Awesome Concerts

The Doobie Brothers started making music over 50 years ago. The band’s remaining original members, Michael McDonald, Tom Johnson, Patrick Simmons, and John McFee dropped by NPR Music and brought the house down with three classics: Takin’ It to the Streets, Black Water, and Listen to the Music, plus Angels & Mercy from their 2025 album Walk This Road.

For 50 years, The Residents have defied convention. The experimental musicians and performance artists don’t give interviews. They don’t give their names. They don’t allow photos without their giant eyeball masks. And they won’t say exactly what wonderful weirdness concertgoers will be in for when they perform their 1979 album Eskimo live for the first time.

Rockin’ 1000 assembles musicians from all over the world for its epic live performances. During their recent 20-song show at Estádio Municipal in Leiria, Portugal they performed this appropriately epic rendition of the Muse track Knights of Cydonia. If you’ve got the time to spare, we suggest watching the entire concert.

Radiohead’s 1995 album The Bends is one of our all-time favorites, and we were fortunate to see them play live on that tour. Japanese band PUM ROCK pays tribute to this classic alternative rock record with a one-take live performance of the entire album that pulled us in just like the first time we heard the original. Street Spirit (Fade out) still gives us chills.

The Hives dropped by LA’s KCRW and turned in a killer performance that’s sure to get your blood pumping. The Swedish rock band proves they’re one of the most entertaining live acts with a power-packed 8-song set that includes tracks from their new Forever the Hives along with garage rock classics Hate to Say I Told You So and the explosive Tick Tick Boom.

Long-standing alt-rock band They Might Be Giants dropped by the KEXP studios for a fun-filled set of classics and lesser-known tracks. The mini-concert includes faves like Ana Ng, Doctor Worm, and Particle Man. After the 21-minute set, John F. and John L. shared some stories about their extensive catalog of songs for adults and children alike.

The musical giant, Prince, will reach Godzilla-sized status when the iconic concert film Prince – Sign O’ the Times rocks IMAX theaters for the first time. Directed by Prince, the 1987 film — capturing The Purple One at his creative peak — has been digitally remastered for unprecedented image and surround-sound quality. One week only starting 8.29.2025.

UK band Bloc Party stopped by the NPR Music offices for an intimate concert. Led by vocalist Kele Okereke, the UK alt-pop band kicks things off with their 2005 hit Banquet, followed by the tracks Signs, Mercury, and the uncharacteristically chill Blue. We couldn’t help giggle each time he called the venue “Tiny D.”

In honor of Black Music Month, Living Colour rocked NPR’s Tiny Desk, celebrating 35 years of their groundbreaking album Time’s Up. The band delivered powerful renditions of classics like Cult of Personality and Pride, paying homage to influences like Jimi Hendrix and Bad Brains. Despite the intimate setting, Vernon Reid’s guitar wizardry and Corey Glover’s soaring vocals proved Living Colour’s message transcends time.

Two great ’90s bands have joined forces and are touring this summer (along with Spin Doctors). Along the way, they stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! and turned in this perfect performance of Run Around and Hey Jealousy that makes us long for the music of our youth. It’s great to see John Popper and Robin Wilson killing it on stage.

The Windy City has an intimate new live music venue and restaurant in the West Loop, and its comfy vibe is as cool as its band bookings. Every detail of Garcia’s Chicago honors Jerry Garcia from the living room feel to the psychedelic murals and family photos — thanks to the help of Jerry’s daughters, Trixie and Annabelle.

For the 2024 MTV EMAs, synth-pop legends Pet Shop Boys performed the the Mott the Hoople / David Bowie classic All the Young Dudes, then rolled into to their hit track, West End Girls. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe prove they’ve still got it, contrasting their trademark minimalism with a flashy show with a string orchestra and dancers in artsy-fartsy costumes.

Award-winning vocalist and writer Billie Eilish, her brother Finneas, and a trio of talented musicians stopped by the NPR Music offices to perform a series of raw and emotional songs about love and loss. The acoustic set includes four tracks: The Greatest, L’amour De Ma Vie, I Love You, and Birds of a Feather.

I don’t wanna call it off, but you don’t wanna call it love. Franz Ferdinand turned in a fantastic cover of Chappell Roan’s track Good Luck, Babe! for Jo Whiley’s Sofa Session on BBC Radio 2. The Scottish alt-rock band in advance of their upcoming album The Human Fear, which drops on 01.10.2024.

The Elevator Music channel has a fun concept – they invite DJs and other musicians to perform live inside an elevator. As the elevator rides up and down, people pop in and out to enjoy a mini-concert. This episode features an hour-long performance by house music legend Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim with a mix of his own and other groovy dance tracks.

“Could you work to build something else besides a wall?”The minds behind NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert tried to get Brooklyn rockers TV on the Radio onto the show 15 years ago, but the band says they never received the invite. They more than make up for it with a rousing set that took us back to nights in small gigs, the air filled with smoke, beer, and sweat.