Shakespeare said it best when he called music “the food of love” in the very first line of his comedy “Twelfth Night.” More than four centuries later, that description still holds up: Both cultural staples attract devotees with insatiable appetites. So for those in the mood for a buffet of sorts, here are CITY’s picks for 10 live shows to see and hear in the coming months.
Christian McBride & Edgar Meyer
Hochstein Performance Hall
Fri., Sept. 6 at 8 p.m.
Two of the preeminent bassists regardless of genre, Christian McBride and Edgar Meyer are powerhouse performers who bring creative ingenuity to their jazz arrangements and compositions. The pair’s cheekily titled new album, “But Who’s Gonna Play the Melody?” is heavy on indelible grooves, and a fun-loving sensibility permeates the music. Doors for this all-ages show at Hochstein open at 6:30 p.m., with music at 8 p.m. $43.56-$69.85. roclive.live
Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert
State Theatre of Ithaca
Wed., Sept. 11 at 8 p.m.
Fans of the pitch-perfect yet unconventional Bob Dylan biopic “I’m Not There” and its intriguing soundtrack may remember the chic cover of “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again” from Chan Marshall, AKA Cat Power. Having released “Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert” last year, Marshall is touring her interpretation of the landmark “Royal Albert Hall” show (which was actually performed at Manchester Free Trade Hall). The original concert came in the wake of Dylan’s pivotal shift away from a traditional acoustic folk sound irreversibly toward “electric” music, but the suddenly divisive singer-songwriter was still splitting the difference, playing both acoustic and plugged-in sets at his shows. Concertgoers at the intimate yet majestic State Theatre in Ithaca can expect that vintage Bob Dylan sound, sung to mesmerizing effect by Marshall. Doors at 7 p.m., music at 8 p.m. $39.50-$75. stateofithaca.org
Brandee Younger Trio
Kilbourn Hall at Eastman School of Music
Sat., Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Brandee Younger is a different kind of harpist, as happy to jump into the fray of joyful and chaotic jazz, lay down the groove in a soul-R&B ballad or provide the hook for a hip-hop track as she is to play a crystalline melody with a more “classical” aesthetic. This versatility will be showcased in the brilliant acoustic environment of Eastman School of Music’s Kilbourn Hall, as Younger is joined by her rhythm section, double bassist Dezron Douglas and drummer Allan Mednard. To say Younger has been a revelation within the last few years is an understatement. In 2022, she became the first Black woman to receive a Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Composition, and in 2024 she won the NAACP Image Award. With last year’s album “Brand New LIfe” and her new EP “Serenity: A Collection of Mindful Meditations” in her repertoire, Younger’s performance promises to be transcendent. $32-$45. esm.rochester.edu/theatre
RPO presents Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony + Kevin Puts’s “Contact” Triple Concerto with Time for Three
Kodak Hall at Eastman School of Music
Sat., Sept. 21 at 8 p.m.
The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra is at its best — and most memorable — when it pairs cherished works by legendary composers with intriguing pieces by living composers. (The performance of Romantic composer Johannes Brahms’s “A German Requiem” alongside the world premiere of Derrick Skye’s “A Rage of Peace” during RPO Artistic Director Andreas Delfs’s first full season at the helm comes to mind.) The orchestra’s 2024-25 season opener follows the same playbook, putting Tchaikovsky’s sweeping Fifth Symphony in a contemporary context with “Contact,” a triple concerto for two violins, bass and orchestra by Eastman School of Music alumnus Kevin Puts. To sweeten the deal, Delfs and the RPO have enlisted the dynamic string trio Time for Three as soloists. For fans disappointed by the group’s canceled concert at ChamberFest Canandaigua during the summer, here’s another chance to hear Nick Kendall, Ranaan Meyer and Charles Yang at their scintillating best. The performance will be reprised on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m. $18-$104. rpo.org
Coral Moons and Bugcatcher
Bug Jar
Sat., Oct. 5 at 9 p.m.
The band Coral Moons has been a breath of fresh air in the local music scene’s atmosphere ever since singer-guitarist Carly Kraft and lead guitarist Justin Bartlett moved to Canandaigua during the pandemic. With the recent release of its second full-length album, “summer of u,” the pop-rock quartet that got its start in Boston continues to build on its momentum from 2022’s “Fieldcrest” and tireless touring. Powered by Kraft’s commanding, melody-rich vocals and a penchant for anthemic, guitar-driven hooks, Coral Moons is one to watch out for everytime the group plays in Rochester, such as this early October date with indie rocker Jake Denning’s slowcore project Bugcatcher playing support. Doors at 8 p.m. The 18-and-over show is $17.70-$22.85. bugjar.com
The Wooten Brothers
Water Street Music Hall
Sun., Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.
The name Wooten is synonymous with mind-bending musical virtuosity and relentless creativity. Any music fan who’s ever come across Bela Fleck & The Flecktones can attest to the technical prowess and eccentric sensibilities of bassist Victor Wooten and his percussionist brother Roy Wooten, AKA Future Man, who invented the instrument known as the ‘drumitar.’ The dynamic rhythm section is joined by siblings Regi on guitar and Joseph on keyboards for the “Forebrothers of Funk” tour. And if the recent single “SWEAT” is any indication of what listeners can expect on the upcoming album, the groove won’t be denied. Doors at 6 p.m. Tickets start at $37.74.
waterstreetmusichall.live
Undeath with Kruelty and Gates to Hell
Photo City Music Hall
Sun., Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m.
The pride and joy of Rochester death metal, Undeath returns home on the heels of its latest album, appropriately titled “More Insane.” The quintet leans into the absurdity of metal music imagery with a blistering sound to match and a tongue-in-cheek approach to its lyrics. Having made headway in the national music scene with the approval of tastemakers such as The Needle Drop and Pitchfork, the Prosthetic Records-signed band continues to rep the 585 for wider audiences. For heavy-music headbangers, this show will be underlined in red. Doors for the 18-and-over show at 6:30 p.m. $27.83. photocitymusichall.com
Alan Cumming & Ari Shapiro: “Och & Oy! A Considered Cabaret”
The Theater at Innovation Square
Sun., Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m.
The artistic partnership between Broadway, film and TV star Alan Cumming and journalist Ari Shapiro of NPR’s “All Things Considered” sounds like something concocted in a marketing meeting. But the chemistry between the two performers is genuine, as the two sing cabaret tunes and playfully rib one another. The title of the show is itself a jocular nod to their respective Scottish and Jewish roots, while also acknowledging their claims to fame. Cumming and Shapiro’s voices mesh well on tunes like “Nowadays” and “Bosom Buddies,” but to be honest, the creative duet is first and foremost about fun, as in the pair’s take on “Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better)” from the musical “Annie Get Your Gun.” Doors at 6:30 p.m. $74-$125. theaterais.com
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
State Theatre of Ithaca
Tues., Nov. 26 at 7:30 p.m.
The careers of songwriters Gillian Welch and David Rawlings are inseparable, and the pair’s legacy at the zenith of modern Americana music shows no signs of fading. Having met at Berklee College of Music, Welch and Rawlings have been playing on one another’s albums and performing together onstage ever since; the ongoing collaboration yielded a 2021 Grammy win for Best Folk Album with “All the Good Times (Are Past & Gone).” Skilled guitarists and enthralling storytellers through song, Welch and Rawlings traverse the paths between country, bluegrass and old-time folk with exquisite results. Doors at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $59.50. stateofithaca.org
Barbara Hannigan & Bertrand Chamayou
Kilbourn Hall at Eastman School of Music
Sun., Dec. 8 at 3 p.m.
Canadian soprano Barbara Hannigan is a paragon of contemporary opera, a fixture on the international stage with a staggeringly prodigious résumé. With unmatched strength and sensitivity, she has performed in the world premieres of more than 90 different operas. Hannigan is also an accomplished orchestral conductor who will become the Iceland Symphony Orchestra’s chief conductor and artistic director in 2026. For this rare performance in North America, Hannigan will deliver a cutting-edge recital of works by avant-garde masters Olivier Messiaen and John Zorn, as well as late-Romantic composer Alexander Scriabin. Pianist Bertrand Chamayou joins Hannigan for this must-hear concert. $38-$63. esm.rochester.edu/theatre
Daniel J. Kushner is an arts writer for CITY. He can be reached at dkushner@rochester-citynews.com.
This article appears in Aug 1-31, 2024.
