Who Is Rocking the NYC Area in Rocktober?

The Foo Fighters at the Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk on September 13

One unattributed theory says that October is usually the biggest month for concerts because that is when college students have the most discretionary income. This Rocktober is not as big as in years past, but the following music acts will be performing live in New York City. Tickets are still on sale for most of the following concerts.

The Stadiums and Arenas

Citi Field will present the Rolling Loud music festival with 50 Cent, J. Cole, Travis Scott and more than 100 other music acts on October 28-30.

MetLife Stadium will host Aventura on October 9.

Forest Hills Stadium will have the Neighbourhood on October 2 and Excision, Slander, and other EDM acts on October 29.

Madison Square Garden will host five concerts by Harry Styles, plus concerts by Maluma on October 1, Chris Stapleton on October 8, Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin on October 17, El Alfa on October 22, and Meek Mills on October 23.

Barclays Center will headline J. Cole with 21 Savage on October 2,  Lil Baby on October 7 and Maverick City Music on October 28. The Lights On Festival headlining H.E.R. was cancelled.

Prudential Center will present Lil Baby on October 6, Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin on October 16, and Jay Wheeler on October 22. The Judas Priest concert was postponed.

The Front Bottoms at the Rooftop at Pier 17 on September 15

Oso Oso at the Rooftop at Pier 17 on September 15

Outdoor concerts

The Rooftop at Pier 17 will feature Ziggy Marley on October 1, Don Toliver on October 2, Mt. Joy on October 3, A Day to Remember on October 4, $uicideboy$ on October 7, New Found Glory on October 8, NEEDTOBREATHE with Switchfoot on October 9, and Rodrigo y Gabriela on October 10. Alina Baraz and Simple Plan cancelled. 

SummerStage in Central Park will present a free Yo la Tengo concert on October 1.

Patti Smith and Her Band at Summerstage in Central Park on September 19

Binki at the Propect Park Bandshell on August 31

The Theaters

Radio City Music Hall will have the Trey Anastasio Band on October 2 and 3, James Blake on October 9, Alejandro Sanz on October 10, LANY on October 11, and St. Vincent on October 12. Dead Can Dance on October 13 was cancelled. 

The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden will host Alejandro Fernandez on October 1 and John Legend on October 15.

The Beacon Theatre will present the Tedeshi Trucks Band for six nights through October 9, Myriam Hernandez on October 11, Gypsy Kings on October 21, Kamasi Washington on October 22, Juan Luis Perales on October 27, and Brothers Osborne on October 28.

The Capitol Theatre will host nine concerts by Phil Lesh & Friends scattered through the month, Brian Wilson on October 6, Umphrey's McGee on October 8 and 9, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong on October 15 and 16, Blue October on October 17, Spoon on October 21, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real on October 22,  Elvis Costello & the Imposters on October 25 and 26, and Foreigner on October 27.

The St. George Theatre will feature Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons on October 22 and the Mavericks on October 23. The Tony Bennett concert was cancelled. 

The Town Hall has Tommy Emmanuel on October 2, Dave Grohl on October 5, City and Colour on October 15 and 16, Postmodern Jukebox on October 19, and Passenger on October 27.

Adler Hall will have the High Kings on October 6, Rick Wakeman on October 23, and Laurie Berkner on October 30. 

The St. James Theatre will continue its run of David Byrne's American Utopia with multiple performances.

Pachyman at Brooklyn Steel on September 16

Black Pumas at Brooklyn Steel on September 16

The Larger Ballrooms

The Hammerstein Ballroom will feature Dance Gavin Dance on October 3, Counting Crows on October 5 and 6, Manchester Orchestra on October 21, and Angels & Airwaves on October 23. 

Terminal 5 will host  Dr. Dog on October 2, Thrice on October 7, Goose on October 8 and 9, Idles on October 15 and 16, Juanes on October 17, Ghana to the World on October 23, Madison Beer on October 24, and Ashnikko on October 31. Nightwish cancelled.

Brooklyn Steel will present Sammy Rae & the Friends on October 7, Hop Along on October 9, Japanese Breakfast on October 14-17, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real on October 18, Marc Rebillet on October 20 and 21, Diamond Platnumz on October 22, Spoon and Nicole Atkins on October 23, Queen Naija on October 24, Lucy Dacus on October 25, 26, and 28, JPEGMAFIA on October 27, and Jukebox the Ghost on October 30. Gary Numan, the Teskey Brothers and Rina Sawayana cancelled.

The Bob Mould Band at Webster Hall on September 17

A Place to Bury Strangers at the Bowery Ballroom on September 15

The Midsized Ballrooms

Webster Hall will host Emotional Oranges on October 3, Moneybagg Yo on October 6, Ingrid Andress on October 7, Bahamas on October 9, Anamanaguchi on October 10, Waxahatchee on October 11, bbno$ on October 12, Six60 on October 14, Lucero on October 15, Dabin on October 16, Dayglow on October 17, Rival Sons on October 18, black midi on October 19, Shannon & the Clams on October 20, Manchester Orchestra on October 22, Rob Bell on October 24, Yves Tumor on October 26 and 28, X Ambassadors on October 27, and Turkuaz on October 29 and 30, plus many late night EDM artists on Friday and Saturday nights. The Hoodoo Gurus and Sturgill Simpson cancelled.

The Bowery Ballroom will present Dead Sara on October 1, Samia of October 2, Courtney Marie Andrews on October 5, Christian French on October 6, Lewis Del Mar on October 7, Parker Millsap on October 9, Holly Humberstone on October 10 and 12, Injury Reserve on October 11, Jameson Rodgers on October 13, Del Water Gap on October 14, Frankie & the Witch Fingers on October 16, Monophonics on October 17, Colony House on October 18, Torres on October 21, Cassandra Jenkins on October 22, How Long Gone on October 23, Peach Tree Rascals on October 25, Daisy the Great on October 26, Quicksand on October 28 and 29, Mannequin Pussy on October 30, and TOPS on October 31. Low Cut Connie cancelled.

Avatar at Irving Plaza on September 3

The Magic Sword at Irving Plaza on September 3

Tallah at Irving Plaza on September 3

Irving Plaza will have Noah Cyrus on October 1, Andy Mineo on October 3, Pi’erre Bourne on October 5, Johnnyswim on October 6, the Struts on October 8, Elderbrook on October 9, the Black Dahlia Murder on October 10, Cradle of Filth on October 11, Lotus on October 15, Toadies and Reverend Horton Heat on October 17, Kevin Gates on October 18 and 19, State Champs on October 21 and 22, Princess Nokia on October 24, the Record Company on October 25, Brasstracks on October 29, City Morgue on October 30, and GWAR on October 31. 

Warsaw will have We Came as Romans with the Devil Wears Prada on October 1, Tinashe on October 2, State Champs on October 20, and Wavves on October 24.

Todd Snider at the Gramercy Theatre on August 30

Aaron Lee Tasjan at the Gramercy Theatre on August 30

The Gramercy Theatre, le Poisson Rouge, the Music Hall of Williamsburg, the Brooklyn Bowl, City Winery NYC, Brooklyn Made, Sony Hall, Elsewhere, TV Eye, Mercury Lounge, Baby's All Right and many others will feature music acts almost nightly. Check their websites or The Manhattan Beat calendar for their list of featured acts.

The Juliana Theory at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn on September 12

Mae at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn on September 12

The Fleshtones at TV Eye in Queens on September 18

Spud Cannon at TV Eye in Queens on September 18

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The Manhattan Beat covers New York City's live music developments as they happen. All photographs are by Everynight Charley Crespo, except when noted otherwise. For a list of Manhattan venues that are presenting live music regularly, swing the desktop cursor to the right and click on the pop-up tab "Where to Find Live Music." For a listing of upcoming concerts for live audiences, visit The Manhattan Beat's September and October 2021 calendars.