Sabrina Carpenter, Usher, Jelly Roll top list of October's must-see concerts in St. Louis
As outdoor music festival season winds down and neighborhood front porches become embellished with Fall decorations, concerts and comedy goodness aren't letting up for St. Louis in October. Here are our picks for the month's must-see concerts, which include Usher, Nicki Minaj, Joe Gatto, Grove Fest, Jesse McCartney and some honorable mentions.
Comedian Earthquake has been on the national comedy scene for over 30 years, selling out venues in cities nationwide and enjoying the success of his comedy specials, including "Chapelle's Home Team – Earthquake" produced by Dave Chappelle. Affectionately known by his fans as "Quake," you might remember him as Uncle Mike on the sitcom "Everybody Hates Chris" or in his recurring role on CBS' "The Neighborhood" alongside Cedric the Entertainer. Earthquake will perform in St. Louis for two-nights of laughter and jokes.
Digable Planets
Hip-hop trio Digable Planets is a St. Louis fan favorite. Best known for songs like "Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" and "Where I'm From," the group has been adding its jazzy flair to hip-hop since the 1980s. Digable Planets hasn't released a studio album since 1994. However, the trio has had a lasting impact on hip-hop music with their genre-bending, jazz-infused style. Digable Planet is on the road celebrating the 30th anniversary of its debut album "Reachin'."
Joe Gatto 'Let's Get Into It' Tour
Best known for hit shows like "Impractical Jokers" and "The Misery Index," comedian Joe Gatto is headed to the River City Casino for an evening of jokes and storytelling. Gatto recently released his first children's book "Where's Bearry?" a picture book, bedtime adventure story with a little boy on a quest to find his missing stuffed animal. When he's not on television or writing books, Gatto is busy selling out arenas like Madison Square Garden in New York and the O2 Arena in London. He also has a new comedy special releasing later this year.
Grove Fest with BJ The Chicago Kid, Andrew Dale, Paige Alyssa
Grove Fest is again taking over the Grove neighborhood, bringing good vibes, good music, and community vibes to Manchester Avenue. This is the 19th year of the festival. Last year, over 52,000 people attended Grove Fest and organizers aim to make the event bigger every year, with three stages for festivalgoers to enjoy. R&B singer BJ the Chicago Kid headlines with performances from Andrew Dahle and Paige Alyssa. There will also be a performance from the Divas of the Grove Drag Show and a Nightchaser Dance Party with St. Louis's own DJ Alexis Tucci to close out the festivities.
Ron Killings, aka R-Truth
You might be surprised that wrestler R-Truth has a performance coming up in St. Louis. Yes, the same R-Truth who obtained his first WWE Wrestlemania win earlier this year at Wrestlemania XL. R-Truth has been wrestling professionally since the '90s. However, outside of the ring, he's known as Ron Killings, an up-and-coming rapper who released his most recent studio album "Legacy" in 2021.
Jesse McCartney 'Alls Well' Tour
Everything is all good right now for former teen heartthrob Jesse McCartney. He released his latest EP "Alls Well" in April and is on tour promoting the new project. McCartney blossomed as a child actor on the soap opera series "All My Children" in the late 1990s. He launched his music career in 2004, releasing his debut album "Beautiful Soul" and co-writing the Leona Lewis song "Bleeding Love" in 2007. Expect to hear songs like "Beautiful Soul" and "Leavin'."
Mai Lee
Still beaming from her Festival of Nations headlining performance and the release of her new single "Come On Over," Vietnamese R&B and pop vocalist Mai Lee is heading to the City Winery stage. Lee has been on the St. Louis music scene for quite some time, showcasing the diversity and fluidity of urban music genres. Inspired by hip-hop, R&B and pop, Mai Lee credits her parents, who settled in St. Louis in 1980 after fleeing Vietnam during wartimes, as her biggest influence. Mai Lee is re-releasing her debut album "FRIENDZ" later this year.
Twenty One Pilots 'The Clancy World Tour'
Prepare to turn back time with alternative rock band Twenty One Pilots. The music duo formed in 2009, bringing their mix of feel-good rock, heartfelt rap lyrics and passionate melodies to the mainstream. Fans love Twenty One Pilots and the proof is, well, in the numbers. The band is the first and only act to have every song on two albums become gold- or platinum-certified for "BLURRYFACE" and "Vessel." They released their latest album "Clancy" in May and will contribute a new song "The Line" to the soundtrack for Season 2 of the Netflix's anime series "Arcane." Expect to hear hits from the duo including "Heathens," "Stressed Out" and "Ride."
Maxwell 'The Serenade Tour' with Jazmine Sullivan and October London
Neo-soul singer Maxwell has been a heartthrob since the '90s. He gained popularity during the golden age of neo-soul, standing out from the crowd with his broad vocal range and sensual lyricism. Best known for songs like "This Woman's Work" and "Pretty Wings," Maxwell performed on NPR's "Tiny Desk Concert" series in August, reminding viewers why he's one of the greatest voices of modern R&B. Maxwell is bringing soul singer Jazmine Sullivan and new Death Row Records signee October London to set the stage before he performs.
Jamila Woods 'The Flow of Things' Tour with Tank and the Bangas
Chicago-based singer and songwriter Jamila Woods makes music for lovers of poetry and good prose. Listeners can tell the songwriting is effortless for Woods, making her sophomore album "Legacy! Legacy!" a hit amongst creative thinkers and fellow wordsmiths. Each track is named after an iconic writer, artist or visionary who inspired the singer when creating the project. She's joined on tour by R&B and soul act Tank and the Bangas, who released a spoken word album "The Heart, the Mind, the Soul" at the end of August.
Sabrina Carpenter 'Short n' Sweet' Tour
Sabrina Carpenter has come a long way since stealing the hearts of young viewers as the star of the Disney Channel series "Girl Meets World." Her 2024 album "Short n' Sweet" has been running the charts with songs like "Espresso" and "Please Please Please" landing in the Billboard 200. She opened for pop superstar Taylor Swift last year on her "Eras" tour. Now, Carpenter is headlining her own tour performing songs from the album that has solidified her as a must-watch American pop act.
Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll is setting a new standard for modern country singers, both musically and as role models. The artist is open and transparent about his past struggles with crime and drugs and constantly goes out of his way to remind his fans that they matter. Earlier this year, Jelly Roll helped fund a music studio for a detention center in Nashville, his hometown. In July, he paused mid-performance to promise a fan that he would help pay her college tuition after seeing her sign in the crowd asking for help. Jelly Roll's list of good deeds seems endless along with his discography of heartwarming, honest songs that catapulted him to stardom. Expect him to perform some fan favorites as well as songs from his upcoming album "Beautifully Broken," which releases on Oct. 11.
Ludo 'HalLUDOween'
When St. Louis rock band Ludo first started "HalLUDOween" in 2018, they had no idea how big their annual Halloween reunion show would become. Seven years later, "HalLUDoween" attracts people from all over the country for three nights celebrating Ludo's music and the joys of the spooky season. Ludo was formed in St. Louis by members Andrew Volpe, Tim Ferrell, Tim Convy, Matt Palermo and "Deepcut" Dave Heltibrand. The band blew up in 2008 after the single "Love Me Dead" became an anthem for angsty, millennial teens trying to navigate their love lives. Now, those millennial teens are adults who flock to St. Louis every Halloween season to celebrate one of their favorite bands in Ludo's hometown.
Tommy Davidson
Comedian Tommy Davidson is stand-up comedy royalty. His matter-fact-fact, animated style has kept Davidson a fan favorite for decades. He was an original cast member on the sketch comedy show "In Living Color" and voiced Oscar Proud on the hit animated series "The Proud Family." Davidson is giving St. Louis comedy lovers three back-to-back nights of jokes and laughs when he hits the stage at Helium.
Usher 'Past Present Future' Tour
What can be said about R&B singer Usher that music lovers don't already know? The Grammy Award winning star got his start as a child when he released his debut, self-titled album in 1994. However, his 1997 album, "My Way," catapulted Usher to superstardom, debuting at No. 15 on the Billboard 200 and peaking at No. 4. The album was certified seven times platinum. But that was just the beginning of Usher's ascent. He later released hit albums like "8701" and "Confessions." Usher's music has transcended generations of R&B lovers. He performed during the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show on the same day he released his newest album "Coming Home." Expect to hear new songs as well as classic Usher tracks like "You Make Me Wanna..." and "Nice & Slow" as well as songs from his new album.
Chelsea Handler 'Little Big Bitch' Tour
Comedian Chelsea Handler has never been afraid to speak her mind. Whether it was as host of her E! show "Chelsea Lately," on stage with her stand-up performances or giving advice on her iHeartRadio podcast "Dear Chelsea," Handler has a lot to say. And she's never held back. The comedian and femme powerhouse is bringing her personality-based humor to the Stifel Theatre for one night only.
