Greetings Rockers ’N’ Rollers! Oasis played their first American shows in 16 years at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey Aug 31 and Sept 1. The venue at MetLife holds a capacity of some 82,500 fans, with the band noting around 60,000 people were in attendance. Brothers, Liam and Noel Gallagher challenged the crowd: “America, you have one last chance to prove that you loved us all along.” At MetLife Stadium for two nights the audience did more than prove it. Oasis perform 23 songs including “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” “Wonderwall” and wrapping with “Champagne Supernova,” with fireworks blasting long after their final walk off. That concert was momentous – every audience member felt they were part of something. The band wraps up their reunion tour dates with two nights in São Paulo on Nov. 22 and 23. Rumors are swirling that Oasis will tour again in 2026 after the massive success of their Live ‘25 Tour.
Harrisburg’s own, The Virus, played in Syracuse, NY on Sept 6 as part of the Studzilla Punx Weekend that featured 15 punk bands. The street punk band originally formed in Philadelphia in 1998 but has consisted of band members from Central PA for many years. The Deftones brought their current North American Tour to Baltimore’s CFG Arena on Sept 11. The alternative metal band from Sacramento, California are headlining a tour for the first time since 2022 which is promoting their latest album, Private Music. British post-punk band, Idles, provided support for the last six dates of the tour. Alkaline Trio took a break from touring with Blink-182 to headline their own show at Archer Music Hall on Sept 12. A sold-out show at the new Allentown music venue which holds a crowd capacity of 1600. The phenomenal post-hardcore band, Drug Church, opened the night with 12 blazing songs to get those attending warmed up.
On Sept 19, Turnstile brought their current Never Enough Tour to Philadelphia’s Skyline Stage at The Mann. The Baltimore based band has blown up in the past few years graduating from small venues to amphitheatres. A sold-out concert that featured opening bands Jane Remover, Speed and Philadelphia’s own, Mannequin Pussy. Turnstile are in the middle of 23-dates across America concluding in Orlando, Florida on Oct 19. The hardcore punk band will then tour Europe for 14-shows in the month of November. Slayer played its only East Coast show this year at 30,000-seat Hersheypark Stadium on Sept. 20. Hosted by WWE talent Damien Priest – whose finishing move is known as “South of Heaven” in honor of Slayer’s seminal 1986 album and its title track – he MC the event, which also featured Knocked Loose, Suicidal Tendencies, Power Trip, Cavalera and Exodus. Slayer guitarist, Kerry King said before the show, “Not having toured in a number of years, there might be some people at this show who have never seen Slayer before, or in some time. So, for the Hershey concert, we’ll play a Slayer show, we’ll have all of our big fire effects, just burn everything like we used to – a real Slayer show.”
Concert highlight of the month consisted of Australian singer, Ecca Vandal, who played her first headlining shows in America ever on Sept 16 in New York City and Sept 22 in Los Angeles. Both intimate shows were completely sold out and I was fortunate to see the unreal NYC show at “101’ Night Club. Ecca Vandal played a set of 13 incredible songs which she is set to soon release as an album. She was born in South Africa to Sri Lankan Tamil refugee parents before moving to Melbourne, Australia and she recently supported Limp Bizkit on the European Leg of their 2025 tour.
NATIONAL NEWS: Los Angeles legends L7 have set the full lineup for the band’s 40th anniversary bash Oct. 3. Joining L7 at The Belasco will be New York punks Lunachicks, Brazilian band CSS and retro-futurist glam-popper Bonavega. DJ Vanessa Burgundy will work the decks for the afterparty. Singer Donita Sparks stated, “We decided to focus on L7’s 40th anniversary. We thought it would be more celebratory having all the bands perform on the theater’s main stage while keeping the after-show dance party up in the gorgeous ballroom. The curation for the 40th needed heavy hitter openers, who are both friends and colleagues in rock.”
Lady Gaga is continuing on “The Mayhem Ball” with a new round of dates for North America slated in 2026. The second leg of the tour kicks off in February and includes two nights at both NYC Madison Square Garden (March 19-20) and Washington DC Capitol One Arean (March 23-24). Since 2007, Lady Gaga has sold a total of 7.1 million tickets, grossing $870.8 million. This past month Gaga had to cancel a show in Miami because her voice was “extremely strained and both my Dr. and vocal coach have advised me not to go on because of the risk it poses.” During her warmup she experienced significant vocal strain and was advised by her ENT not to perform. Foo Fighters played their first show in a year at Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, California. Along with the surprise performance, the show marked the stage debut of the band’s newest drummer, Ilan Rubin. Prior to joining Foo Fighters, Rubin performed with Nine Inch Nails, Paramore, Danny Elfman and more. At age 11, Rubin became the youngest musician to play on a Woodstock stage in 1999. By age 32, Rubin, then a member of Nine Inch Nails, became the youngest musician to ever be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rubin posted, “Last night with Foo Fighters could not have been a better time. I just wanted to say thanks! Excited for all the volume and sweat that lies ahead.”
Coldplay, once again, made history on Sept 12 after playing what is slated to be the final performance of the band’s “Music of the Spheres World Tour.” The tour set the largest attendance ever recorded for a single concert tour with an estimated 13 million tickets sold. Now, in their final 10-show hometown engagement at Wembley Stadium in London, the British rock band’s last concert will mark the final announced concert on the tour after a three-and-a-half-year run with 223 performances. Radiohead will tour for the first time in seven years this November and December, with a five-city, 20-show tour of European arenas. “Last year, we got together to rehearse, just for the hell of it. After a seven year pause, it felt really good to play the songs again and reconnect with a musical identity that has become lodged deep inside all five of us,” drummer Philip Selway wrote. LCD Soundsystem will return to Queens’ Knockdown Center for a 12-show residency in November and December. This will be the fifth consecutive New York City residency for the indie favorites and the second straight year at Knockdown Center. Dates include Nov 20-23 and Dec 4-13 and feature a variety of live openers, nightly afterparties featuring DJ sets from special guests, a wine bar and a DFA Records swap meet. Eagles’ long run at Sphere will continue into 2026. The legendary band added four shows for late January to extend the residency at the groundbreaking Las Vegas venue to 48.
Phish returns to New York City Dec. 28 through 31, for a four-night run at Madison Square Garden. A treasured New Year’s tradition that has supplied countless special moments during the band’s 40-year+ history, this year’s schedule of dates brings Phish’s total number of shows at The Garden to 91. Phish are currently on their late Summer Tour 2025 and in 2026, the band will be back on the beaches of Mexico for the ninth annual Phish: Riviera Maya, set for Jan. 28-31. Sammy Hagar has confirmed a Las Vegas residency in 2026 titled “The Best of All Worlds” at Dolby Live at Park MGM. Hagar’s residency will feature 11 performances scheduled March 11-21 and Sept. 18-16, reuniting him with the Best of All Worlds Band featuring fellow original Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani, drummer Kenny Aronoff, and multi-instrumentalist Rai Thistlethwayte.The performances will feature a deep dive into the Van Halen years, along with selections from Hagar’s solo career and time in Montrose and Chickenfoot. Paul McCartney began his “Got Back Tour 2025” Sept 26 at the Santa Barbara Bowl in California, with a phones-free, limited-ticket show. The former Beatle will tour stadiums until late November and plays Pittsburgh’s PPG Paints Arena on Nov 11.
Legendary guitarist Robby Krieger of The Doors announced a 60th Anniversary Doors Celebration at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles on Oct. 30. The show will honor the pioneering Los Angeles band’s iconic album Morrison Hotel, which was released on Feb. 9, 1970. The band’s fifth studio album featured classics such as “Roadhouse Blues,” Waiting For The Sun” and “Peace Frog” along with other hits. Krieger joined The Doors in 1965 shortly after Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek formed the group. He was the band’s lead guitarist and his unique style and songwriting contributions were key to The Doors’ sound. Krieger stated, “I feel so blessed that just about every day someone stops me and recognizes me and wants to talk about The Doors and to thank me for making the music that they love still today. The people that recognize me seem to be getting nicer all the time…I like to say that it’s a good problem to have.”
OCTOBER CONCERTS: Raveonettes – NYC Bowery Oct 1. Raveonettes – Washington DC Black Cat Oct 3. Tom Keifer of Cinderella – Stroudsburg Theatre Oct 4. The Ocean Blue – Annapolis Rams Head Oct 10. Four Horseman – Harrisburg XL Live Oct 10. JW Francis – State College Mannys Oct 10. Low Cut Connie – Harrisburg XL Live Oct 11. The Cult – Washington DC Warner Theatre Oct 15. Haute & Freddy – Washington DC Atlantis Oct 22. Haute & Freddy – NYC Bowery Oct 24. Anthrophobia – Harrisburg Capitol City Hall Oct 25. Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers – Harrisburg XL Live Oct 25. Nation of Language – Philadelphia Union Transfer Oct 29. Iron Maidens – Harrisburg XL Live Oct 30. Nation of Language – Washington DC 9:30 Club Oct 30.
