“Money’s too tight to mention,” the Valentine Brothers sang in the early ‘80s -- and that anthem to economic hard times still applies today. But great music can be had this autumn that won’t bust your wallet. Here’s a sampling of some relatively inexpensive must-see shows:
Kings Go Forth: If it’s horn-fueled soul you want with the edges left intact, this multi-cultural big band from Milwaukee is the real deal. Their 2010 album, “The Outsiders are Back” (Luaka Bop), is a blast, and their live show is even better, 9 p.m. Sept. 16 at Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee Av., $12; ticketfly.com
Sergeant Garcia: Part of the annual World Music Festival that takes over Chicago every September, this French punk veteran dives into Caribbean and Spanish music with equal flair, 5 p.m. Sept. 18 at Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park, free; explorechicago.org.
The Raincoats: Extremely rare tour by Ana Da Silva and Gina Birch’s U.K. band behind a reissue of their jagged, raw, charmingly direct 1981 album, “Odyshape” – a huge favorite of Kurt Cobain’s, 9 p.m. Sept. 19 at Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee Av., $20; ticketfly.com.
F --- Up: The Toronto hardcore band puts an impressive capstone on its first, prolific decade with one of the year’s best albums, the multi-faceted rock opera, “David Comes to Life,” 7 p.m. Sept. 29 at Logan Square Auditorium, 2539 N Kedzie, $15 and $18 (door); ticketweb.com.
Oval: Berlin-based innovator Markus Popp brings his textured brand of electronic psychedelia to a decidedly non-rave setting, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago, $10 (students), $16 (members) and $20; mcachicago.org.
St. Vincent: Annie Clark uses St. Vincent as a vehicle for combining orchestral fantasias, disturbing lyrics and serious guitar shredding. She’s back at it on her third album, “Strange Mercy” (4AD), 9 p.m. Oct. 5 at Metro, 3730 N. Clark St., $18; etix.com.
Van Hunt: Soul as redefined by an artist who doesn’t adhere to genre formulas. After a lengthy hiatus, enforced in part by record-company problems, Hunt is back with an excellent new album, “What Were You Hoping For?” (vanhunt.com), 10 p.m. Oct. 7 at Schubas, 3159 N. Southport, $14; schubas.com.
Wild Flag: As good as the combination of Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss with Helium’s Mary Timony and the Minders’ Rebecca Cole sounds in theory, it’s even better in its unruly and uninhibited reality, 10 p.m. Oct. 8 and 9:30 p.m. Oct. 9 at Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, $15; ticketweb.com.
Cymbals Eat Guitars: The New Jersey band made a big splash in 2009 with “Why There are Mountains,” a scorched re-imagining of ‘90s alternative rock. They return with a retooled lineup and an even more ambitious album, “Lenses Alien” (Memphis Industries), 10 p.m. Oct. 21 at Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln Av., $12 and $15 (door)
Eleanor Friedberger: One-half of Fiery Furnaces is touring behind an excellent solo album, “Last Summer” (Merge), which presents her band’s puzzle-piece rock in a more direct and accessible light, 9 p.m. Oct. 29 at Subterranean, 2011 W. North Av., $12; ticketweb.com.
greg@gregkot.com
