Upcoming Live Music This Winter
Fall is our favorite time of year, with dozens of events, festivals and tons of things to do coming to the Spokane area. If you are looking for the best live music events and upcoming concerts happening across Spokane this week, then here are all the best live musical performances that simply should not be missed!
September Music Events
IRON MAIDEN
Sept. 30
For metalheads, Iron Maiden’s upcoming “The Legacy of the Beast” tour should be a glorious nightmare. The legendary English rockers have been near the top of metal’s pantheon for almost 50 years now, and this career-spanning, two-hour spectacle concert features extravagant set pieces, pyrotechnics and, of course, representations of the band’s zombie-esque mascot, Eddie. Aged necks might not be ideal for headbanging, but fans can certainly throw up their devil horns. Spokane Arena, 7:30 pm, $42-$225, spokanearena.com
THE FRONT BOTTOMS, THE JOY FORMIDABLE
Sept. 30
This alternative rock pairing might not be the most natural fit, but it should make for a super fun show. The Front Bottoms have built an ultra-dedicated emo audience by belting out scrappy indie folk punk tunes with unvarnished emotional vulnerability. On the other hand, Welsh rock act The Joy Formidable puts on grand live shows as spitfire singer/guitarist Ritzy Bryan leads her band in crafting a melodic pop rock approach to swirling shoegaze noise. Together, the bill marries sing-alongs and headbanging in an idealized manner. Knitting Factory, 8 pm, $30, sp.knittingfactory.com
October Music Events
CHVRCHES
Oct. 2
We all went to some dark places in COVID times, but few artistically utilized that mindset like Scottish synth-pop trio CHVRCHES. The group made its excellent 2021 album Screen Violence at a pandemic distance, but the band’s haunting melodic melancholy and youthful yearnings feel fully cohesive. Singer Lauren Mayberry’s fears of a world centered on screens and the alienation that fosters are laid bare over an array of catchy pop tracks. Expect a jubilant — if slightly dark — dance party when CHVRCHES holds mass at the Knitting Factory. Knitting Factory, 8 pm, $33-$35, sp.knittingfactory.com
MATT MITCHELL MUSIC CO.: RAMONA ALBUM RELEASE SHOW
Oct. 8
Matt Mitchell has been a fixture in the local music scene for a while now, leading the band Trego (formerly Folkinception), and in 2019 he began exploring his own sonic realms with Matt Mitchell Music Co. On his new album, Ramona, the singer-songwriter takes his solo material in a slightly new direction. The 10-song collection moves away from acoustic folk to hop into the parallel lane of twangy American rock. It’s Mitchell’s second release of 2022, following the EP Captive of the Mind, so there’ll be plenty of fresh songs on display for this album release show. Lucky You Lounge, 8 pm, $12-$15, luckyyoulounge.com
A DAY TO REMEMBER, THE USED
Oct. 14
People may be used to entering Spokane’s new indoor sports venue the Podium in order to break a sweat. While the athletic attire will be far less abundant, the same should hold true when the Podium takes its first crack at becoming a concert venue starting this fall. The first show announced for the space was a bill featuring the metalcore/pop punk hybrid sound of A Day to Remember and screamo standouts the Used. Doing laps around the mosh pit might be a shorter distance than around the track, but it’s a workout nonetheless. The Podium, 6 pm, $50-$70, thepodiumusa.com
JUDY COLLINS
Oct. 18
It’s hard to contextualize the true breadth of Judy Collins’ career, but here’s a tidbit: The folk icon earned a Grammy nomination for her 2017 album, Silver Skies Blue, 42 years after her most recent previous Grammy nomination… which she received 26 years into her career. Her soaring voice has made hits out of songs by Joni Mitchell and Stephen Sondheim, and her version of “Amazing Grace” has been preserved by the Library of Congress. Collins’ voice is still ringing true at age 83, garnering almost universally positive reviews with the 2022 release of her 29th album, Spellbound. Bing Crosby Theater, 8 pm, $35-$99, bingcrosbytheater.com
THE MUSIC OF HARRY POTTER & OTHER HALLOWEEN FAVORITES
Oct. 29 & 30
Although not inherently spooky, Harry Potter movies are a go-to Halloween watch for plenty of ghouls and goblins. John Williams, composer of the films’ scores, has a way of transporting audiences straight into the wizarding world, through Diagon Alley and, of course, to the Great Hall of Hogwarts. The Spokane Symphony is sure to conjure up some magic and plenty of fun at this annual show. Costumes are not required, but where’s the fun in that? This concert is for everyone, Slytherins and Hufflepuffs alike. Throw on a robe and discover the wondrous world of Harry Potter all over again. Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 3 pm, $25-$64, spokanesymphony.org
NIGHT OF THE ROCKING DEAD
Oct. 30
Outside of horror movies and haunted houses, the other great Halloween entertainment once you’ve aged out of trick-or-treating is the array of cover band concerts. Northern Quest gets in on the seasonal action with a bill featuring three all-female metal tribute acts. Thundherstruck brings the classic hard rock riffs of AC/DC, Paradise Kitty welcomes you to the jungle with Guns N’ Roses hits, and Madame Ozzy offers her best interpretation of the Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne. Northern Quest Casino & Resort, 7:30 pm, $20-$30, northernquest.com
November Music Events
MAITA
Nov. 4
On I Just Want to Be Wild for You — one of 2022’s best albums — Maria Maita-Keppeler is yearning. What exactly for varies over the course of 11 tracks, which only makes the Portland-based indie rock singer-songwriter’s sonic dexterity seem more elite. Songs range from hyper-rock overthinkers to twangy odes to sarcastic “love” songs about her phone, and all the while her razor-sharp wit and composition variety shines through. After a stellar visit to Lucky You in the summer, MAITA returns for another dose of wild musical longing. Lucky You Lounge, 8 pm, $12-$14, luckyyoulounge.com
SMASHING PUMPKINS, JANE’S ADDICTION, POPPY
Nov. 9
The late-’80s/early-’90s alt-rock boom still survives, as this double bill makes evidently clear. Led by the mercurial Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins created some of the era’s most indelible hits that still hold up decades later (“1979,” “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” “Tonight Tonight,” etc.). Jane’s Addiction started out as edgy outsider artists only to take that freaky style mainstream with the Lollapalooza festival and tunes like “Jane Says” and “Been Caught Stealing.” (Make sure to show up early, as the show’s opener, Poppy, serves up a sugar-coated Hot Topic-friendly metalcore spectacle.) Spokane Arena, 6:30 pm, $49-$779, spokanearena.com
WALKER HAYES
Nov. 10
Even if you feel like Walker Hayes’ smash hit “Feels Like” (aka “The Applebee’s Song”)... ummm… feels like the nadir of modern lowest-common denominator hyper-consumerist country with its advertorial chorus name-checking of Applebee’s menu items and all the wit of someone who named his album Country Stuff, there’s no denying there’s a massive audience for his reheated chain-restaurant quality songwriting. For Hayes’ fans, his stop at Spokane Arena is sure to be a country fried party. Spokane Arena, 7 pm, $35-$259, spokanearena.com
THE COMMODORES
Nov. 10
There have been a lot of Commodores over the years, most notably Lionel Ritchie, who masterfully piloted the longstanding musical group into the ’70s and early ’80s before going solo. Likewise for several other Commodores, but the core sound stitching together R&B, pop and funk has endured. So have three longtime band members who will be bringing the hits to Worley in November: Walter “Clyde” Orange, James Dean “JD” Nicholas, and William “WAK” King, who is partially responsible for randomly picking the band’s name when they first formed. And if the band doesn’t sound exactly like it did 40 or 50 years ago, chances are your hearing isn’t what it used to be either. Coeur d’Alene Casino & Resort, 7 pm, $50-$70, cdacasino.com
MODEST MOUSE
Nov. 19
There’s no indie rock album that captures the Pacific Northwest’s sense of isolation and modernity poisoning the well quite like Modest Mouse’s 1997 underground classic The Lonesome Crowded West. Well before they broke big with “Float On,” the Issaquah-bred band’s best album showcases Isaac Brock at his most lyrically and musically ferocious while still being able to draw out the tender moments of beauty in trailer parks and open spaces. To celebrate The Lonesome Crowded West’s 25th anniversary, the band is touring with a stripped-back four-piece setup to capture the raw, gritty D.I.Y. spirit of those glorious early days. Knitting Factory, 8 pm, $203, sp.knittingfactory.com
December Music Events
WILD PINK
Dec. 4
Online music publication Pitchfork compared Wild Pink’s 2021 album A Billion Little Lights to a cross between Death Cab for Cutie and War on Drugs. That alone should pique indie rock dads’ interest, but there’s more — some rock critics who’ve heard the Brooklyn group’s upcoming album ILYSM have compared it to Wilco’s classic record Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. There’s a delicate grace to early singles like “Hold My Hand” and “ILYSM,” which should make for a magical evening of hushed indie rock beauty in the intimate confines of Lucky You. Lucky You Lounge, 8 pm, $16, luckyyoulounge.com
