As a certified Spooky Girlie, I am delighted every autumn when the leaves start to crunch and the air begins to carry traces of campfires, with the sounds of my favorite horror movies wailing in the background. Luckily for us, there’s a lot of other great music to experience live this October that involves zero chainsaws or extremely tense jump-scare moments. Take a look at the lineups below to see which fun live acts you can catch locally this month.
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
10/6, Galactic Empire, Lovedrafts Brewing Co.
PSA: Calling all Star Wars fans—you’ll want to add Galactic Empire’s show at Lovedrafts to your radar in October. The extremely nerdy heavy metal group, touring all the way from Coruscant, is so fun to watch (I caught the act in 2023 at the West Shore Theatre and was thinking about it for months afterwards). Dressed up in intergalactic apparel worthy of Darth Vader and the Mandalorian, the group plays Cantina classics and other beloved John Williams compositions in a heavy metal treatment. It’s a unique show that is best experienced live.
TRANSCENDENT FOLK
10/26, WXPN Welcomes The Lone Bellow, XL Live
Indie Americana darlings The Lone Bellow are touring in support of their 2022 album, “Love Songs for Losers,” though I suspect the band has a forthcoming project up its sleeves with the recent release of a few new tracks. Having seen the band quite a few times in the early 2010s, particularly around the “Then Came the Morning” tour, I’ll vouch for the trio’s gorgeous harmonies and majestic arrangements. Their beautifully produced albums really don’t capture the swell of beauty and emotion one might feel at their live shows. I wouldn’t miss this one if you have the time to spare when they roll through town.
BRITISH INVASION
10/29, Harrisburg University Presents The Struts, XL Live
Glam rockers The Struts are a must-see for concertgoers who love the modern rock age we’re seeing come to life with the likes of Måneskin and Greta Van Fleet, though I’d rank The Struts as a true standout in this class. Vocalist Luke Spiller really knows how to work the stage and will bring any crowd to its feet with the band’s anthemic, catchy songs. They’ve blown away crowds at Lollapalooza, Glastonbury and Governor’s Ball, so you can rest assured that this’ll be a hell of a great concert.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
10/1, P!nk, Hersheypark Stadium
10/2, Harrisburg University Presents Mat Kearney, XL Live
10/3, The Elovators with Cisco Adler & Bikini Trill, H*MAC
10/4, The Glorious Sons, XL Live
10/10, Eric Hutchinson, H*MAC
10/11, WXPN Welcomes Trampled by Turtles, XL Live
10/17, WXPN Welcomes Dispatch, XL Live
10/26, Hershey Symphony Presents “Tony Bennett: The Official Musical Celebration,” Hershey Theatre
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