I hereby request that every person in charge of scheduling concert tours checks with me first before routing them through Maine.

This is because there are three separate upcoming tours with artists I love playing at different venues in Portland — on the same nights. I get the feeling I’m not alone in this very First World but noteworthy struggle.

I’ve got details on all six shows and invite you into my decision-making process. The silver lining is that all six shows are tremendous, even if brutal choices have to be made.

St. Vincent or Iron & Wine/I’m With Her?

July 19 is when St. Vincent (Annie Clark) is at the State Theatre. Down the street at Thompson’s Point, there’s a co-headlining bill of Iron & Wine (Sam Beam) and supergroup I’m With Her (Aoife O’Donovan, Sarah Jarosz and Sara Watkins).

St. Vincent won a Best Rock Song Grammy earlier this year for “Broken Man,” a track from her to-die-for seventh album “All Born Screaming.” Clark is a guitar phenom with a Bowie-esque stage presence. Prior Portland performances at the State Theatre and Thompson’s Point have been glorious. I can’t conceive of missing this show.

BUT WAIT. I also can’t miss I’m With Her. O’Donovan, Jarosz and Watkins are all solo singer-songwriter luminaries with O’Donovan also known as as a member of Crooked Still and Watkins of Nickel Creek fame. In 2017, I’m With Her damn near broke the internet with a live version of Adele’s “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” which has been streamed more than 33 million times on Spotify.

In 2018, the band’s first album “See You Around” came out. Two years later, I’m With Her won a Best American Roots Song Grammy for the stand-alone, haunting single “Call My Name.”

I’m With Her released its second album, “Wild and Clear and Blue” in May, hence the tour.

Often with co-headlining shows, the bands switch off who goes on first. If I’m With Her goes on before Iron & Wine, I could hustle to the State Theatre in time for St. Vincent. I’m out of breath even thinking about it, so it will have to be a game-day decision.

St. Vincent

8 p.m. July 19. State Theatre, Portland, $45 in advance, $55 day of show. statetheatreportland.com.

Iron & Wine + I’m With Her

6:30 p.m. July 19. Thompson’s Point, Portland, $52 in advance, $60 day of show, kids 3 and under free. statetheatreportland.com.

David Byrne or Violent Femmes?

Oct. 8 is another doozie. David Byrne will be at Merrill Auditorium in Portland in support of his new album “Who is the Sky” (out on Sept. 5).  At the nearby State Theatre, Violent Femmes will be performing as part of their Grasp and Reach for a Leg of Hope tour.

I came to know and love both acts in the ’80s. I had the Talking Heads’ 1984 “Stop Making Sense” live album on cassette and still think it’s perfect. A few years later, I came to know and love Violent Femmes’ storied first album and still have the vinyl copy I scored during my college years. Twice in my life at Violent Femmes shows I’ve had the chance to sing along with songs like “Kiss Off,” Gone Daddy Gone” and “Prove My Love.”

If you know that first album, you know every word. If not for the pair of Boston experiences of the late ’80s and mid-2010s, I would be crushed to miss the State Theatre show. Byrne got announced first and I was lucky to snag a pair of seats. To my fellow Gen Xers out there, I know you share my angst, but also know that either choice will be a great one.

David Byrne

8 p.m. Oct. 8. Merrill Auditorium, Portland, $99-$651. porttix.com.

Violent Femmes

8 p.m. Oct. 8. State Theatre, Portland, $49.50 in advance, $55 day of show. statetheatreportland.com.

Air Supply or Patty Griffin with Rickie Lee Jones?

Oct. 17 is another sucker punch to my heart.

Something told me to hold off on buying Air Supply tickets when the Merrill Auditorium show was announced a few months ago. Was it gut instinct or just me being cheap? Likely the latter, but either way the patience paid off. On that night instead, you’ll find me at the State Theatre seeing a show that I almost fainted upon hearing about: Old Town native Patty Griffin has a bunch of shows this fall with Rickie Lee Jones. I am deceased. My ghost is writing this. Both have released a ton of albums and Griffin’s next one, “Crown of Roses,” is out on July 25.

I saw Jones in May at Stone Mountain Arts Center and she proved herself to be a force of songwriting brilliance, packaged in a good-natured storyteller. I’ve seen Griffin at that same venue, and both artists elsewhere over the past few decades.  They never disappoint.

But Air Supply! The Australian soft rock legends are celebrating their 50th anniversary. Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock still bring it vocally, with sold-out shows across the globe. I caught the State Theater show in 2022 and am still smiling about it. Hearing ballads like “The One That You Love,” “All Out Of Love” and especially “Lost in Love” was a full circle moment. Back in the early ’80s, when those songs were all over the radio, I used to sort of make fun of them. Older and much wiser me recognizes them for what they are: Pure vocal gold.

Patty Griffin + Rickie Lee Jones

8 p.m. Oct. 17. State Theatre, Portland, $45-$75. statetheatreportland.com.

Air Supply

7:30 p.m. Oct. 17. Merrill Auditorium, Portland, $82-$102. porttix.com.