Welcome back to another edition of the Harbus Mixtape. This coming month has a whole new batch of great concerts, and from the looks of it, I’m going to be spending almost as much time at the Paradise Rock Club in October as I will be in Aldrich.
Check out //bit.ly/HarbusMixtapeOct to listen to curated mixtape of the bands mentioned in this column.
Fri, Oct 7 – Ladytron
($30, Paradise Rock Club)
English electronic veterans Ladytron will be fresh off the September release of their fifth album, “Gravity the Seducer”. Singles “White Elephant” and “Ace of Hz” are the initial standouts, featuring the fine balance between catchy pop melodies and synthy, spacey elements that Ladytron is known for.
Sat, Oct 8 – PS I Love You
($10, Great Scott)
I sincerely regret missing out the one time I had a chance to see these guys live (they were playing in a residential garage in Toronto and I showed up too late to get in). But I won’t make that mistake twice and eagerly await some face-melting goodness just across the turnpike in Allston.
Mon. Oct. 10 – RJD2
($25, Paradise Rock Club)
The ultimate funky, groove-out, deep chill soundtrack – I can’t think of anything much more relaxing than RJD2’s collage of instrumental trip/hip-hop. Expect a roomful of rhythmic bobblehead-like nodding at Paradise on this Monday night.
Thurs, Oct 20 – Ra Ra Riot
($25, Paradise Rock Club)
This upstate New York indie rock band often draws comparisons to Vampire Weekend stemming from their similar light, up-tempo, college rock feel. However, Ra Ra Riot adds an orchestral element to the college rock vibe, with a violinist and cellist added to the standard 4-person rock setup.
Sun, Oct 23 – CSS (Cansei De Ser Sexy)
($26, Paradise Rock Club)
If asked whether the Brazilian dance-rockers CSS have matured a lot musically since 2006 singles “Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above” and “Music Is My Hot, Hot Sex”, I’d have to say, “No, not really”. But frankly that’s not a bad thing – a CSS show isn’t about parsing melodies and picking out instruments, it’s about having a good, good time.
Tues, Oct 25 – The Naked and Famous
($27, Paradise Rock Club)
Summer is unfortunately over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the super fun and catchy summer anthems of The Naked and Famous. Plus, they’re from New Zealand, so it will almost be summer there or something anyways.
Thurs, Oct 27 – Friendly Fires
($23, Paradise Rock Club)
A textbook definition of synergy: Dance + Punk < Dancepunk. This English band will get your feet moving with their frantic, peppy beats and catchy melodies. Playing to an intimate venue like Paradise should only add to the intensity and fun.
Fri, Oct 28 – We Were Promised Jetpacks
($20, Paradise Rock Club)
If there is one band you see in October, it should be these Scottish indie rockers. I saw these guys just over a year ago, and the intensity in the room was ENORMOUS. It’s basically as if Braveheart was reincarnated and started a band. Or maybe as if I was in the movie Trainspotting, except instead of heroin, everyone was addicted to rock n’ roll.
Finally, for the spotify-ers, head to the following link to check out a curated mixtape of the bands mentioned in this column: //bit.ly/HarbusMixtapeOct
