The Philly concert scene of summer 2017 was all about nostalgia, characterized by a deluge of acts whose heyday was in the ‘70s and ‘80s, but the fall is shaping up very differently. Area venues are gearing up to host a thrilling lineup of breakout and mid-career artists making must-hear music.

Here’s a list of 39 highlights over the next four months — snag your tickets now.

September

Lauryn Hill and Nas (Thursday, Sept. 14)

Rap legends Lauryn Hill and Nas are both known for creating unforgettable live shows, and this one is sure to be a celebration because it’s also Nas’ 44th birthday. Nas opens for Hill, who, tbh, has a reputation for showing up late or flaking out. But when she’s on, she’s magnificent. The two toured together before to support Nas’s album Life is Good, and are a natural pair with compatible, complex rap styles. Fingers crossed the former Fugees singer who broke out solo with the stunningly soulful 1998 The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, isn’t late for the party in Camden.
BB&T Pavilion, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, 856-365-1300

Father John Misty (Friday, Sept. 15)

As Father John Misty, Josh Tillman is a true maestro of indie-rock. His performances are theatrical and ironic, and he seems almost embarrassed by all the love coming his way. The 36-year-old isn’t new to the biz — he previously released eight albums under his own name that didn’t catch fire at all. He has drummed for indie rockers Fleet Foxes, penned songs for Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, and collaborated with Kid Cudi. But as his alter ego, Tillman is liberated and ready to entertain on his own. NPR described his latest gorgeous album, the grandiose Pure Comedy, as a “sprawling masterwork that sounds, at times, like the quietly calm, self-assured delirium of a mad genius.”
Skyline Stage, Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave. 215-546-7900

Post Malone (Friday, Sept. 15)

Austin Post (alias: Post Malone) is a white trap-music rapper with cornrows and gold grills who put a catchy tribute to former Sixer and NBA All-Star Allen Iverson on SoundCloud in 2015. “White Iverson” became such a massive underground sensation that A-list music producers and vocalists come calling. The song went to number 14 on Billboard’s Hot 100, and Malone dropped his album, Stoney, at the end of 2016. It boasts collaborations with Pharrell Williams, Kehlani, 2Chainz, Migos’s Quavo (“Congratulations”) and Justin Bieber. Malone is reportedly working on a follow-up album, Beerbongs and Bentleys.
Electric Factory, 421 N. 7th St., 215-627-1332

The Weeknd (Saturday, Sept. 16)

In just six years, Canadian artist Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, has blasted into superstar status. 2015’s Beauty Behind the Madness won Grammys (and legions of fans) for its sexy R&B falsetto-laced pop vocals, which are often compared to Michael Jackson’s. You can definitely hear the similarity in “Can’t Feel My Face” and “In the Night.” His latest album, Starboy, unloaded more party tracks on the world, including “I Feel it Coming” featuring Daft Punk.
Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St., 215-336-3600

Arcade Fire (Sunday, Sept. 17)

Darlings of the indie rock scene for more than a decade, Montreal-based Arcade Fire recently met with very mixed reviews of its latest album, Everything Now. But the band’s epic, earnest, important sound should play well at Wells Fargo. There’s also a big back catalog of crowd-pleasers to draw from — including from the 2010 Grammy-winning best album of the year, The Suburbs.
Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St., 215-336-3600

Outlaw Music Festival (Sunday, Sept. 17)

Camden scored the final stop of this country and rock music summer tour, headlined by 84-year-old icon Willie Nelson. The lineup for the daylong show includes Willie’s son Lukas, as well as Sheryl Crow, Eric Church, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats and The Avett Brothers. The outlaw poet’s health scares have become a little more frequent in the last year, but Nelson is still as strong an artist as ever, and his cult status only continues to grow. Songs from his latest studio album, God’s Problem Child, a reflective muse on mortality, will blend with classics like “Crazy,” “Whiskey River.” and “Georgia On My Mind.”
BB&T Pavilion, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, 856-365-1300

War on Drugs (Thursday, Sept. 21)

Critics are swooning over the latest War on Drugs album, A Deeper Understanding, which dropped just a few weeks ago. Hailed as a “near perfect” record, the songs written and sung by Philadelphia’s Adam Granduciel, 38, address life’s big topics with meticulous studio production. Comparisons to Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty are frequent, but Granduciel is making a plenty fine name for himself. This concert is the fourth annual Connor Barwin’s Make the World Better Foundation Benefit show.
Dell Music Center, Strawberry Mansion Bridge Dr., 215-685-9560

Young M.A. (Saturday, Sept. 23)

This tough artist out of Brooklyn has flow for miles and has been hailed as one of the “dopest MCs” of the moment. The hip-hop scene went nuts over the 25-year-old’s 2016 breakout hit, “Ooouuu.” Young M.A. is catching fame and fortune by doing rap her own way — she’s a queer rapper having success in a genre that hasn’t always accepted gay performers with open arms. Born Katorah Kasanova Marrero, the artist has elected to put out her own music independently and in April released an EP, called Herstory.
Electric Factory, 421 N. 7th St., 215-627-1332

The Crystal Method (Saturday, Sept. 23)

Scott Kirkland, half of the American duo behind The Crystal Method (the other half, Ken Jordan, recently retired to Costa Rica), deejays a set in honor of the 20th anniversary of their pioneering 1993 album, Vegas. The album was at the vanguard of electronic music when it appeared like a lone cork bobbing in a sea of grunge music — these two were kings of EDM kings before it even had a name. Kirkland will put on a propulsive club music show filled with Crystal Method’s signature mash-up of funk, rock, drum and bass. Think exhilarating tracks such as “Busy Child,” “Keep Hope Alive” and “High Roller.” Kirkland has plans to get back to the studio soon to put together the next album.
Ardmore Music Hall, 23 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, 610-649-8389

Mac DeMarco (Sunday, Sept. 24)

Master of lo-fi DIY yacht rock Mac DeMarco is a hipster darling party-boy who inspires deep loyalty among his fans. The indie rocker is known for rowdy live shows that have in the past included crowd surfing, jumping from mezzanines or stripping off clothes. Despite the antics, DeMarco won raves from critics for his latest album, This Old Dog, released this past May. Mellow, goofy, and sometimes wistful, DeMarco keeps putting out beautiful tracks that feel like odes to the past and lost loves.
Skyline Stage, Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave. 215-546-7900

Alice Glass (Tuesday, Sept. 26)

Alice Glass makes no secret of how unhappy she was as the vocalist for electro-punk duo, Crystal Castles (which, of note, is also performing at Underground Arts, on Nov. 14). After her 2014 exit, she launched a successful solo career. Her voice, sinister and sweet, makes a jagged statement in her track “Without Love,” a follow-up to 2015’s “Stillbirth.” The glam 29-year-old also stepped into the fashion world, walking the runway in 2016 for luxury fashion designer Alexander Wang. Her first self-titled EP dropped last month and makes clear she is unafraid to make ferocious, spooky, dark music.
Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St., 215-627-1332

Dave East (Thursday, Sept. 28)

Things really started to heat up for David Brewster Jr., who goes by the rap alias Dave East, when hip-hop impresario Nas took note of his mixtapes and signed him to his label in 2014.The 6’5″ emcee out of Harlem got recognition for his 2015 album Hate Me Now, and last month released his latest, Paranoia: A True Story. It’s loaded with cameos from big names, including Chris Brown (on the single “Perfect”), Jeezy, Nas, Wiz Khalifa and French Montana. The TLA will be jumping as the rapper shares his take on fear, fame and fortune. Look for infectious tracks “Phone Jumpin” and “Found a Way.”
TLA, 334 South St., 215-922-1011

Kid Cudi (Saturday, Sept. 30)

Last year was not easy for Kid Cudi, aka Scott Mescudi. The 33-year-old known for his trip-hop, ambient style checked himself into rehab last fall and told his fans it was for “depression and suicidal urges.” Mescudi released his latest album, Passion, Pain & Demon Slaying, around the same time, and he will finally kick off the tour to promote it right here in Philadelphia. The album features big talent collaborations with Pharrell Williams, Travis Scott, André 3000 and Willow Smith. His 2009 debut album, Pursuit of Happiness, mixed hip-hop with electronica and new wave genres and his 2015 Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven delved into indie rock. Props to Cudi for experimenting and exploring.
Skyline Stage, Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave. 215-546-7900

Seu Jorge (Saturday, Sept. 30)

Fans of filmmaker Wes Anderson may already know actor/singer Seu Jorge from his turn as a singing sailor doing Portuguese covers of David Bowie songs in 2004’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. (He also played Knockout Ned in the sensational 2002 film, City of God.) If you missed Jorge when he was here last fall in two sold-out shows, this is your chance to enjoy the Brazilian singer’s intimate, warm tribute to the Thin White Duke.
Keswick Theater, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside, 215-572-7650

October

Harry Styles (Thursday, Oct. 5)

With British boy band One Direction in his rearview mirror, Harry Styles has released his first solo album. He’s determined to put distance between his teen heartthrob past and be considered a proper rock star. Critics seem surprised that the 23-year-old’s debut effort is actually decent; it was even described as “superb” by Rolling Stone. Styles is working an old school soft rock vibe that is sure to delight his diehard fans.
Tower Theatre, S. 69th & Ludlow St., Upper Darby, 610-352-2887

Glass Animals (Friday, Oct. 6)

These British lads are definitely coming to town, but no word yet if the Fillmore will ban fans from bringing in pineapples — as happened last month at UK’s Leeds and Reading Festivals. Apparently, that’s a thing that devoted disciples were doing to honor the quartet’s song “Pork Soda,” which has a lyric mentioning the forbidden fruit. The young indie rock outfit has all the ingredients for earnest pop success with likable performers, electro-beats and hip-hop grooves.
The Fillmore, 29 East Allen St., 215-309-0150

Halsey (Saturday, Oct. 7)

Some artists toil for years in obscurity while honing their craft. Not Halsey. The 22-year-old electro-pop phenom from New Jersey has experienced quick success. She’s a product of her generation, one that has a devotion to the digital world and rewards those skilled at navigating social media. Her meteoric rise traced a path from YouTube to SoundCloud, and now to sold-out stadium shows. Born Ashley Frangipane, she’s outspoken and fearless about opening her life to the world, declaring herself “bisexual, biracial and bipolar.” And fans are loving it. Her second album, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 this summer.
Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St., 215-336-3600

Kesha (Saturday, Oct. 7)

Even those who weren’t Kesha fans couldn’t miss the drama that began in 2014 between the dance-pop singer and her one-time producer Lucasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald, with lawsuits about his alleged sexual and emotional abuse. Rainbow is her first album since 2012, and fans showed Kesha the love. Debuting last month at number one on the Billboard 200, Rainbow is less massive club bangers — think of her mega hits “Tik Tok,” “Blow” and “Blah Blah Blah” — and more introspective grooves. Even so, her voice remains huge in slick catchy tracks such as “Praying,” “Learn to Let Go” and “Woman.”
The Fillmore, 29 East Allen St., 215-309-0150

Galantis (Saturday, Oct. 7)

Grammy-winning Swedish duo Christian Karlsson and Linus Eklow are masters of delivering massive EDM club hits with big bass, lush synth and earworm vocals. Their “Runaway (U & I)” and “Peanut Butter Jelly” are the kind of contagious ear candy that get EDM fans happily fist pumping and hopping in unison. Their second album, The Aviary, drops Sept. 15, but already has a hit with “Girls on Boys,” featuring ROZES.
Electric Factory, 421 N. 7th St., 215-627-1332

Rock Allegiance Festival (Saturday, Oct. 7)

Shock rockers and heavy metal outfits hit Camden for a day of intense fun. More than 20 rock bands perform on three stages in this daylong event. Lineup highlights include Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, Marilyn Manson, Mastodon, Gojira and Halestorm. It’s gonna be a theatrical frenzy of guitars, amps, hair and makeup.
BB&T Pavilion, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, 856-365-1300

Chicano Batman (Sunday, Oct. 8)

Philly has been lucky to have Chicano Batman, the soul-psychedelia-Tropicália band from L.A., pass through twice recently. If you missed the troupe at the Foundry last winter or BB&T Pavilion this summer, you might know them from their Johnny Walker whiskey ad that appeared during last year’s Super Bowl, with the band singing its version of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land.” Despite the members’ signature retro look — ruffled tuxedo shirts and black bowties — the band’s songs suggest a deep, socially engaged sensibility, as heard on the latest LP, Freedom is Fine.
TLA, 334 South St., 215-922-1011

Guns N’ Roses (Sunday, Oct. 8)

Ok, a little nostalgia. If you were in line at your local record store 30 years ago to pick up the Guns N’ Roses album Appetite for Destruction, this show should persuade you to squeeze into your old concert t-shirts. Axl Rose’s voice may not be at full strength at 55, but he and the band still go all in on their performances. The group’s “Not in This Lifetime” tour celebrates that iconic album’s thirtieth anniversary, and reunites original members Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan. The guys are delivering marathon shows that include mega-hits “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “Paradise City.”
Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St., 215-336-3600

Bruno Mars (Tuesday, Oct. 10)

Pop R&B dynamo Bruno Mars is the consummate entertainer, and he does not disappoint during his tight 90-minute shows on his 24K Magic Tour. The 32-year-old Hawaiian, born Peter Gene Hernandez, will bring his signature funk, slick dance choreography, and pyrotechnics to the Wells Fargo.
Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St., 215-336-3600

Katy Perry (Thursday, Oct. 12)

Katy Perry seems to be everywhere — and has been for a while. She hosted the VMAs, she feuded with Taylor Swift, she campaigned for Hillary, and she made the Backpack Kid and the Left Shark famous. But behind all of Perry’s media prominence is that powerful, ferocious voice. Even if her latest album, Witness, didn’t quite deliver on her promise of “purposeful pop,” her fans will eat up all they can get at this live performance.
Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St., 215-336-3600

Tokimonsta (Friday, Oct. 13)

Musically, it makes sense that Tokimonsta — an American producer and DJ from L.A. known for her sleek, futuristic hip-hop sound — would have come to the attention of Flying Lotus, the acclaimed experimental music producer. Tokimonsta, who’s real name is Jennifer Lee, was the first woman signed to Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder label, where she released her first album in 2010. That same year she was rated the hottest Los Angeles Lady DJ by LA Weekly. Lee lists a varied lineup of musical influences including J Dilla, RZA, DJ Shadow, Missy Elliott, Aphex Twin and Green Velvet. The 30-year-old releases her new album, Lune Rouge, on Oct. 6.
The Foundry at The Fillmore, 29 East Allen St., 215-309-0150

Musiq Soulchild (Friday, Oct. 13)

Philly’s Musiq Soulchild, born Taalib Johnson, has a new album that’s rumored to drop any day now. Johnson burst onto the Philly neo-soul scene in the late ‘90s and recorded his debut LP, Aijuswanaseing, at DJ Jazzy Jeff’s Touch of Jazz studio. Influenced by artists such as Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye, he went on to score two platinum albums, 12 Grammy nominations, and a string of hits — including “Just Friends (Sunny),” which appeared on the Nutty Professor II soundtrack.
Electric Factory, 421 N. 7th St., 215-627-1332

Syd (Saturday, Oct. 14)

Fin is a surprising title for this year’s critically-acclaimed debut solo album from Syd, because it hardly seems to be the last we’ll hear from the 24-year-old-year singer (real name Sydney Barrett). Former front woman of the Grammy-nominated band The Internet — an offshoot of the musical collective, Odd Future, where she went by Syd tha Kyd as its DJ and singer — Syd uses her soft R&B vocals to woo her listeners into a web of trippy, trap-pop music.
Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St., 215-922-6888

Zedd (Thursday-Friday, Oct. 19-20)

Though he rules the club scene with his massive EDM remixes and original work, this Russian-native producer (born Anton Zaslavski) is more than just his music. The DJ and producer, who scored a Grammy in 2012 for his single “Clarity,” is engaged in the larger world — reaching out to Kesha after her legal trouble to produce a single in support, for example, and organizing an ACLU benefit this spring in response to Trump’s travel ban (Zedd’s BFF Skrillex was there). The good guy’s success keeps growing in large part due to his powerhouse concerts — around 200 a year. He’s got multiple deejaying residencies in Las Vegas and keeps cranking out hit singles. A-listers have noticed his impeccable pop hit production instincts, and he’s created hits for Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, Ellie Goulding, Liam Payne and Justin Bieber. Last month, Zedd won an MTV Video Music Award for best dance video with R&B singer Alessia Cara for their single “Stay.”
Electric Factory, 421 N. 7th St., 215-627-1332

November

Flying Lotus (Saturday, Nov. 4)

Flying Lotus wants to blow your mind…in three dimensions. Fans at the Electric Factory will get custom-made 3D glasses for this extravagantly groovy show. FlyLo, aka Steven Ellison, is one of today’s most innovative forces on the musical landscape. The Los Angeles artist (who’s a music producer, electronic musician, rapper, DJ and filmmaker) traffics in psychedelic hip hop with strong jazz and R&B influences. He’s established himself as one of the coolest cats of the underground scene, but his profile is growing. His critically acclaimed 2014’s You’re Dead! and contribution to 2015’s Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly album helped. In Fader magazine, Ellison is described as “too big to remain in the underground, too strange an innovator to gain acceptance in the mainstream.” We’ll see.
Electric Factory, 421 N. 7th St., 215-627-1332

Tori Amos (Saturday, Nov. 4)

Amos’ many gifts are on display in her new album, Native Invader, released Sept. 8. Now 54, she’s led a musical life since childhood; she was accepted into the prestigious Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore at age 5. Amos’s minister father would later help her line up gigs as a teen. In the ‘90s, Amos cemented her brand as a singer/songwriter who was smart, vulnerable and deeply political. The latest album, her fifteenth, was inspired by a pilgrimage back to the land of her late Cherokee grandfather in the Great Smoky Mountains. The album is a prism through which a deeply thoughtful and talented artist is processing a world that she continues to keenly observe.
Tower Theatre, S. 69th & Ludlow St., Upper Darby, 610-352-2887

The Breeders (Monday, Nov. 6)

Unlike a lot of bands, the alt-rock Breeders are not touring to promote a new album. Their last one was 2008’s Mountain Battles. But who cares? People would go see this crazy cool group if they’d never made anything after 1993’s iconic indie record Last Splash. (Kurt Cobain is known to have adored it.) Frontwoman Kim Deal, who got her start as the bassist for the Pixies, went on to create her own band with twin sister Kelley, and is the ultimate old-school rocker. She knows how to make gigs fun and create a casual freewheeling vibe. The band’s gift for jangled rhythms, power guitars, and punk attitudes mixed with eerily sweet harmonizations can be heard in songs such as “Cannonball,” “No Aloha” and “Divine Hammer.”
Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., 215-232-2100

Grizzly Bear (Tuesday, Nov. 7)

Moody, lovely, and filled with art-indie-rock music angst, Grizzly Bear’s fifth album, Painted Ruins, finally dropped last month. It’s been five years since the band’s last record and 13 years since its first. The critics have been saying it’s definitely worth the wait. Complex, layered and loaded with musical creativity, the group’s sound is sweeping and tremendously moving. The 2010 film Blue Valentine used Grizzly Bear’s music on its soundtrack, to beautiful effect.
The Fillmore, 29 East Allen St., 215-309-0150

Wax Taylor (Thursday, Nov. 9)

Fans of the French producer/musician Wax Taylor, born Jean-Christophe Le Saoût, will be thrilled he’s back in town after canceling his show last January due to travel visa problems. Promoting his fifth studio album, By Any Beats Necessary, Taylor spins a mix of sexy trip hop marked by a blend of classic Hollywood dialog samples and vintage songs on top of moody, synth-heavy hip-hop backdrops. Check out his clips of Nina Simone in “How I Feel” or Doris Day in “Que Sera.” Le Saoût also beautifully collaborated with Philly poet and singer Ursula Rucker on the track, “We Be.”
Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St., 215-627-1332

Janet Jackson (Monday, Nov. 13)

Fans have been patiently waiting for this show. The original “Unbreakable” dates last year had to be rescheduled, per doctor’s orders. Jackson gave birth in January to her first child, son Eissa, at age 50, and is now relaunching her tour, renamed “The State of the World.” The pop legend will deliver her numerous hits — “Nasty,” “Control,” “That’s the Way Love Goes,” “Rhythm Nation,” “When I Think of You,” “Escapade,” “Scream” — plus new tracks. Her latest album, Unbreakable, includes “No Sleeep,” and “BURNITUP!” with Missy Elliott.
Wells Fargo Center, 3601 South Broad St., 215-336-3600

Kamasi Washington (Saturday, Nov. 25)

This Los Angeles saxophonist’s 174-minute debut 2015 album, Epic, was, well, epic. Critics were breathless over his commanding artistry. Fans eagerly drank up the live shows by Washington and his band, relishing the varieties of jazz — acid, bebop, experimental — as well as funk, gospel and R&B, and whatever else they felt like layering in. On Sept. 29, Washington drops his much-anticipated followup album, Harmony of Difference, and he’s poised to be the first crossover star from the jazz world in a while. The buzz on Washington, 36, is that he’s already an icon in the making. So don’t miss out on bragging rights to say you saw him when he came through Philly.
Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., 215-232-2100

St. Vincent (Tuesday, Nov. 28)

Singer/songwriter/rad guitarist Annie Clark, who goes by the handle St. Vincent, says the name came from a Nick Cave song that referenced the hospital where Dylan Thomas died. It’s an eccentric, artsy, smart-girl reference that befits this quirky artist who knows how to craft seductive pop melodies while still being weird in unexpected ways. Her 2014 self-titled album earned her a Grammy for Best Alternative Album, and she’s got indie cred from touring with Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens and from recording with David Byrne. Fans are eager to hear what the 34-year-old has in store in her new album, Masseduction, coming out Oct. 13. Clark describes what people should look forward to on the tour: “A bonkers show, just dominatrix-at-the-mental-institution kind of bonkers.”
Electric Factory, 421 N. 7th St., 215-627-1332

December

Jay Z (Friday, Dec. 1)

Philly recently got a taste of Jay Z’s newest album, 4:44, released earlier this summer, at the rapper/producer/business mogul’s Made in America festival during Labor Day weekend. The megastar performed a selection of confessional tunes from the album that candidly address a host of grown-up topics about infidelity, fatherhood and being black in America. The sound is funky, loaded with laid-back swagger and rich with samples from music giants Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Donny Hathaway and Kool & the Gang.
Wells Fargo Center, 3601 South Broad St., 215-336-3600

The National (Monday, Dec. 4)

The indie-rock group — which has made its bread-and-butter by singing about themes of isolation, loneliness and longing — arrives just in time for the holiday season. Seeing the show will be no doubt better than reevaluating your life choices while staring into a glass of eggnog. The band’s seventh album, Sleep Well Beast, debuted on Sept. 8, and dresses up intimate melancholy with lead singer Matt Berninger’s deep baritone. The band has a knack for connecting with listeners with moody tracks beautifully written and laced with frustration, regret and a dash of hope (more soothing than the dash of nutmeg in that eggnog).
Kimmel Center, 300 S. Broad St., 215-893-1999

LCD Soundsystem (Tuesday-Thursday, Dec. 5-7)

They’re baack! After making such a fuss about going into retirement in 2011 after releasing This is Happening, you’d think the alt-rockers of LCD Soundsystem (well, let’s face it, really just lead singer/writer/producer James Murphy) might be a little sheepish about their reunion. But they’re totally amped to return, building on the new album, American Dream, that was released Sept. 1. This scruffy punky-dance band that loves delivering arch truths with a liberal dose of cowbell still has plenty to express. Murphy, 47, emotes about the angst of aging. Here’s hoping the set list includes LCD classics like “Losing My Edge,” “Daft Punk is Playing at My House,” “North American Scum” and “One Touch.” The last song is Murphy’s tribute to one of his favorite bands, Executive Slacks, a Philly group from the early ‘80s whose sound he describes as “weird, Belgian dark-wave synth, guitar, drum machine punk.”
The Fillmore, 29 East Allen St., 215-309-0150