X Ambassadors are poised to kick of their 2025 tour on Sept. 19 and 20 at their hometown State Theatre as an eventful fall concert season heats up in and around Ithaca.
X Ambassadors formed in Ithaca in 2009 and released their debut album VHS in 2015, and a reimagined version of the album was released in August.
VIP packages for both nights are sold out, but tickets on the floor and balcony are still available and range from $36.29 to $59.98, including fees.
The concerts are two of the 25 events scheduled for the remainder of 2025 at the State, which includes rock, jazz, country, comedy, well-known tribute acts and more, and don’t forget about other venues, including two upcoming concerts featuring alternative stalwart Cowboy Junkies and folk/rock songwriter Jade Bird at the Hangar Theatre.
Here are the highlights from the upcoming concert season, including highlights of each artist.
Cowboy Junkies
Sept. 17 at the Hangar Theatre
What to know: An evening with Cowboy Junkies promises a career-spanning show, including songs from their recent album, ‘Such Ferocious Beauty’, which was released worldwide in 2023, to universal critical acclaim.
Find tickets for the Cowboy Junkies at the Hangar Theatre
Jade Bird
Sept. 19 at the Hangar Theatre with opener Jake Wild
What to know: Jade Bird’s third album, Who Wants to Talk About Love, is a record that interrogates the way relationship patterns repeat through the generations and, above all, the great cosmic question mark that is ‘love’. From its title onwards, it’s a record that invites us to join her quest to understand this powerful, addictive, beautiful, destructive force that drives us all.
Find tickets for Jade Bird at the Hangar Theatre
X Ambassadors
Sept. 19, 20 at the State Theatre with opener Delacey
What to know: X Ambassadors are a multi-platinum trio formed by brothers Sam Nelson Harris (vocals, guitar, saxophone, bass) and Casey Harris (piano, keys) while the pair were in high school in Ithaca. Later joined by Adam Levin (drums) upon moving to Brooklyn, the trio have gone on to dominate the alternative charts over the last decade.
Find tickets for X Ambassadors at the State Theatre
Porchfest
Sept. 21 throughout the Fall Creek and Northside neighborhoods in Ithaca
What to know: Since 2007, Porchfest has featured diverse talent from the area and has expanded exponentially since then, with more than 150 playing in 2024. Look for the schedule, map and vendor list at porchfest.org, and kick back and enjoy the free sounds on porches, yards and driveways.
An Evening With Celtic Thunder
Sept. 23 at the State Theatre
What to know: The concert is billed as “Their Greatest Songs & Along The Way A Reunion With Old Friends.” The current lineup of the band consists of Neil Byrne, Emmet Cahill, Damian McGinty and Ronan Scolard, who have carried on the tradition of the Irish music and elaborate staging that was first conceived by producer Sharon Browne in 2007.
Find tickets for An Evening with Celtic Thunder at the State Theatre
The Front Bottoms
Sept. 27 at the State Theatre with opener Sincere Engineer
What to know: The stretch of tour dates, billed as 10 Years of Back on Top, will be capped in Ithaca by the New Jersey rock duo Brian Sella (vocals and guitar) and Mat Uychich (drums). The band took center stage in July when they opened for Zach Bryan, along with Kings of Leon, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.
Find tickets for The Front Bottoms at the State Theatre
Steve Hackett
Oct. 4 at the State Theatre
What to know: The prog-rock guitar legend dubs the tour “Genesis Greats, Lamb Highlights & Solo North American Tour 2025,” giving an obvious glimpse into what longtime fans will hear. The concert is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Genesis’ iconic “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway” album. Hackett’s band includes five other musicians.
Find tickets for Steve Hackett at the State Theatre
Blues Traveler
Oct. 10 at the State Theatre
What to know: The longtime jamband favorites are still going strong, with John Popper, Chan Kinchla, Brendan Hill, Tad Kinchla and Ben Wilson commanding ever-changing setlists and improvisation, led by Popper’s unique rock harmonica and vocals. The band is launching an extensive tour after a string of tour dates with other ’90s staples Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors.
Find tickets for Blues Traveler at the State Theatre
Super 70s Rock Show
Oct. 11 at the State Theatre
What to know: The supershow features the band Super Trans Am playing hits from the Eagles, Hall & Oates, Queen, Doobie Brothers, Paul McCartney & Wings, Peter Frampton, Foreigner, Kiss, Boston and Journey. Also, be ready for “Yacht Rock” favorites and “state-of-the-art video and stage production.”
Find tickets for Super 70s Rock Show
Modest Mouse
Oct. 16 at the State Theatre with opener Built to Spill
What to know: A touring powerhouse, rockers Modest Mouse and frontman Isaac Brock will be coming off a summer tour with The Flaming Lips and the Ithaca show is one of six the sextet is performing in New York.
Find tickets for Modest Mouse at the State Theatre
Ithaca Ballet Presents: Wonderfall
Oct. 19 at the State Theatre
What to know: The State Theatre’s resident ballet company will be featuring its only performances of Alice in Wonderland and Carnival of the Animals. The ballet was founded in 1961 and led by Cindy Reid.
Find tickets to the Ithaca Ballet at the State Theatre
John Brown’s Body
Oct. 25 at the State Theatre with openers The Campbell Brothers & Motherwort
What to know: Ithaca’s own John Brown’s Body has been on a break recently, but have hit the road and are recording music again 30 years after forming. According to the band’s website, “The 2025 live show will feature music from the first 5 classic era JBB records and the band looks forward to presenting this music, as well as brand new material, with a rejuvenated, electric vibe to the fans.”
Find tickets to John Brown’s Body at the State Theatre
The Crane Wives
Nov. 11 at the State Theatre with opener Spencer LaJoye
What to know: The folk rockers have recorded six albums and the quartet delivers, according to their website, “A web of three-part harmony helps to soften the blow of their emotional candor, like a 21st century Cerberus, the hound of Hades reimagined as an emotional support animal.”
Find tickets to The Crane Wives at the State Theatre
Blackberry Smoke
Nov. 13 at the State Theatre with opener Jason Scott & The High Heat
What to know: According to the band’s website, “Over the past two decades, Blackberry Smoke has developed this confidence and amassed a loyal fanbase, leading their last five full-length albums to achieve great chart success, including 2021’s You Hear Georgia, which reached #1 on Billboard’s Americana/Folk Albums chart.”
Find tickets to Blackberry Smoke at the State Theatre
Kathleen Madigan
Nov. 14 at the State Theatre
What to know: The fall lineup’s lone comedy show, Kathleen Madigan, according to the Chicago Tribune, “has all but perfected the art of crafting and delivering a perfect joke. That singular dedication to the craft shows in both the evolution of her material over the years and the way she can make a complicated joke with a hidden nub of wisdom seem both effortless and offhand.”
Find tickets to Kathleen Madigan at the State Theatre
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Nov. 16 at the State Theatre with Southern Avenue
What to know: According to his website bio, Troy Andrews got his start (and nickname) at 4 years old when he made his first appearance at his hometown New Orleans Jazz Fest performing with Bo Diddley; at 6, he was leading his own brass band; and by his teenage years, he was hired by Lenny Kravitz to join his band. “Shorty’s proven he’s more than just a horn player, though. “Catch a gig, open the pages of the New York Times or Vanity Fair, flip on any late-night or morning TV show and you’ll see an undeniable star with utterly magnetic charisma, a natural born showman who can command an audience with the best of them.”
Find tickets to Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue at the State Theatre
Almost Queen
Nov. 21 at the State Theatre
What to know: The four-piece band promises to transport “you back in time to experience the magic and essence of Queen themselves.” According to State Theatre website, the setlist features Queen’s best-loved songs, like Somebody to Love, Don’t Stop Me Now, Fat Bottomed Girls, and Radio Ga Ga, but will occasionally play deep tracks like Flash, Spread Your Wings and Love of My Life.”
Find tickets to Almost Queen at the State Theatre
Pink Talking Fish
Nov. 22 at the State Theatre
What to know: The second of three straight tribute nights at the State features a mesh of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish. According to the band’s website, the band might blend Pink Floyd’s “On The Run” with Phish’s “You Enjoy Myself” and place Phish’s “Sand” into the groove of Talking Head’s “Slippery People.” Or how about a segued Mike’s Song > Have A Cigar > Once In A Lifetime > Weekapaug Groove.
Find tickets to Pink Talking Fish at the State Theatre
Dark Star Orchestra
Nov. 23 at the State Theatre
What to know: The tribute band capper features one of the best-known Grateful Dead torchbearers. DSO has welcomed some of the original Dead members to the stage as they perform shows mirroring actual Grateful Dead setlists. According to the band’s website, “Dark Star Orchestra offers much more than the sound of the Grateful Dead, they truly encapsulate the energy and the experience. It’s about a sense of familiarity. It’s about a feeling that grabs listeners and takes over.”
Find tickets to Dark Star Orchestra at the State Theatre
The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight
Dec. 1 at the State Theatre
What to know: December opens with another tribute act re-imagining the music of popular acts. The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight features a “spellbinding 90-minute spectacle that infuses iconic rock and metal anthems with a hauntingly beautiful energy.” The band’s repertoire features Metallica, AC/DC, the Rolling Stones, Rage Against The Machine, My Chemical Romance, Linkin’ Park, Guns N’ Roses, the Cranberries and more.
Find tickets to The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight at the State Theatre
Bela Fleck & The Flecktones
Dec. 5 at the State Theatre
What to know: The banjo-artist extraordinaire returns to Ithaca with a full complement of Flecktones along with a former member and others who were part of the 2008 Grammy-winning holiday album Jingle All The Way. Accompanying Fleck are his band stalwarts Victor Wooten (bass), Roy “Future Man” Wooten (percussion) and Howard Levy (harmonica and piano), and the trio will be joined by former bandmate Jeff Coffin (a saxophonist now with the Dave Matthews Band) and Tuvan throat singing group Alash. What can fans expect? According to the band, “Jingle All the Way is a playful and innovative take on often cliché holiday tunes – whether it’s ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ performed in 12 different keys and 12 different time signatures, or a medley of five Christmas tunes being played together.”
Find tickets to Bela Fleck & The Flecktones at the State Theatre
The Wood Brothers
Dec. 6 at the State Theatre with opener the Wildmans
What to know: Brothers Chris (Medeski, Martin and Wood) and Oliver Wood (King Johnson) formed almost 25 years ago and have built a loyal following for their brand of roots folk, country, blues, jazz and soul. Drummer Jano Rix rounds out the band, which just released its 10th studio recording, Puff Of Smoke.
Find tickets to The Wood Brothers at the State Theatre
Jessica Lynn
Dec. 7 at the State Theatre
What to know: Lynn’s “A Very Classic Christmas” has become a holiday tradition and billed as a “fun-filled, interactive family sleigh ride through the most wonderful time of the year.” The stage show featuring Lynn’s country songs includes dancers, choirs and an “immersive and interactive experience.”
Find tickets to Jessica Lynn at the State Theatre
More shows at the State Theatre
The 2026 concert schedule at the State already includes performances by The Machine, the High Kings and more. Check the website stateofithaca.org for more information and stay up do date with concert announcements.
Find tickets to all the concerts at the State Theatre in Ithaca
This article originally appeared on Ithaca Journal: X Ambassadors, Bela Fleck, Blues Traveler and more: Concerts coming soon to Ithaca
Reporting by Ithaca Journal / Ithaca Journal
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