2023 is bound to be a good year for live indie and alternative music, especially in the tri-state area where many artists are playing shows. From Paramore ending its almost six-year hiatus to boygenius announcing its first tour as a band, the year has just begun and musical artists are not disappointing. New music is being released, albums are being announced and showing are being played. You won’t want to miss out, so get your wallet ready to buy tickets for these must-see upcoming concerts.
boygenius
Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus are embarking on their first tour together as the band boygenius. The band is partnering with Re:SET for its nation-wide tour of the bands sophomore album, “The Record” which Rolling Stone said, “should go down as one of 2023’s best albums.” Baker, Bridgers and Dacus, who are all also solo artists, combine their lyrical and instrumental talents to create alluring music that is lively, yet often melancholic. “The Record” is set to be released March 31, and the band will begin touring the following month. Boygenius will preform in Forest Hills, NY at Forest Hills Stadium on June 17.
Paramore
Paramore is back! After a six year hiatus, the illustrious band released “This Is Why” a 10-track album with nothing but absolute bangers. The band began the “This Is Why” tour back in October 2022, playing singles from the new album along with hits from its, at the time, five-album discography. Fans can dance, scream and sing along to classics like “Misery Business“, “Ain’t It Fun” and “Hard Times” AND be some of the first to expirence ten newly released songs live. The band is playing at Adjacent Music Festival in Atlantic City, NJ, on May 27 and 28, as well as Madison Square Garden in New York City on May 30 and 31.
MUNA
“The greatest band in the world” is coming to the east coast! The “Lifes So Fun Tour”, which gets its name from a lyric in the hit song “Silk Chiffon“, features songs from the bands 2022 self-titled third album. The queer anthem “Silk Chiffon” sets the tone for a lot of the album, which is filled with themes of optimism and queer love. Pitchfork described the band as, “pop stars and mentors, offering gentle instructions for falling in love, dusting yourself off, and joyfully living your truth.” MUNA is playing at The Met Philadelphia on May 5, as well as Terminal 5 in New York, NY on May 8 and 9.
Clairo
Singer-songerwriter Claire Cottrill, otherwise known as Clairo, became popluar amoung young audiences after her “Pretty Girl” music video rose to popluarity. The music video has accumulated over 89 million views on YouTube and has helped Clairo garner a substancial following throughout the past five years. Her discography largely consists of catchy gentle melodies accompanied by lyrics that explore relationships, self-reflection and mental health. Clairo often plays hits like “Bags“, “Sofia” and “Amoeba” at her concerts, adding fan-favorites to the pool of tunes. She is partnering with Re:SET and will preform in Forest Hills, NY at Forest Hills Stadium on June 17.
Steve Lacy
Singer-songwriter Steve Lacy gained much attention after his songs “Dark Red” and “Bad Habit” rose to popularity. As his fanbase has grown, so have the sizes and publicity of his concerts. Video’s of Lacy’s concerts went viral in 2022, likely due to the behavior that they showcased. Lacy can be seen throwing things, messing with the audience and ending songs before they are finished. Lacy’s tour was nearly sold-out nonetheless, and patrons are still buying tickets for his upcoming shows. His shows may not always include a typical concert experience, but they are certainly entertaining. Lacy has partnered with Re:SET and will preform in Forest Hills, NY at Forest Hills Stadium on June 18.
Arctic Monkeys
The band behind “I Wanna Be Yours“, “505” and “Do I Wanna Know?” is touring North America. Arctic Monkeys released its newest album “The Car” in Oct. 2022, and according to Rolling Stone it is, “one of their most accomplished and impressive records so far.” The band has been topping charts since 2005, and has racked up an immense following with over 41 million listeners on Spotify. Much of the bands tour has sold out, but there are still tickets available for its Philadelphia, PA show on Sept. 5 at TD Pavilion at the Mann and two Forest Hills, NY shows at Forest Hills Stadium on Sept. 8 and 9.