FRIDAY, SEPT. 29
Rise Against/Pierce the Veil/White Lung
On Wolves, the latest effort from the veteran hardcore band Rise Against, tunes such as the title track and “Welcome to the Breakdown” make allusions to presidential election and the band's outrage at the results. With its beefy guitar riffs and bellowing vocals, the album's title track recalls punk rockers Bad Religion at their prime as Tim McIlrath defiantly screams, "We are the wolves at the gate/Our numbers growing every day." McIlrath has said he thought at one point that "Mourning in the America," a more melodic tune, would be the album's title track. But he decided that the more aggressive "Wolves" more accurately represented the album's theme. Expect that mentality to carry over into tonight's show, the last of the season at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica. (Jeff Niesel) 7:30 p.m., $31.50. Jacobs Pavilion.
Ben Ottewell/Buddy
If you're a sucker for a guy and his guitar, Ben Ottewell's upcoming Beachland Tavern show should be your jam. Armed with his instrument, Ottewell melts hearts with not just his soaring vocal range — watch for his cover of Rihanna's "Only Girl in the World" — but also with his melancholy lines about relationships and red dresses and dream houses. His acoustic music adroitly moves between blues and folk. Nothing about his musicianship is overly polished or perfect, only adding to his mystique. Expect the British singer-songwriter to include tunes off his new solo album, A Man Apart, as well as a few favorites from his other band, the British alt-rock act Gomez. (Laura Morrison), 8 p.m., $15. Beachland Tavern.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 30
Carbon Leaf/Liz Longley
If you went to college in the eary '90s, chances are you attended at least one keg party. Campus regulations were looser back then, and students took advantage. Studying at Randolph-Macon College at the time, the guys in Carbon Leaf benefited from those conditions. They put together a cover band regularly gigged at backyard parties and frat events. These days, the band is known for playing an eclectic mix of original music that draws from blues, folk and rock, and its latest album, Love Loss Hope Repeat Reneaux, a re-recording of their 2006 album by the same name, offers mid-tempo alt-rock tunes such as the moody title track that compare favorably to acts such as Toad the Wet Sprocket and Dave Matthews Band. (Niesel), 8 p.m., $22.50 ADV/$26.50 DOS. The Kent Stage.
SUNDAY, OCT. 1
The Babys
The Babys — featuring an initial lineup of vocalist/bassist John Waite, guitarist Wally Stocker, keyboardist Michael Corby and Brock — ultimately released five albums on Chrysalis Records between 1977 and 1980. Bassist Ricky Phillips and keyboardist Jonathan Cain (replacing Corby) joined in 1978 prior to the release of the group’s third album the following year. Despite getting extensive airplay at rock radio with songs like “Midnight Rendezvous” and “Head First,” and scoring a trio of Top 40 hits with “Isn’t It Time,” “Every Time I Think of You” and “Back On My Feet Again,” the group wasn’t considered to be successful at the time. But listening to its songs and albums now, it’s not hard to look at some of the bands that were having success in the '80s — including Journey, which eventually poached Cain from the Babys to play keyboards — and wonder if the Babys were simply just a bit ahead of their time. (Matt Wardlaw) 7:30 p.m., $28 ADV, $32 DOS. Music Box Supper Club.
The Devil Wears Prada/Veil of Maya/Silent Planet/Thousand Below
There's just something about the hardcore act the Devil Wears Prada that is unlike another other band. The group has a terrific live show. Whether it’s their light show that fits so well into their music and showman style or their ability to sound so tight and perfect with every performance. The Devil Wears Prada is one of, if not the best, live bands in the hardcore scene right now and has been for years. (Martin Harp), 6 p.m., $20 ADV, $23 DOS. Agora Ballroom.
