It’s going to be another phenomenally busy fall season of pop, rock, hip-hop and country music. Each new week, it seems, brings an announcement of two or three — sometimes more — big concerts coming to the Bay Area.
It starts this weekend, when Grace Jones comes to to the Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley on Saturday, the Outcry Christian music festival lands at Concord Pavilion on Saturday, and Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa play the same venue on Sunday.
Other major acts on the way include Coldplay (Sept. 3 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara), Dierks Bentley (Sept. 9 at Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View), Carrie Underwood (Sept. 10 at SAP Center in San Jose), Beyoncé (Sept. 17 at Levi’s), Dolly Parton (Sept. 24 at Shoreline), the Dixie Chicks with Elle King (Oct. 7 at Oracle Arena in Oakland) and the Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour featuring Puff Daddy, Lil’ Kim, Mase, Faith Evans and more (Oct. 8 at Oracle).
Whew! We could go on forever. Instead, we’ll offer our picks for some of the fall’s can’t-miss shows.
Drake: It’s shaping up to be the year of Drake. The Canadian rapper’s fourth studio outing, “Views,” appears well on track to becoming 2016’s top-selling album. He’s also scored several hit singles, including the multiweek No. 1 smash “One Dance.” He’s also all over social media and mounting the season’s hottest tour — popular enough to warrant four arena shows in the Bay Area. It all makes for a convincing case that Drake is the top artist in hip-hop. Joining Drake on this trek is rising star rapper Future.
Details: 7 p.m. Sept. 13-14 at Oracle Arena, Oakland; Sept. 24-25 at SAP Center, San Jose; $49.50-$179.50, www.ticketmaster.com
Treasure Island Music Festival: Sigur Rós, the equally memorable and mesmerizing indie-rock act from Iceland, is the No. 1 reason for attending the 10th anniversary Treasure Island Fest. Other reasons include hip-hop legend Ice Cube, Mercury Prize-winning singer-songwriter James Blake, acclaimed electronic music duo Purity Ring (featuring great vocalist Megan James), English indie-rock act Glass Animals, French singer-songwriter Christine and the Queens and local ambient music champ Tycho. Oh, and there’s that absolutely amazing setting. This will be the festival’s final year on Treasure Island before moving to a new, not-yet-announced location.
Details: Oct. 15-16; Treasure Island; two-day passes are $179.50-$335; treasureisland.com.
Black Sabbath: This Rock and Roll Hall of Fame act can still put the “heavy” into heavy metal, 50 years after it basically drew up the blueprint for the genre with its eponymous debut and “Paranoid” (both released in 1970). Most significantly, this could be the last chance for Bay Area fans to see the fabled act, which still features three original members — vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler and guitarist Tony Iommi. Black Sabbath will reportedly call it quits at the end of this tour.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 15; Oracle Arena, Oakland; $45-$150; www.ticketmaster.com.
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass: Golden Gate Park will come alive again with the best in bluegrass, country, rock, blues, gospel and more during one of the world’s most beloved music festivals. The 2016 lineup is once again an embarrassment of riches: Mavis Staples, California Honeydrops, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Bobby Bare and Rosanne Cash. And we just can’t wait to see the pairing of Buddy Miller and Marc Ribot.
Details: Sept. 30-Oct. 2; Golden Gate Park, San Francisco; free; www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com.
Bridge School Benefit announces: This year marks the 30th Bridge School Benefit, and fans will get some big names for the occasion. The just-announced lineup features Metallica, Roger Waters, Dave Matthews, Willie Nelson, case/lang/veirs, My Morning Jacket, Cage the Elephant, Nils Lofgren and, of course, organizer Neil Young.
Details: Oct. 22-23; Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View; tickets go on sale Monday; $44.50-$199.50, www.livenation.com.
Follow Jim Harrington at Twitter.com/jimthecritic.
