Ah, March. The month that brings us green beer, chocolate eggs and the typically fruitless tease of warmer weather.
All of this aside, March could also be declared the official start of primetime concert season in Indy. Icons like Billie Eilish, Erykah Badu and Elton John will all make their way to Indianapolis in the coming month, while longstanding veterans such as the Drive-by Truckers, Los Lobos and E-40 pay a visit as well. In typical fashion, Indy’s smaller venues are keeping it hot too, filling out the list with a little bit of something for everyone.
Written by Seth Johnson
WHERE: HI-FI
WHEN: 7:30 PM
WHY: When he’s not shredding with funk powerhouse Vulfpeck, Theo Katzman can be heard playing his own brand of catchy solo tunes. Having recorded three of his own full-lengths, Katzman most recently released an album in 2020 titled Modern Johnny Sings: Songs in the Age of Vibe.
WHERE: HI-FI
WHEN: 8 PM
WHY: Formed out of the Del McCoury Band, the Travelin’ McCourys are a bluegrass juggernaut consisting of Ronnie McCoury, Rob McCoury, Alan Bartram, Jason Carter and Cody Kilby. In 2019, the Travelin’ McCourys won the Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album with their eponymous full-length. All five members of the group also have various other accolades and solo releases of their own as well.
WHERE: Healer
WHEN: 7 PM
WHY: Playing a style that he calls “garage folk ‘n’ roll,” Bloomington/Nashville artist Nick Harley headlines this stacked night of badassery at Healer. Both hailing from Indianapolis, the husband-and-wife duo Radar Gold makes spastic psychedelic rock a la King Gizzard, while the Orchard Keepers specialize in a darkly tinged style of rock ‘n’ roll.
WHERE: HI-FI
WHEN: 8 PM
WHY: With a catalog that dates back to 1992, Toronto rock band Sloan have notched nine Juno Award nominations over the course of their career. As part of their current slate of U.S. dates, Sloan is revisiting their much-loved 1998 album Navy Blues, playing the record in its entirety.
WHERE: Jazz Kitchen
WHEN: 7 PM
WHY: There’s a good chance you’ve heard David Sanborn on a song at some point in the course of your life. In addition to his decade-spanning catalog, the 74-year-old has played with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Chaka Khan, David Bowie and more. Still very active to this day, Sanborn most recently released an album of his own titled This Masquerade.
WHERE: Citadel
WHEN: 7 PM
WHY: Calling all metalcore lovers. This bill at the Citadel brings together two of the genre’s bigger names for a night of sweaty moshing. We Came As Romans most recently released an album in 2017 titled Cold Like War, while The Devil Wears Prada dropped The Act in 2019.
WHERE: Radio Radio
WHEN: 9 PM
WHY: Indy country artists honor the legend of Johnny Cash as part of this annual tradition at Radio Radio. Expect to hear inspired renditions of the Man in Black from Frank Dean and the Peterbuilts, White River Rambler and the Cold Hearts.
WHERE: HI-FI
WHEN: 7 PM
WHY: A focal part of the early 2010s garage rock resurgence, this Chicago band has been known to spring up a good time wherever they go. Twin Peaks visit in support of 2019 album Lookout Low, with fellow Chi-Town rock ‘n’ roll band Rookie opening up the show.
WHERE: Old National Centre
WHEN: 8 PM
WHY: Repping the Memphis trap sound, Young Dolph and his protégé Key Glock make their way to Old National Centre for a co-headlining function. While both rappers have extensive backlogs of their own material, Young Dolph and Key Glock also teamed up on a collaborative album in 2019 titled Dum and Dummer.
WHERE: The Vogue
WHEN: 7 PM
WHY: With strong roots in the south, the Drive-by Truckers have gone through numerous lineups since forming in 1996, even playing with the now-famous Jason Isbell from 2001 to 2007. The band visits the Vogue in support of their twelfth studio album The Unraveling, which came out in January.
WHERE: Lofi Lounge
WHEN: 7 PM
WHY: Guitarist Jared Mattson and drummer Jonathan Mattson make up this duo that combines elements of jazz and modern pop to create chilled-out bliss. Having collaborated with Chaz Bundwick (a.k.a. Toro Y Moi) on a project, the Mattson 2 recently released a 2019 album titled Paradise.
WHERE: HI-FI
WHEN: 8 PM
WHY: Known for his work with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, guitar legend Mike Campbell fronts this band, which he originally started 15 years ago as a creative outlet. With a debut album due out on March 20, the Dirty Knobs will have a fresh slate of material to play for fans of Campbell.
WHERE: Indiana Farmers Coliseum
WHEN: 7 PM
WHY: The Queen of Neo-Soul is coming to town, and she’s bringing a rap legend along for the ride. Since releasing 1997’s iconic Baduizm album, Erykah Badu has sporadically put out music over the decades, with her most recent release being 2015’s But You Caint Use My Phone. Common, on the other hand, dropped an album in 2019 titled Let Love featuring appearances from Jill Scott, Leon Bridges, Swizz Beatz and more.
WHERE: Old National Centre
WHEN: 7 PM
WHY: Although best known for fronting his band the Night Sweats, this Denver singer-songwriter visits Indy as part of a solo tour in conjunction with 2020 solo album And It’s Still Alright. For this date of the tour, Nathaniel Rateliff will also receive opening support from Sam Evian and Hannah Cohen.
WHERE: Black Cirlce Brewing Company
WHEN: 10 PM
WHY: This kaiju-themed surf rock revival band packs a damn good punch. Originally founded in 1999, the band wears kabuki masks during their performances, while often setting their instruments on fire. For an example of the shred-tastic Daikaiju sound, look no further than 2019 single “Deluxe Electric Ninja Mistress.”
WHERE: Old National Centre
WHEN: 9 PM
WHY: This Friday night show at Old National Centre showcases some of Indy’s own. Explore a variety of local sounds with performances from Moxxie, manners, please., Rhymer/Educator and The Meridian City.
WHERE: The Vogue
WHEN: 9 PM
WHY: Having been in the game since 1986, E-40 has a catalog that runs 20+ albums deep. Best known for songs like “Choices (Yup)” and “U and Dat,” the rapper most recently dropped 2019 album “Practice Makes Paper.” In addition to E-40, attendees can also expect a performance from fellow rap veteran Project Pat, who has a 2020 single titled “Plugged In”.
WHERE: HI-FI
WHEN: 9 PM
WHY: After performing at last year’s Holler on the Hill Festival in Garfield Park, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears return to town for a slightly more intimate gig at the Hi-Fi. Like their last visit to Indy, the tenacious blues band is still out supporting 2018 album The Difference Between You & Me.
WHERE: Black Circle Brewing Co.
WHEN:
WHY: It’s been 40 years since the Zero Boys first burst onto the Midwest punk scene with their 1980 release Livin’ in the 80s. Now firmly established in the punk rock history books, the band gets back together for a rare all-ages show at Black Circle Brewing Co., with opening support from Dollars to Donuts and Lucy Furr.
WHERE: Bankers Life Fieldhouse
WHEN: 7:30 PM
WHY: After winning big at the Grammys, Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas make their way to Bankers Life Fieldhouse as part of their “Where Do We Go?” tour. With massive hits like “Bad Guy,” “When the Party’s Over” and more, Eilish became the first artist born in the 21st century to have a No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart with her 2019 debut full-length.
WHERE: Bankers Life Fieldhouse
WHEN: 8 PM
WHY: After canceling a November date in Indy due to illness, Sir Elton rewards faithful Hoosiers with this long-awaited stop on his farewell tour. With a career that’s chock-full of accomplishments, Elton John recently won his first Oscar in 25 years for a song he wrote for the film Rocketman.
WHERE: Hoosier Dome
WHEN: 8 PM
WHY: Deathcore giants The Acacia Strain descend upon the Hoosier Dome in Fountain Square, visiting in support of December 2019 release It Comes in Waves. The longstanding Massachusetts band are accompanied by tour mates Rotting Out, Creeping Death and more for what’s sure to be a banger at the Dome.
WHERE: Old National Centre
WHEN: 8 PM
WHY: The iconic Indiana punk ragers continue with this show at Old National Centre. Set to celebrate “30 years of spreading the junk rock gospel,” Sloppy Seconds are joined on the bill by Gay Black Republican, Public Animal #9 and Covert Flops, making this an Indy punk affair from start to finish.
WHERE: The Vogue
WHEN: 8 PM
WHY: While best known for their 1987 rendition of “La Bamba,” Los Lobos have been moving rooms for years with a rock ‘n’ roll style that integrates Central and South American influences. For this show, the iconic East Los Angeles band will receive opening support from Kokomo blues rock mainstays Mike Milligan and Steam Shovel.
WHERE: Square Cat
WHEN: 7 PM
WHY: Vocalist of legendary krautrock band Can from 1970 to 1973, Damo Suzuki visits Square Cat Vinyl for a very special all-ages performance, with Indy-based group Thee Open Sex serving as his backing band. Prior to Damo’s performance, Indianapolis psychedelic rock band Moon Goons will kick off the show.
