CONCERT-GUY / NEW ENGLAND
Your week.
Turned up.
OCTOBER 19–25, 2026
Six states. Fourteen shows.
Find your crowd.
New England is getting loud as Halloween approaches. Cradle of Filth in Boston. Sebastian Bach in Connecticut. Two nights each for ICP and The Story So Far. And both Vermont & Maine get some love.
From the first heavy Tuesday riff to ICP’s Sunday in Hartford, this week does not ease up. Pick your night. Get there for the openers. Bring your ear protection.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT / TWO NIGHTS OF EMO
Twenty years.
Still singing every word.
Hawthorne Heights + letlive. + Creeper
Thursday in Boston. Friday in Portland.
If Only You Were Lonely turns 20. Dig out that old playlist, then go hear it loud. Two cities, one very good excuse to get out this week.
JUMP TO YOUR NIGHT
Before you go: Cradle of Filth has moved from Big Night Live to Brighton Music Hall. ICP’s Worcester ticket page shows a sold out show for October 18, so if you’re going expect a packed venue.
20 OCT / START HEAVY
Tuesday
EXTREME METAL / BOSTON
Cradle of Filth
Brighton Music Hall · Boston, MA
Listed time: 6 PM
Start the week with something appropriately sinister. Blackbraid, Worm and Black Satellite join Cradle of Filth on the Majestic In Death bill. That is a lot of heavy before you even get to the headliner. Venue change: Live Nation now lists Brighton Music Hall; the older Concert-Guy listing still names Big Night Live. Follow the current promoter listing for the destination.
DOOM & HEAVY ROCK / WORCESTER
Castle Rat
The Palladium · Worcester, MA
Doors 6:30 PM · Show 7:30 PM
Doom, fantasy and big riffs. Castle Rat brings the Summon the Beasts tour to Worcester with Unto Others and Wraith Knight. If your ideal Tuesday involves something heavier than answering emails, here you go.
PSYCH ROCK / VERMONT
All Them Witches
Higher Ground · South Burlington, VT
Doors 7:30 PM · Show 8 PM
Vermont, this one’s yours. All Them Witches brings the slow-burning psych-rock side of heavy, with Emma Ruth Rundle opening. Let the songs stretch out. You’ve got nowhere more important to be for a couple of hours.
21 OCT / MIDWEEK, FULL VOLUME
Wednesday
INDIE POP / BOSTON
Cavetown
Citizens House of Blues Boston · Boston, MA
Listed time: 7 PM
A softer landing in the middle of a very heavy week. Cavetown’s Running With Scissors tour comes through with Chloe Moriondo. Here’s one for the indie-pop crowd that would rather sing every word than spend the night in the pit.
HEAVY / HARTFORD
Spite
The Webster · Hartford, CT
Doors 6 PM · Show 7 PM · All ages
Or go completely the other direction. Stick To Your Guns, No Cure and Vomit Forth join Spite for a bill that makes Wednesday look a whole lot less peaceful. Get there for the openers. This is a full-night commitment.
22 OCT / THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE
Thursday
EMO ANNIVERSARY / BOSTON
Hawthorne Heights — Boston
Citizens House of Blues Boston · Boston, MA
Listed time: 6 PM
Twenty years of If Only You Were Lonely. Let that sink in for a second. Hawthorne Heights brings the anniversary run to Boston with letlive. and Creeper. Big feelings, loud guitars, and a very good excuse to revisit that old playlist. Portland gets its turn tomorrow.
HARD ROCK / NORWALK
Sebastian Bach
District Music Hall · Norwalk, CT
Doors 7 PM · Show 8 PM · All ages
Bach is back. After the recent Twisted Sister show covered here, this is a chance to catch Sebastian under his own name in Norwalk. For the hard-rock crowd, this is an easy one to circle. If I hadn’t just seen him with TS, and twice solo recently, I’d definitely check this out. Alwaysa a great show!
23 OCT / CLOCK OUT. TURN UP.
Friday
EMO ANNIVERSARY / MAINE
Hawthorne Heights — Portland
Aura · Portland, ME
Doors 6 PM · Show 7 PM · 18+
Maine, you’re up. The If Only You Were Lonely 20th-anniversary tour heads north with letlive. and Creeper. Same three-band bill, a different New England room. If Boston on a Thursday doesn’t work, Friday in Portland makes a pretty convincing argument.
POP PUNK / CONNECTICUT
The Story So Far — Connecticut
The Dome at Toyota Oakdale Theatre · Wallingford, CT
Listed time: 6:30 PM
The Story So Far kicks off its New England pair with The Starting Line and Ultra Q. That support lineup deserves some attention of its own. A Friday night built for the pop-punk crowd, with another shot at the bill in Providence tomorrow.
PROGRESSIVE METAL / WORCESTER
Periphery
The Palladium · Worcester, MA
Doors 5:30 PM · Show 6:30 PM
The A Pale White Dot tour lands in Worcester with Ne Obliviscaris, Greyhaven and Ando San. This is the pick for anyone who likes their heavy music with plenty to pick apart. Early doors, stacked bill. Plan accordingly.
24 OCT / PICK YOUR CROWD
Saturday
ICP / MASSACHUSETTS
Insane Clown Posse — Massachusetts
The Palladium · Worcester, MA
Doors 6 PM · Show 7 PM · All ages
The Juggalos get their Worcester night. Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope bring ICP to the Palladium, and this one already looks like a tough ticket: Tixr showed every listed ticket type sold out on October 18. Check the official page for any changes.
POP PUNK / RHODE ISLAND
The Story So Far — Rhode Island
The Strand Ballroom & Theatre · Providence, RI
Doors 6:30 PM · Show 7:30 PM · All ages
Little Rhody gets the Saturday-night stop. The Starting Line and Ultra Q are on the bill with The Story So Far, so make a night of it from the start. Missed Wallingford? Here’s your second chance. Went to Wallingford? Well, Providence isn’t that far.
SONGWRITERS / NEW HAMPSHIRE
Noah Gundersen
Bank of New Hampshire Stage · Concord, NH
Doors 6:30 PM · Show 7:30 PM
New Hampshire’s pick takes a different route. Noah Gundersen brings his intimate songwriting to Concord with Runnner and Breakup Shoes. If your Saturday calls for listening closely instead of bracing for the next breakdown, put this one on the list.
25 OCT / ONE MORE BEFORE MONDAY
Sunday
ICP / CONNECTICUT
Insane Clown Posse — Connecticut
The Webster · Hartford, CT
Doors 6 PM · Show 7 PM · All ages
One more night before Monday gets here. ICP heads to Hartford to close out its New England weekend. If Worcester’s sold-out ticket page stopped your plans, check the Webster’s official ticket link for this separate show. Support is still listed as TBD.
A FRIENDLY REMINDER
Protect your damn ears.
Bring your earplugs or embrace the tinnitus! I Highlight recommend these and I’ve tried many.
See you at the show.
KEEP YOUR CALENDAR LOUD
Your next night out
is on the calendar.
14 picks across all six New England states. Want more?
This curated roundup begins Tuesday. Dates, bills and venue information checked October 18, 2026 against the official pages linked above. Lineups, times and availability can change.
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