By: Reid Conner <[email protected]>

1. The Almost with Emery, Envy on the Coast and Army of Me
When: June 2
Where: Bogart’s (in Cincinnati)
Genre: Alternative/Rock
Details: Emery alone makes this concert worth the 2-hour trip. It is one of my personal favorite bands to see live because of the high-energy performances its keyboardist gives. Although I can’t vouch for The Almost’s live performances, its front man, Aaron Gillespie, gives a great live show with his other band, Underoath.

2. Jack Johnson with Mason Jennings and Money Mark
When: June 13
Where: Verizon Wireless Music Center (in Noblesville)
Genre: Acoustic/Soft Rock
Details: Who doesn’t like Jack Johnson? With one of the most popular sources of “chill music” playing at the biggest venue in town, this concert is sure to be packed with fellow high school and college students.

3. Death Cab for Cutie with Rogue Wave
When: June 14
Where: The WhiteLies Lawn at White River State Park (in Indianapolis)
Genre: Indie Rock/Indie Pop
Details: The band will surely be promoting the release of their eighth album Narrow Stairs, which they have called “louder and more dissonant and more abrasive” than previous works.

4. Foo Fighters with Supergrass
When: July 23
Where: Conseco Fieldhouse (in Indianapolis)
Genre: Alternative/Rock
Details: Although Conseco Fieldhouse is not that great a place for a concert, both in terms of stage view and sound, Foo Fighters is a big enough act to make up for it. Led by ex-Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl on guitar and vocals, the band gave a great performance at the Live Earth show in London last summer and is sure to do so again.

5. Radiohead with Grizzly Bear
When: Aug. 3
Where: Verizon Wireless Music Center (in Noblesville)
Genre: Alternative/Rock/Experimental
Details: Radiohead is one of the biggest musical groups to come from Europe since the Beatles. Its seven studio albums have sold over 23 million copies around the world, and that’s not including live albums. Its most recent album In Rainbows reached #1 on the UK Album Chart, the United World Chart and the U.S. Billboard 200.