We might not have known it from the September heat wave, but summer has come to an end -- and now so is the summer outdoor concert season, with just three shows remaining on the area amphitheaters' concert schedule.
They are big ones, however.
Billy Strings, the Grammy Award-winning Americana star who was born in Lansing and raised in Muir, Michigan, is celebrating the arrival of a new album ("Highway Prayers") and his first son, born last weekend in Nashville, with a pair of performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 4-5, that will close the Pine Knob Music Theatre's 2024 season. Strings canceled his appearance at the Renewal festival in Colorado to welcome his baby, traveling back home on a plane Ringo Starr lent him.
The genre-blending Anderson .Paak and his band the Free Nationals will wrap things up for the Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre in Sterling Heights, playing songs from his four albums, as well as his Silk Sonic collaboration with Bruno Mars. The show is at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5.
For more information, including tickets, call 313-471-7000 or visit 313Presents.com.
Other music events of note this weekend (all subject to change) include ...
* Enrico Lopez-Yanez begins his tenure as the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's principal pops conductor with "The Music of Star Wars," with four performances through Sunday, Oct. 6, at Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-576-5111 or dso.org.
* Detroit rapper Skilla Baby hosts a second night of his 2nd Annual Bday Bash at the Fillmore Detroit, 2115 Woodward Ave. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-961-5451 or thefillmoredetroit.com.
* The current incarnation of Blood, Sweat & Tears blows its own horns at 7:30 p.m. at the Macomb Center, 44575 Garfield Road, Clinton Township. 586-286-2222 or macombcenter.com.
* Richie Kotzen, a guitarist with Poison, the Winery Dogs and more plays at the Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-544-1991 or themagicbag.com.
* The Georgia rap duo Coco & Clair Clair brings its Girl Tour to Saint Andrew's Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-961-8961 or saintandrewsdetroit.com.
* The musical "Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptation," will be on stage at 8 p.m. at the Fox Theatre, where parts of the show are set. 2211 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com.
* The Dearborn Symphony opens its new season, with guest pianist Gleb Ivanov, at 7:30 p.m. at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave., Dearborn. 313-943-2354 or dearborntheater.com.
* Hit-making Australian duo Air Supply won't be all out of love when it performs at 8 p.m. at the Music Hall Center, 350 Madison Ave., Detroit. 313-887-7500 or musichall.org.
* Heavy metal hero Udo, former of Accept rocks at 7:30 p.m. at the Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Road, Westland. 734-513-5030 or tokenlounge.com.
* German rock/traditional hybrid outfit Faun visits the Majestic Theatre, 4140 Woodward Ave. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-833-9700 or majesticdetroit.com.
* Singer-songwriters Katie Pederson and Ryan Brewer team up at 8 p.m. at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.
* Dutch DJ Bart Skils tops a bill at the Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Doors at 9 p.m. 313-833-9700 or themajesticdetroit.com.
* The Maryland doom metal group The Obsessed celebrates the 30th anniversary of its third album, "The Church Within," at the Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff, Hamtramck. Doors at 7 p.m. Restless Spirit opens. 313-462-4117 or sanctuarydetroit.com.
* The California electronic trio Laszewo plugs in at El Club, 4114 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-757-7942 or elclubdetroit.com.
* Reggae troupe Artika Sound System, once which sued Dua Lipa for copyright infringement, plays in the Pike Room at the Crofoot, 1 S. Saginaw St. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-858-9333 or thecrofoot.com.
* Bassist Ben Rolston and his Quartet perform at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at Cliff Bell's, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.
* Saxophonist Duane Parham and his band perform through Saturday, Oct. 5 at the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe, 97 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe. 313-882-5399 or dirtydogjazz.com.
* Captain Fantastic Detroit pays tribute to Elton John at 8 p.m. at The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. 248-453-5285 or theroxyrochester.com.
* The Cadieux Cafe will be in the tribute business this weekend, with the Detroit Doors at 7 p.m. and, on Saturday, St. Morrison's Day (Van Morrison) at the same time. 4300 Cadieux Road, Detroit. 313-882-8560 or cadieuxcafe.com.
* The Diesel Concert Lounge is in the tribute lane, too, with Prowler (Metallica) and Powerage (AC/DC) (doors at 6 p.m.) and, on Saturday, Sept. 4, Paradise City (Guns N' Roses) and BFT's The Zoo (Scorpions) (doors at 7 p.m.). 33151 23 Mile Road, Chesterfield Township. 586-933-3503 or dieselconcerts.com.
* Buffalo singer-songwriter Davey O is joined by Hiroya Tsukamoto at 8 p.m. at the Trinity House Theatre, 38840 W. Six Mile Road, Livonia. 734-436-6302 or trinityhousetheatre.org.
* The Willy Porter Band commemorates the 25th anniversary of his album "Falling Forward" at 8 p.m. at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1818 or theark.org.
* Virtual: Soul Coughing streams its first hometown (Brooklyn) show in more than 25 years at 9 p.m. Tickets via nugs.net.
* Virtual: Punk veterans NOFX play their final weekend of shows, ever, at 10:30 p.m. though Sunday, Oct. 6. Tickets via veeps.com.
* Virtual: Snarky Puppy plays live from SFJazz in San Francisco at 10:30 p.m. Streaming ticks via nugs.net.
* Virtual: The Silents Synced series pairs Radiohead music with the 1922 silent classic "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror," premiering free via YouTube.
* Detroit's own His Name Is Alive plays at home at El Club, 4114 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-757-7942 or elclubdetroit.com.
* Najee and Alexander Zonjic headline the Smooth Jazz Fall Fest with Keiko Matsui and JazzFunk Soul at 7 p.m. at the Fox Theatre, 2211 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com.
* Americana troubadour Niko Moon brings his These Are the Days Tour to the Fillmore Detroit, 2115 Woodward Ave. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-961-5451 or thefillmoredetroit.com.
* Iconoclastic singer-songwriter Jonathan Richman plays a sold-out show at the Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-544-1991 or themagicbag.com.
* The Las Vegas rock troupe Palaye Royale gambols at Majestic Theatre, 4140 Woodward Ave. Doors at 6 p.m. I See Stars, Weathers and Diamante also perform. 313-833-9700 or majesticdetroit.com.
* The arty Oakland, California, trio Beats Antique and Haywyre are at Saint Andrew's Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-961-8961 or saintandrewsdetroit.com.
* Ukranian DJ Miss Monique mans the decks at the Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Doors at 9 p.m. 313-833-9700 or themajesticdetroit.com.
* Detroit's Smoke Jones croons at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at Cliff Bell's, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.
* The Tom Petty tribute band The Insiders plays an unplugged set at 8 p.m. at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.
* The Hourlies top a bill that includes Cherry Drop and Velvet Strokes at the Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-820-5596 or thelovingtouchferndale.com.
* Singer-songwriter Steve Madwell comes up from Ohio to play at 8 p.m. at the Trinity House Theatre, 38840 W. Six Mile Road, Livonia. 734-436-6302 or trinityhousetheatre.org.
* Playground Twist pays tribute to Siouxsie and the Banshees at Small's, 10339 Conant, Hamtramck. Doors at 8 p.m. Clampdown and Blood & Roses also perform. 313-873-1117 or smallsbardetroit.com.
* "The Voice" finalist Laith Al-Saadi comes home for his annual Birthday Bash at 8 p.m. at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1818 or theark.org.
* Virtual: The Metropolitan Opera begins a new season of "Live in HD" at 1 p.m. with Offenbach's "Les Contes of Hoffman" at 1 p.m. in movie theaters. metopera.org for locations and ticket information.
* Virtual: Country star Miranda Lambert streams her Music For Mutts benefit concert at 9:30 p.m. from Nashville for free viewing via nugs.net. Nate Bargatze hosts.
* Virtual: Coldplay will play songs from its brand new album "Music of the Spheres Vol. II: Moon Music" on "Saturday Night Live" at 11:30 p.m. on NBC (WDIV, Channel 4 in Detroit).
* The Macomb Symphony Orchestra kicks off its 50-year celebration with Carlos Simon's "Tales: A Folklore Symphony," Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" and Berlioz's "Le carnaval Roman" at 3 p.m. at the Macomb Center, 44575 Garfield Road, Clinton Township. 586-286-2222 or macombcenter.com.
* DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown (aka Erykah Badu) will be on hand as part of Dilla Fest Detroit 2024, celebrating the late James "J Dilla" Yancey at 6 p.m. at Russell Industrial Center, 3434 Russell St., Detroit. Moodymann, Dez Andres and DJ Killa Squid will also be spinning. 313-914-1104 or dillafest.com.
* The Average White Band cuts the cake for its farewell tour at 8 p.m. at the Music Hall Center, 350 Madison Ave., Detroit. 313-887-8500 or musichall.org.
* Kansas City's The Get Up Kids celebrates the 25th anniversary of its sophomore album, "Something to Write Home About," at Saint Andrew's Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-961-8961 or saintandrewsdetroit.com.
* You can get so into the Atlanta Rhythm Section when the group plays at 8 p.m. at the Flagstar Strand Theatre, 12 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac. 248-309-6445 or flagstarstrand.com.
* New York's The Hot Sardines plays jazz standards at El Club, 4114 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-757-7942 or elclubdetroit.com.
* British indie rock group Bears In Trees paws into the Pike Room at the Crofoot, 1 S. Saginaw St., Pontiac. Doors at 6 p.m. 248-858-9333 or thecrofoot.com.
* Winnipeg heavy rock troupe KEN Mode brings the noise to the Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff, Hamtramck. Doors at 7 p.m. with four other bands also playing. 313-462-4117 or sanctuarydetroit.com.
* Little Stranger, Wax, Jarv and Damn Skippy bring the weekend to a dancing close at the Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-833-9700 or themajesticdetroit.com.
* Kai B., JunKi and Shaii David triple-bill at 7:30 p.m. at the New Dodge Lounge, 8850 Jos Campau, Hamtramck. 313-638-1508 or thenewdodgelounge.com.
* Bill Edwards, Kathy Wieland, Jim Perkins and Cheryl Burns Perkins will perform with audience members at the monthly Empty Chair Night at 7 p.m. at the Trinity House Theatre, 38840 W. Six Mile Road, Livonia. 734-436-6302 or trinityhousetheatre.org.
* The Dallas alt-rock duo Jackopierce comes north to play at 7:30 p.m. at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1818 or theark.org.
* Streaming: Green Day, Mariah Carey Jennifer Hudson, Gladys Knight, Brad Paisley and Stray Kids are among the performers slated for the "American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special" at 8 p.m. on CBS and streaming via Paramount+. A variety of other performances and interviews will be part of the show, while the American Music Awards, which have been dormant since 2022, will return in May.
* Virtual: Artemis plays at 7:30 p.m. from Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club in New Hampshire. Streaming tickets via veeps.com.