKETS // TICKETS

#16: Joyce Manor / The Hotelier at Music Hall of Williamsburg - 10/18/16 A.D.

Two of my current favorite bands to sing in the shower on this big time bill.

It punks.

It pops.

It's punk pop!

Please note: I have a lovely singing voice and take full advantage of it when waiting for my conditioner to do its daily magic (with great hair comes great responsibility)

JOYCE MANOR with THE HOTELIER and CRYING

MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18

TICKETS

#17: PUP at Bowery Ballroom - 10/22/16 A.D.

PUP is absolutely 100% without a doubt one of the best live bands playing the game today.

AND THAT I DON'T BACK DOWN FROM.

Go see how it's done and recognize the truth, son.

PUP with CAYETANA and CHASTITY

BOWERY BALLROOM

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22

TICKETS

#18: Shellac at The Bell House - 10/23/16 & 10/24/16 A.D.

You ever notice how famed Chicago resident (and Shellac frontman) Steve Albini has never been seen in the same room as famed Chicago resident (and award-winning playwright) David Mamet?

Think about it.

Will you think about it?

Shh. Say no more. That's a deal.

SHELLAC with SHANNON WRIGHT

THE BELL HOUSE

OCTOBER 23 & 24

TICKETS // TICKETS

#19: Japandroids at Knitting Factory - 10/28/16 & 10/29/16 A.D.

Japandroids first NYC show in over three years.

Both are sold-out.

#sorryididntdoitijustblobhere

Please note: the 29th is my birthday so let me know if I should take your extra ticket and spend it the right way i.e. ROCKING OUT LIKE THE YOUNGER ME.

JAPANDROIDS

KNITTING FACTORY

OCTOBER 28 & 29

TICKETS // TICKETS

#20: Hinds at Warsaw - 10/28/16 A.D.

My very favorite indie band from Madrid.

Although _____ and _______ and _______ are certainly in the conversation too.

HINDS with COLD FRONTS

WARSAW

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28

TICKETS

Special Addendum: Halloween Shows!

Halloween is on a Monday night this year which isn't ideal for either witches or office workers alike but there are still some good shows going on the actual night of.

But really, we must think of this as an entire weekend of show going goodness. Friday, Saturday and Sunday is when the (black) magic happens.

Peeps playing Halloween Weekend include: Cass McCombs, Nicole Dollanganger, Japandroids, Black Kids, The Damned, Big Ups, A Place to Bury Strangers, Jukebox the Ghost and the S U R V I V E S T R A N G E R T H I N G S D U D E S.

Don't get too scared.

Remember.

It's only rock 'n' roll.


FOR EVEN MORE GOOD SHOWS HAPPENING THIS OCTOBER, CLICK HERE.

Those were the good shows happening this month.

CMJ < NYC

Amen.

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