Phillips: Fall's approach signals influx of touring bands

The mosquitos haven't figured it out yet, but the first day of fall is just around the corner.

On Sept. 22, we'll put behind us a record-destroying summer that was the third-hottest since the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began keeping records in 1895. To say this season, July especially, was hot is a bit of an understatement, but the autumnal equinox and much more civilized weather is fast approaching.

With fall's imminent arrival, we soon will have even more shows at local clubs as touring artists shift away from the summer festival season and begin taking to the road again on their autumn routes.

Here are some fall shows to keep an eye on.

• Right after colorful foliage, campfires and pumpkin ale, nothing screams fall to me as music sung in a falsetto so high it would give The Bee Gees' Barry Gibb a healthy case of vertigo. If you feel the same, be sure to check out the funktastic stylings of Nashville's Space Capone at Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St., tonight. The show kicks off at 10 p.m. Tickets are $10.

• Track 29 is set to be especially busy this week, starting with the return tonight of Georgia country/rock artist Corey Smith. That show will follow about a year after Smith's first appearance at Track 29, which ended abruptly after he began playing a particularly controversial song. Tickets are $25, and the show starts at 9 p.m.

• Roots/newgrass artist Railroad Earth will follow Smith on Tuesday ($22, 7 p.m.). On Thursday, progressive rappers Arrested Development ($17, 8 p.m.) will play after rescheduling a date earlier this month. Tickets also still are available for $25 at track29.co for the venue's anniversary show on Sept. 28 featuring sample ninja Girl Talk.

Tickets go on sale today at 10 a.m. for a Nov. 20 show at Track 29 by dubstep/electronic artist Rusko and for a Dec. 6 show by made-for-TV, melodic death-metal artist Dethklok from the Adult Swim cartoon "Metalocalypse." Tickets are $25 and $35, respectively.

• For the last five years, I also have associated autumn with the 3 Sisters Festival, which will make its sixth appearance at Ross's Landing on Oct. 5-6. This free music festival is basically a hearty handshake to the city from real estate magnate and Dismembered Tennesseans fiddler Fletcher Bright and has featured some of the hottest acoustic acts around over the last five years.

This year's schedule offers up some of the event's heaviest hitters, including International Bluegrass Music Association award magnets Dailey & Vincent and Steve Martin's best friends, The Steep Canyon Rangers. A more interesting inclusion this year, however, is Colorado progressive bluegrass giants Yonder Mountain String Band, a choice that -- along with the inclusion of Irish group Solas last year -- reinforces that 3 Sisters is more flexible in its offerings than some straight-line bluegrass events.

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