Pearl Jam. Photo: Danny Clinch
North Texas has seen plenty of blockbuster musical performances on stages large and small thus far in 2023 — Taylor Swift, Metallica, the Jonas Brothers, Blink-182, Shania Twain and Bruce Springsteen, to name just a few — but the remaining months of the year promise just as many highlights, if not more. Here are a few forthcoming performances worthy of your attention and your hard-earned concert dollars.
September
Pearl Jam at Dickies Arena (Sept. 13–15)
Somehow, in Pearl Jam’s 33-year existence, the Seattle rockers have never made their way to Fort Worth — an oversight Eddie Vedder and his bandmates will rectify with a pair of shows at Dickies Arena. The two-night stand also marks the band’s first North Texas shows in a decade, part of a brief U.S. run of dates in support of Pearl Jam’s 11th studio album, 2020’s Gigaton.
Drake at American Airlines Center (Sept. 14–15)
It took a few tries to get his tour off the ground — this pair of shows was originally scheduled for June, before moving to the fall — but Canadian rapper Drake will make his way to North Texas for his “It’s All a Blur” tour, joined by 21 Savage as co-headliner. When he’s not busy dabbling in poetry, Drake is also working up a new LP, tentatively titled To All the Dogs, and reportedly due out sometime this year.
Beyonce at AT&T Stadium (Sept. 21)
It’s been a banner year thus far for top-tier talent passing through Arlington, and honestly, given the multiple-night approach of other superstars (three nights for Taylor; two for Metallica) it’s a little surprising Beyonce is only performing once at AT&T Stadium. For her third headlining appearance in the space, she’ll pull heavily from her acclaimed LP, Renaissance.
More noteworthy September shows
Sept. 7: Sam Smith at Dickies Arena
Sept. 8-9: Mana at American Airlines Center
Sept. 8: Flogging Molly at House of Blues; Lainey Wilson at Billy Bob’s Texas
Sept. 9: Generationals at Club Dada; Texas Gentlemen and Friends at Tulips FTW
Sept. 10: 5 Seconds of Summer at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Sept. 13: King Krule at House of Blues; Hannah Jadagu at Club Dada
Sept. 14: First Aid Kit at House of Blues; Tenacious D at Texas Trust CU Theatre; Daniel Caesar at South Side Ballroom; Bonnie “Prince” Billy at Texas Theatre
Sept. 15: Dwight Yoakam at Texas Trust CU Theatre; Local Natives at House of Blues; Maxwell at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory; Islands at Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios
Sept. 16: Arctic Monkeys at Dickies Arena; Chicago at Will Rogers Auditorium; Explosions in the Sky at South Side Ballroom; Shaq’s Bass All-Stars Festival at Panther Island Pavilion
Sept. 17: Sylvan Esso at The Factory In Deep Ellum; Paulina Rubio at Texas Trust CU Theatre; Keke Palmer at The Studio at the Factory
Sept. 19: James Bay at The Echo Lounge & Music Hall; Lana Del Rey at Dos Equis Pavilion
Sept. 21: Neon Trees at The Echo Lounge & Music Hall; Beth Orton at Kessler Theater
Sept. 22: The Mavericks at Majestic Theatre
Sept. 23: Jelly Roll at Dos Equis Pavilion; Reverend Horton Heat at Granada Theater; Daughtry at Arlington Music Hall
Sept. 24: Todrick Hall at The Studio at the Factory; Bahamas at Kessler Theater
Sept. 26: Dogstar at Granada Theater
Sept. 27: Ne-Yo at Dos Equis Pavilion; Tate McRae at House of Blues; Heartless Bastards at Tulips FTW
Sept. 28: Luke Bryan at Dos Equis Pavilion; Wilco at South Side Ballroom
Sept. 29: Playboi Carti at American Airlines Center; Pink and Brandi Carlile at Globe Life Field; Luke Bryan at Dickies Arena; Spyro Gyra at Arlington Music Hall; Josh Ritter at Longhorn Ballroom; Electric Six at Trees; Wilderado at Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall; Lori McKenna and Brandy Clark at Kessler Theater; Claud at Club Dada
Sept. 30: Maluma at American Airlines Center; Brent Cobb at the Studio at the Factory; Chrisette Michele and CeeLo Green at Cotton Bowl Stadium
October
The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie at Texas Trust CU Theatre (Oct. 1)
That sound you hear is millennials swooning at the prospect of seeing and hearing not one, but two seminal early aughts indie rock acts — The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie — performing landmark releases (Give Up and Transatlanticism, respectively) in their entirety, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of both LPs.
Janelle Monae at the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory (Oct. 9)
Pivoting back from racking up acclaim as an actress, multi-hyphenate talent Janelle Monae delivered one of the most sensual, satisfying records of 2023, The Age of Pleasure (her first studio effort since 2018’s Dirty Computer), and is taking her freewheeling sonic sensibility on the road, performing her largest North Texas gig to date.
Peter Gabriel at American Airlines Center (Oct. 19)
The acclaimed singer-songwriter Peter Gabriel will make his first North Texas headlining appearance in more than a dozen years this fall, supporting his as-yet-unreleased album i/o, his first studio album of original material in over 20 years.
More noteworthy October shows
Oct. 1: Depeche Mode at American Airlines Center
Oct. 2: The Deslondes at Tulips FTW
Oct. 3: Corinne Bailey Rae at Texas Theatre
Oct. 4: All Time Low at The Factory in Deep Ellum
Oct. 6: Death Grips at South Side Ballroom; Maneskin at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory; Kelsey Waldon at Tulips FTW; The Walkmen at Longhorn Ballroom
Oct. 7: Snarky Puppy at Longhorn Ballroom
Oct. 7-8: Portugal. The Man at Granada Theater
Oct. 9: The 1975 at Dickies Arena
Oct. 10: Teddy Swims at The Factory in Deep Ellum
Oct. 11: Pat Metheny at Majestic Theatre
Oct. 13: Shania Twain at Dickies Arena; Mt. Joy at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory; !!! (Chk Chk Chk) at Tulips FTW
Oct. 14: Sting at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory; The Teskey Brothers at House of Blues
Oct. 15: Avenged Sevenfold at Dickies Arena; Kesha at the Factory in Deep Ellum; Noah Kahan at the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Oct. 20: KXT Get Loud with Lou CharLe$, Remy Reilly and Jack Barksdale at Klyde Warren Park; Nickel Creek at Majestic Theatre; GAYLE at The Studio at the Factory; Needtobreathe at Dickies Arena
Oct. 20-21: Ben Folds at Meyerson Symphony Center
Oct. 19-22: Gordy’s HWY30 Music Fest: Texas Edition at Texas Motor Speedway
Oct. 22: Nick Cave at Majestic Theatre; Deer Tick at Tulips FTW
Oct. 24: Michelle Branch at the Factory in Deep Ellum
Oct. 26: Shakey Graves at Longhorn Ballroom; Zack Fox at the Studio at the Factory; Bully at Andy’s Bar
Oct. 27: KISS at Dickies Arena; Thundercat at South Side Ballroom; Say She She at Club Dada
Oct. 27-28: Chris Stapleton at Dos Equis Pavilion
Oct. 28: John Mayer at American Airlines Center; Death from Above 1979 at Granada Theater; Blonde Redhead at the Studio at the Factory; Raphael Saadiq at the Music Hall at Fair Park; Beach Fossils at House of Blues; The Church at Kessler Theater; The Mountain Goats at Longhorn Ballroom
Oct. 29: The Front Bottoms at the Factory in Deep Ellum
Oct. 30: Lauryn Hill and Fugees at Dickies Arena
November
Genesis Owusu at The Studio at the Factory (Nov. 1)
Australian alt-rapper Genesis Owusu (born Kofi Owusu-Ansah) is unlike much else in modern music — a dynamic whirlwind of creativity leaving audiences stunned around the world. He’ll sweep into North Texas as part of a tour supporting his recently released sophomore LP, Struggler.
The Flaming Lips at Music Hall at Fair Park (Nov. 9)
Two decades have slipped by in an instant since Wayne Coyne and his Flaming Lips collaborators first released Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, a quasi-concept LP that spawned a string of hit singles (including “Do You Realize??”) and earned the band a Grammy for best rock instrumental performance. The Lips will play Yoshimi front to back to mark its 20th anniversary.
Doja Cat at American Airlines Center (Nov. 16)
R&B star Doja Cat is back with a ferocious new record — the hip-hop-heavy Scarlet, which drops Sept. 22 — meant to balance out the more feminine energy of her 2021 breakthrough, Planet Her. To mark the occasion, she’s heading out on her debut arena headlining tour, which includes a stop in North Texas.
More noteworthy November shows
Nov. 1: Gipsy Kings at Majestic Theatre; Geese at Club Dada
Nov. 2: St. Paul and the Broken Bones at Majestic Theatre
Nov. 2-3: Queen + Adam Lambert at American Airlines Center
Nov. 4: Rainbow Kitten Surprise at the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory; Joy Oladokun at Kessler Theater
Nov. 7: Aerosmith at American Airlines Center
Nov. 8: Lil Uzi Vert at South Side Ballroom; Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats at Will Rogers Auditorium
Nov. 9: Tinashe at the Factory in Deep Ellum
Nov. 11: Jackie Venson and Kam Franklin at Kessler Theater
Nov. 12: Faye Webster at the Factory in Deep Ellum; Drive-By Truckers at Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall
Nov. 13: Kim Petras at South Side Music Hall
Nov. 13-14: Alt-J at House of Blues
Nov. 14: Wolfmother at the Factory in Deep Ellum
Nov. 15: Randy Travis at Texas Trust CU Theatre
Nov. 17: Enrique Iglesias at American Airlines Center; Lake Street Dive at Winspear Opera House; Becca Mancari at Club Dada
Nov. 17-18: George Strait at Dickies Arena
Nov. 18: Paul Cauthen at the Factory in Deep Ellum; John Moreland at Kessler Theater; The Black Lips at Tulips FTW
Nov. 19: The National at the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory; Porno for Pyros at House of Blues
Nov. 21: Royal Blood at South Side Ballroom
Nov. 24: Kirk Franklin at Dickies Arena
Nov. 25: Mammoth WVH at the Factory in Deep Ellum
Nov. 30: Andrea Bocelli at American Airlines Center
December
Liz Phair at Majestic Theatre (Dec. 3)
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Exile in Guyville, her widely acclaimed debut album, singer-songwriter Liz Phair is hitting the road to perform the release in full. For her Dallas date, Phair will be joined by Blondshell, a rising alt-rock star, who was originally scheduled to headline Club Dada this summer, but scrapped the date with no explanation.
Samara Joy at Longhorn Ballroom (Dec. 10)
What better way to ease into the holiday season than in the company of a newly minted Grammy winner? Jazz vocalist Samara Joy, who won a pair of Grammys earlier this year, including best new artist, will bring her “A Joyful Holiday” tour to Dallas, with the McLendon Family along for support.
The Polyphonic Spree Holiday Extravaganza at Majestic Theatre (Dec. 15–16)
It’s not the holidays in North Texas without a dose of choral pop-rock from homegrown heroes the Polyphonic Spree — the Tim DeLaughter-led ensemble will mark the 20th anniversary of its “holiday extravaganza” by spreading the cheer over two nights. Expect Santa Claus, Nutcrackers on stilts, balloon animals and real live reindeer.
More noteworthy December shows
Dec. 6-7: Colter Wall at Longhorn Ballroom
Dec. 8: Marc Broussard at Longhorn Ballroom
Dec. 9: Sunny War at Tulips FTW
Dec. 13: Macy Gray at the Factory in Deep Ellum
Dec. 14: Abraham Alexander at Majestic Theatre
Dec. 15: For King & Country at Dickies Arena; Dan Deacon at Club Dada
Dec. 17: Anita Baker at American Airlines Center
Dec. 28-30: Turnpike Troubadours at Billy Bob’s Texas
Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at [email protected] or find him on X (@prestonjones). Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.
