September is a busy month for concerts around the Orlando area. While everyone knows about concert dates for huge artists like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, smaller or unknown bands often go undetected. If you like indie music and The Lumineers, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros might be a worthwhile concert to attend. Similarly, fans of R&B might enjoy The Weeknd.
Imagine Dragons
September 23rd at the UCF Arena
7:30 PM
Tickets starting at $47
-If you like OneRepublic, Of Monsters and Men, Bastille
-Recommended Songs: “On Top of the World, “Bleeding Out”, “Demons”
You probably know this band from the anthems of the past year—“It’s Time” and “Radioactive.” However, even the undiscovered tracks on the album are upbeat and catchy songs. Imagine Dragons received positive reviews with its first two extended playlists, Imagine Dragons and Hell and Silence, and later signed to Westlake Recording Studios with the famous producer Alex Da Kid. Promoting their debut album, this Nevada-based band will return to Orlando for the end of their Night Visions tour. The album not only is peppered with upbeat and harmonious tracks like “On Top of the World” and “Underdog,” but also includes slightly darker songs like “Demons.” If you didn’t go to their first concert at the House of Blues in February, you can catch Imagine Dragons on September 23rd at the UCF Arena.
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
September 10 at the Hard Rock
8PM
Tickets starting at $35
-If you like Of Monsters and Men, The Lumineers, The Head and the Heart
-Recommended Songs: “Better Days,” “Remember to Remember,” “If I Were Free”
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros is an indie folk band that formed in Los Angeles in 2007. The name “Edward Sharpe” derives from lead singer Alex Ebert’s alternate ego, which was created while he was in rehab. The band originated as a collaboration between Ebert and vocalist Jade Castrinos. Over time the group expanded to more than ten different members, each member rotating in and out of songs and live performances. Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros draws their musical inspiration from the southern Californian hippy scene. Their music hauntingly whisks listeners back to the psychedelic sounds of the 1960s love. The group released its first studio album, Up from Below, in 2009. This album received critical acclaim for the popular song “Home,” which peaked at number 18 on the US Billboard’s alternative songs. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros’ current tour promotes their third album, released on July 23. Songs like “Better Days” and “Two” ooze messages about optimism and love. Each of the 15 tracks on the deluxe edition transports listeners to the 1960s Beatles era.
fun. with very special guests Tegan and Sara
September 19 at the UCF Arena
8PM
Tickets starting at $49
-If you like Walk the Moon, the Neon Trees, Vampire Weekend
-Recommended Songs: “Out on the Town,” “All Alright,” “Why Am I the One”
-Tegan and Sara Recommended Songs: “Closer,” “How Come You Don’t Want Me”
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past two years, you’ve probably heard of fun., an indie pop band most famously known for their five-times Platinum song “We Are Young” and chart-topper “Some Nights.” Hailing from New York City, fun. is composed of members Nate Ruess, Jack Antonoff and Andrew Dost. They formed after the breakup of Ruess’s band in 2008. A year later they recorded and released their first album, Aim and Ignite. However, the band’s success and popularity sky-rocketed after the production of their sophomore album, Some Nights. The album’s sound is a unique blend of gospel, hip-hop, and Freddie Mercury-inspired tracks and tunes. The Most Nights Summer Tour promotes the Some Nights album. Opening for fun. are twin sisters Tegan and Sara. Born in Canada, the sisters have been writing and recording songs together since the age of 15. They are currently promoting their seventh album, Heartthrob.
The Weeknd
September 27 at the Hard Rock
8PM
Tickets starting at $50
-If you like Frank Ocean, Drake, J.Cole
-Recommended Songs: “Wicked Games,” “Twenty Eight,” “The Morning”
The Weeknd is the stage name of solo performer Canadian artist Abel Tesfaye. In March 2011 Tesfaye released a mixtape called House of Balloons, which gained popularity after rapper Drake showed interest in The Weeknd’s music. Two mixtapes later, The Weeknd signed to Universal Republic and released Trilogy. The album is composed of songs from the previous three mixtapes. The Weeknd announced his first studio album, Kiss Land, will be released September 10. The first track off the album, “Live for (feat. Drake)”, was revealed on August 19 and has already risen to number three on the R&B/Soul iTunes Charts. The Weeknd kicks off his Fall Official Tour promoting both Trilogy and Kiss Land with his sixth stop in Orlando.
These concerts will all be more intimate than one performed at the Amway, significantly cheaper, and not to mention worth the experience. No matter what the genre is, each concert will be enjoyable to a wide variety of listeners.
