Whether your jam is old-school funk, the blues or songs that connect you to your spiritual beliefs, the live music scene in and around Rhode Island has something to tempt you into spending your entertainment funds this fall.
Here are our top 10 picks to help you plan your live music fix over the next few months.
- LeAnn Rimes , Oct. 18, 8 p.m., Foxwoods Resort ( foxwoods.com ), Mashantucket, Connecticut. One of country music’s classic female artists, Rimes has earned countless awards, including two Grammys, for songs like “How Do I Live,” “Love Line” and “Can’t Fight the Moonlight.” She’s back on an upswing, having released her 19 th album in 2022. Tickets range from $71 to 116.
- Todd Rundgren , Oct. 26, 8 p.m., Stadium Theatre ( stadiumtheatre.com ), Woonsocket. Since 1969, the singer-songwriter has ground out rock classics like “I Saw the Light,” “Hello It’s Me” and “Bang the Drum All Day.” His latest tour caps the release of his autobiography and runs through his songbook, including hits made with his progressive rock band Utopia. Tickets range from $49 to 69.
- Bruce Cockburn , Nov. 3, 7 p.m., Greenwich Odeum ( greenwichodeum.com ), East Greenwich. “Kicking at the Darkness” is the latest tour in this Canadian-born singer-songwriter’s 50-year career making genre-defying songs like “It’s Going Down Slow,” “Lovers in a Dangerous Time” and “Call Me Rose.” His sound is a little folk and a little rock, blended with worldbeat sounds picked up in his travels. Tickets range from $55 to 60.
- The Wallflowers , Nov. 8, 8 p.m., The Strand ( thestrandri.com ), Providence. Multi-instrumentalist Jakob Dylan, son of Bob, brings Jeff Slate & Friends on tour for a rock feast. Think meaningful storytelling meshed with rootsy, hard-hitting sound. Wallflowers hits from seven albums – “One Headlight” and “6 th Avenue Heartache” among them – plus Slate’s ’80s guitar chops make for a solid show. Tickets range from $46 to 86.
- MercyMe , Nov. 14, 7 p.m., Amica Mutual Pavilion ( amicamutualpavilion.com ), Providence. The contemporary Christian music band joins Toby Mac and Zach Williams on tour, offering an uplifting concert experience. Songs like “I Can Only Imagine” and “Flawless” draw on meaningful, faith-driven lyrics and a musical style rooted in gospel. Tickets run from $17 to 119.
- Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue , Nov. 23, 8 p.m., The Vets ( thevetsri.com ), Providence. This is brass on steroids, as Troy Andrews leads a full band through peppy renditions of songs like “Ooh Na Nay,” “When the Saints Go Marching In” and “Let’s Go Crazy.” His skill as a musician is matched by his charismatic showmanship that gets audiences moving from the first note. Tickets range from $43 to 119.
- The Schemers , Nov. 29, 8 p.m., The Met ( themetri.com ), Pawtucket. Return to the 1980s local rock scene at the band’s annual Thanksgiving show. Winners of WBRU’s 1982 Radio Rock Hunt, the band only released one album – with hit “Remember” – but left an indelible mark. Tickets are $15 and $20.
- Mannheim Steamroller , Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m., Providence Performing Arts Center ( ppacri.org ), Providence. Percussionist/composer Chip Davis assembles 15 musicians playing more than 20 instruments to conjure an ideal holiday feel. The group’s blend of new age, classical and rock sounds, backed by a host of multimedia effects, is upbeat and surprisingly intimate. Tickets are $48 and up.
- Earth, Wind & Fire , Dec. 18, 8 p.m., Mohegan Sun ( mohegansun.com ), Uncasville, Conn. Get your dancing shoes on for the tour de force that is an EWF concert. This nine-man band blends disco, funk, R&B, pop and soul for an upbeat run through such hits as “Shining Star,” “Let’s Groove” and “Boogie Wonderland.” Tickets start at $59.
- Quinn Sullivan , Dec. 20 and 21, 8 p.m., Narrows Center for the Arts ( narrowscenter.org ), Fall River, Massachusetts. The 24-year-old New Bedford-born blues guitar virtuoso has released five albums and performed with such greats as Buddy Guy and B.B. King, but his latest release encapsulates loss, personal awakening and romance in a way that belies his age. It’s a chilling, vintage sound rooted in ’60s rock with classic storytelling and presence. Tickets are $49 to $51.