David Byrne brings the American Utopia tour back to the UK and to Ireland for eight arena shows starting at the First Direct Arena in Leeds this Sunday and including concerts at the O2 Arena in London, Manchester Arena, Hydro in Glasgow, 3Arena in Dublin, and more. Benjamin Clementine will be Byrne’s special guest for the UK and Irish dates. The tour will then make stops in Amsterdam and Paris before heading to Hong Kong, New Zealand (where Kimbra will be special guest), and Australia. "If you only go to one gig this autumn [or spring, depending]," says the Independent's i, "make it this: David Byrne’s imaginative, breathtaking show is a work of art."

Sam Amidon begins an autumn tour of the UK, featuring music from his new album, The Following Mountain, and more, in Birmingham this Saturday, following a concert in Cologne on Friday. The UK tour includes performances in Brighton, Bristol, Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh, Sheffield, and Newcastle, culminating with a show at Cadogan Hall in London as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival on November 19.

Lake Street Dive has announced a tour of Europe and the UK next April. The two-week tour starts in Vienna on April 13, followed by shows in Munich, Berlin, Cologne, Paris, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leuven, Heidelberg, Copenhagen, Hamburg, and Amsterdam. Tickets go on sale this Wednesday, October 17. The band, while in London to perform at O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire last week, performed "Shame Shame Shame" from their album Free Yourself Up, on BBC Radio 4's Loose Ends and BBC London's Robert Elms show.

David Byrne brings American Utopia to Austin City Limits Fest … Rhiannon Giddens joins Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra … Tigran Hamasyan plays Seattle, LA … Emmylou Harris tours Midwest … James Farm tours France … Kronos Quartet concludes ballet residency in San Francisco … Mandy Patinkin performs Diaries 2018 in NYC … Chris Thile hosts Live From Here from St. Paul … and more ...

Mandy Patinkin begins his Diaries 2018 tour with a sold-out, ten-performance residency presented by New York Theatre Workshop at The Connelly Theater in NYC, starting Wednesday and continuing through October 28. (A limited number of tickets are available via a daily TodayTix lottery.) He will bring the tour to California, Hawaii, and Australia in November.

Tigran Hamasyan launches an eight-city US tour in Portland, Oregon, on Wednesday. The tour, featuring music from his latest releases, For Gyumri and An Ancient Observer, continues with shows in Seattle, Los Angeles, Denver, Fresno, and San Francisco, culminating in New York City on October 24.

Rokia Traoré will be the artist in residence at New York University's Institute of African American Affairs this semester. Through three programs curated by Traoré, she will share her work, ideas, and philosophy. The events, taking place at NYU October 26–30, including two lecture-performances and a culminating concert, are free and open to the public.

Chris Thile, Emmylou Harris play free Hardly Strictly Bluegrass fest in San Francisco … Laurie Anderson is in London … David Byrne takes American Utopia to Texas … Jeremy Denk joins BBC Symphony Orchestra for Beethoven … James Farm continues European tour in Brussels, Netherlands … Kronos Quartet begins ballet residency in San Francisco … Conor Oberst tours California … and more …

Lake Street Dive announces new tour dates for January 2019 in support of their album Free Yourself Up. Following a successful run of 80+ performances in 2018, shows in the New Year include Charlotte, Orlando, Birmingham, New Orleans, and more. The band will be honored for its support of music and arts education at the Little Kids Rock Benefit in NYC on November 8 and sit down for a conversation with Stephen Colbert at a sold-out 92nd Street Y event on November 12.

Olivia Chaney performs from Shelter in London … Sam Amidon is in Indiana … David Byrne brings American Utopia to Florida … Rhiannon Giddens plays Wide Open Bluegrass in Raleigh … Richard Goode gives solo recital in Houston … Lake Street Dive takes Free Yourself Up tour to Missouri, Memphis … Robert Plant wraps up fall tour in Austin … Phantom Thread premieres on HBO ... and more …

k.d. lang takes Ingénue Redux Tour to Texas … David Byrne, Robert Plant perform at Bourbon & Beyond in Louisville … Lake Street Dive plays Sonoma Harvest Music Festival … Natalie Merchant performs Berkshires benefit concerts … Nonesuch takes part in Brooklyn Flea Record Fair … and more ...

David Byrne's American Utopia tour, which has earned rave review across continents throughout the year, has been shortlisted for a Q Award for Best Live Act. Folks can cast their votes and choose the winners now through Friday, October 5, at qthemusic.com. The awards will be presented at London's Roundhouse on October 17. The American Utopia tour continues in the US through mid-October, and heads back across the Atlantic for two weeks of arena shows in the UK. "If you only go to one gig this Autumn, make it this," exclaims the Independent's i.