No matter what type of music you like, live music is where the soul lives.
Back when I traveled around covering music, I went to plenty shows with a preconceived idea of what I was going to write…especially if I wasn’t a fan of a band’s album. My mind has been changed so many times. You honestly cannot have an opinion on a band without seeing them in person.
I comprised a list of bands who have tour dates this Spring and Early Summer. I purposely left out the major music festivals (Coachella, Lollapalozza, Bonnaroo) because everybody knows they are amazing.
Here is a list of tours you can’t miss this Spring.
The Postal Service
The reunited group begins their tour on April 9th in Reno, Nevada and goes through July 26th. If you’re in the Midwest, you have a limited amount of shows to see them. As of today, only the Detroit, MI and Columbus, OH dates are considered to be in the region. They are touring heavy on the East and West coasts.
Alkaline Trio w/ Bayside
The members of Alkaline Trio have been busy with side-projects and it’s been awhile since they went on a long tour. Their tour dates stretch from April 25th until June 11th. They are bringing along Bayside, a fellow pop punk band who have success during the early 00’s.
Grizzly Bear w/ The xx
It’s hard to pass up this show. These indie music gods are a hipster’s dream tour. They are touring from March 1st to June 16th. For our International readers, they are also hitting all the big festivals in Europe, so you’re in luck.
fun. w/ Tegan and Sara
fun. hopes to parlay their Grammy success into a major national tour. To assure sell-outs, they are bringing indie music Hall of Famers, Tegan and Sara along. Their U.S. tour officially kicks off July 9th in Cleveland, OH and end on September 26th in Charlottesville, VA.
Tyler, the Creator
The eccentric hip hop artist is currently set to play limited dates in March and upcoming dates are rumored to be announced later. It is unknown if any other members of his group Odd Future will join him. As of today, he has dates in Columbus (OH), Millvale (PA), Norfolk (VA) & Boston (MA).
Bad Religion w/ Against Me! & Polar Bear Club
If you’re in the mood for old school punk, Bad Religion brings if with every song. Their U.S. tour begins March 9th and goes through April 18th. Against Me! and Polar Bear Club are two fantastic openers for Bad Religion.
Foals w/Surfer Blood & Blondfire
You may only be vaguely familiar with these band or you haven’t heard of them at all. The last two albums by Foals have been fantastic, Surfer Blood puts on a crazy show (a few friends of mine ended up on the stage of one of their concerts last year) and Blondfire is one of the latest bands I’m obsessed with. I don’t expect tickets to this tour being expensive, so you’ll get your money’s worth. Their U.S. tour goes from April 10th through June 12th.
Starfucker w/ Blackbird Blackbird
If you’re into dance music with an indie music backdrop, you’ll love Starfucker (or STRFKR) and Blackbird Blackbird. I’ve been a fan of STRFKR for a couple of years and Blackbird Blackbird is a group I’ve recently discovered. They are currently on tour and are together until March 24th in Omaha, NE.
Of Monsters and Men
If you’re a fan of Mumford & Sons and The Lumineers, you will love Of Monsters and Men. They start their U.S. tour at Coachella on April 12th and end it at Bonnaroo on June 16th. After those dates, they head over to Europe to tackle all the big festivals.
Fall Out Boy
Although Fall Out Boy isn’t my cup of tea, I really don’t see them doing too many tours in the near future. I assume they will grab a more current band to open for them, since I don’t think they could sell out larger venues these days. Their U.S. tour begins on May 14th in Milwaukee, WI and ends on June 30th in Nashville, TN.
Darwin Deez
You probably haven’t heard of this band, but they released one of the best albums in 2010. I don’t think it appeared on anyone else’s Top 100 list. If you’re a fan of quirky, indie music, you’ll like Darwin Deez. They are playing smaller venues as they are currently on tour until April 5th.
Muse w/ Dead Sara
If you’re looking for a visual experience to go along with good music, you have to check out a Muse show. They have begun their world tour and it doesn’t end until August. The tickets will be pricey, since they are playing Arenas, but it is an experience.
Jukebox the Ghost w/ Matt Pond PA & The Lighthouse and the Whaler
This ticket is another indie music gem. Jukebox the Ghost and Matt Pond PA are both good, but I’m actually more interested in seeing The Lighthouse and the Whaler. I’ve recently become obsessed with them. I discovered them on Spotify and they are such a solid band.
I hope these bands are in your area so you can spend an evening of great music you’ll remember for a long time. If you want to know if these bands will be in your area, check out http://www.Pollstar.com.