1 Gus Dapperton (Metro) The Brooklyn-based indie pop star tours his first studio album, “Where Polly People Go to Read,” which cloaks verbose pondering on Gen Z loneliness behind bouncy drum machine bedroom beats. October 4
2 Madonna (Chicago Theatre) Whether it’s Diplo, Quavo, Swae Lee, or whichever hyper-relevant personality she decides to collaborate with, it’s clear that Madonna shows no signs of kicking back in her stardom. She’s still here to give a heck of a show. There are six dates, no excuses. October 15-17, 21, 23-24
3 Shintaro Sakamoto (Subterranean) Described as the “Japanese Todd Rundgren” after his do-everything-yourself approach to the studio and eclectic influences, the Tokyo-grown underground cult star plays a rare handful of U.S. dates. October 18
4 Kero Kero Bonito (The Vic) The neon-clad group behind “Flamingo,” the 2014 viral hit that made seafood allergies danceable, continue to experiment with genre-pushing pop, and their live show promises more thoughtful quirk. October 17
5 Sleater-Kinney (Riviera) The indie mainstays tour their St. Vincent-produced “The Center Won’t Hold,” which tackles the perils of our modern world with tenacity and wit, never missing an opportunity to rock out. October 18
