With Coachella fast approaching and the Lollapalooza lineup leaked this week, I’ve been feeling some serious music envy lately. Really, though, to all of you flying out to California for Coachella in April, stop telling me about your plans. I’m too jealous. If you’re like me and are struggling to find a couple of dollars for your Starbucks order each morning, you probably won’t be headed out to any major festival this spring or summer. Have no fear though! There are some great acts coming to Boston in the coming months. Best of all, these shows are relatively cheap.
As I did with my very first blog post last year, here are my recommendations for five worthwhile concerts coming to a venue near you throughout the spring semester:
Oberhofer
3/22
Brighton Music Hall
$12.00
Known mostly for being featured in endless commercials, Oberhofer is still working on gaining popularity outside of the advertising world. Led by Brad Oberhofer, the band has an upbeat sound that will keep you dancing and happy throughout the show. Check out the songs “Away From You” and “Gold” for a solid sample of the group.
Gotye with Kimbra
3/29
House of Blues
$25.00
I can’t go a day without a new cover of Gotye’s “Somebody I Used to Know” being posted on facebook. The original song, which features New Zealand artist Kimbra, was a huge hit this past summer in Gotye’s native Australia and is slowly becoming popular here in the U.S. Both artists have amazing voices and should put on solid performances separately and together.
Of Montreal 4/1
Paradise Rock Club
$25.00
Even though they’ve been around and popular since the ‘90s, ticket prices for Of Montreal are still shockingly low. With their eleventh album released earlier in the month, the band is continuing their signature psychedelic-pop sound with great results. I wouldn’t hesitate to check out any of their new songs but make sure to listen to some old stuff too. They tend to go retro during their lives performances.
M83 5/9
House of Blues
$22.00
This French electronica band is insanely catchy. The highly addictive single Midnight City has honestly had me dancing by myself for the past couple of months. Similar in sound to a lower-key MGMT, the group has an eclectic mix of songs that range from slow and sad to fast and fun. They also tend to do spontaneous remixes on stage, so they never disappoint live.
Dom 5/11
Brighton Music Hall
$14.00
I saw this band last summer when they opened for the WFNX Clambake, and even though I had no expectations for them, they wound up being fantastic. Hailing from nearby Worcester, their local flavor makes their shows a ton of fun. Maybe it’s because I first saw them in June, but Dom’s sound definitely has a carefree summer-like feel for me. Check out one of their first singles “Living In America,” though, and see for yourself.
