Sept. 21-Feb. 3
NASHVILLE SESSIONS SERIES
Calling all country fans. The Coeur d'Alene Casino has begun a new concert series they're calling the Nashville Sessions, which shines a spotlight on up-and-comers in the genre. Maybe one day you'll be able to say you saw a future superstar before they were a household name. Catch Tony Jackson (above), a former Marine turned musician, perform on Sept. 21; tickets are $10. The rest of the concerts are free, and all of the artists have multiple dates scheduled: The Sessions continue next week with Todd O'Neill (Sept. 28-30), followed by Scott Stevens (Oct. 5-7) and Kalie Shorr (Oct. 19-21). Coeur d'Alene Casino, dates and times at cdacasino.com (NATHAN WEINBENDER)
Oct. 1
STEVE EARLE & THE DUKES
A few years back as I watched Steve Earle and his stellar band deliver an excellent show, I promised myself I'd never miss another one of his concerts if I could help it. I've seen him several times since, and it's never been less than excellent, with Earle blending rock, country and folk in songs addressing everything from lost love to class warfare. His latest album is called So You Wannabe an Outlaw, and if there's any songwriter who could explain just what an outlaw is in 2018, Earle is the guy. Bing Crosby Theater, $48-$60, 8 pm (DAN NAILEN)
Oct. 12
WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS
With a name that channels the shiny allure of the future, it seems appropriate that We Were Promised Jetpacks is a quartet of Scottish dudes that started playing when they were idealistic, forward-looking teenagers. They've obviously matured since, not just personally but musically: Their late 2000s output leaned heavily on anthemic shout-alongs reminiscent of the Killers, which developed into thudding, atmospheric indie rock akin to their fellow countrymen Frightened Rabbit. With their brand new album The More I Sleep, the Less I Dream, WWPJ are moving in the direction of knottier, dynamic-shifting post-rock — blast off. The Bartlett, $17, 8 pm (NW)
Oct. 4
DESCENDENTS
There's old school, and then there's really old school. The Descendents got their start in the late '70s L.A. South Bay punk scene alongside long-gone peers like Black Flag and Minutemen. While there have been pauses through the years — most notably when singer Milo Aukerman went off to college, inspiring the band's aptly named 1982 classic album Milo Goes to College — Descendents have remained a relatively steady presence, delivering songs full of humor, angst and alienation while perfecting the pop-punk hybrid that bands like Green Day and blink-182 rode to far greater fame and fortune. That's a damn shame. Knitting Factory, $26, 8 pm (DN)
Oct. 14
KEB' MO'
Keb' Mo' has earned a well-deserved seat at the table of country-blues greats. The four-time Grammy Award winner has earned 11 nominations in total and has been a staple in the genre since 1994 with the release of his first self-titled album. In the years since, Mo' has put out 14 albums, each showcasing his unique style, which dances the line between classic and contemporary blues. The most recent release, TajMo, is an 11-track collaboration with Taj Mahal, a prominent figure in the acoustic blues scene. Bing Crosby Theater, $56-$80, 7:30 pm (BROOKE CARLSON)
Oct. 17
BROTHERS OSBORNE
Maryland-bred brothers T.J. and John Osborne have taken Nashville by storm the last couple years, racking up a series of hits combining country twang with an unmistakably rocking crunch. T.J. is the voice and John is the lead guitarist and together they've won the last two Academy of Country Music Vocal Duo of the Year Awards, as well as the Video of the Year trophy for "It Ain't My Fault," the stomping throwdown that closes their 2016 debut Pawn Shop. They released their sophomore album this year and Port Saint Joe picks up where their winning first album left off. Don't expect these guys to fit in the Knit much longer. Knitting Factory, $35, 8 pm (DN)
Nov. 10
ABBA: THE CONCERT
When they broke up in the early '80s, ABBA left behind a slew of international hits. "Dancing Queen," "Mamma Mia," "Waterloo," "S.O.S." — their discography contains one pop gem after another. Since the Swedish superstars have yet to reunite for a tour (though they're reportedly sending holograms of themselves out on the road with new music next year), several glittery tribute shows have filled the void, and ABBA: The Concert is one of them. They'll be performing all those timeless ABBA classics with the Spokane Symphony — "Fernando," in particular, is going to sound great — but consider trading in your formal attire for a sequined jumpsuit. Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, $39-$86, 8 pm (NW)
Nov. 15
AIR SUPPLY
Talk about a snapshot of an era. One could argue that there is no more '80s band than Air Supply, the Australian duo who scored massive hits with songs like "Making Love Out of Nothing at All," "All Out of Love" and "The One That You Love." Are you sensing a theme? The ballad-heavy albums created by Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock spawned eight Top 10 hits over just a couple years, and their songs have become go-to additions to any movie soundtrack needing an instant dose of romance/pop cheese. No less than 54 movies have gone to the Air Supply well for their soundtracks. Northern Quest Resort & Casino, $49-$79, 7:30 pm (DN)
COCO MONTOYA
Like many a musician before him, Coco Montoya's path in life was largely determined by seeing the right concert at the right time. For him, it was seeing Albert King open a show headlined by Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1969, a gig that opened his eyes and ears to the powerful blues music that inspired him to pick up a guitar (after a few years drumming in Albert Collins' band) and land a gig with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, filling a spot once held by the likes of Eric Clapton and the Stones' Mick Taylor. Montoya eventually went solo, forming his own backing band and becoming a fiery and passionate frontman. You can see that for yourself when he swings through Spokane. Chateau Rive at the Flour Mill, $25, 8 pm (DN)
Nov. 18
PEDRO THE LION
Pedro the Lion was never your typical Christian rock band. Frontman David Bazan's songs were more studied and inward-facing, a far cry from the grandiosity of most faith-based arena fillers, and his lyrics weren't purely celebratory, grappling with the complexities and occasional contradictions of modern-day religion. More than a decade ago, Bazan (right) ostensibly ended the project, performing under his own name on albums that felt angrier and more bitter. But he recently reinstated the Pedro the Lion moniker and is back on the road performing the old stuff with a full band, just in time for the 20-year anniversary of PtL's debut album It's Hard to Find a Friend. The Bartlett, $20, 8 pm (NW)
Nov. 24
LIL YACHTY
Rapper Lil Yachty has described his own style as bubblegum trap, a self-applied subgenre that suggests the grittiness of underground hip-hop married with the glossiness of mainstream pop. It turns out to be only halfway accurate: His sophomore full-length Lil Boat 2 has some catchy beats on it, but it's mostly concerned with hazy production and atmospheric synth sounds, and when he isn't boasting about his own hastily acquired wealth, he manages to get unabashedly sentimental in places. He's only 21, but Yachty has already racked up collabs with the likes of Migos, Cardi B and Macklemore, and he was featured prominently on DRAM's Top 10 hit "Broccoli." Knitting Factory, $26.50, 8 pm (NW)
METALLICA
The thrash-metal pioneers return to Spokane Arena for the first time since 2004 still riding high on the success of their 2016 album Hardwired... To Self Destruct, a double album that served as an emphatic return to the band's hard-rock roots. Arguably the biggest metal band ever, the quartet of James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo still packs stadiums worldwide, so the opportunity to see them in a 10,000-seat arena should be a treat as they deliver songs from their 1983 debut Kill 'Em All up through the new tunes. Comedian Jim Breuer will serve as the night's emcee and opening act. You'll have to find your tix on the secondary market to be part of the party, though, as this show is sold out. Spokane Arena, sold out, 7:30 pm (DN)
Dec. 3
TOMMY EMMANUEL & JERRY DOUGLAS
For fans of incredible guitar playing, there's nowhere else you need to be on this night than the Bing for a meeting of two legends. Aussie six-string ace Tommy Emmanuel (above) is widely acknowledged as one of the best acoustic guitarists on the planet, thanks to his fingerstyle picking inspired by his childhood hero Chet Atkins and put to great use by Emmanuel, who covers a wide range of music styles. Joining him for this show is dobro master Jerry Douglas, a 14-time Grammy winner who's worked with virtually everyone in Nashville, and toured extensively as both a solo act and as part of Alison Krauss' band Union Station. Put those together and expect the kind of musical fireworks to make a cold December night really cook. Bing Crosby Theater, $35-$50, 8 pm (DN)
Dec. 11
ALLEN STONE
Embracing old-school R&B and retro rock 'n' roll, Chewelah's own Allen Stone began his career a few years ago as a so-called "hippie with soul," possessing one of those gritty, impossible-to-ignore voices that recall artists several decades his senior. Stone's most recent singles — the sultry "Brown Eyed Lover" and funky, upbeat "Warriors" — lean toward slick pop sounds that are more Maroon 5 than the Jackson 5, but he'll never shake those shades of blue-eyed soul, which creep into his music no matter how hard he tries. And regardless of his next stylistic direction, Spokane will always really dig him. Knitting Factory, $22.50, 8 pm (NW) ♦
