The WaMu Theater will get hectic in the days ahead, as a string of high-profile shows roll into Seattle.
The action starts at 8 tonight, Oct. 21, with a visit from Schoolboy Q on his Blank Face tour.
The buzzed-about rapper, who first built his name with underground mixtapes, has been riding high with recent studio releases. His 2014 album, “Oxymoron,” hit No. 1, while its follow-up, this year’s “Blank Face LP,” bowed at No. 2.
That disc featured plenty of notable cameos, including guest verses from Kanye West, Miguel and Jadakiss, among others.
Tickets are $35 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
Then the kids can pull out their LED gear as the WaMu Theater holds the Safe in Sound Festival.
That event, which starts at 6 p.m. Oct. 22, will feature a noteworthy line-up of acts in electronic dance music, or EDM. The bill includes Borgore, Nghtmre, Feed Me, Laxx and San Holo.
Tickets are $45 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
Another big name in hip-hop, Chance the Rapper, will then hit the WaMu Theater at 8 p.m. Oct. 24. The independent-minded Chicago emcee continues to tour behind “The Coloring Book,” a roundly praised album that fused gospel and rap.
That album managed to crack the Billboard 200 thanks to online streaming alone, debuting at No. 8 on the chart. The accomplishment was made all the more impressive by the fact that Chance continues to work without the support of a major label, shrugging off their attempts to sign him.
Tickets are $42 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
M83 will finish off the string of shows with a stop at the WaMu Theater at 7 p.m. Oct. 25.
The French musician has gained a wide following thanks to his lush sonic landscapes and evocative songs that meld modern sensibilities with 1980s nostalgia.
After gaining a wide audience with his 2011 double-disc album “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming,” the composer scaled things back, sort of, for this year’s “Junk,” which came in at a comparatively lean 15 tracks.
Tickets are $36.50 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
The Moore Theatre, meanwhile, will welcome Ingrid Michaelson at 8 p.m. Oct. 22.
The piano-loving pop star may be best known for songs like her 2008 ukulele-driven hit “You and I.” That track, among others, helped her win a wide audience, and she has since seen her subsequent albums land higher on the charts. She’s touring now behind her August album, “It Doesn’t Have to Make Sense.”
Tickets are $36 to $118.50 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
Opeth also is playing the Moore Theatre, hitting the Seattle spot at 8 p.m. Oct. 25.
The long-running Swedish metal act first formed overseas in 1990, winning fans with its sprawling prog-fueled jams. It’s touring now behind its new album “Sorceress,” which hit stores this September.
Tickets are $34 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
Lil Dicky is headed to the Showbox SoDo at 9 p.m. Oct. 21.
The witty and biting rapper made a big splash in 2015 with his cheekily named album “Professional Rapper” and the near-instant viral success of his single, “Ex Boyfriend.”
Tickets are $25 at axs.com.
Then the Showbox SoDo will bring Asking Alexandria back to Seattle.
The brittle-edged hardcore act is touring behind “The Black,” its first album featuring new lead singer Denis Stoff. Fans have embraced Stoff so far, driving that disc into the top 10 upon its March release.
Tickets are $25 at axs.com.
And the Showbox SoDo also is welcoming a potent one-two punch with the punk acts Bad Religion and Against Me!, which will play the venue at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 26.
Bad Religion are elder statesmen at this point, an act that helped put Southern California punk rock on the map in the 1980s.
Against Me!, however, is the more critically adored group, led by Laura Jane Grace. The cultishly adored singer is releasing this fall both a new album, “Shape Shift with Me,” and a memoir, “Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout.”
Tickets are $32.50 at axs.com.
The Neptune Theatre has its own string of shows, with a couple bigger names standing out during a busy week for the venue.
Famed folk rocker Billy Bragg will play the spot at 8 tonight, Oct. 21, as he tours behind his new album, “Shine a Light,” which found him collaborating with Joe Henry. Henry will be featured as a special guest during the show.
Tickets are $38 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
And the Naked and Famous will play the Neptune Theatre at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 as it tours behind its latest album, “Simple Forms,” which saw release this month.
The respected alt-rock act is probably best known for its track “Young Blood,” which has received steady airplay on 107.7 The End for years.
Tickets are $30 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
