Welcome back! It's Monday, and the last day of summer.

🌧️ Today's weather: Finally, some relief from the heat! Chance of showers, with a high of 70.

🎂 Happy birthday to our member Paul Daily!

👩‍🎓 Situational awareness: It's College Application Week, when dozens of Indiana colleges and universities waive application fees. Potential students can apply for free through Friday.

Today's newsletter is 1,101 words — a 4.5-minute read.

As fall arrives with the promise of cooler temperatures, Central Indiana's live music scene remains scorching hot.

Why it matters: Some of the biggest names in entertainment are making stops in the Indianapolis area during spooky season.

Zoom in: While this (not exhaustive) guide focuses on mainstream out-of-towners hitting the road, Central Indiana is bursting with live music opportunities courtesy of our talented local creators this fall.

• Even better, a lot of those shows are free.

Here are 100 concerts taking the stage in the Indy area this fall.

September

Erykah Badu

• Sept. 22 at Everwise Amphitheater.
• Tickets start at $67.

DJG Indy Funkfest: Morris Day and the Time & The SOS Band

• Sept. 25 at Clowes Memorial Hall.
• Tickets start at $90.

Switchfoot with Anberlin

• Sept. 25 at Old National Centre.
• Tickets start at $50.

Saxsquatch with Thundersmack

• Sept. 26 at HI-FI Annex.
• Tickets start at $32.

October

Shwayze

• Oct. 3 at HI-FI.
• Tickets start at $39.

Trapt

• Oct. 8 at 8 Seconds Saloon.
• Tickets start at $14.

Bayside

• Oct. 9 at HI-FI Annex.
• Tickets start at $42.

Jonas Brothers

• Oct. 15 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
• Tickets start at $63.

Sting

• Oct. 22 at Old National Centre.
• Tickets start at $180.

November

The Phil Collins Story

• Nov. 1 at Old National Centre.
• Tickets start at $45.

AJ McLean

• Nov. 13 at Clowes Memorial Hall.
• Tickets start at $50.

Hawthorne Heights

• Nov. 17 at The Vogue.
• Tickets start at $46.

Yung Gravy

• Nov. 19 at Old National Centre.
• Tickets start at $45.

December

Leslie Odom Jr.

• Dec. 3 at The Palladium.
• Tickets start at $45.

Underoath

• Dec. 5 at Old National Centre.
• Tickets start at $109.

So many more concerts

Indy's push for a Major League Soccer team appears to be heating back up.

Why it matters: Another professional sports team could be a boon for downtown development and the city's reputation as a sports capital.

The latest: Mayor Joe Hogsett met with MLS commissioner Don Garber earlier this month, first reported by the IBJ, rekindling the talks about a new soccer-specific stadium that had appeared stalled.

The intrigue: The city is moving away from a site it had been focused on since 2024, near the heliport on the east side of downtown.

• A site near Lucas Oil Stadium is now the target for a Football Stadium District in the southwest quadrant of downtown, according to the IBJ.
• Yes, but: That doesn't appear to be the former Diamond Chain property, where Indy Eleven owner Ersal Ozdemir broke ground for a mixed-use development anchored by a soccer stadium before the city pivoted to the heliport area.

Flashback: Two years ago, the city was bullish on its bid for an MLS team.

• Hogsett met repeatedly with Garber and MLS officials and publicly outlined his plans to build a stadium downtown.
• Those talks stalled over the last year, though, and the stadium plan never progressed to the State Budget Committee.

What they're saying: "Given Major League Soccer's continued growth as a league, and soccer's growth as a sport, I remain committed to doing everything in my power to position Indianapolis for success," Hogsett told Axios in a statement Friday.

Between the lines: The league doesn't seem in a hurry to expand.

What's next

🏈 The Indianapolis Colts lost a close game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2, falling 30-33 in overtime. (ESPN)

🥨 You can get your sweet or savory snack fix downtown again. A combination Auntie Anne's and Cinnabon has opened in Claypool Court, adjacent to the former Circle Centre Mall. (IBJ)

📊 Indiana's unemployment rate held steady in August, signaling a flat month for the state's labor market. (Inside Indiana Business)

🗳️ Campaign finance complaints are piling up in Indiana's secretary of state race, setting up a process that could include investigations and penalties. (IndyStar)

Our newsroom helps you follow the people, decisions and stories shaping Indianapolis — wherever they're happening.

Why it matters: Your membership supports the local reporting that keeps you informed, engaged and connected to the place you call home.

💪 Become an Axios Indianapolis member today and help keep trusted local journalism strong.

• Thanks for supporting the news that keeps you connected.

👋 Arika here!

Regular readers may remember that my favorite restaurant in town is Tinker Street, the intimate neighborhood bistro that just so happens to have made its proprietor a James Beard semifinalist.

Why it matters: Tinker Street has a sister restaurant.

Where to go: Freeland's — the cozy and elegant Carmel take on restaurateur Tom Main's winning concept.

• It opened last year in a historic home, which gives it a charm and authenticity that can be hard to find in the 'burbs.

What to order: Like its sister restaurant, the menu is small and changes with the seasons. Also like its sister restaurant, nothing is a miss — from drinks to dessert, and every course in between.

• The butternut risotto ($32) was rich and delicious. The panzanella salad ($20) was addictive. But, also like its sister restaurant, the star of the menu is a starter.
• At Tinker, it's the Korean fried mushrooms. At Freeland's it's the carrots ($16).

Between the lines: I know you're probably rolling your eyes at me about carrots but these are unlike any carrots you've had before. Or at least any I've had.

• They're glazed in an umami-rich Asian-inspired sauce that caramelizes into the most delicious coating as the carrots are roasted to tender perfection. They're good enough that I will readily drive back to Carmel for them and to be honest that's the highest praise I can offer.

If you go

Music spilled from front porches and onto the streets yesterday as thousands of people gathered in Carmel's Arts & Design District for the 2026 Carmel PorchFest.

Why it matters: The free festival has become a signature summer send-off for the suburb since launching in 2014.

• Carmel PorchFest Inc., a nonprofit founded to bring neighbors together through local music, organizes the event and also supports youth music education through its grant program.

Zoom in: This year's lineup included 25 first-time performers alongside dozens of returning favorites.

• Beyond the music, PorchFest 2026 featured 15 local food and beverage vendors — including Fillers Stuffed Burgers and Scott Diggity Dogs — along with community booths and other organizations.

🎓 Arika thinks everyone should take advantage of College GO Week and apply for free to her alma mater, Butler University (Go Dawgs!) — or whichever school seems like a fit for them.

🤘 Justin wants to know what concerts everyone is hoping to catch this fall!