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Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen are going on huge tours in 2023.

2022 was undoubtedly a huge year for live music— Paul McCartney, BTS, Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga and My Chemical Romance all put on substantial nationwide tours.

To that, 2023 says, “No big deal.”

Although announcements are still dropping every day, 2023’s slate already appears ready to rival 2022’s with colossal pop, classic rock, modern rock, R&B, country and hip-hop tours on the horizon.

It doesn’t matter what musical genre is your favorite; there will likely be a huge tour you’re excited about on our comprehensive list of upcoming tours.

From Springsteen to Swift to SZA , here are the 52 biggest acts on tour in 2023 — one for each week — you won’t want to miss when they come to a city near you next year.

Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour”

Featuring Paramore, HAIM, Phoebe Bridgers, beabadobee, Girl In Red, MUNA, Gayle, Gracie Abrams, and OWENN on select dates Runs March 17 through Aug. 9

Adele’s “Weekends With Adele”

Runs Jan. 20 through March 25

Ed Sheeran’s “Mathematics Tour”

Featuring Khalid, Russ, Dylan, Rosa Linn, Cat Burns and Maisie Peters on select dates Runs May 6 through Sept. 23

Katy Perry’s “Play”

Runs Feb. 15 through April 15

WizKid’s “More Love, Less Ego Tour”

Runs May 6 through Sept. 23

Classic Rock

Bruce springsteen and the e street band.

Runs Feb. 1 through April 14

Billy Joel with Stevie Nicks’ “Two Icons, One Night Tour”

Runs Jan. 13 through Sept. 23

Jimmy Buffett’s “Life On The Flip Side Tour”

Runs March 4 through May 6

Sting’s “My Songs Tour”

Runs April 1 through April 9

John Mellencamp’s “Live and In Person Tour”

Runs Feb. 5 through June 24

Lynyrd Skynyrd with ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour”

Featuring Uncle Kracker Runs July 21 through Sept. 17

Journey’s “Freedom Tour”

Featuring Toto on select dates Runs Jan. 27 through April 25

Runs Jan. 25 through May 28

Dead and Company’s “The Final Tour” with John Mayer

Runs May 19 through July 16

Def Leppard, Motley Crue and Alice Cooper’s “The World Tour”

Runs Feb. 10 through Aug. 18

Elvis Costello’s “100 Songs and More Tour”

Runs Feb. 9 through March 10

Morgan Wallen’s “One Night at a Time Tour”

Featuring Parker McCollum, Hardy, Ernest and Bailey Zimmerman Runs April 14 through Oct. 7

George Strait’s “Stadium Tour”

Featuring Chris Stapleton Runs May 6 through Aug. 5

Garth Brooks’ “Plus One Las Vegas Residency”

Runs May 18 through Dec. 16

Zac Brown Band’s “From the Fire Tour”

Featuring Marcus King, Tenille Townes and King Calaway Runs June 23 through Nov. 4

Reba McEntire’s “Reba: Live In Concert Tour”

Featuring Terri Clark and The Isaacs Runs March 9 through April 15

Blake Shelton’s “Back To The Honky Tonk Tour”

Featuring Carly Pearce and Jackson Dean Runs Feb. 16 through March 25

Luke Combs’ “World Tour”

Featuring Riley Green and Lainey Wilson Runs March 25 through July 29

Shania Twain’s “Queen of Me Tour”

Featuring BRELAND and Hailey Whitters on select dates Runs April 28 through Nov. 14

Kane Brown’s “Drunk or Dreaming Tour”

Featuring Dustin Lynch and LOCASH Runs March 16 through Aug. 3

The Judds’ “Final Tour”

Featuring Martina McBride, Brandi Carlile, Kelsea Ballerini, Little Big Town and more Runs Jan. 26 through Feb. 25

Thomas Rhett’s “Home Team Tour”

Featuring Cole Swindell and Nate Smith Runs Feb. 9 through Sept. 29

Kenny Chesney’s “I Go Back Tour”

Featuring Kelsea Ballerini Runs March 23 through July 22

Carrie Underwood’s “Denim and Rhinestones Tour”

Featuring Jimmie Allen Runs Feb. 2 through Dec. 9

Lady A’s “Request Line Tour”

Featuring Dave Barnes Runs Feb. 22 through Oct. 28

Runs Jan. 25 through Feb. 18

Lizzo’s “Special 2our”

Featuring Latto Runs April 21 through June 2

SZA’s “S.O.S. Tour”

Featuring Omar Apollo Runs Feb. 21 through March 23

Janet Jackson’s “Together Again Tour”

Featuring Ludacris Runs April 14 through July 9

Usher’s “My Way: The Vegas Residency”

Runs Feb. 24 through July 15

The Temptations with The Four Tops

Runs Jan. 13 through May 21

New Edition’s “The Legacy Tour”

Featuring Keith Sweat, Guy and Tank Runs March 9 through April 30

Nick Cannon’s “Next Superstar Tour”

Featuring Symba, 24kGoldn, Justina Valentine, Hitman Holla, JD McCrary, Traetwothree, Klondike Blonde, DW Flame and POP MONEY Runs Feb. 25 through April 8

’80s, ’90s and ’00s rock

Metallica’s “m72 tour”.

Featuring Pantera, Five Finger Death Punch, Mammoth WVH and Ice Nine Kills on select dates Runs Aug. 4, 2023 through Aug. 30, 2024

Blink 182’s “North American Tour 2023”

Featuring Turnstile, Rise Against, The Story So Far and Wallows on select dates Runs May 4 through Oct. 21

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Featuring The Strokes, Iggy Pop, The Roots, Mars Volta, St. Vincent, City And Colour, Thundercat and King Princess on select dates Runs Jan. 14 through July 21

The Killers’ “Imploding The Mirage Tour”

Runs March 16 through March 25

Maroon 5’s “M5LV The Residency”

Runs Feb. 4 through Aug. 12

Matchbox Twenty

Runs May 16 through Aug. 6

Third Eye Blind’s “An Evening With Third Eye Blind”

Runs March 10 through April 15

Arctic Monkeys’ “North American Tour 2023”

Featuring Fontaines DC Runs Aug. 25 through Oct. 1

Depeche Mode’s “Memento Mori Tour”

Runs March 23 through April 14

Muse’s “Will Of The People Tour”

Featuring Evanescence, Highly Suspect and ONE OK ROCK Runs Feb. 25 through June 25

Death Cab for Cutie & the Postal Service’s “20th Anniversary Tour”

Runs Sept. 8 through Oct. 13

Paramore’s “In North America Tour”

Featuring Bloc Party and Genesis Owusu Runs Feb. 9 through Aug. 2

Pink’s “Summer Carnival 2.0”

Featuring Pat Benatar with Neil Giraldo, Brandi Carlile, Grouplove and KidCutUp on select dates Runs July 24 through Oct. 9

New Found Glory’s “Make The Most Of It Tour”

Featuring Leanna Firestone Runs Jan. 28 through March 22

They Might Be Giants

Runs Jan. 10 through May 21

Dropkick Murphys’ “Full Electric St. Patrick’s Day Tour”

Featuring The Rumjacks, Jesse Ahern and The Turnpike Troubadours Runs March 1 through March 19

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Most anticipated concert tours of fall 2023: taylor swift, beyoncé, drake and more.

The Jonas Brothers, Pink and Morgan Wallen were also among the artists who returned to the road for highly anticipated tours this year.

By Carly Thomas

Carly Thomas

Associate Editor

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Taylor Swift; Beyoncé; Drake

Dozens of artists hit the road during 2023 to bring their music to sold-out venues across the globe.

The first half of the year started off strong with artists and bands like Harry Styles, Journey, Carrie Underwood, SZA, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Reba McEntire, Janet Jackson, Lizzo, Blink-182, Charlie Puth, Billy Idol, Wiz Khalifa, Bebe Rexha and Black Pink heading out on their headlining tours.

Some artists had such sought-after tickets for their tours, including Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, that it led to sites, such as Ticketmaster, completely crashing when tickets dropped.

Many summer nights were also filled with good tunes this year as artists including Alicia Keys, Post Malone, Paramore, Chris Stapleton, Boygenius, Lionel Richie, Melissa Etheridge and Maggie Rogers set out on tours during the warmer months.

Concert tours are not only an opportunity for artists to promote their latest albums or to highlight their entire music catalogs, but it’s also a chance for their fans to come together to celebrate the music and musicians that they look up to and love. Those attending shows for artists such as Swift, Beyoncé and Styles often dress to impress, going all out for their outfits. Beyoncé even asked her fans to specifically come to her Virgo season concerts for her Renaissance World Tour decked out in silver and chrome, to celebrate her astrological sign. Swifties, inspired by the lyric “Make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it …” from her song “You’re on Your Own, Kid,” made themed bracelets to trade and hand out to other fans at each of the stops on her Eras Tour.

The performers often praise their fans for all their love and support, like Swift writing on social media in July after her stops in Seattle, Washington, “Thank you for everything. All the cheering, screaming, jumping, dancing, singing at the top of your lungs.”

But if you missed the opportunity to see your favorite artists earlier this year, don’t worry, because The Hollywood Reporter has compiled a list of some of the most anticipated concert tours happening this fall, below.

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift

Tour: Eras Tour (March 2023 – November 2024)

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, the singer’s sixth headlining tour, is described as a journey through all of her musical eras, including  Fearless ,  Lover ,  Evermore ,  1989 ,  Speak Now ,  Reputation  and more. She is set to perform 146 shows across five continents, with each performance featuring a staggering 44-song setlist spanning more than three hours. Swift finished the first U.S. leg at the beginning of August and will return to the U.S. for the second leg in October 2024.

Beyoncé

Tour:  Renaissance World Tour (May – October 2023)

Beyoncé’s ninth concert tour, which is three hours long with no opener, is in support of her seventh studio album, Renaissance . She is set to perform 56 shows across Europe and North America.

Drake and 21 Savage

Drake and 21 Savage

Tour: It’s All a Blur Tour (July – October 2023)

Rappers Drake and 21 Savage are co-headlining their It’s All a Blur Tour to promote their collaborative album, Her Loss . The tour will consist of 56 shows across North America.

Jonas Brothers

Kevin Jonas, Nick Jonas and Joe Jonas of The Jonas Brothers

Tour: The Tour (August 2023 – June 2024)

The Jonas Brothers, comprised of Kevin Jonas, Nick Jonas and Joe Jonas, have headed out on their 12th concert tour, which will span three continents. The Tour will feature songs from five different albums, including The Album , Happiness Begins and A Little Bit Longer .

Ed Sheeran

Tour: +–=÷× (Mathematics) Tour (April 2022 – November 2023)

Ed Sheeran’s fourth concert tour draws from all of his albums since 2011, including Plus (2011), Multiply (2014), Divide (2017), Equals (2021) and Subtract (2023). The two-hour concert will consist of 88 shows across three continents.

Anita Baker

Anita Baker

Tour: The Songstress Tour (February – December 2023)

Anita Baker will perform in 15 cities across the U.S. for her latest tour, which celebrates her 40 years as a music icon since the release of her debut album,  The Songstress, in 1983.

Guns N' Roses

Guns N' Roses

Tour: World Tour 2023 (June – October 2023)

Guns N’ Roses, comprised of vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steven Adler, has set out on their latest tour, which spans three continents.

Karol G

Tour: Mañana Será Bonito Tour (August – September 2023)

Karol G kicked off her first-ever stadium tour in Las Vegas and will make her way across the U.S. for stops in six cities.

Timothy B. Schmit and Don Henley of the Eagles

Tour: The Long Goodbye (September – November 2023)

The Eagles have embarked on their finale tour, with special guest Steely Dan, after more than 50 years of touring and over a thousand concerts.

The 1975

Tour: Still… at Their Very Best (September – December 2023)

The 1975’s fifth concert tour, in support of the band’s Being Funny in a Foreign Language album, is making stops across North America and Europe.

Doja Cat

Tour: The Scarlet Tour (October – December 2023)

Doja Cat will kick off her first North American arena tour in San Francisco, California this fall. Special guests Ice Spice and Doechii   will join during select dates. The singer has only toured once before as a headliner for her Amala Tour in 2019.

Stevie Nicks

Stevie Nicks

Tour: 2023 Tour (May – December 2023)

Apart from the Two Icons, One Night Tour that Nicks is co-headlining with Billy Joel through the year, the singer-songwriter also added in dates for her solo tour across the U.S. Nicks has previously toured with Fleetwood Mac as well as embarked on more than a dozen solo tours throughout her career.

Madonna

Tour: Celebration Tour (October 2023 – April 2024)

Madonna, who initially had to postpone the July start of her Celebration Tour as she recovered from a bacterial infection, is now set to kick off her tour in London on Oct. 14. She will make her way across Europe before returning to the U.S. on Dec. 13 to embark on her North American leg.

(L-R) Emily Strayer, Natalie Maines and Martie Maguire of The Chicks

Tour: The Chicks World Tour 2023 (June – October 2023)

The Chicks’ sixth headlining concert tour initially began its first leg in 2022, but the country music trio returned in 2023 for their second leg. The group is touring across North America and Europe as well as Australia and New Zealand.

Pink

Tour: Summer Carnival 2023 Tour (June – October 2023)

Pink kicked off her eighth concert tour at the beginning of summer and will run through the beginning of fall. But soon after, the singer will head out on her ninth tour, in support of her album Trustfall , starting in Sacramento, California, on Oct. 12.

Janelle Monáe

Janelle Monáe

Tour: The Age of Pleasure Tour (August – October 2023)

Janelle Monáe’s latest tour supports her album The Age of Pleasure Tour . The singer is making stops in 26 cities across North America.

Maluma

Tour: Don Juan World Tour (August – November 2023)

Maluma has set out on the North American leg of his Don Juan World Tour, which supports his newly released album of the same name. The Latin music artist will make his way across 30 cities before ending in Miami, Florida.

Morgan Wallen

Morgan Wallen

Tour: One Night at a Time World Tour  (March – October 2023)

Country music star Morgan Wallen is performing across two continents for his latest tour in support of his third studio album of the same name. Special guests include HARDY, Parker McCollum, ERNEST and Bailey Zimmerman.

Shania Twain

Shania Twain

Tour: Queen of Me Tour (April – November 2023)

Shania Twain’s fifth headlining concert tour spans two continents and 77 shows in total. The tour, which marks the singer’s first tour in nearly five years, is in support of her sixth studio album,  Queen of Me .

James Hetfield of Metallica

Tour: M72 World Tour (April 2023 – September 2024)

Metallica’s latest tour in support of the band’s 11th studio album,  72 Seasons, will consist of 49 shows across two continents. Throughout the tour, the heavy metal band will play two nights in every city it visits with two completely different setlists and opening acts for each No Repeat Weekend.

Foo Fighters

Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters

Tour: 2023 Tour (May 2023 – June 2024)

Foo Fighters have embarked on their first headlining tour since drummer Taylor Hawkins died. The tour, which includes performances in five continents, is in support of their new album  But Here We Are .

Kesha

Tour: The Only Love Tour , formerly The Gag Order Tour (October – November 2023)

Kesha is set to head out on a 20-city North American tour in support of her album  Gag Order . The singer’s sixth headlining tour will also include special guest Jake Wesley Rogers.

John Mayer

Tour: Solo Acoustic Fall Tour (October – November 2023)

John Mayer extended his latest tour across the United States into the fall with special guest JP Saxe.

Lil Yachty

Tour: The Field Trip Tour (September – December 2023)

Lil Yachty is currently on his 39-stop global tour across North America and Europe in support of his album  Let’s Start Here .

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen

Tour: 2023 Tour (February – December 2023)

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have made stops across North America and Europe since February for their latest tour. But they had to postpone their September dates as Springsteen undergoes treatment for peptic ulcer disease. At this point, the tour is set to resume on Nov. 3 in Vancouver.

Chris Martin of Coldplay

Tour: Music of the Spheres World Tour (March 2022 – September 2024)

Coldplay is performing across five continents for its eighth headlining tour in support of the band’s ninth studio album,  Music of the Spheres . They will perform 165 shows in total by the end.

Luke Combs

Tour: 2023 World Tour  (March – October 2023)

Luke Combs has been making his way across three continents performing songs from his latest two albums, Gettin’ Old  and  Growin’ Up .

50 Cent

Tour: The Final Lap Tour (July – December 2023)

50 Cent’s latest concert tour celebrates the 20th anniversary of his album  Get Rich or Die Tryin , which came out in February 2003. The rapper’s tour consists of 69 shows across four continents.

Hozier

Tour: Unreal Unearth Tour  (September – December 2023)

Hozier has hit the road for his latest tour, which spans across North America and Europe, in support of his EP Eat Your Young and new album Unreal Unearth .

Diana Ross

Tour: The Musical Legacy Tour (June – November 2023)

Diana Ross extended her latest tour, which showcases her iconic hits throughout her career, into the fall. The legendary singer is performing across two continents, North America and Europe.

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Your guide to 2023's biggest tours

From Taylor Swift to Beyoncé, here are the most anticipated shows and music festivals of the year.

Lester Fabian Brathwaite is a staff writer at Entertainment Weekly , where he covers breaking news, all things Real Housewives , and a rich cornucopia of popular culture. Formerly a senior editor at Out magazine, his work has appeared on NewNowNext , Queerty , Rolling Stone , and The New Yorker . He was also the first author signed to Phoebe Robinson's Tiny Reparations imprint. He met Oprah once.

best concert tours for 2023

Still holding a grudge over those lost Taylor tickets ? Couldn't outbid the Hive to see Queen Bey? Well, have no fear — there are still plenty of great tours and festivals to feed those lovely little ear canals of yours.

Here, we present our list of the 2023 concerts and music festivals you won't want to miss. Keep checking back as we update the lineup throughout the year.

M83 Tour: Fall North American Tour Dates: Oct. 3-Oct. 15

James Blake Tour: 2023 Tour Dates: Oct. 3-Oct. 19

Violent Femmes Tour: 40th Anniversary Tour Dates: Oct. 3-Oct. 22

John Mayer Tour: Solo Acoustic Fall Tour Dates: Oct. 3-Nov. 10 Guest/Opening act: JP Saxe

Devendra Banhart Tour: Flying Wig World Tour 2023 Dates: Oct. 3-Dec. 13 Guests/Opening acts: Miho Hatori, Soma, H. Hawkline, John Moods, Hayden Pedigo, Rogov

Queen + Adam Lambert Tour: The Rhapsody Tour Dates: Oct. 4-Nov. 12

Lucinda Williams Tour: Don't Tell Anybody The Secrets Fall Tour Dates: Oct. 7-Oct. 29

Travis Scott Tour: 2023 Utopia - Circus Maximus Tour Dates: Oct. 11-Dec. 29 Guest/Opening act: Teezo Touchdown

Kesha Tour: The Gag Order Tour Dates: Oct. 15-Nov. 18 Guest/Opening act: Jake Wesley Rogers

Christine and the Queens Tour: Paranoia, Angels, True Love Tour Dates: Oct. 17-26

My Morning Jacket Tour: Fall 2023 North American Tour Dates: Oct. 17-Nov. 11

Morrissey Tour: 40 Years of Morrissey Dates: Oct. 21-Oct. 25

Wynonna Tour: The Back to Wy Tour Dates: Oct. 26-Dec. 1

Doja Cat Tour: The Scarlet Tour Dates: Oct. 31-Dec. 13 Guests/Opening acts: Ice Spice, Doechii

Festival: After Shock City: Sacramento Dates: Oct. 5-8 Headliners: Guns N' Roses, Tool, Avenged Sevenfold, Korn, Godsmack, Pantera, Incubus, Queens of the Stone Age, Limp Bizkit

Festival: When We Were Young City: Las Vegas Dates: Oct. 21-22 Headliners: Green Day, Blink-182, 30 Seconds to Mars, the Offspring, Good Charlotte

Better Than Ezra Tour: Return of the Legends of the Fall Tour Dates: Nov. 3-Nov. 17

Liz Phair Tour: Exile in Guyville 30th Anniversary Tour Dates: Nov. 3-Dec. 9 Guest/Opening act: Blondshell, Kate Bollinger

Fever Ray Tour: Fall North American Tour Dates: Nov. 5-Nov. 14 Guest/Opening act: CHRISTEENE

José González Tour: An Exclusive Evening With José González Dates: Nov. 6-Nov. 15

LCD Soundsystem Tour: Tri Boro Tour 2023 Dates: Nov. 16-Dec. 10

Jenny Lewis Tour: The Joy'All Ball Tour Dates: Nov. 27-Dec. 8

Festival: Darker Waves City: Huntington Beach, Calif. Dates: Nov. 18 Headliners: New Order, Tears for Fears, The B-52's, Echo and the Bunnymen, DEVO, Soft Cell

Journey Tour: Freedom Tour Dates: Jan. 25-April 23 Guest/Opening act: Toto

The Judds Tour: The Final Tour Dates: Jan. 26-Feb. 25 Guests/Opening acts: Martina McBride, Brandi Carlile, Kelsea Ballerini, Little Big Town

Big Thief Tour: North American Tour Dates: Jan. 31-Aug. 5 Guests/Opening acts: Lucinda Williams, Nick Hakim, L'Rain, Buck Meek

Bruce Springsteen Tour: 2023 Tour Dates: Feb. 1-April 14

Carrie Underwood Tour: The Denim & Rhinestones Tour Dates: Feb. 2-March 17 Guests/Opening acts: Jimmie Allen

Paramore Tour: In North America Tour Dates: Feb. 9-Aug. 2 Guests/Opening acts: Bloc Party and Genesis Owusu

Jo Dee Messina Tour: Heads Carolina, Tails California Tour Dates: Feb. 17-Nov. 11

SZA Tour: SOS Tour Dates: Feb. 21-March 23 Guest/Opening act: Omar Apollo

Father John Misty Tour: Live! On Tour 2023 Dates: Feb. 26-May 7 Guest(s)/Opening act(s): Omar Velasco, Loren Kramar, Butch Bastard, High Water, Shaky Knees

Wizkid Tour: More Love, Less Ego Tour Dates: March 3-April 7

Reba McEntire Tour: Reba: Live in Concert Dates: Mar. 9-April 15 Guests/Opening acts: Terri Clark, the Isaacs

Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks Tour: Two Icons, One Night Tour Dates: March 10-Sept. 23

Kenny Loggins Tour: The This Is It Tour Dates: March 10-Oct. 27

Chris Stapleton Tour: All American Road Show Dates: March 16-Aug. 25 Guests/Opening acts: Margo Price, Nikki Lane, George Strait, Little Big Town, Marcus King, the War and Treaty, Charley Crockett, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, Allen Stone

Taylor Swift Tour: Eras Tour Dates: March 17-Aug. 9, 2023 and Oct. 18-Nov. 23, 2024 Guests/Opening acts: Paramore, HAIM, Phoebe Bridgers, beabadobee, Girl in Red, MUNA, Gayle, Gracie Abrams, OWENN

Wilco Tour: Spring 2023 North American Tour Dates: March 23-April 30 Guests/Opening acts: Horsegirl, the A's

Depeche Mode Tour: Memento Mori World Tour Dates: March 23-Dec. 15 Guests/Opening acts: Kelly Lee Owens, Stella Rose and the Dead Language

Billy Idol Tour: Idol Live Dates: March 30-May 20

Festival: M3F Festival City: Phoenix Dates: March 3-4 Headliners: Maggie Rogers, Jamie xx

Festival: Rolling Loud California City: Inglewood, Calif. Dates: March 3-5 Headliners: Playboy Carti, Travis Scott, Future, Lil Wayne

Red Hot Chili Peppers Tour: 2023 Tour Dates: April 1-May 25 Guests/Opening acts: The Strokes, Mars Volta, St. Vincent, Thundercat, King Princess

Chlöe Tour: The In Pieces Tour Dates: April 11-May 3

Boygenius Tour: The Tour Dates: April 12-Aug. 5 Guests/Opening acts: Carly Rae Jepsen, Broken Social Scene, Bartees Strange, Claud, Illuminati Hotties

Father John Misty Tour: 2023 Tour Dates: April 14-May 7 Guests/Opening acts: Omar Velasco, Loren Kramar, Butch Bastard

Janet Jackson Tour: Together Again Tour Dates: April 14-June 21 Guest/Opening act: Ludacris

Phish Tour: Summer Tour 2023 Dates: April 14-Sept. 3

Shania Twain Tour: Queen of Me Tour Dates: April 15-Nov. 14 Guests/Opening acts: Breland, Hailey Whitters

Wiz Khalifa Tour: The Good Trip Tour Dates: April 15-22 Guests/Opening acts: Joey Bada$$, Berner, Smoke DZA, Chevy Woods

Lizzo Tour: Special 2our Dates: April 21-June 2 Guest/Opening act: Latto

Melissa Etheridge Tour: Summer Tour '23 Dates: April 22-Aug. 15

Kali Uchis Tour: Red Moon in Venus Tour Dates: April 25-May 30 Guest/Opening act: Raye

Destroyer Tour: 2023 Tour Dates: April 28-May 12 Guests/Opening acts: the Reds, Pinks, and Purples

Festival: Dreamville Festival City: Raleigh, N.C. Dates: April 1-2 Headliners: Usher, J. Cole, Drake, Burna Boy

Festival: Coachella City: Indio, Calif. Dates: April 14-16; April 21-23 Headliners: Bad Bunny, Blackpink, Frank Ocean

Festival: We Bridge Music Festival & Expo City: Las Vegas Dates: April 21-23 Headliners: Monsta X, Jessi, Enhypen, Bambam

Festival: Something in the Water City: Virginia Beach Dates: April 28-30 Headliners: Grace Jones, Wu-Tang Clan, Lil Wayne, Clipse, Mumford & Sons, Kehlani, Maren Morris, Summer Walker

Feist Tour: Multitudes Spring Tour Dates: May 2-19

Tegan and Sara Tour: Crybaby Tour Dates: May 3-Oct. 3 Guests/Opening acts: Hand Habits, Dragonette, Carlie Hanson

Blink 182 Tour: 2023 Tour Dates: May 4-July 16 Guests/Opening acts: Turnstile, Rise Against, the Story So Far, Wallow

Ed Sheeran Tour: Mathematics Tour Dates: May 6-Sept. 23 Guests/Opening acts: Khalid, Russ, Dylan, Rosa Linn, Cat Burns, Maisie Peters

Dave Matthews Band Tour: 2023 North American Tour Dates: May 9-Sept. 3

Matchbox Twenty Tour: Spring/Summer 2023 Tour Dates: May 16-Aug. 6

Stevie Nicks Tour: 2023 Tour Dates: May 16-Dec. 15

The National Tour: 2023 World Tour Dates: May 18-Aug. 18 Guests/Opening acts: Soccer Mommy, the Beths, Patti Smith (Aug. 18)

Ed Sheeran Tour: The "-" Tour Dates: May 19-Sept. 22 Guest/Opening act: Ben Kweller

Charlie Puth Tour: The "Charlie" Live Experience Dates: May 20-Jul. 11

Duran Duran Tour: The Future Past North American Tour Dates: May 23-Sept. 19 Guests/Opening acts: Grace Jones (Sept. 22), Nile Rodgers and Chic, Bastille

Foo Fighters Tour: 2023 Tour Dates: May 24-Oct. 5 Guests/Opening acts: The Breeders, Taipei Houston

Le Tigre Tour: 2023 Tour Dates: May 27-July 29 Guests/Opening acts: Shamir, Morgan and the Organ Donors, Claud, MAN ON MAN, Pom Pom Squad, Who is She?, Erin Markey, cumgirl8, Morgan Bassichis

Bebe Rexha Tour: Best F'n Night of My Life Tour Dates: May 31-June 30

Festival: Palm Tree Music Festival City: Dana Point, Calif. Dates: May 13 Headliners: Kygo, Ellie Goulding, Tove Lo

Festival: Hangout Music Festival City: Gulf Shores, Ala. Dates: May 19-21 Headliners: Red Hot Chili Peppers, SZA, Calvin Harris, Lil Nas X, Paramore, Skrillex, the Kid Laroi, Flume

Festival: Lighting in a Bottle City: Buena Vista, Calif. Dates: May 24-29 Headliners: Rezz, Sofi Tukker, Diplo, Zhu, Tale of Us

Jenny Lewis Tour: 2023 Tour Dates: June 2-Aug. 7 Guests/Opening acts: Cass McCombs, Jenny O., Hayden Pedigo

Bryan Adams Tour: So Happy It Hurts Tour Dates: June 6-Aug. 3 Guest/Opening act: Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

Yo La Tengo Tour: North American Tour '23 Dates: June 9-June 28

Diana Ross Tour: The Musical Legacy Tour 2023 Dates: June 9-July 2

Erykah Badu Tour: Unfollow Me Tour Dates: June 11-July 23 Guest/Opening act: Yasiin Bey

Fleet Foxes Tour: Shore Tour 2023 Dates: June 13-Aug. 24 Guests/Opening acts: My Morning Jacket, Uwade

The All-American Rejects Tour: Wet Hot All-American Summer Tour Dates: June 16-Oct. 14 Guests/Opening acts: New Found Glory, Motion City Soundtrack, the Starting Line, the Get Up Kids

Zac Brown Band Tour: From the Fire Tour Dates: June 23-Nov. 4 Guests/Opening acts: Marcus King, Tenille Townes, and King Calaway

The Smile Tour: North American Tour Dates: June 25-July 20

Sparks Tour: Sparks Tour 2023 Dates: June 27-July 16

Alicia Keys Tour: Keys to the Summer Tour Dates: June 28-Aug. 2

Festival: Outloud City: West Hollywood Dates: June 2-4 Headliners: Grace Jones, Carly Rae Jepsen, Orville Peck, Passion Pit

Festival: Roots Picnic City: Philadelphia Dates: June 2-4 Headliners: Ms. Lauryn Hill, Diddy and the Roots, Dave Chappelle, Lil Uzi Vert

Festival: Hot 97 Summer Jam City: New York City Date: June 4 Headliners: Cardi B, Glorilla, Ice Spice, Coi Leray, Fivio Foreign, French Montana, the Lox

Festival: Summerfest City: Milwaukee Dates: June 22-24; June 29-July 1; July 6-8 Headliners: James Taylor, Eric Church, Dave Matthews Band, Odesza, Zach Bryan, Imagine Dragons, Santa Fe Klan, Earth, Wind & Fire, Noah Kahan, Ava Max, the Pretty Reckless, Sean Paul, Coi Leray, Japanese Breakfast, Yellowcard, Smokey Robinson, Fleet Foxes

Yellowcard Tour: 2023 Tour Dates: July 5-Aug. 8 Guests/Opening acts: Mayday Parade, Story of the Year, Anberlin, This Wild Life

Dinosaur Jr. Tour: 2023 Tour Dates: July 6-Sept. 30 Guests/Opening acts: Clutch, Red Fang

Post Malone Tour: If Y'all Weren't Here, I'd Be Crying Tour Dates: July 8-Aug. 19

Killer Mike Tour: The High & Holy Tour Dates: July 10-Aug. 5

Beyoncé Tour: Renaissance World Tour Dates: July 12-Sept. 26

Maggie Rogers Tour: Summer of '23 Tour Dates: July 14-Sept. 29 Guests/Opening acts: Soccer Mommy, Alvvays

Madonna Tour: The Celebration Tour Dates: July 15-Oct. 7 [ POSTPONED ]

The Chicks Tour: The Chicks World Tour 2023 Dates: July 21-Sept. 5 Guests/Opening acts: Ben Harper, Wild River

Pink Tour: Summer Carnival 2023 Tour Dates: July 24-Oct. 9 Guests/Opening acts: Pat Benatar with Neil Giraldo, Brandi Carlile, Grouplove, KidCutUp

Regina Spektor Tour: Summer Tour Dates: July 28-Aug. 27 Guests/Opening acts: Aimee Mann, Allison Russell

Smashing Pumpkins Tour: The World Is a Vampire Tour Dates: July 28-Sept. 9 Guests/Opening acts: Interpol, Stone Temple Pilots, Rival Sons

Festival: Pitchfork Music Festival City: Chicago Dates: July 21-23 Headliners: the Smile, Big Thief, Bon Iver

Festival: Rolling Loud Miami City: Miami Dates: July 21-23 Headliners: A$AP Rocky, Travis Scott, Playboy Carti

Beck and Phoenix Tour: Summer Odyssey Dates: Aug. 1-Sept. 10 Guests/Opening acts: Jenny Lewis, Japanese Breakfast, Weyes Blood, Sir Chloe

JVKE Tour: What Tour Feels Like Dates: Aug. 3-Sept. 2

Father John Misty and the Head and the Heart Tour: Summer Co-Headlining Tour Dates: Aug. 4-Aug. 22 Guest/Opening act: Miya Folick

Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire Tour: Sing a Song All Night Long Tour Dates: Aug. 4-Sept. 15

Ben Harper Tour: 2023 Tour Dates: Aug. 10-Oct. 23 Guests/Opening acts: The Chicks, City and Colour, Katie Tupper

The Pretenders Tour: US Tour '23 Dates: Aug. 11-Sept. 6 Guest/Opening act: Guns N' Roses (select dates)

Guns N' Roses Tour: 2023 World Tour Dates: Aug. 11-Nov. 5 Guest/Opening act: The Black Keys

Jonas Brothers Tour: The Tour Dates: Aug. 12-Oct. 14

Sigur Rós Tour: Orchestral Tour Dates: Aug. 14-Aug. 27

Weyes Blood Tour: In Holy Flux Tour: Unleashed Dates: Aug. 18-Sept. 14 Guest/Opening act: Perfume Genius

Modest Mouse, Pixies, and Cat Power Tour: Co-Headline Tour Dates: Aug. 20-Sept. 16

Alex G and Alvvays Tour: 2023 Summer Tour Dates: Aug. 23-Sept. 1 Guest/Opening act: Cassandra Jenkins

Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper Tour: Freaks on Parade Tour Dates: Aug. 24-Sept. 24 Guests/Opening acts: Ministry, Filter

Janelle Monáe Tour: The Age of Pleasure Tour Dates: Aug. 30-Oct. 18

Pearl Jam Tour: 2023 North American Tour Dates: Aug. 31-Sept. 19 Guest/Opening act: Inhaler

Gin Blossoms and Sugar Ray Tour: Co-Headlining Summer Tour Dates: Aug. 31-Sept. 15 Guests/Opening acts: Tonic, Fastball

Maluma Tour: Don Juan World Tour Dates: Aug. 31-Nov. 4

Festival: Outside Lands City: San Francisco Dates: Aug. 11-Aug. 13 Headliners: Kendrick Lamar, Foo Fighters, Odesza, Lana Del Rey, Megan Thee Stallion, The 1975, Janelle Monáe, Zedd, Maggie Rogers, Fisher

Aerosmith Tour: Peace Out — The Farewell Tour Dates: Sept. 2-Jan. 26 Guest/Opening act: The Black Crowes

Aly & AJ Tour: With Love From… Tour Dates: Sept. 5-Sept. 19 Guest/Opening act: Vanessa Carlton

The Postal Service/Death Cab for Cutie Tour: Give Up and Transatlanticism 20th Anniversary Tour Dates: Sept. 5-Oct. 17 Guests/Opening acts: Lauren Mayberry, Warpaint, The Beths, Built to Spill, Iron & Wine, Pedro the Lion

Victoria Monét Tour: The Jaguar Tour Dates: Sept. 6-Oct. 22

Beth Orton Tour: 2023 Tour Dates: Sept. 7-Sept. 29 Guests/Opening acts: Pneumatic Tubes, Ben Sloan

Eagles Tour: The Long Goodbye Dates: Sept. 7-Nov. 17 Guest/Opening act: Steely Dan

Ani DiFranco Tour: Fall 2023 Tour Dates: Sept. 8-Sept. 24 Guest/Opening act: Kristen Ford

Ms. Lauryn Hill Tour: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 25th Anniversary Tour Dates: Sept. 8-Dec. 13 Guests/Opening acts: The Fugees, Koffee

Peter Gabriel Tour: i/o — The Tour Dates: Sept. 14-Oct. 13

Zhu Tour: The Grace Tour Dates: Sept. 14-Nov. 10 Guests/Opening acts: Channel Tres, Claptone, Hayden James

The Walkmen Tour: 2023 Revenge Tour Dates: Sept. 16-Oct. 17

The 1975 Tour: The 1975: Still… at Their Very Best Dates: Spet. 16-Dec. 2

311 Tour: Fall Tour Dates: Sept. 19-Oct. 22 Guests/Opening acts: Awolnation, Blame My Youth

Nick Cave Tour: Live in North America — Solo Dates: Sept. 19-Oct. 29

Röyksopp Tour: True Electric 2023 North American Tour Dates: Sept. 21-Oct. 1

Måneskin Tour: Rush! World Tour Dates: Sept. 21-Oct. 13

Lil Yachty Tour: The Field Trip Tour '23 Dates: Sept. 21-Nov. 8

YG, Tyga, and Saweetie Tour: Str8 to the Klub Tour Dates: Sept. 21-Nov. 22 Guests/Opening acts: Kamaiyah, Wallie the Sensei, DJ Vision

Kali Uchis Tour: Red Moon in Venus Tour Pt. II Dates: Sept. 22-Oct. 3 Guests/Opening acts: Tokischa, Buscabulla

Wilco Tour: Fall U.S. Tour Dates: Sept. 25-Oct. 27 Guests/Opening acts: Nina Nastasia, My Brightest Diamond

Boygenius Tour: The Tour Dates: Sept. 25-Oct. 31 Guests/Opening acts: Palehound, Samia, Muna, 100 gecs, Sloppy Jane

Festival: iHeartRadio Music Festival City: Las Vegas Dates: Sept. 22-Sept.23 Headliners: Foo Fighters, Fall Out Boy, Kelly Clarkson, Kane Brown, Lil Durk, Lil Wayne, Lenny Kravitz, Miguel, Travis Scott, Public Enemy, Sheryl Crow, Tim McGraw, TLC, Thirty Seconds to Mars

Festival: Ohana Festival City: Dana Point, Calif. Dates: Sept. 29-Oct. 1 Headliners: Eddie Vedder, Foo Fighters, The Killers, The Chicks, Haim, Pretenders

Festival: All Things Go Music Festival City: Columbia, Md. Dates: Sept. 30-Oct. 1 Headliners: Maggie Rogers, Lana Del Rey, Carly Rae Jepsen, Boygenius, Mt. Joy

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Megan thee stallion & roc nation sued over unpaid wages & alleged backseat sex action by ‘mean girls’ actress & another woman, the top 10 music tours of 2023.

By Robert Lang , Tom Tapp

best concert tours for 2023

As in most other areas, Taylor Swift dominated the touring landscape in 2023. Her The Eras Tour grossed more than $1 billion , the biggest haul for any tour ever.

But there were other notable acts making big bucks on the road this year, including Beyoncé , Harry Styles and Drake .

Scroll through the gallery below to see who came out where on the list.

1. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

best concert tours for 2023

2. Beyoncé: Renaissance World Tour

best concert tours for 2023

$579 million

3. Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band 2023 World Tour

best concert tours for 2023

$379 million

4. Coldplay: Music Of The Spheres Tour

best concert tours for 2023

$325 million

5. Harry Styles: Love On Tour

best concert tours for 2023

$290 million

6. Morgan Wallen: Dangerous Tour

best concert tours for 2023

$284 million

7. Ed Sheeran: + – = ÷ x Tour

best concert tours for 2023

$268 million

8. P!NK: Summer Carnival Tour

best concert tours for 2023

$231 million

9. The Weeknd: After Hours ‘Til Dawn Tour

best concert tours for 2023

$220 million

10. Drake: It’s All A Blur Tour

best concert tours for 2023

$184 million

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The Best Concerts of 2023

By Chris Willman

Chris Willman

Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic

  • Taylor Swift’s ‘Tortured Poets’ Becomes First Album to Get One Billion Streams on Spotify in a Single Week 15 hours ago
  • Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour to Release First Album in Nine Years 15 hours ago
  • Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Pearl Jam to Headline Ohana Festival 2024 2 days ago

best concerts 2023 Taylor Swift brandi carlile Hozier missy Elliott

Everyone feels it: It can feel like a chore getting to a show. We all know the routine: dealing with the online ticket queues for bigger concerts, navigating the extra fees at checkout for shows large and small, and then, once you’ve experienced that thrill of victory, remembering that you will, in fact, have to leave the house . But what jubilation when you’ve run the final gauntlet and settled into a show that, for two hours or so, feels life-changing. (Make that about six and a half, if you were catching all the opening acts on the Eras Tour.) If the ability to make you instantly forget a $50 parking charge isn’t testament to the power of music, nothing is.

Here’s a personal selection of 25 of the most galvanizing shows of 2023:

Taylor Swift at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (March 17-18)

taylor swift

If there’s anything this tour proved, it’s that spoilers really don’t spoil much of anything, when it comes to Taylor Swift. How many fans didn’t have the setlist committed to memory before the tour hit their town? How many hadn’t already watched at least one fan-shot illicit version before catching it in the flesh? Yet, if there’s anything that any of us who caught the opening stand in the Phoenix area in March can lord over anyone else, it’s that first-time, one-time thrill of figuring out just what the hell the Eras Tour was actually going to be, since next to nothing had been revealed in advance. Forty-four songs, at a curfew-defying three-hours-plus? Bruce Springsteen might super-size his bare-bones performances, but theatrics-heavy pop superstars don’t, or didn’t, till 2023. Nor did going through an entire catalog, album by album, over the course of a single show really occur to much of anyone — classic rocker or popper — till Swift set the new standard for how to handle the breadth of a career. She established she’s already lived a full musical lifetime over the last 17 years as all the old Taylors come to the phone in this set, from country-pop teen Tay to the Swift who makes every performance number a mini-Broadway musical. The only comparable phenomenon was Beatlemania, but, heretical as it sounds to say, Swift’s accomplishment is almost diminished by comparing the 35-minute sets the Fabs did back in the day to the endless series of hat tricks she pulled off on this run. (Read  Variety ‘s original opening-night review  here , and review of the U.S. tour’s closing night in L.A. here .)

Brandi Carlile, Joni Mitchell and More at the 'Joni Jam' at the Gorge in Washington (June 9-11)

joni mitchell brandi carlile jam

The “Joni Jam” that took place on the middle of three Brandi Carlile-led nights at the Gorge could reasonably be called a worship service, with an choir led by the host singing Joni Mitchell’s hymns back to her. Those covers — from Annie Lennox, Sarah McLachlan, Lucius and others — would have been reason enough to make a spiritual pilgrimage to the middle of Washington state. But then there was the matter of Mitchell’s own hard-fought resurrection as a performer, after a 2015 aneurysm had threatened to sideline her forever, doing solo turns or delectable duets as the giant outdoor stage turned into a slightly formalized version of one of her private house parties. On the nights before and after this Joni-fest, Carlile did her own rarities-filled “friends and family” set, welcomed opening acts Marcus Mumford and Allison Russell, and devoted an evening to Tanya Tucker opening for her own supergroup, the Highwomen, bringing together some of the greatest country music of the 1970s and 2020s. The magic caravan reconvened four months later at the Hollywood Bowl for a follow-up Joni Jam, just as strong. But it may be the nights with the ladies of the canyon in Washington that interstate Joni and Brandi devotees cherish most. (Read  Variety ‘s original reviews of the Gorge weekend  here  and  here , and of the Hollywood Bowl show here .)

best concert tours for 2023

U2 at Sphere in Las Vegas (Sept. 29)

U2 at Sphere

Spectacle is underrated. Although that sentiment may not jibe with rock ‘n’ roll orthodoxy, it was difficult to walk away from U2’s opening night in the thunderdome feeling any other way. The just-over-two-hour show marks the apotheosis of a bigger- is -better ethos that has recurred throughout the band’s career — and which, now that they’re in their 60s, they’re not about to give up for the sake of some sort of unbecoming false modesty. “Who spiked your drink?” Bono asked the crowd early on opening night. It was a rhetorical question, but one answer is: Willie Williams did. He has been U2’s creative director for 40 years and (with the help of some other directors, who also contributed original setpieces for the giant screen) he’s outdone himself with a series of tableaus that blow your mind, then give it a helpful mid-show rest, then return for further sensory overload at the end. It’s to the band’s great credit that their 2023 version of the “Achtung Baby” track “Acrobat,” performed sans any spectacular visuals whatsoever, is as much of a highlight as the Attack of the 366-Foot Wall stuff. These surfaces feels like they should be measured in square miles, not square feet, but U2 does not feel dwarfed in their glow (Read Variety ‘s original review of U2’s opening night here .)

best concert tours for 2023

Beyoncé in ‘Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé’ in movie theaters (December)

When “only in theaters” follows “only in stadiums.” This might seem like a cheat for a Best Concerts list, to count the captured-for-posterity version released on the big screen, as first happened with the Eras Tour and then Beyoncé’s. Is there any way the movie version could be as good as, or even better than, the live thing? With “Renaissance,” there’s an argument to be made — maybe a specious argument, but an argument — that it’s the real apogee of the tour and not just an afterthought. For one thing, if you’re a fan, you want all the costuming from the tour, not just the limited selection at any given tour stop. On Taylor Swift’s tour, she would mostly wear variations on the same outfits each night, but Bey went with wholesale-different looks at various points over the months, reaching some peaks of abstract couture that put the alien in “Alien Superstar.” At first it seems irritating when the film’s editors bounce back and forth between costumes during the same number; eventually it seems completely necessary. Another advantage of the film is seeing the evolution of Ivy Blue’s nightly cameo, though she’s as magnetic as an amateur at the beginning as she is as a seasoned pro at the end. The other off-stage subplots aren’t always as riveting as what’s on-stage. But when the film is offering a closeup view of the oft-magnificent combination of fashion and choreography, there’s not much reason to be sorry you’re in a cozy AMC instead of SoFi’s upper deck.

Elvis Costello in '100 Songs and More' at the Gramercy Theatre in New York (Feb. 9-22)

best concert tours for 2023

No major singer-songwriter in history has ever pulled off what Elvis Costello did at the Gramercy across 10 mind-boggling nights in February, when he performed 250 distinct songs, with virtually no repeats. (“Peace, Love and Understanding” was the exception to that rule, getting reprised as the finale each night, albeit in 10 different arrangements.) Yes, there’ve been other impressive career-spanning stunts before, from bands including Phish and Sparks, but nothing prior that had a singular figure of this stature not just rifling through a 45-year catalog but reinterpreting it, alone or with guests, rearranging tunes and grouping them together for thematic purposes. The results, in the six out of 10 shows we witnessed, were staggeringly great. The first night had Costello by himself, only playing songs he wrote before “My Aim is True” came out in ’77; another show had a hastily assembled Irish-Americana band accompanying him on songs having to do with immigration or travel; a full theatrical cast came in on a different night to finish the show with a condensed workshop version of a Broadway musical he’s been working on… et cetera. Hovering over the whole thing in spirit was collaborator Burt Bacharach, who died the night before the run opened, occasioning a wealth of more Bacharach-David covers than planned. The official billing of the run — “100 Songs and More” — was an almost comically serious example of “underpromise and overdeliver,” as Costello did exactly two and a half times the amount of promised material. The breadth of it was, for lack of a more original alliteration, beyond belief. (Read  Variety ‘s original review  here .)

Boygenius at the Hollywood Bowl (Oct. 31)

boygenius concert review halloween dave grohl

For a Halloween show at L.A.’s most storied venue, the trio Boygenius played dress-up, twice over. First coming out as the three members of the Trinity. Later, they borrowed each other’s Nudie-style jackets and sang lead vocals on each other’s solo songs. When the answers to “What do you want to be?” are (a) deities and (b) fellow bandmates, you’re in good hands for Halloween. This was the fourth time through the SoCal area for Boygenius during 2023, and we caught them earlier in the year, at the intimate Pomona Fox tour warmup that preceded a bigger Coachella bow, and as part of the Re:SET festival that passed through Pasadena. But the Bowl was destined to be their show of shows, even if they didn’t enlist much in the way of guest stars — just Dave Grohl, drumming furiously early on in “Satanist,” which was all the cameo any one show needs. (Well, Phoebe Bridgers’ dog, Maxine, also cameo-ed, dressed up as the lamb of God.) It felt like a kind of culmination of not just their own extraordinary year but of a whole history of Southern California rock (never mind that Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus, unlike Bridgers, are not natives). Explosive guitar noise and snark were the entry points for a set that eventually settled into the most gorgeous two- and three-part harmonies this side or any side of Laurel Canyon. (Read Variety ‘s original review of the show here .)

Allison Russell at the El Rey Theatre in L.A. (Nov. 1)

Allison Russell at the El Rey

Russell’s star power is obvious, as she’s risen to popular and critical acclaim with her first two solo albums, 2021’s “Outside Child” and this year’s “The Returner.” But she’s determined to have some moon power, too, reflecting that light back on her contemporaries. And so her 2023 tour was as much about her band of female players, the Rainbow Coalition, as she could make it. Russell set that ensemble as the tour’s opening act, and then, for her headlining sets, joined them in a semi-circle, sometimes standing rear-and-center, sometimes stepping forward into the more traditional spotlight. Nothing could have better accentuated to the spirit of community she fosters in and out of her music. On this particular night at L.A.’s El Rey, the band was additionally joined by Wendy and Lisa, effortlessly fleshing out the arrangements as if they’d been along for the whole tour. Russell has joy in her group with a capital J — Joy Clark — and also a small J. It’s hard to imagine how, as secular gigs go, we could possibly get more of a joyful noise in a single show, short of the Staple Singers somehow bridging the heavenly divide to do a reunion gig.

Willie Nelson and Friends at 'Long Story Short: Willie 90' at the Hollywood Bowl (April 29-30)

“Thanks for coming to my dad’s birthday party,” said Micah Nelson, a few songs into the first evening of a two-night tribute to  Willie Nelson  at the  Hollywood Bowl , a show that did fall right on the icon’s 90th. “Welcome to the after-birth party,” Micah quipped at the beginning of night 2. Six hours of music spread across the two nights — with almost no repeats in the setlist — felt highly warranted, given Willie’s catalog and Rolodex. One of the few tunes repeated both Saturday and Sunday was Lukas Nelson’s nearly soundalike version of “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground,” but it  is  one of the dozen greatest songs ever written. Among non-relations, Dave Matthews had the most soulful solo rearrangement, with an amazing “Funny How Time Slips Away.” But the duets created some of the most beautiful or poignant moments, from Norah Jones’ and Allison Russell’s haunting “Seven Spanish Angels” to Rosanne Cash’s nurturing support of Kris Kristofferson during “Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again).” That’s not to mention the climactic moments both evenings that involved the birthday boy himself: When Willie Nelson and Keith Richards team up to sing that they’re gonna “Live Forever,” you believe them. (Read  Variety ‘s original reviews of the shows  here  and  here .)

SZA at the Forum in Inglewood (March 22)

SZA at the Forum

SZA proved one of the delights of 2022 — due to her very late-breaking album, last December’s “SOS” — and 2023, with an arena tour that made good on all the pent-up waiting after five years of suspense. No one would accuse her two albums or this tour of being low-energy, but the contemplative image that fronted the “SOS” cover carried over to a similar bit of staging in her shows, with the singer in a gown so poufy it was clear she wasn’t going anywhere, even though she was perched at the end of a diving board… an apt metaphor for someone reporting in right from the edge of her most fraught and contrary emotions. The production design headed even deeper into symbolism when she sang the new album’s “Special” from a raft that floated around the Forum, lit from afar by the beacon of a lighthouse she never quite arrived at. “I used to be special, but you made me hate me,” SZA sang, hardly sounding like a reigning queen of her scene… but purging in the midst of aerial adoration may be the best revenge. Why kill your ex when you can slay 18,000 people?

Laufey with the LA Philharmonic at the Ford in L.A. (Sept. 16)

Laufey best concerts

Laufey’s ascendency to major-league pop artist is one of the most heartening musical phenomena of the last couple of years… or should be, to anyone who has any particular affection for the sounds and songwriting styles of the Great American Songbook years. As schooled as she is in the golden eras of 20th century popular music, though, Laufey is writing her own great American songbook, or at least getting a very creditable start on one. Performing with the  LA Philharmonic  as her backing band at the Ford, Laufey did do three covers from the classic era — “I Wish You Love,” “Misty” and “The Nearness of You” — but the other 18 were her own, virtually all of them feeling completely of a piece with the stuff of Hoagy Carmichael. Or of Astrud Gilberto, given that her big breakout song in 2023, “From the Start,” was a bossa nova. These references may have mean much to the very young crowds that hang on her every word (and sing and shout along with a lot of them); they may recognize that there’s something nostalgic to what Laufey does, but they’re thinking of her torch songs as relatable bedroom-pop. Laufey’s just your normal all-Icelandic-Asian-American girl with a flawless alto and a virtuoso’s ability to switch it up between piano, electric guitar and cello, while never breaking a sweat in front of the west coast’s preeminent symphony. What’s not relatable about that? (Read Variety ‘s original review of the show here .)

Doja Cat at Crypto.com Arena in L.A. (Nov. 2)

doja cat best concerts

The biggest diva tours of 2023 — those by Taylor Swift and Beyonce — were in a race to see how many costume and production design changes could be packed into one show. Doja Cat, though, took a maverick path, not surprisingly. The singer stuck with just two costuming choices in the performance… and a single dominant color; unlike Swift, Doja Cat spends her entire show in her  red  era. Or “Scarlet,” to take an obvious cue from the title of both the tour and her latest album. The set was dominated by the performance of 15 of 17 songs on “Scarlet.” That extreme emphasis on just-released material is a pretty gutsy move, even before considering that Doja Cat is going to spend nearly the entire evening wearing a single literally gutsy costume — a skin-tight bodysuit that’s a stylized representation of a body’s crimson internal musculature — while bathed primarily in red (or an orange-red) light. Doja Cat is too savvy and certainly too visually attuned an artist to pick such basic core elements and then let them linger in any kind of monotony. This tour, produced with Silent House, is a successful exercise in how to pick a vibe and mostly stick with it, resisting the trend toward revolving-door variety and flat-out maximalism. She spends the set doing a great deal of physically expressive movement in that fleshless-looking costume, with a lot of interestingly choreographed dancers and the occasional prop — or combination prop/dancer, like the giant eye that follows her at one point, trailing an optic nerve. In a show that literally uses viscera as part of the costume design, the Scarlet Tour is every bit as viscerally captivating as it means to be. And the setlist’s gradual shift from hard-ass hip-hop to a more seductive R&B effectively mirrors the arc of the album she’s celebrating. (Read Variety ‘s original review of the show here .)

best concert tours for 2023

The Manhattan Transfer at Walt Disney Concert Hall in L.A. (Dec. 15)

After a 50-year run (rounding down just a little, actually), the Manhattan Transfer opted to call it a night with an international anniversary tour that turned into a farewell tour, capped by one final evening at L.A.’s home of the Philharmonic, Walt Disney Concert Hall. For the occasion, the vocal quartet augmented its usual crackerjack backing trio with the addition of the Diva Jazz Orchestra on about half the selections. But the Transfer are really a symphony of voices in their own right. So getting bonus sax and trombone solos on the jazzier numbers felt like a lusciously decadent dessert on top of what the regular lineup has been offering every night on the road for decades. The closest recent comparison would be Elton John, who also decided to go out while still in top form as a performer. The Transfer would run an arguably even greater risk if they went on indefinitely; lowering the keys for a solo act due to age is different than doing it for everyone in a vocal quartet. So you can understand why they might want to wrap things up while still at full harmonic prowess — but the Disney Hall show was so good, so unassailable, all you could think was: too soon . Their takes on “vocalese” made that technique of turning jazz instrumentals into vocal showcases seem like an alien language few will ever be privileged or accomplished enough to learn. Individually, Cheryl Bentyne’s high notes on “Cantaloop” and Janis Siegel’s eternally girlish tone on “The Boy From New York City” led into “Birdland,” an epic finale whose tone felt even more suspenseful than usual, knowing its jubilant climax is not scheduled to have any epilogues. If anyone ever wanted to take a lesson on how to go out on a high, this was it.

Lauryn Hill and the Fugees at the Forum in Inglewood (Nov. 5)

Lauryn Hill and the Fugees at the Forum

A Ms. Lauryn Hill show is never going to be one for fans who are sissies about little things like bedtimes . The set times were even more uncertain on this tour, given that there was a nightly Fugees reunion set to squeeze in amid what she’d normally do as a solo attraction. But sleeplessness on a school night was very much rewarded on this second of two shows Hill and the Fugees did on a swing through SoCal, at the Forum (the first having been across town at Crypto.com Arena). Hill admitted that she was a little rough of voice, and compared her tonality to Mavis Staples’ — a contextual reset that maybe helped the audience embrace the idea that we were getting a woman’s vocal take on “Miseducation,” not a debutante’s. There’s a regality to Hill’s presence on stage, of course, so at the Forum show, it was disarming and charming to see her step back a little from her usual sense of total control as a parade of guests took to the stage, some foreseen, some apparently surprising to her. Hill looked flattered to have Nas came by for three songs in her preliminary set, before Lil Wayne and Cypress Hill took turns in the Fugees’ part of the show. All this, and the sun wasn’t even up by the time the show ended.

Hozier at the Santa Barbara Bowl (Oct. 28)

Hozier at the Santa Barbara Bowl

Don’t hate Hozier just because a significant portion of the population has decided he’s the ideal man. Sometimes we just need someone in this world who writes deeply hooky songs that compel people, with justification, to wave their arms in an amphitheater or arena… who is conversant in philosophy, literature and poetry, and lets those things bleed into his thoughtful lyrics… who has a sense of humor about venturing into areas that might seem pretentious with anyone else… who has the chops to be a guitar hero, but instead just peels off a perfect one here and there as a bonus… and who all the girls want to sleep with, and all the boys want to be (and also sleep with). Taking all this appeal into account, there’s no great mystery why his 2023 tour was an instant sellout, even without any recent major hits, and a 2024 add-on is headed toward the same full houses. At his SoCal shows this fall, Hozier made fans feel he was taking them into the mystic, but the music never lost sight of an earthy core. Another thing you can’t blame him for: how much the concerts feel like church , even if he never meant the title of his original signature to be quite that spiritual.

Jack White at the Belasco in L.A. (January 13)

No one in rock ‘n’ roll puts on more consistently thrilling shows nowadays than White, and his surprise gig at downtown’s Belasco, a one-night surprise epilogue to an already completed tour, was even more exhilarating than most. Maybe it didn’t hurt that he was thinking of it as a “family and friends” concert that had everyone from Doja Cat to Conan O’Brien to members of Metallica looking on from the wings. Maybe having a side-stage contingent like that provides some extra motivation, if you’re considering doing a 55-minute encore? The cliché would be to say that, two and a half hours in, White had left it all on the stage, except that he never really betrays any hint of exhaustibility on stage… always leaving the sense that he’s still got more in him, even after 23 almost entirely intense numbers. (Read  Variety ‘s original review  here .)

Nick Cave at the Orpheum in L.A. (Oct. 27)

nick cave best concerts

Cave has toured in different configurations, of course — most recently with sometimes creative partner Warren Ellis — but this year’s outing was billed as a solo tour, notwithstanding the presence of Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood on bass. It was interesting how much distance Greenwood put between himself and the boss on stage, in a “don’t worry, I’ve got my in-ears; forget that I’m here” kind of way. Cave probably doesn’t demand that level of modesty and respect from a sideman, but you can see why he gets it, as one of rock’s most commanding presences, with or without a loud noise in tow. In the tour that culminated with three shows at L.A.’s Orpheum, Cave was as funny and giving in his commentary between songs as he was grave and intense when his hands would take to the keys again. This is not his image, so I could see that some people didn’t get that he was exercising his sense of humor when I went on Twitter and posted a passing joke that figures into his stage patter every night, saying that the next song “requires some audience participation: We sing the song, and you shut the fuck up.” (It’s worth noting that this instruction to the audience for “Carnage” came right after a song in which he did invite the crowd to participate, the more whimsical “Balcony Man.”) I’d almost go so far as to call Cave’s stage presence on this tour delightful, if that just didn’t seem like the wrong word to apply — at all — for a fellow who spends so much of a show reaching into his gut. Whether he’s being playful or playing the designated mourner, he does pull you “Into My Arms.”

Olivia Rodrigo at the Theatre at Ace Hotel (Oct. 9)

concert review tour sour

Rodrigo doesn’t kick off her U.S. tour until early 2024. But she’ll have a challenge in having any of those arena gigs be as satisfying as the storytelling one-off she did with producer/co-writer Dan Nigro in downtown L.A. for an AmEx-sponsored livestream. Nigro was a great foil for Rodrigo, on stage as he is in the studio, as she shared anecdotes behind the writing and recording of her excellent “Guts” album. With Nigro alternating between acoustic guitar and piano, the pair were joined by three backup singers and an additional acoustic guitarist/keyboardist for a set that encompassed the new songs “Vampire,” “Lacy,” “Ballad of a Home Schooled Girl,” “The Grudge,” “Teenage Dream,” “Get Him Back” and “All American Bitch,” with the previous album’s “Traitor” as a show-ending bonus. Rodrigo is not one to actually spill her guts about her private life in front of a 1,600-strong audience, even with her creative partner there to help put her guard down. But talking about process is enough, when it’s resulted in an album as strong as this one. And the loveliness of the acoustic treatments — not just on well-suited ballads like “Lacy” but the album’s hardest-rocking numbers — half-made you wish she’d do the whole ’24 tour in this stripped-down, conversational format. Bad idea, right? (Read Variety ‘s original account of the performance here .)

'Love Rising' Benefit at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville (March 20)

At Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, a cast of mostly locally based stars, including  Maren Morris , Paramore’s  Hayley Williams , Yola, Sheryl Crow, Allison Russell, Amanda Shires and Jason Isbell — plus one key out-of-towner, the Irishman Hozier — joined up with a host of Tennessee drag artists to protest state legislation aimed at cross-dressing performers, trans youth and same-sex marriage. The four-hour “ Love Rising ” benefit filled the hall with fans and LGBTQ+ community members and their allies and found a bigger international audience being livestreamed via the Veeps platform. No one received more of a hero’s welcome than Morris, who’d recently gone out on a limb by standing up for trans youth and their families in a headline-making online debate with fellow country star Jason Aldean’s wife, Brittany Aldean, while most mainstream stars held their tongues. She looked sharp in formal black-tie half-drag (a recurring theme among a lot of folks playing Nashville this year), performing “The Middle” while drag queen Alexia Noelle Paris accompanied her in an interpretive dance. But the most affecting moment might have been Joy Oladokun previewing a new number, “Somehow,” dedicated to anyone else growing up non-white and queer in middle America, as she did. (Read  Variety ‘s original review  here .)

Peter Gabriel at the Forum in Inglewood (Oct. 13)

Peter Gabriel at Crypto.com Arena

Gabriel hadn’t toured since 2012, so you might expect that fans could be a little impatient at the singer wanting to go digging in fresh dirt at these 2023 shows with 11 songs a night from an album he hadn’t even released yet, “i/o.” (He had released most of the songs individually as streaming tracks by the time the tour hit Los Angeles, but it was still safe to say they were largely unfamiliar.) But thinking that wouldn’t fly would be underestimating Gabriel’s audience, which seemed perfectly content to follow where he would lead, with some faith that “Sledgehammer” and “Solsbury Hill” would be there as the first- and second-act closers. It helped that he started out the shows on the most personal note possible, appearing alone at the beginning, in very chatty form, before bringing out trusty sidekick Tony Levin, then the other players, to perform some of the early songs as if they were doing a world-music hootenanny — before things finally got as big and spectacular as you’d expect from the early ’70s’ master of rock theatrics. Poignant material like the new “And Still,” about his mother’s passing, was ultimately juxtaposed with crowd-pleasers like “Big Time,” adding up to something that felt as much like a complete worldview as a concert.

Brandy Clark at the Troubadour in West Hollywood (Nov. 4)

Brandy Clark at the Troubadour

Is Clark one of our best songwriters… or one of our best singers? Can she be both? Her media fan club has focused so much on her writing prowess — understandably — that we’ve sometimes forgotten to remember to mention her pure vocal strength. There was a cure for any such oversight when Clark took to the road this year, thanks to two mid-set covers she included in her shows in pointing to her influences — K.T. Oslin’s “80s Ladies” and the Trisha Yearwood hit “The Song Remembers When.” The tour also included a couple of key songs she co-wrote but hasn’t been associated with as a singer, the “Shucked” song “Walls” (from her Tony-nominated Broadway score) and the Miranda Lambert country smash “Mama’s Broken Heart.” With those songs resetting the dial a bit to help form a more holistic view of Clark’s strengths, you could marvel afresh at the delicacy of her delivery of a couple of the past year’s most emotionally devastating songs, “Buried” and “Dear Insecurity,” or the actorly slyness of a “Pray to Jesus.” And hearing her sing the heartbreakingly self-deprecating “Who You Thought I Was,” you realize she’s not who we thought she was — she’s even better.

Missy Elliott at Yaamava’ Theater in Highland (May 19)

Missy Elliott at Yaamava' Theatre

If you’re seeing this and wondering why Missy Elliott didn’t come to your city, you’re hardly alone. She didn’t come to any cities this year, bar three: Las Vegas, for the Lovers & Friends festival in May; the Essence Music Festival, in July; and, somewhat mysteriously, a 2500-seat resort/casino in out-of-the-way Highland, Calif. Shouldn’t a legend who’s celebrating her newfound status as a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee be doing a long, major tour? But Elliott works on her own very intermittent schedule, not according to anyone else’s timetable. All we know from her Yaamava’ Resort & Casino gig is that Elliott remains in top form, for someone who rarely performs; you would have thought she’s been rehearsing this band and these dancers constantly and this was just another night on a long, adrenaline-driven road trip. She presented herself as the full package: looking great, sounding great, energized by the crowd and buoyed by her own natural bon vivant-ancy, on top of the production values you’d expect from a show built to travel. Let’s hope she ramps this up into a real tour, sooner rather than later. Even though we’re no longer in a down period for female hip-hop artists, actual royalty is still very much needed in our midst. (Read  Variety ‘s original review  here .)

'Nuggets' Tribute at the Alex Theatre in Glendale (May 19)

susanna hoffs lenny kaye nuggets alex glendale concert garage rock wild honey

In 1972, the famous “Nuggets” compilation album waxed nostalgic for the garage-rock of the mid-1960s. Just over 50 years later, we’re nostalgic from a very long distance, for that nostalgia that was wistful from a very short one. It’s not just about the songs that were anthologized on the original double-LP, though; it’s about a whole punk-rock, back-to-rock-basics movement that the album played at least some part in kick-starting, which we still feel the effects of today. Fortunately, the man who compiled “Nuggets” a half-century-plus ago is still around today, and ready, willing and eager to rock: Lenny Kaye, host of a tribute show that went down in L.A. under the beneficial auspices of the Wild Honey charity. (A new five-LP limited edition of “Nuggets” was also released by Warner just prior to the show, for Record Store day; find a stray copy if you still can.) This three-and-a-half show had a bit of starpower driving it, with Susanna Hoffs singing on two numbers, one of them in collaboration with accordionist “Weird Al” Yankovic. Mostly it was cult artists in the service of cult music that changed the world, or at least changed rock ‘n’ roll, with great turns from Peter Case, Wayne Kramer, Peter Buck, the Fleshtones’ Peter Zaremba and dozens of others. All the better when a bunch of original “Nugget”-eers pushing 75 or 80 made their way back into the limelight to go “Pushin’ Too Hard.” There’s a lesson for us all here: Those who forget the past are destined to not rock nearly hard enough. (Read  Variety ‘s original review  here .)

Zach Bryan at Crypto.com Arena in L.A. (Aug. 23)

Zach Bryan and Maggie Rogers at Crypto.com Arena

Zach Bryan  has a fair amount of Bruce Springsteen in him. But not just any single model of Bruce. His concert dates are such immediate sellouts these days, and his connection with his audience such a phenomenon, it can feel at times like he’s veering toward having his own personal “Born in the USA” moment. And there was little at his Crypto.com Arena show in late summer to make you think that isn’t still in his grasp. But when, days after that concert, he digitally released a new album — titled just “Zach Bryan” — it felt like he might be making his “Nebraska” more than he’s going for broke and trying to grab the brass ring. He’s marching to the beat of his own Boss, and it’s not always the one you expect. I’m not sure who, if anyone, he was emulating or being influenced by when he came up with the unique stage design for his tour, though. In-the-round tours are a dime a dozen, but Bryan uses his like it’s a boxing ring, almost, with standing microphones set up for him to sing into on all four sides of the stage — and he’ll bounce around between them in the course of a single song. It’s part of his populism. Why, he must think, should he leave any quadrant of an arena audience feel like they’re not directly getting played to for more than two or three minutes at a time? Even his guests got the message about how to work all segments of the audience, as Maggie Rogers did when she joined Bryan for stints in the middle and end of the L.A. concert. (Read Variety ‘s original review of the show here .)

Sparks at the Hollywood Bowl (July 16)

Landing a first headlining slot at the  Hollywood Bowl  is a cherished milestone for any major musical acts who claim Los Angeles as their home base. This year, the Bowl debut honor for cherished locals went to the Mael brothers, who only had to wait 52 years for their own crowning gig. What’s five decades among friends and family … everybody loves a slow build, right? Ron and Russell Mael’s mom brought them to see the Beatles at the venue in 1965, and that was “probably some good education,” as Russell said near the beginning of the show. Mom was likely not around, but they did have the closest thing they’ve probably had lately to a surrogate parent, director  Edgar Wright , whose documentary “ The Sparks Brothers ” kind of nurtured them across a finish line. (The show-closing photo seen above is courtesy of Wright’s backstage camera.) The 2023 tour included some rarities — like “Beaver O’Lindy,” from their second album, “A Woofer in Tweeter’s Clothing,” a song they never even played live when it first came out in ’72 — and five tracks from the new “The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte.” The five decades in-between was a lot of ground to condense, but they did a reasonably effective job of rifling through the catalog, hitting mid-career favorites like 1994’s “When Do I Get to Sing ‘My Way’.” If you’re making your Bowl debut half a centennial into a career, that’s pretty clear evidence you’ve been doing it your way all along. (Read Variety ‘s review of the original show here .)

The War and Treaty at the Troubadour in West Hollywood (March 26)

best concerts 2023 war treaty troubadour americana

Find yourself a partner who looks at you like Tanya Trotter looks at Michael Trotter Jr., or vice versa. The pure joy exuded by the husband and wife who make up the duo the War and Treaty is so infectious, they could double-handedly restore anyone’s faith in marriage. They so happen to also be restoring a lot of people’s faith in music as they show up on awards shows and make other quick-hit TV appearances, a slow build that’s been rewarded with a best new artist Grammy nomination after a lot of years in the business. Amazingly, they’d never topped a bill in SoCal before, even though these Nashville favorites actually have four albums out. The latest, “Lover’s Game,” was issued by a mainstream country label, but don’t let a couple of authentically twangy moments dissuade you if that’s not your thing, because this is their most satisfying genre-crosser to date. The only real genre classification that counts is shared wailing.

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The 10 best concerts and shows in the US you won’t want to miss in 2023

Zachary Laks

Jan 1, 2023 • 7 min read

best concert tours for 2023

Lizzo’s Special 2our makes stops throughout North America in 2023 – and promises to be one of the top shows of the year © Scott Legato / WireImage

The roar of the crowd. The resonating beats that can’t be reproduced with headphones. The thrill of seeing your favorite music artist live and in the flesh. 

The greatest live-music events are transporting experiences. 

Whether their songs have been the soundtrack to your life or you just can’t help but bust a move when they play on the radio, many of music’s biggest acts are heading out on tour for 2023. You’ll spend the night in very good company as you see living legends of the music industry live, at these 10 top concerts set to tour the US in 2023. 

USA-GettyImages-1441115091-RM.jpeg

Lizzo: The Special 2our

The three-time Grammy winner and recent Emmy recipient Lizzo returns to American stages in 2023 with the second leg of The Special 2our. The multi-hyphenate’s tour will make stops at 17 cities throughout North America , bringing all of Lizzo’s chart-topping hits including “Good as Hell,” “About Damn Time,” “Juice” and “Boys.” Expect an electric evening of female empowerment as Lizzo gets support from her troupe of “Big Grrrl” dancers, DJ Sophia Eris (who joins the star for a rousing rendition of Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop”), backup singers and an all-women band. No Lizzo concert would be complete without Sasha Flute, Lizzo’s prized woodwind, which she deploys several times each concert, including during “Truth Hurts” and “Juice.” 

Where to get tickets: Tickets to see Lizzo live on tour are available through Ticketmaster . 

Stevie Nicks and Billy Joel: Two Icons, One Night

Two of music’s most iconic living legends will share the bill for five rousing evenings of classic rock and soul at stadiums across the country. The Two Icons, One Night tour is a rare double bill of two legendary touring acts, Stevie Nicks and Billy Joel. The limited concert series will open March 10 at Los Angeles ’ SoFi Stadium, followed by one-nighters in Arlington, Texas ; Nashville ; Columbus; and a final evening in Kansas City , on August 19. Both musicians have continuously toured throughout the decades, with Nicks most recently wrapping up a sold-out tour in summer 2022, and Joel touring the world in addition to his record-breaking residency at New York City ’s Madison Square Garden .  

Where to get tickets: Tickets to see the iconic duo are on sale now through Ticketmaster . 

P!NK: Summer Carnival 2023

Buy a ticket to see P!NK in person, and you know the glam rock diva will soar – figuratively and literally. The singer/songwriter returns to the touring circuit with P!NK’s Summer Carnival 2023, an all-new stadium spectacular with musical guests Brandi Carlile, Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo set to open on select dates, with Grouplove and KidCutUp performing at all shows. P!NK concerts offer a thrilling blend of her power vocals and cutting-edge stagecraft as the star can often be seen dangling upside over the crowd or crooning effortlessly from a trapeze swing. The pop legend’s tour arrives in US on July 26 in Cincinnati , followed by 20 performances across the country, concluding on October 9, 2023.

Where to get tickets: Tickets for P!NK’s upcoming Summer Carnival tour are available through Ticketmaster . 

Adele performs onstage during the "Weekends with Adele" Residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Adele: Weekends with Adele at the Colosseum, Las Vegas

Adele’s new residency at the Colosseum is the hottest ticket in Las Vegas – and for good reason. The singer/songwriter is at the top of her game in a new production featuring her golden voice plus plenty of Vegas spectacle. The 20-song set list compiles her most popular hits, including a most appropriate opening of “Hello,” as well as such instant classics as “Rolling in the Deep,” “Set Fire to the Rain” and “Skyfall.” This residency is the rare chance to see the megawatt performer in a smaller venue – while there are 4000 seats, this is positively intimate compared to the large arenas she has played in the past. 

Where to get tickets: The entire run of Weekends with Adele is sold out. If you’re looking to purchase tickets off a secondary market, make sure the secondary ticket vendor offers a 100% guarantee on your purchase to avoid scams.  

Taylor Swift: Eras Tour

With Ticketmaster reporting “historically unprecedented demand,” Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras Tour is one of the most sought-after concert tickets of just about any era. The highly anticipated 52-night stadium tour is the singer/songwriter’s return to the stage after her 2018 Reputation Tour was the highest-grossing of any in US history. Expect records to be shattered again, with tickets having sold out for the new tour in record time during the presale, alongside reports that demand “could have filled 900 stadiums.” Since Swift has released four albums since she last set out on the road, it’s anyone’s guess as to which songs will make the cut. Still, you can expect a lineup of megahits including “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space” and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” to be a part of the set list for certain. 

Where to get tickets: Tickets on Ticketmaster were gone in a flash during the presale. Those seeking tickets through a secondary market should stick to a platform like StubHub and VividSeats that offers a 100% money-back guarantee in fraudulent scalping.  

Usher performs at the grand opening of Usher: My Way - The Vegas Residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM on July 15, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada

Usher: My Way – The Vegas Residency

Legendary singer/songwriter Usher is one of the greatest R&B showmen of all time. So there’s no question that his latest Vegas residency spanning his remarkable 20-year music career will be a spectacle of epic proportions. Set to return to the Dolby Live theater at Park MGM for 25 new dates from March through July 2023, Usher’s show will offer a rousing set list including many of his hits, such as “My Way,” “OMG” and “Yeah!” The high-voltage evening features plenty of spectacle, including a supporting cast of 23 dancers, roller skaters and pole dancers. 

Where to get tickets: Tickets and premium packages can be booked through Usher’s Vegas Residency website . 

Dead & Company: The Final Tour

Spanning more than five decades as the quintessential jam band, Dead & Company will hit the road for one final foray last time this summer. The Dead & Co. ensemble – currently led by original Grateful Dead members Bobby Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, joined by Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimenti and John Mayer – has continued the long legacy of the Grateful Dead by touring for each of the past eight summers. This summer, their final tour will serve as a bittersweet farewell as the band hangs up their guitars and tie-dye after having played more than 2300 concerts as the Grateful Dead. Expect Deadhead groupies from all around the world to descend for many nights of peace, love and happiness. 

Where to get tickets: Tickets for Dead & Company’s final tour are available through Ticketmaster . 

Singer Marc Anthony performs onstage during the VIVIENDO Tour, Inglewood, California, USA

Marc Anthony: VIVIENDO Tour

Don’t expect to be sitting down for most of Marc Anthony’s wildly energetic VIVIENDO Tour, set to tour the US in 2023. The three-time Grammy and seven-time Latin Grammy winner Anthony delivers a high-energy spectacle, the kind that gets you dancing along from the first down beat. Chart-topping hits fill the set list, including “Pa’lla Voy,” “Vivir Mi Vida” and “Valió la Pena.” 

Where to get tickets: Tickets for Marc Anthony’s VIVIENDO Tour are available through Ticketmaster . 

Beyoncé: Renaissance Tour 

While details have yet to be fully released, Beyoncé will be celebrating her new album Renaissance with a live tour. The pop megastar is truly the first lady of music, having won 28 Grammys – the most by any female artist. If previous tours are any indication, Beyoncé will be making stops at major stadiums throughout the US, bringing with her a larger-than-life spectacle with dozens of backup dancers, pyrotechnics and stunning stagecraft. Renaissance  was built with the dance floor in mind – so get ready for a party like no other. 

Where to get tickets: Dates and details for the tour have yet to be released. Sign up for Beyoncé’s newsletter on her official site to be among the first to know. 

Ben Crawford as The Phantom and Emilie Kouatchou as Christine in “The Phantom of the Opera” on Broadway, New York City, USA

The Phantom of the Opera : final months on Broadway

In between the many A-list music acts playing the country, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more searing night of high drama and theatrical magic than the original Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera . After 35 years, Broadway’s longest-running show will take its final bow on April 16, 2023. Hal Prince’s original staging remains as impressive as ever, featuring top-notch Broadway talent, a lush 27-piece orchestra and the iconic chandelier that crashes to the floor, night after night. Expect tickets to sell fast as “phans” fly in from around the world to hear the glorious “Music of the Night” one final time. 

Where to get tickets: Telecharge is the official ticketing website for The Phantom of the Opera . Every night, a limited number of $45 tickets are available through a digital lottery, which you can enter here .

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The Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2023

The Most Anticipated Concert Tours Of 2023

Adrian Spinelli

The touring industry is exploding right now. In a blog post written earlier this year, Lorde astutely noted how basically all of the artists who couldn’t tour during the pandemic are now all hitting the stage all at once. And that massive influx of high-profile concert tours is continuing into 2023. From long-awaited concert tours to anniversary celebrations to high-profile comebacks, these are the most anticipated concert tours of 2023.

Arctic Monkeys

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arctic Monkeys (@arcticmonkeys)

For the first time in nearly ten years, Arctic Monkeys released a new album. The Car , is a cinematic melodrama enacted as debonairly as possible in the way that only Alex Turner and company can. They’re set to make 22 tour stops in North America at the tail end of summer and Dublin’s Fontaines D.C. are opening for them.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce)

While Beyoncé hasn’t announced any plans to tour in support of Renaissance yet (or release any music videos from it for that matter) she dropped a $20,000 hint that a tour is coming this summer. You see, at the WACO Theater Wearable Art Gala in October, Beyoncé put up an extravagant package for the charity auction. For $20k, the package description included airline tickets and a meet and greet to, “Beyoncé’s Renaissance 2023 tour.” Shout out to the Bey Hive member who sussed out this caper. ( Update: Beyoncé announced a Renaissance world tour on February 1, 2023.)

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Big Thief (@bigthiefmusic)

In a year that saw them releasing another dynamite album in Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You , Big Thief announced an active schedule of concerts across four continents . But they really made waves this past week in laying out a plan to invite teachers and students to their soundchecks along the tour. The band wants to provide young people with opportunities to engage in learning experiences around creativity, music, playing shows, and songwriting. Awesome.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by blink-182 (@blink182)

Not only is Blink 182 back, but guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge has rejoined the band making for a full reunion tour . Delonge, drummer Travis barker, and bassist/singer Mark Hoppus are also set to headline a slew of South American festivals, as well as the When We Were Young emo nostalgia fest in Las Vegas. Oh, and a new Blink 182 album is apparently on deck as well.

Bruce Springsteen

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bruce Springsteen (@springsteen)

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band are hitting the road in 2023 for the first time since 2017. Yet when news of the US tour dates hit , Ticketmaster’s flexible pricing model sent some seats soaring in the thousands of dollars range and fans were none too pleased. Springsteen answered the critics essentially saying that the imperfect system is what it is, but, “If there’s any complaints on the way out, you can have your money back.” They don’t call him The Boss for nothing.

Death Grips

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Death Grips (@bbpoltergiest)

For the first time in four years, horrorcore trailblazers Death Grips will be going out on tour . The experimental rap trio of Zach Hill, MC Ride, and Andy Morin put on an electric live show, with MC Ride an always visceral presence on the microphone.

Depeche Mode

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjSmilnD7jt/?hl=en

It was a tough year for Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan and Martin Gore when longtime keyboardist Andy “Fletch” Fletcher died in May at the age of 60 . But Depeche Mode are still planning on releasing their new album Memento Mori , this spring. “Fletch would have loved this album,” Gahan said. The Memento Mori World Tour begins in March in the US and only ends in August in Europe.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ed Sheeran HQ (@edhq)

With albums entitled +, =, ÷ , and x Ed Sheeran is bringing the theme full circle with his North America megatour dubbed the Mathematics Tour . He’ll be playing gigantic stadium sets at venues like Houston’s NRG Stadium, Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, and Detroit’s Ford Field. Meanwhile, he has curated a diverse set of tour openers in Khalid, Maisie Peters, Russ, Rosa Linn, Cat Burns, and Dylan.

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Hopefully, GloRilla is planning on giving her assistant a raise , because she’s going to be plenty busy with her first-ever headlining tour in 2023. The Anyways, Life’s Great Tour is tabbed as GloRilla “with friends,” so we’ll see who decides to pop up on stage with the Memphis rapper. Could one of those friends be Cardi B at some point? The pair collaborated on the track “Tomorrow 2” which hit the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2022.

Janet Jackson

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When Janet Jackson announced the Together Again Tour for 2023 , she also promised that “there will be new music.” Not that we really need any, considering how many #hits she’s turned out across the decades, but it definitely adds to the mystique of what the always explosive “That’s The Way Love Goes” singer does on stage. Ludacris is joining her as the opening act, cause why the heck not?

JID and Smino

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Both JID and Smino dropped albums in 2022. JID’s Forever Story places him in the conversation of today’s best, while Smino’s incredibly unique Luv 4 Rent features A-List featured guests like J-Cole and Lil Uzi Vert. Now the Atlanta and St. Louis connection will come to fruition on the 32-date cross-continent Luv Is 4Ever Tour .

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

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Are King Gizzard the most prolific band in the world right now? The Aussie psycho rockers did just drop five albums in 2022. They’ve certainly become one of the most cultiish live bands on the planet regardless. They’re June 2023 tour begins at The Caverns Underground in Tennessee and ends with a three-hour “marathon set” at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

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The pioneering metal band from San Francisco have a new album due out on April 14th called 72 Seasons and the corresponding tour will stretch far beyond 2023. Metallica will be hitting the road this year, making stops in both Europe, the US, Canada, while picking it up again for a slew of 2024 dates in Europe and all of North America including Mexico. The shows will feature them playing 2 nights in cities, with no song repeats and an in-the-round staging.

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Paramore’s much-hyped sixth album, This Is Why , is due out on February 10th and the Hayley Williams-led band have a tour ready to rock for the summertime. Beginning in May, Paramore will be touring all throughout North America and have an illustrious cast of support acts in tow in Bloc Party (whom they cite as a primary influence), Foals, The Linda Lindas, and Genesis Owusu.

The Postal Service and Death Cab For Cutie

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Not only is The Postal Service embarking on a 20th Anniversary Tour for their cult-classic album Give Up, but it’s a double bill with Death Cab For Cutie. Ben Gibbard will be pulling double duty, but he’s the quintessential rockstar on stage and can more than handle it. And as great as Death Cab’s latest album, Asphalt Meadows , is, the vibes will surely be highest as soon as Jenny Lewis joins Gibbard on vocals for Give Up’s opening track, “The District Sleeps Alone Tonight.”

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Sad hotties rejoice, SZA is going on tour! After an unfathomable number of teasers and delays, SZA’s new album S.O.S. finally dropped last month and she’ll be supporting it on tour with Omar Apollo as the opening act. We got a preview of SZA’s S.O.S. stage setup at Outside Lands festival 2022 in San Francisco this past summer and it’s thematic to the album to say the least.

Taylor Swift

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Following the release of Midnights , Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour will mark her first stadium performances in five years. By now, you’ve surely heard about how Taylor damn near broke Ticketmaster when tickets went on sale and the tour has already netted over a half billion dollars in sales. This will mark the largest run of US dates for Swift, so do what you have to do to get into the stadium. And if all else fails, maybe her cat can put you on the guest list?

The Walkmen

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A decade since The Walkmen went on an “extreme hiatus,” the indie rock staples announced a comeback for 2023 with a limited number of shows in only New York City at first. The tour has since expanded to add multi-night residencies in Philadelphia, Chicago, and Washington D.C. in addition to New York City. This could potentially mean that Hamilton Leithauser, Peter Bauer, and company might finally have a new album by The Walkmen on the horizon. The plan will surely unfold on this long-awaited slate of live performances which begins in April.

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Weeks after dropping his latest album, More Love Less Ego , Wizkid already started teasing a new album called SaiLess . The promise of even more new music from the world-sweeping Afrobeats star will certainly drive the interest North American Tour. Beginning in March , Wizkid will be playing arena-sized venues like Houston’s Kia Center and Kia Forum in Los Angeles.

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A noted critic of Ticketmaster’s purported monopoly and the exorbitant fees that they tack on concert tickets, Zach Bryan has decided to take matters into his own hands for his upcoming tour. “I’ve decided to play a limited number of headline shows next year to which I’ve done all I can to make prices as cheap as possible and to prove to people tickets don’t have to cost $450 to see a good and honest show,” the country music rising star said on Instagram. The dates have yet to be announced but Bryan has promised them “soon” and you’ve just got to admire the stance he’s taking.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .

All The Best New R&B Music From This Week

Who had the best concert of 2023? We rank the top 10 including Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, U2

best concert tours for 2023

There are years when there are major tours. And then there was 2023.

Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Pink and Ed Sheeran stormed stadiums.

Bruce Springsteen , SZA, Duran Duran and Queen + Adam Lambert stuffed arenas.

Janet Jackson , Dave Matthews Band and Shania Twain persuaded fans to tolerate amphitheaters.

Garth Brooks , Kelly Clarkson and U2 staked their territory in the crazily expanding Las Vegas market.

And let’s not forget the Eagles kickstarted a multiyear farewell tour, KISS finally packed away the face paint and platform boots (we won’t discuss those digital avatars ) and Madonna resurrected from severe illness to once again exert her dominance.

Are you exhausted? We're exhausted. But in a totally exhilarating way.

Live music roared this year – concert industry bible Pollstar reports a worldwide tour gross of $9.17 billion compared to $6.28 billion in 2022 – thanks to a convergence of these major names crisscrossing the country all year.

Most of them impressed. But these 10 ruled.  

More: The worst people at concerts, from self-involved selfie takers to nonstop filmers

10. Pitbull, Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin

The dynamic trio of Latin firebrands made the perfect Trilogy Tour , offering three distinctive sets that highlighted their individual charms. At their tour opener at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. (Oct. 14), Pitbull dazzled with his sass, style and zippy mélange of hip-hop spiked pop (“Don’t Stop the Party,” “Fireball”) in a showcase that oozed with positivity. Iglesias, the most subdued of the three, offered a bilingual feast of hits including “Bailamos,” the whispery “Hero” and “Cuando Me Enamoro” as he roamed the stage and catwalk to get closer to fans. Meanwhile, concert-closer Martin, a proficient showman who infuses fun (“She Bangs”), drama (“Vuelve”) and hip-swiveling rhythm (“Shake Your Bon-Bon”) into every step, romped through a feverish set full of sex and swagger.

9. The Cure

For their first U.S. tour since 2016, The Cure intermingled sleek with melancholy and sated both diehards and casual fans with a setlist focused as much on deep cuts as their signature New Wave goth favorites. At Merriweather Post Pavilion in Maryland (June 25), a barrage of spectacular lighting accompanied the lesser-heard “Burn,” while eternally sad prince Robert Smith and his (not-so) merry men led the crowd on a hand-clapping mission through “A Forest.” The Cure has teased its first new album since 2008 for more than a year, and while we still have no idea when it’s arriving, the band provided a preview with several new cuts, including the Pink Floyd-like “Alone” and expectedly bleak “Endsong.” According to Billboard Boxscore , the 35 sold-out Shows of a Lost World concerts set new attendance (547,000 tickets) and gross ($37.5 million) records for the band – an admirable feat four decades into a career and 30-plus years following their last major U.S. hits (“Friday I’m in Love” and “Lovesong” among them).

8. Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks

Though billed correctly as Two Icons, One Night , it still seemed a quizzical pairing. But the sardonic New Yorker and the mystical muse of ethereal pop proved an endearing double shot on a series of stadium dates that began in March and hopscotched throughout the year for shows through December (the April date in Arlington, Texas, was moved to March 9, currently the pair’s only 2024 joint appearance). While they barely shared a stage – Joel joined Nicks to duet on “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” at each date, but she only made an appearance during his set at the Los Angeles opener on “And So it Goes” – they drew sellout crowds eager to revel in their ridiculously deep and enduring catalogs.

At Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field (June 16), Nicks’ poetic pop crafted as a solo star and with Fleetwood Mac – “Gypsy,” “If Anyone Falls,” “Stand Back” – arrived with elegance, storytelling and many twirls of a chiffon skirt . But it was her set-ending “Landslide” tribute to late bandmate and dear friend Christine McVie that infected your soul.

Joel, meanwhile, was sturdy as always, rolling through one of the greatest catalogs in modern music with his longtime ace band. Sometimes caustic (“The Entertainer”), sometimes reflective (“Vienna”) but always engaging (“Scenes from An Italian Restaurant”), Joel effortlessly steered a singalong parade.

7. Ed Sheeran

Following a personally rough 2022, the earnest Sheeran channeled his grief and fears into his introspective sixth album, “Subtract. ” Given that the emotionally significant songs on the release wouldn’t translate easily to his massive stadium production, Sheeran played two shows in many markets, a stripped theater performance spotlighting the ruminations on “Subtract” with the next night focused on his multitude of hits. It’s still amazing that one guy and a guitar with a looping pedal – though yes, he did have a band for segments of the show – can command a massive stadium on the strength of pop-rockers (“Shivers,” “Castle on the Hill”), swoony ballads (“Thinking Out Loud,” “Perfect”), rockets of pyro and boyish charm. In Philadelphia June 2-3 for shows at, respectively, The Met and Lincoln Financial Field, it was a tale of two Eds, and both conquered mightily. 

The Madonna faithful held their breath over the summer as her long-awaited Celebration Tour – the first to be deemed an official retrospective of her staggering career – was sidelined while she recovered from a bacterial infection serious enough to land her in the ICU for several days. But Madonna isn’t one to succumb, and by October she was on her feet and rolling through Europe before bringing her musical festivities stateside for a Dec. 13 debut at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. (She’s on the road through April.)

This triumphant commemoration of her ground-breaking career is stocked with nimble dancers, Broadway-worthy sets (the lighted carousel during “Like a Prayer” is breathtaking), a trove of standard-setting hits (“Open Your Heart,” “La Isla Bonita,” “Vogue”), a grateful Madonna (“No one is more surprised that I have made it this far than me,” she said) and much, much simulated sex. Fans wouldn’t want it any other way.

5. Måneskin

One of the most electrifying live acts in years, the Italian quartet sold out amphitheaters and arenas on their recently wrapped Rush! world tour , a testament to their live prowess honed from nearly nonstop performing the past few years. That Måneskin accomplished a U.S. takeover with a few rock hits – “Supermodel,” "The Loneliest,” “Honey (Are U Coming?)” – but no massive radio airplay is remarkable. But word of mouth about their insides-flipping concerts, driven by their feral rock and the charisma of the foursome, has mattered, with several generations of music fans swarming their shows, as they did at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Maryland (Sept. 23). By the end of a Måneskin show, it’s expected that frontman Damiano David will have shed his shirt and hopped into a pit of fans. But now he’s often joined by guitarist Thomas Raggi and bassist Victoria De Angelis, leaving hair-flailing drummer Ethan Torchio to hold down the blistering beats as they romp.

She flies through the air with the greatest of ease, and more than once you’ll find yourself thinking, “That woman is fearless!” But the joy emanating from Pink’s face as she hangs upside down assures that no one is enjoying this fantastical odyssey more than the woman singing every word of caffeinated hits “Get the Party Started” and “Raise Your Glass” as she dangles from a bungee cord over a stage decorated with neon flamingos, giant mirror balls and flying bananas. Pink’s Summer Carnival stadium tour , which pulled into Nationals Park in Washington (Aug. 7), supported her excellent “Trustfall” album . But it also offered fans a blissful stroll through a career of meaningful pop hits including “Just Like Fire,” “Try” and “Perfect.” Pink will bring her Summer Carnival run overseas for much of 2024 before a U.S. return in August. Don’t miss an opportunity to experience her admirable stamina, that husky-yet-soaring voice and a night of unfettered fun.

3. Beyoncé

Armed with a colossal, eye-popping production, which we learn in “ Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé ” took four years to create, the unstoppable force known as Beyoncé stormed through a 2½-hour stadium spectacle that leaned heavily on newer songs from “Lemonade” and “Renaissance.” Beyoncé launched the tour overseas in May, so by the time she debuted it in the U.S. at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia (July 12), the production thoroughly glistened. Through it all, Bey loomed magnificently on a video screen wall in all of her doe-eyed beauty as she snapped her elbows and stomped through “I’m That Girl” and “Cozy” and offered a few throwbacks with “Naughty Girl” and “Crazy in Love.” The six segments of the show with titles such as “Renaissance,” “Opulence” and “Motherboard” allowed her to thematically group songs and set pieces, but the most memorable moment came from the mere appearance of Blue Ivy, her tween daughter with husband Jay-Z. Watching Beyoncé watch her daughter confidently unlock her moves through “My Power” with a team of professional dancers was not only heart-melting, but a reminder that despite Beyoncé’s almost untouchable magnetism, her job as a mom prevails.

2. Taylor Swift

Even the most optimistic devotee couldn’t have expected that when Swift kicked off her Eras Tour in Glendale, Arizona (March 17), they would be doused with a 44-song setlist and 3-hour-plus production. But Swift, as we know, never does anything less than a 1,000%. So it continued with her record-breaking, awe-inspiring, fan-appreciating sprawl of a concert , an insanely ambitious effort that Swift pulled off more than 50 times in U.S. stadiums before initiating a South American run. (She’ll traverse the globe through most of 2024 before returning for additional U.S. shows in October.)

Forget the billionaire status. The Time magazine Person of the Year accolade. The record-breaking Grammy nominations. When Swift engaged with fans, whether cavorting through radio smashes “You Belong With Me,” “Blank Space,” “Shake it Off” and “Anti-Hero” or uncorking a different pair of “surprise” songs at every show, she underscored how authenticity and vulnerability win every time.

It’s not a concert. It’s an experience. And for the Sept. 29 opening of Las Vegas’ newest toy , the multi-billion-dollar Sphere, the perfect band merged with the perfect venue to create an unquestionable marvel. Among the IMAX-meets-the-Death-Star enormousness of the venue, the head trip of visuals both dizzying and magnificent , the acute sound and the undiminished fearlessness of the band, the “ U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere ” is the definitive live music encounter. This is a show that burrows in your veins like the most heralded artistic offerings and while “Achtung Baby,” which the band plays in its entirety, might not be every U2 fan’s choice as a sonic spotlight, to hear album tracks such as “So Cruel” and “Love is Blindness” is an appreciated anomaly. The band – Bono, the Edge and Adam Clayton joined by Bram van den Berg filling in for health-sidelined Larry Mullen Jr. – also has an obvious blast blitzing through other classics including “Elevation,” “Vertigo” and “Where the Streets Have No Name.” U2 maintains its Sphere residency through March 2. It’s worth the hype.  

More: It was a great year for music. Here are our top songs including Olivia Rodrigo and the Beatles

Atwood Magazine - For the Love of Music

Atwood Magazine’s Best Concerts of 2023!

Atwood Magazine's Best Shows of 2023

aespa Agust D (Suga) Anesthesia & L’Orchestre symphonique de Québec Arctic Monkeys Beyoncé Blind Pilot Blur Burlington Jazz Festival Caroline Polachek Domi & JD Beck Dominic Fike Drain Eloise Guns N’ Roses with The Black Keys Hozier Inhaler Japanese Breakfast Jonas Brothers King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Laufey Lollapalooza MUNA Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Taylor Swift The 1975 The National The Strokes The Wonder Years Unknown Mortal Orchestra Vance Joy

Atwood Magazine logo

F rom all of us here at Atwood Magazine , we wish you a happy and healthy new year!

2023 has been an inspiring year for music. Living legends have further solidified their legacies, whilst fresh faces have become new favorites.

Atwood Magazine has always had at its core the mission to celebrate music of all genres, and this year we continued our goal to be a space of inclusivity and representation by consciously highlighting art and artists from around the world. The year in music was made all the more exciting because of the broad range of music we featured and focused on – from those familiar names in the Top 40, to creatives in the most underground, indie, and alternative of circles.

For so many of these artists, music is more than a mere means of self-expression; it is a vessel full of awesome potential. In recent years, it has felt increasingly important to acknowledge and elevate those who use their art as a voice for the disenfranchised; the oppressed; the underrepresented; and the underprivileged. This year, we continue to recognize those who speak for more than just themselves, while at the same time indulging in the familiar, timeless themes of love, loss, hope, connection, courage, change, and the never-ending pursuit of happiness.

As the year comes to a close, our staff took a step back to honor the songs , albums , EPs ,  concerts , and artist discoveries that had the greatest impact on our lives. Without further ado, Atwood Magazine is proud to present our curated list of 2023’s Best Concerts of the Year , in alphabetical order by artist.

From Taylor Swift’s record-breaking The Eras Tour and Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour to breathtaking shows by artists like The 1975, MUNA, Arctic Monkeys, aespa, Caroline Polachek, Jonas Brothers, Agust D, Blur, and more, these are our favorites – the concerts that left us inspired, invigorated, and even more in love with the music than we were beforehand. Please join us in celebrating 2023’s contributions to the music world!

Mitch Mosk, Editor-in-Chief

Atwood Magazine

Atwood’s 2023 Music of the Year  

The best concerts of the year, click on the artist’s name to skip right to their entry.

Atwood Magazine's 2023 EPs of the Year

O ut of the many K-Pop girl groups that have debuted within the last three years, aespa has earned their place in my heart as one of the best.

The four piece, composed of members Karina, Winter, Giselle, and NingNing, came down to LA for the penultimate show of their “SYNK : HYPER LINE” tour in August, where they managed to naturally go from dubstep anthems to heartfelt ballads in what seemed like a matter of seconds. It was also my first time getting floor seats at an arena concert, which definitely made for a more intense experience, audibly and energetically (or, should I say aenergetic-ally?). Being under SM Entertainment, infamous for housing vocal virtuosos, aespa’s live performances, as expected, did not disappoint; performing strenuous choreography, under beaming LED lasers and wearing inches-high platform boots, aespa made singing look effortless, as each song sounded near-identical to the studio recording. Energy and voices unwavering through the night, on the stage and off of it, the four girls, with their humility, charisma, and dynamic talents, made for a night that was truly unforgettable. – Isabella Le

Agust D (Suga)

I n his first ever world tour solo, Suga set to tell the story of different versions of himself. The energy of the crowd was unmatched for all three nights. The audience echoed in screams between every song and rapped along his lyrics seamlessly in English and Korean. The concert walks you through his three personas; Suga of world renowned group BTS, Agust D his hard-hitting rapper alter ego and Min Yoongi the true man behind it all. All three nights proved that Yoongi is an incredible performer and artist, whether he is alone on stage or accompanied by his six best friends. The lights and stage production of the show is incomparable to any other current running tour. The uniqueness of his performance and his breathtaking stage presence makes the Suga | Agust D D-Day Tour one of the best tours to hit the United States in 2023. – Freya Rinaldi

J ust days after the release of the third installment in his album trilogy, D-Day , on Saturday April 29th, Agust D or Suga (the BTS rapper, producer and songwriter) took to Prudential’s Stage to literally bring the house down.

Beginning the show with his latest single, “Haegeum,” the rapper came out with full energy to a sold out crowd of almost 20,000 people. That energy intensified as he played some of his greatest hits, as the crowd chanted back word for word, bar for bar. Whether those lyrics were in English, Korean or both languages. What made the show special is the duality of it all. It wasn’t just a high energy rap concert, but it also had some moments of what almost felt like moments of serenity as we watched the rapper be vulnerable as well. One second here is this powerful rapper spitting such powerful lyrics that make you truly think for a second, and in the a split second you find yourself swaying along as he strums his guitar or plays the keys on his piano. Needless to say, it was a very special show indeed. – Jada Moore

Anesthesia & L'Orchestre symphonique de Québec

H ow do you top a trip to Canada that’s already included skiing in Mt. Tremblant, hiking in Parc de la Mauricie and Parc Jacques Cartier, an outing to the Montreal en Lumière winter lights festival, a stroll through the gorgeous lit-up Old Quebec neighborhood, and two memorable museum outings in MTL and QC?

You do this: head over to the Grand Théâtre de Québec, where the Orchestre symphonique de Québec and rock group Anesthesia have set up stage. Then, you see them embark on a whirlwind overview of Metallica’s music, raging through metal classics like “Master of Puppets,” “Sad But True,” and “Seek and Destroy,” then slowing things down a bit for Metallica’s gentlest song, “Nothing Else Matters,” only to come roaring back with “Enter Sandman” as a thundering encore.

Worth braving the 5 degree weather outside for the show? Absolument! This was possibly the greatest highlight of a winter Quebec trip packed full of them. – Josh Weiner

Arctic Monkeys

T here is simply something to be said about the magic of Alex Turner’s vocals. He can take on any song and make it either happy or sad. Arctic Monkeys has had one of the most successful tenures in alternative rock music, and with good reason. They are performers, and not to deduce it down to that simply, but they’re amazing at it.

On September 7th, the band took to the stage at Merriweather Post Pavilion on an installment of their “The Car” tour. The air felt different at this show. Perhaps it was even the atmosphere that felt very different. Maybe that had to do with being under the heated Maryland sky (the heat index was in the hundreds) or perhaps it was the collective excitement that carried through the packed venue. As the band played their latest and greatest hits, there was never a single moment where the energy dipped. If this isn’t testament to the legacy they’ve cemented then what else can prove it? – Jada Moore

B ecause who else can travel through realms of space and time and look flawless doing it? Beyoncé’s RENAISSANCE World Tour was a testament to her artistry and unfaltering dedication to her craft. Everything was obviously painstakingly chosen — from the setlist to the set pieces (the bed transition from “Cozy” into “Alien Superstar?” Are we kidding?)

Queen Bey even got the audience involved with the “Everybody on Mute” challenge. Some cities did better than others… I’m not sure how Metlife fared in the competition… but it was fun regardless. Overall, seeing the *iconic* Mother of House of Renaissance was an unforgettable and, honestly, inspiring experience. 10s across the board. – Julia Dzurillay

Blind Pilot

I ‘ll always enjoy the exhilaration and euphoria of singing along to my favorite songs in an arena with 10 to 20,000 people… but nothing compares to the magic of a truly intimate concert experience. I came of age at venues like Rockwood Music Hall, The Bitter End, Knitting Factory, Pianos, Mercury Lounge, and Rough Trade – small New York City clubs where 25 to 200 people (depending on the space) could gather to enjoy everything from acoustic folk to funk, experimental rap to indie rock, R&B, and synth-pop. Last year I was serenaded by one of my favorite artists, The Staves , on a beautiful farm outside London – and this year, I enjoyed an equally intimate experience up at Levon Helm Studios, the beautiful space pioneered by The Band’s Levon Helm, out in Woodstock, New York.

The halls were decked with Christmas lights (it was post-Thanksgiving, after all), and there was a warm buzz about the two-floor studio as we awaited the Oregon-based indie folk band. Acoustic duo Viv & Riley delivered a gorgeous folk set as the opener, and what struck me most – aside from their compelling lyricism – was just how stunning the quality of sound was, bouncing elegantly around the wooden Lincoln Log-like walls that surrounded me.

Needless to say, Blind Pilot’s performance was breathtaking. The band played a concert of half-beloved catalog songs and half-new, unreleased material; the show itself was one of only four they had booked in the Northeast, as they were gearing up to go into the studio and record their fourth album the next week. The idea was to use this mini-tour as a rehearsal for the upcoming sessions – a road test to see how the songs felt onstage first. Most of these songs don’t even have names yet, so I won’t trouble myself (or the reader) with trying to describe them, but what I will say is how soul-stirring and spine-shivering Israel Nebeker’s poetry feels, his tender voice welcoming like a hot fireplace on a cold winter night, supported by the sweet, wondrous harmonies of his bandmates Luke Ydstie and Kati Claborn. From hits like “Half Moon,” “The Colored Night,” and “Three Rounds and a Sound” to new songs – some of which I know will be my “future favorites” – Blind Pilot created a truly moving and unforgettable night for everyone in attendance. Their performance is a reminder that you don’t need massive arenas, pyrotechnics, or really props of any kind to capture the magic, the wonder, and the beauty of music. – Mitch Mosk

T his summer saw some true British legends take themselves on tour around the stadiums and festivals of Europe, with huge, expensive shows to thousands of people. But something about Blur’s weekend at Wembley felt cosier, intimate even. They had taken over three decades, but they had finally arrived on the most prestigious stage in the country. Over two warm days in July, the Britpop kings treated London to a bumper performance spanning their entire discography. Blur knew what the people wanted, and came with a set bristling with hits and fan favourites from their mid-90s output, dedicating half the performance to covering the Britpop trilogy of albums which launched them into the Cool Britannia landscape.

With an obvious adoration for their fans and their music, the band gave so much with such energy and joy. As day turned to dusk, Blur’s endless hits rattled on. There were emotional ballads and big singalongs, followed by huge riffs. There was a little bit of chaos too, with the increasingly-obscure Phil Daniels coming out (to no-one’s surprise) each night to join the band for Parklife. It all came together for a weekend which felt cathartic, long-awaited, and ultimately very British. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait another 30 years for a show like that. – Adam Davidson

Burlington Jazz Festival

H ow about this for a Best Weekend of the Year candidate?

1) Friday June 9th: We drive up from Boston to Burlington; see Zambian rapper sensation Samba the Great deliver a scintillating set in Waterfront Park; then head to the Vermont Comedy Club for a jazzy aftershow and camp out at North Beach Campground.

2) Saturday June 10th: We wake up; hike the tallest mountain in Vermont, Mt. Manfield; return to Burlington for lunch; catch WITCH (We Intend to Cause Havoc) and Cory Henry’s impressive sets at Waterfront Park; and then witness the World’s Greatest Saxophonist, Kamasi Washington, deliver with a mind-blowing performance with his band, capping things off with an exhilirating rendition of “Fists of Fury”; go back to the Vermont Comedy Club for a rockin’ jam session; and then, lo and behold, have Kamasi & Crew walk in the room and come onstage to take part said jam session!

3) Sunday June 11th: We wake up and take down our tents; bike 20 miles alongside sparkling Lake Champlain; return for the Block Party, in which several local bands perform some more jazz at City Hall Park; and drive back to Boston, stopping to see the glistening Vermont State Capitol building en route.

Hard to top that one! Thanks for the memories, Burlington, and hope to catch you again in ’24. – Josh Weiner

Caroline Polachek

W hen Caroline Polachek sang “Welcome to my island / Hope you like me / You ain’t leaving”, I didn’t think she meant it literally, but it’s been months since I’ve had the pleasure of seeing her and the thought doesn’t begin to leave my mind. To this day, I still sometimes picture in my mind her singing live gems like “I Believe” and “Hit Me Where It Hurts”. She’s a unique, intense, sensual and ethereal performer – the list of positive adjectives could go on and on, but I will stop here. She is the pop star we deserve and needed, a stage animal even (indeed, a real tamer). One of the most fascinating performances of this edition of Primavera Sound, definitely. – Dimitra Gurduiala

Domi & JD Beck

T he Coachella crowd roared as the unexpected happened. Thundercat and Anderson Paak surprised the tent to perform alongside this duo. The stage lineup for that day was full of pop acts and DJs, Domi & JD Beck jazz set themselves apart. The two-piece are great musicians with an obvious knack for bringing to life sounds in a new way. They were a must-see at the famous music festival and had the entire crowd grooving. – Freya Rinaldi

Dominic Fike

H eat beating down from the California rays and fuzzy outdoor acoustics, Dominic Fike’s “Don’t Stare at the Sun Tour” brought the environment and energy of Naples, Florida to the Frost Amphitheater.

Through drive-heavy guitars, a makeshift set design, and improvised vocal tricks Fike crafted a physical experience for his album Sunburn, bringing its songs and aesthetics to life. If it wasn’t hot enough in August, his sunburnt show included a flirtatious performance of “Bodies” and a grungy rendition of “Mama’s Boy.” Fike’s dynamic setlist also highlighted tracks from his debut studio album What Could Possibly Go Wrong including a sonically shattering arrangement of “Why” based on his Coachella set, and a poignant encore of “Wurli.” Vast in sound, yet personal in delivery the tour encapsulated all sides of Dominic Fike. – Sofia Sar

N ot to add yet another piece to the countless “Hardcore is having a moment” thinkpieces that crowded music journalism in the past year, but seeing Drain perform at the Brooklyn Monarch is a reminder that heavy music never really dies. Touring in support of their excellent new album  Living Proof,  the band (fronted by former Gulch drummer Sammy Ciaramitaro) brought a murderer’s row of some of the most exciting bands making music right now: Drug Church, Magnitude, Gel, and Combust.

Throughout the evening, there was not a moment of calm. Whether it was Magnitude’s sing-alongs or Drug Church’s wordy anthems, the crowd was ready to move. When Drain came on, it was a reminder that even though hardcore is often a genre that takes itself too seriously, people were ready to have fun. While screaming along to tracks like “FTS (KYS)” or covers of Descendents classics, people donned shark outfits and threw pool noodles around, bringing the metaphor of a moshpit as an ocean to a new type of life. During the band’s final song, the stage was crowded, and people were finding the highest points in the venue to stage dive from. Even though trendy 20-somethings may eventually stop driving the prices of Turnstile tickets up, there will still be kids finding a reprieve where they can get wild in the hardcore community. – James Crowley

I  cannot remember when, but a while back one of my good friends introduced me to the wonderful world of Eloise (no not the one at the plaza, I’m talking about the musical savant that is Eloise) and I have been forever hooked and thankful since. To gush for a moment, her take on intertwining that classic call of jazz with the flow of R&B and the undeniable pull of pop is simply incredible. After listening to Eloise’s absolutely irresistible catalogue and having the absolute privilege of interviewing her during her press run for her album, ‘Drunk on a Flight,’ I just knew I had to catch her live. And I did.

At the Marquis Theater in Denver, Eloise played one of the grooviest shows I have ever attended, and I will be quick to attend another show from her as soon as I get the chance. If you think her recorded vocals sound good, her live vocals are that much better and more impressive. She just seemingly effortlessly floats and beams in a way that is so utterly captivating and breathtaking. – Brianna Corrine

Guns N' Roses with The Black Keys

W hen the sun started to set over beautiful Los Angeles on Wednesday, November 1, people began to pile into the iconic venue perched in the Hollywood Hills. Gathering in leather jackets, boots and t-shirts featuring the band they had all come to see, they talked and smiled over drinks by merch booths and cocktail tables. Guns N’ Roses were finally playing the Hollywood Bowl! Around 6pm, smoke began to seep out of the dome-shaped stage, colorful hues of lights turned on and the distorted guitar riffs of The Black Keys filled the speakers and poured onto the thousands of fans running to their seats. The Black Keys took the stage with a bang! Playing all their hits such as “Gold on the Ceiling,” “Howlin’ for You” and “Little Black Submarines,” they did not disappoint. As they sang the words, “ I got a love that keeps me waitin,’ ” from “Lonely Boy” the stage went dark again.

But not long after, the screams of Axl Rose broke the silence. From rock ‘n’ roll wails to Slash’s unparalleled guitar solos, the 1985 rock band put on an unforgettable three-hour show. It was only a matter of time before the tune of “November Rain” washed over the crowd. And as Axl made his way to center stage and sat at the piano, a loud roar surfaced from the crowd. There is nothing like hearing that song live and belting the lyrics on the top of your lungs on the first day of November with roughly 17,000 people. Guns N’ Roses performed about 30 songs including “Welcome To The Jungle,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “Live And Let Die,” but closed out night one of their two-night stand with “Paradise City.” It was the epitome of rock and an absolute night to remember! – Lauren Turner

H earing Hozier and his mega band (made of 8 people!) live was… Overwhelming, to say the least. One of the best concerts of my life, perhaps the only one where every single song sounded so much better live than in the studio version. I remember coming home with my head spinning, my hands trembling and my heart racing, in disbelief that I had witnessed such a show. I could not stop worshipping this man and his performance, and at the same time I felt adored by his music – does that even make sense? I know it doesn’t feel like it, but it’s something you can tell just by seeing him live. His voice (absurdly powerful!) sweeps you up and never leaves you, holding your attention firmly in its grasp from start to finish.

As if I didn’t then feel privileged enough, there’s also the fact that Hozier wanted to premiere the two parts of “De Selby,” a month before the release of Unreal Unearth . Nothing and no one could describe the chills felt by the audience at that moment. If we then add to all this an evocative location such as the Anfiteatro del Vittoriale, a majestic amphitheater, such a result is not surprising at all, but still. Hearing Hozier live seriously made me see the world with new eyes, with a renewed curiosity, amazement and immense love for even the smallest things. Seeing him is seriously good for the soul. – Dimitra Gurduiala

S omething has to be said about the Dublin music scene; amongst its diversity and immense history, Inhaler have risen. This group of young lads have something uniquely magical that I believe sets them in direct conversation with the likes of established bands like Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes. Their chemistry with one another is undeniable and on stage is where they really come to life. Now, don’t get me wrong, their albums are stunning and some of my most listened to, but their live shows are where they shine the brightest.

I had the honor of seeing the boys’ show at the Summit in Denver in March during their Cuts & Bruises tour, and it was phenomenal. Easily one of the best shows I’ve ever had the privilege of attending. Not only was the crowd electric and attentive to every motion made by the band, but the boys know how to put on a show. Between their charisma and the tightness of their set, Inhaler are establishing their legacy, and I for one am counting down the days til I can catch another show from them. – Brianna Corrine

Japanese Breakfast

A rmed with a full band, a full gown, and her gong, Michelle Zauner went out with a bang at Radio City. Technically this was Japanese Breakfast’s last performance on the Jubilee Tour, as Zauner explained she would be getting blackout drunk for the Philadelphia hometown show and probably wouldn’t remember it.

The most breathtaking moment was when this group covered Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Only Living Boy in New York.” The background spelled “NYC” in twinkling light bulbs, while Zauner strummed away at her guitar. Everyone’s already said it, but it’s worth repeating: this tour and album are pure Jubilee. – Julia Dzurillay

Jonas Brothers

D odger Stadium is home to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but on the night of September 9, the stadium became home to the Jonas Brothers and 56,000 fans. The trio performed all five albums in one night on their world tour, “The Tour.” From 2006 to 2023 and even to the year 3000, the Jonas Brothers took their fans down memory lane.

Walking into the stadium, fans were given lit up wristbands. They filled in the floor and colorful seats scattered around the stadium, as they made new friends and passed around friendship bracelets. Before the concert even started, the energy was high. So when smoke began to creep over the stage, a countdown popped up on the jumbo screen and the Jonas Brothers rose up from center stage, curdling screams of hysteria echoed through the entire place. And boy did they know how to put on a show! Nick sang his iconic words “red dress” during “Burnin’ Up,” while Big Rob surprised the crowd, fireworks blasted through the sky during “Lovebug,” and on top of five albums, Joe and Nick even sang songs from their other career avenues such as “Jealous” and “Cake By The Ocean.” It was a night full of dancing, singing and reminiscing on all the boyband had accomplished, while still embracing the current times and looking forward to the future. – Lauren Turner

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

K ing Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are primarily a studio band, but their live performances are following in the steps of legendary acts such as Phish and The Grateful Dead, whose taping and bootlegging community are the beating heart of their fanbase. The band encourage independent labels to press favoured live performances to vinyl for fair-use distribution, so you know they take their concerts seriously. Their show this March in London was a faultless performance, spanning well in excess of two hours that heralded the end of their European spring tour. The crowd was delightfully varied – Music nerds clutching their newly-purchased vinyl, crusty old hippies who’d been doing this since before it was cool, super-cute girls in leather jackets, and tie-dye and beards everywhere you’d care to look. The weirdo swarm all came together that evening to see something beautiful.

The setlist varied greatly from the previous night’s outing at the prestigious Alexandra Palace, with a cross-career selection of songs. There were psychedelic rock singles, heavy metal thrashfests and ambient jams. After a decade of constant touring, King Gizz are so in-tune with one another on stage they make improv sections sound like years-old favourites. To witness a group of musicians at such a special stage in their career is a privilege, and the capacity crowd in the charming south London theatre soaked up every last ounce of the positive vibe coming from the stage that night. – Adam Davidson

I  like to think I’m a prophet of sorts, so when I heard Laufey’s debut EP, Typical of Me , for the first time in 2020, I knew it wouldn’t be long before she became music’s next ‘it girl.’ 2023, as many are probably aware, proved me right in all the best ways and more.

I really only became conscious of the ‘bad’ when time for concert ticketing came around, where I realized I’d have to battle thousands of other people for tickets to the Santa Ana show on November 17th. By the grace of some higher power, I secured three tickets to the show at face value, and it wasn’t long after until they sold out. I had never seen a performer so dynamic until I saw her perform that night, alternating between playing cello, piano, and guitar through a roughly one-hour set. Time felt frozen, yet was moving so fast at the same time, as she effortlessly commanded the attention of everyone in the audience through not only her talent and artistry, but her wit, charm, and elegance. Through that (albeit short) hour, Laufey had proven me right in all the best ways, yet again, for loving her “From the Start.” – Isabella Le

Lollapalooza

T his was my third Lollapalooza outing, so I knew I was in for something special. But this time was even better than my previous two, since (a) I got to go to three days of the festival for the first time ever, and (b) I got my parents to come along with me! Plus, the range of music was as fantastic as ever. All three of the main headliners I got to see— all from Los Angeles, incidentally— Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, simply dominated their sets, and the same could be said for the other performers I saw throughout those three days. From well-established acts like Shaquille O’Neal (aka DJ Diesel!) and Portugal. The Man, to up-and-comers like Holly Humberstone and Josh Fudge, everyone I encountered at Lollapalooza throughout those three days made it a festival worthy of remembrance. And my parents— older than practically everyone there by four decades or more— had just as much fun as I did! That part was key. – Josh Weiner

T his three-piece pop group has taken 2023 by storm. From gracing the Coachella stage, opening for Taylor Swift and having their own headlining tour, performing was a huge part of their year. MUNA has a captivating stage presence that grasps you while you dance along to their disco pop anthems. I have had the pleasure of attending MUNA shows for six years and the growth and love they put into their work shines every time. One of MUNA’s first shows was at SXSW in 2016, where I attended and there was about 20 people in the crowd. This year the band filled up Stubb’s Amphitheater in the same city. The crowd sang along to their new hits as well as songs from their first album “About U.” MUNA is a must-see live act for anyone who’s looking for fun, good music and to feel the warmth of three best friends living the dream. – Freya Rinaldi

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

I n what could easily have devolved into a a boozy Barclays Boomerfest of half-remembered lyrics and past-their-heyday performances, the revue at the 2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction was a masterclass in live pop magic and a testament to the songwriting prowess of its inductees. Firing on all cylinders, the all-star class included the likes of Sheryl Crow, Chaka Khan, Missy Elliot and Willie Nelson, plus some world-class guests. Jimmy Page emerged unannounced to shred on Link Wray’s “Rumble”, Elton John teamed with Brittany Howard and Chris Stapleton for a tribute performance of “the Weight” and Chaka Khan and Missy Elliot stole the evening with exemplary mini-sets that emphasized the hall’s reappraisal of black women in popular music. Bernie Taupin caustically quipped that he was honored to be inducted amongst “perfectly articulate” women and performers of color, invoking the comments which got former board member and Rolling Stone co-founder Jann Wenner ousted from his post. Marred solely by some head-scratching tribute performances- Adam Levine’s bland version of “Faith” to induct George Michael- rousing calls to action from Tom Morello and, of all people, Dave Matthews cemented this night in the annals of rock history. – Aidan Moyer

Taylor Swift

I t almost goes without saying that the Eras tour was the best show of 2023. Nothing has quite hit the pop-culture zeitgeist like the Eras tour during the summer of 2023. Every update, mistake, surprise song, note change, outfit change, etc (you name it) that occurred during this show over the summer was documented, magnified and celebrated. I think it’s a moment of time that will be pocketed forever.

I was lucky enough to attend in Pittsburgh with “The Story of Us” and “Seven” complete with Aaron Dessner as my surprise songs and it was everything you would hope for it to be and more. Singing every lyric of “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)” with 70,000 humans is a euphoric experience I wish everyone could have at least once. All the hype that surrounded this show honestly almost didn’t even do it justice. It was a once in a lifetime experience and I feel so lucky to have had it. – Kelly McCafferty

N o one does visuals like The 1975. The meticulously curated color schemes, the references to old music videos, the “box” symbol easter-egged into the scenery. For those scrolling through X or Reddit, it’s understandably hard to gauge where the theatrical caricature of Matty Healy ends and where the sincere, real Matty Healy begins. (This tour featured a brand deal with BetterHelp and a naked wax figure of the frontman himself.)

After seeing the Still… At Their Very Best tour in San Francisco, Newark, New York City twice, and Philadelphia, I can confidently say Madison Square Garden Night 2 was magical. During “I’m In Love With You,” Healy noticed a crying fan by themselves in the front row. Healy started crying, explaining to the crowd he related to that unconditional love of music. And after so many controversies and cancellations, 1975 fans truly understand this band to their core. That’s what makes every surprise song, every surprise guest, every moment spent with The 1975 so special. – Julia Dzurillay

The National

T here are bands seemingly geared to reach certain heights — bands that break the mold, smash through the ceiling and write their own destiny. These bands, whether on the back of a hit song or a breakthrough album or a moment in time (or all three), practically have a banner hanging in the rafters of a place like Madison Square Garden. You could say that about The Strokes or Arctic Monkeys or even LCD Soundsystem across the past two decades, but for a band like The National, the road to glory has been more arduous. Through 20 years of methodical albums and relentless touring, The National cultivated a following that hung on lead singer Matt Berninger’s every word with rapture. Itwas poetry in motion and onstage, with moments of clarity and catharsis always within reach at a show by the acclaimed indie band. But never before had they graced the stage of “The World’s Most Famous Arena” — it was a night for the ages, to say the least. The most striking part? In spite of near-deafening buzz that some of the band’s most famous collaborators might take the stage at MSG, the well-dressed group took the show home themselves from start to finish. It was endlessly satisfying, extremely emotional and suitably memorable — a fitting achievement for a band that’s never been more deserving. – Beau Hayhoe

The Strokes

I t used to be the case that sightings of The Strokes onstage were rare – or at least, becoming more and more rare, outside of major festival gigs. That meant fans had to seize the opportunity and take the good with the bad – the band might be late, the sound might be off, the setlist might be short. But on those rare times it all came together, the impact was nothing short of magical. The great news — yes, improbably, incredibly great — seems to be that since the release of 2020’s acclaimed The New Abnormal , the generational NYC band has defied those conventions more and more.

That is to say, you’ve got more than four chances a year to catch the game-changing band, and a balmy August night in New York was one of ’em. It wasn’t just any old Strokes show — sure, the band were late and yes, some lyrics by irascible, iconic singer Julian Casablancas were flubbed — but when they’re “on,” they’re very, very ON. When it all comes together, The Strokes remain one of the best bands on the planet — just witness the sweet nostalgia of “Someday” or the raucous outro of “Last Nite” — and rejoice in the knowledge that it won’t be your last time to see them live. – Beau Hayhoe

The Wonder Years

T o be quite honest, there were many points in the day where it didn’t seem like the show was going to happen. The Wonder Years were set to kick off the 10 th  anniversary tour for their most well-known record with their biggest hometown headlining show in Philadelphia, but a rainy forecast forced every other band to play inside. As anticipation and anxiety grew while each band played inside of Franklin Music Hall (formerly The Electric Factory), it eventually gave way when The Wonder Years took the mainstage outside for a perfectly clear late summer night (with just enough of a fall chill). It was those types of days and nights that so many people fell in love with  The Greatest Generation .

In a year where so many bands (The Hotelier, Foxing, Deafheaven, TWIABP, The Front Bottoms, Citizen) toured for 10 th  anniversaries of bands that felt so vital in late teens and early 20s,  The Greatest Generation  remains one of the best. It a strives for excellence in its messaging that some other bands wouldn’t have been courageous enough to pursue. The record’s message feels just as timely 10 years after the fact, and the fact that The Wonder Years are continuing to try to push the scene forward by bringing new and exciting bands on tour with them remains a testament to their enduring commitment to the scene. – James Crowley

Unknown Mortal Orchestra

A fter taking a four-year hiatus from the live stage, I really didn’t know what to expect with New Zealand bred psychedelic phenom Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Led by frontman Ruban Nielson, the group immediately captivated a sold out 9:30 Club audience the moment they took the stage. It was one of those moments where there was a collective agreement amongst the crowd that a show was about to take place would potentially transcend understood capabilities and restrictions of live music. A certain treat – Nielson’s father Chris on saxophone – provided a second layer to the already synth-heavy style of the band’s work. There was a harmonic fusion of saxophone and synth that left me having to guess which instrument I was hearing – only to realize it was an intertwinement of both.

An excellent lighting display furthered the “psychedelic experience” the band shoots for, but I was seldom able to take my eyes off of Nielson’s guitar neck, as his fingers ran up and down the fretboard while he simultaneously belted lyrics (which, if unfamiliar with the musician side of things, playing lead guitar and singing vocals is very impressive). The band, composed of Nielson’s father on saxophone, his brother Kody on drums, Jacob Portrait on bass and Christian Li on keys, achieved a level of effortless chemistry on stage, entering epic all-hands-on-deck jam sessions that only added to the intensely kaleidoscopic experience, leaving the crowd stunned. I left sharing the sentiment of that show being quite possibly one of the best I’ve seen – and jumped through endless hoops to acquire a ticket to the very next show. – Miles Campbell

V ance Joy embarked on his “In Our Own Sweet Time” tour this year, making his stop in the city of angels on March 11 at the YouTube Theater. The Australian singer-songwriter walked onto stage with the biggest smile on his face and immediately had the crowd’s attention. His blissful vocals filled the venue as he strummed his guitar and played songs off all three of his albums. Whether he was playing one of his upbeat tracks like “Riptide” or one of his more romantic and slower songs such as “I’m With You,” his voice and the vibe he brought to the room was breathtakingly beautiful.

Something that really stuck out at his concert was the way he interacted with the crowd. He was so intentional on connecting with his fans and making it a great night for everyone. Regardless of if he was sharing a personal experience, a story connected to his music or getting everyone to clap during a specific part of a song, he made the show so special for everyone there. Along with his classics such as “Mess Is Mine” or “Missing Piece,” Vance Joy also sang a cover of “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” by Abba. And it got the whole room moving! Vance Joy brings warmth and happiness to his music and to his shows. The people and fans that attend are some of the nicest individuals you’ll interact with. It was a beautiful night that radiated with euphoria. – Lauren Turner

Atwood Magazine's 2023 Albums of the Year

Atwood magazine's 2023 songs of the year, the best eps of 2023, atwood magazine's top artist discoveries of 2023, atwood magazine's best concerts of 2023, connect to atwood magazine on facebook ,  twitter ,  instagram, discover new music on atwood magazine, atwood magazine’s, music of the year.

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77 Essential Tours to Catch in Summer 2023

If it's summer, it's time for live music

77 Essential Tours to Catch in Summer 2023

Play some word association with the word “summer,” and you’ll undoubtedly land on a few typical expressions: beach, pool, tan, vacation, sunglasses, sleep-away camp in Bridgton, Maine. Okay, that last one may just be me, but there are definitely some things that are inextricably connected with nearly everyone’s mid-year bliss. If you’re a  Consequence reader, surely summer means the season of live music, and the tours hitting the road in 2023 are set to continue that grand tradition.

Now, sure, there are all those stacked festival lineups from Bonnaroo to Outside Lands that you can (and should!) check out. But you don’t always have to travel to catch the best bills this summer, not with Alvvays and Alex G hitting the road together; or Weezer out there rocking with Spoon, Future Islands, Modest Mouse, and more; or The All-American Rejects touring for the first time in a decade and bringing along The Get Up Kids, New Found Glory, Motion City Soundtrack, and The Starting Line.

Pop more your thing? Madonna’s coming to town, Jonas Brothers are playing five albums in full every night, and P!NK is swinging through. Looking for something harder? Recent cover stars Metallica are touring behind their latest album, Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper are joining forces, and punk legends X are back. Maybe you lean more classic? How’s a Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire show sound? Or Tears for Fears, or Sparks?

Point is, there are a  lot of concerts to catch this season. Thankfully, many of the can’t-miss shows are part of Live Nation’s Concert Week (May 10th-16th), during which you can get $25 all-in tickets for over 3,800 shows. You can get those here , and check out our full list of essential summer 2023 tours below. Plus, some of the artists on our Essential Spring 2023 Tours are still touring throughout the summer, so make sure to revisit that list, too!

To keep up with all the latest news in live music, check out this page  for constant updates.

Live Nation Concert Week

summer 2023 tours live nation concert week

With so many shows this summer, this is the best way to fill up your concert calendar without emptying your wallet. From May 10th-16th, Live Nation is holding its annual Concert Week $25 all-in tickets promo. In addition to the artists listed above, $25 tickets are available for acts like Ben Folds, Boyz II Men, Billy Porter, Danny Elfman, Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe, Dierks Bentley, Fleet Foxes, Goo Goo Dolls, Feist, James Taylor, Kevin Hart, Jimmy Eat World and Manchester Orchestra, The Mountain Goats, My Morning Jacket, The National, The Struts, Santana, Train, Wu-Tang Clan and Nas, Zac Brown Band, and hundreds more.

Tickets go on sale May 10th, and are only available through the 16th, so check the full list of events here . Any of the below tours that are part of the Concert Week event will be marked with ($25) next to the artist’s name. — Ben Kaye

Get $25 All-In Tickets Here

Alicia Keys

alicia keys summer 2023 tours concerts tickets

Alicia Keys, photo by Kris Fuentes Cortes

Alicia Keys is offering the “Keys to the Summer” this year on her tour that kicks off in June. Come for the classic tracks, stay for the incredible piano performance; Alicia Keys really does put on a great show, and audiences on 23 tour dates will have the chance to experience it themselves. —  Mary Siroky

Get Alicia Keys Tickets Here

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best concert tours for 2023

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What are the 20 must-see concerts of 2023?

Music lovers are always excited when their favorite artists release new music, but nothing compares to watching said artists perform live on stage. When artists announce tours, fans not only want to make sure that they are coming to a city near them but also the quickest way to snag the best tickets.

Witnessing an artist at a live show allows attendees to appreciate the music, showmanship, and creativity a bit more while also building a sense of community with fellow fans. Not to mention, live shows are a great avenue for seeing which up-and-coming artists could be the stars of tomorrow. 

2022 was a massive year for concerts—artists like Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny, Adele, and Lizzo were some of the few artists that kept fans talking about their shows for days on end. Although fans are still waiting on official tour announcements from artists like Beyoncé and Rihanna, 2023 is already gearing up as an epic year for live music.

Here is a list of some of the most anticipated concerts in 2023 that are sure to be hot tickets.

Janet Jackson

Back in 2020, Janet Jackson was scheduled to embark on her Black Diamond Tour, but it was eventually canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, Jackson got back into the performance circuit as she headlined several music festivals, including Essence Fest. Well, starting in April, Ms. Jackson is set to embark on her Together Again Tour and she’s bringing along a special guest, Ludacris. The tour will be held at outdoor stadiums, which means the weather is going to be perfect for witnessing Ms. Jackson in action.

Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks

2023 seems to be the year of legends taking their talents on the road. Rock-n-Roll fans are sure to be excited about the joint tour with Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks, a tour properly titled Two Icons, One Night. So far, Nicks and Joel have announced seven cities, with a start at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. So whether fans want to hear Joel sing “Piano Man” or Nicks sing “Edge of Seventeen,” this is a tour that music lovers don’t want to miss. 

From festival appearances to celebrating the 25th anniversary of his sophomore album My Way  to going viral on social media with his NPR Tiny Desk performance–it seems like 2022 was the year of Usher. On top of it all, his residency in Las Vegas became one of the hottest shows to attend. Usher is returning to Sin City for the third consecutive year of his residency, and let’s just say the tickets have already become a hot commodity. The residency is set to begin on February 24 and end on July 15. 

When fans think of bands that helped push the pop-punk sound to the mainstream in the ‘90s and 2000s, blink-182 always come to mind. Well, in 2023, the band is reuniting with founding member Tom DeLonge for a tour. It will be the band’s first tour since 2014, and it's set to begin in mid-March in Tijuana, Mexico. 

After five years after her debut album Ctrl, SZA returned in 2022 with her long-awaited sophomore album SOS. It seems like it was well worth the wait because not only did SZA break Spotify’s single-day streaming record for an R&B album, but SOS also became the singer’s first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart. With a successful album and a demanding fan base, SZA is embarking on her first arena tour alongside rising artist Omar Apollo. The 17-city tour is set to kick off on February 21 in Columbus, Ohio. 

It’s been six years since the band Paramore released their fifth studio album, After Laughter. To many fans’ surprise and excitement, they’ve returned with their newest album, This Is Why.  While the current This Is Why Tour started in October 2022 with limited dates, the band is set to extend the tour throughout 2023 with dates across North America, Europe, and Latin America. 

In 2022, R&B musician Masego toured across Europe in support of his latest album Studying Abroad: Extended Stay. Many fans have commented on his Instagram posts about not touring in America. Well, it seems like the comments may have worked because in 2023, Masego is set to embark on a North American tour properly titled You Never Visit Me. The 28-city tour is will kick off on March 13 in Santa Ana, Calif. 

Joni Mitchell

Singer Joni Mitchell has been aiding herself after dealing with health issues since 2015, and it’s been over 20 years since she last headlined a show. Well, Mitchell is set to retake the stage on June 10 at Washington’s Gorge Amphitheatre. Since this may be a once-in-a-lifetime show to hear Mitchell sing some of her hit songs like "River" and "Big Yellow Taxi," fans may want to take advantage and give Mitchell her deserved praise. 

In the fall of 2022, soulful R&B singer Ari Lennox released her sophomore album Age/Sex/Location. In celebration of the album, the first lady of Dreamville will embark on a 27-city North American tour. Lennox will be hitting the road starting on January 26 and emerging artists Alex Vaughn and Jai’Len Josey will join her.

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is back with her first tour in five years, and naturally, her fan base, known as the Swifties, couldn’t wait to cop tickets. The Eras Tour will embark across U.S. stadiums starting in March and going through August. The presale, unfortunately, caused plenty of controversy and disappointment with high demand, slow queues, and bots causing site disruption. Due to the chaos, fans are now suing Ticketmaster for fraud, price-fixing, and anti-trust violations. For any fans who were able to score Taylor Swift tickets without paying outrageous resell prices, consider yourselves lucky. 

New Edition, Keith Sweat, and Guy

For the fans who fell in love with ‘80s R&B and New Jack Swing, the Legacy Tour headlined by New Edition is on the list. New Edition will be joined by Keith Sweat, Guy, and Tank as they embark on the 30-city North American tour. Whether fans want to hear New Edition sing “Mr. Telephone Man” or Keith Sweat serenade a special someone on “Make It Last Forever,” this tour is sure to please any R&B fan. 

Shania Twain

2023 marks six years since country legend Shania Twain released her last album Now. Upon the release of her new album Queen of Me, Twain is embarking on a tour to help support it, hitting cities in North America and Europe. After tickets went on sale for the Queen of Me tour, tickets were in high demand, causing Twain and her team to add additional dates. With this being her first tour in five years, Twain once again proves why she is one of the best-selling artists in country music history. 

Anita Baker

In 2022, Anita Baker took her talents to Las Vegas with a residency held at The Venetian. Tickets quickly became an instant seller and prompted Baker’s team to add additional dates. Well, the renowned R&B legend is returning in 2023, but this time she’s headlining a tour across North America, making it her first full tour since 1995. She’s bringing along singer-songwriter-producer Babyface on the road with her. The tour will surely be a celebration as it will also commemorate the 40th anniversary of Baker’s debut album The Songstress. 

Rauw Alejandro

In November 2022, reggaeton singer Rauw Alejandro released his third studio album Saturno. In support of the project, Alejandro is set to embark on a 2023 tour that will take place across North America, South America, and Europe. Alejandro is sure to keep fans partying all night long as he goes through hits like "Todo de Ti" and "PUNTO 40." 

Although Jill Scott’s last album Woman was released back in 2015, that has not stopped her from touring the world to sing her classic hits. The neo-soul singer will tour in 2023 to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of her debut album Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1. Granted, she was supposed to celebrate the album’s 20th anniversary with a tour in 2020, but it was postponed due to the pandemic. The tour is set to kick off in Augusta, Georgia in February and will end in Los Angeles in June. 

2023 marks the 40th anniversary of Metallica’s debut album,  Kill ‘Em All, so it’s only right that the band embarks on a tour. Not only will the M72 World Tour help commemorate the band’s longevity, but it will also support the release of their new album 72 Seasons. The tour will consist of Metallica playing two nights in every city, and there will be a number of rotating opening acts, including Pantera, Mammoth WVH, Greta Van Fleet, Architects, and more. For heavy metal fans, there would be nothing better than seeing a band like Metallica shredding guitars across sports stadiums. 

In November 2022, Afrobeats singer Wizkid released his fifth album More Love, Less Ego. Just a few days after the album was released, Wizkid played a sold-out debut show at Madison Square Garden. With the success of that show, Wizkid announced his 2023 North American tour set to take place starting in March. The tour is set to kick off in Houston and will end in Los Angeles. 

Kenny Chesney

Kenny Chesney is the type of artist who not only feeds his fans with music since the mid-90s but he continues to tour across the world. For his 2023 I Go Back Tour, Chesney is hitting cities that are outside of the normal big markets. While Chesney is used to typically taking over large stadiums, he wanted to use this tour to appreciate his roots even more. Not only will the tour include cities he hasn’t made the trek to, but also small markets that he once played when he was building his career more than two decades ago. The I Go Back Tour is set to kick off March 25 in State College, PA, and conclude May 27 in Orange Beach, Alabama. 

JID and Smino

Over the last few years, rising artists JID and Smino have both been making a name for themselves in the hip-hop world. In 2022, JID released his third album The Forever Story, while Smino released his critically-acclaimed album Luv 4 Rent. In support of their latest projects, JID and Smino are teaming up on their joint tour properly the Luv Is 4Ever. For fans who plan to attend, it wouldn't be a shocker if the two rappers brought out special guests such as Saba, Ravyn Lenae, Earthgang, or J. Cole. 

The death of Naomi Judd shocked the music world, especially country fans who enjoyed the music she made with her daughter Wynonna. In honor of her mother’s legacy, Wynonna embarked on The Judds: The Final Tour and added more dates in 2023. Similar to the first leg of the tour, Wynonna will share the stage alongside other country stars, including Brandi Carlisle, Kelsea Ballerini, Ashley McBryde, Little Big Town, and Martina McBride.  

Mya Singleton is a freelance writer and photographer based in Los Angeles. Her work has also been featured on The Sports Fan Journal and AXS. Feel free to follow her talking all things music on Twitter @MyaMelody7 . 

More must-reads:

  • 25 songs that have been certified diamond
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The biggest gigs and tours to look forward to in 2023

From reunited legends to rising stars, 2023’s live calendar is jam-packed with unmissable appointments

Self Esteem Stormzy Blur Damon Albarn

Times are tough right now, there’s no denying that. But there’s also no denying the healing power of music – especially going to witness your favourite artist or new obsession live. Luckily 2023 is already jam-packed with massive tours and big gigs to help brighten up our lives, whether that’s Arctic Monkeys stepping up to stadiums, rap’s newest star GloRilla showing her mettle, or reunited legends like Blur and Pulp giving us some good old nostalgia. Here are the biggest gigs and tours to look forward to this year.

  • Arctic Monkeys

Matt Helders and Alex Turner performing live on-stage with Arctic Monkeys in 2022

Dates announced: Arctic Monkeys ’ 2023 dates start early, ringing in the New Year in Australia. From there, they’ll tour Asia and Europe, before coming home to the UK for a massive stadium tour and returning to the US.

Why you should go: To witness a live show as dazzling as the mirrorball the band performed around on their 2022 tour. Something tells us the grandiose strings of latest album ‘The Car’ will sound absolutely majestic in the humongous venues the Monkeys will be playing over the next 12 months.

Elton John

Dates announced: Elton John starts his year in Australia and New Zealand before returning to the UK and Europe for a  Glasto finale .

Why you should go: These are quite literally your very last opportunities to see one of pop’s most iconic and unique artists. Sure, loads of acts say they’re quitting touring and then have a big change of heart a few years later, but you don’t want to take the risk of missing out on Elton.

  • Red Hot Chili Peppers

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Anthony Kiedis Red Hot Chili Peppers

Dates announced: Red Hot Chili Peppers will tour New Zealand, Australia and Asia in the first two months of the year, moving on to North America in spring, and Europe and the UK in summer.

Why you should go: They’re pros at the big stadium spectacular – they’ve been doing it for long enough by now. They’re also bringing some huge names with them in support, from Post Malone to The Strokes and Iggy Pop . Not bad!

  • Harry Styles

Harry Styles performing live on-stage in 2022

Dates announced: After three rescheduled LA dates in January, Harry Styles will head to Australia in February, continuing on to Asia and Europe, arriving in the UK in May.

Why you should go: The ‘Love On Tour’ tour might seem never-ending, but even if you’ve been multiple times, it’s still a whole lot of fun to go again. Enjoy the conga lines to ‘Treat People With Kindness’ and make friends with your seatmates as you bellow out Harry’s modern pop anthems together. Sounds lovely.

best concert tours for 2023

Dates announced: The iconic British girl group will head down under in February before playing a one-off London date in September.

Why you should go: These dates are a continuation of the original Sugababes line-up’s reunion – Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donagh – and will see the women celebrating the 25th anniversary of the group. They’ve been through a lot of ups and downs in that time, but this feels like a perfect way to mark the milestone.

Glorilla

Dates announced: US tour begins January 27.

Why you should go: GloRilla is the hottest new hip-hop talent in the game and it’s not going to be long before she’s filling massive venues around the world. Get down to this tour and say you saw her first – and enjoy her mix of femininity and boldness in her infectious songs.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

Bruce Springsteen performing live on stage during Paul McCartney's headline set at Glastonbury 2022

Dates announced: US leg begins February 1; the tour arrives in Europe on April 28, with UK dates from May 30.

Why you should go: There’s been some (deserved) uproar about very expensive tickets, but if you can find a pass at a reasonable price, Springsteen will certainly give you value for money – his gigs are known to stretch for hours, rattling through the big hits and the fan favourites far longer than most acts would perform for.

Paramore

Dates announced: US leg runs from February to August, with UK dates nestled in the middle in April.

Why you should go: To hear the brilliant new songs from upcoming album ‘This Is Why’ among all the best cuts from their back catalogue. Plus, it’s been way too long since Hayley Williams and co went on a proper tour – five years, in fact.

  • Caroline Polachek

Caroline Polachek

Dates announced: The UK, Europe and North America are all on Caroline Polachek ’s schedule, beginning in the former in February.

Why you should go: The alt-pop star’s live shows have been described as a work of art and she always packs surprises into her sets – like at her last London gig, when she was joined by Croydon’s Trinity Girls Choir on ‘Billions’.

Self Esteem 

best concert tours for 2023

Dates announced: UK tour kicks off in February.

Why you should go: This tour feels like a victory lap for Self Esteem , who arguably has had the best last couple of years out of all of us. Her album ‘Prioritise Pleasure’ has constantly wowed fans and critics alike, while her live show has been praised as one of the best in recent memory. Give yourself another chance to see why it’s so brilliant before she inevitably pops off to come up with her next mind-blowing record.

SZA - SOS review

Dates announced: US tour kicks off February 21.

Why you should go: Because SZA ’s new album ‘SOS’ is a very late contender for Album Of The Year and, had it been released earlier, would certainly have been nearing the top of a lot of lists. If you need any more incentive (you shouldn’t), she’s also bringing along Omar Apollo in support to add some extra greatness.

Yungblud performing live on-stage

Dates announced: The Doncaster rock’n’roller will head out on a world tour, beginning in the UK in February before hitting Europe and North America.

Why you should go: Yungblud ’s gigs are renowned for being inclusive, euphoric and theatrical celebrations where you can let go, be yourself and find a community of kindred spirits. We could all do with a bit more of that energy in 2023 so get down to a show and make the most of it.

Lizzo. Credit: Tim Mosenfelder via Getty Images

Dates announced: Europe tour begins February, with UK dates from March before continuing onto North America.

Why you should go: Lizzo shows are the ultimate upper – a feel good celebration of life from one of the most infectious personalities in music. Grab your mates and make sure you get there in time for “bad bitch o’clock”.

BLACKPINK

Dates announced: The ladies of BLACKPINK will take their BORN PINK tour across Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand in the first half of the year, before heading to London in July to headline BST Hyde Park.

Why you should go: This K-pop girl group know how to put on a show , from hi-tech, futuristic VTs to set the mood between each phase of the concert, to artful and flashy stage production. The songs are equally as good – by the time you leave the venue, you’ll have several jostling for place as that day’s earworm.

Blink-182

Dates announced: Blink ’s return begins in South America on March 11, before heading to North America in May and the UK and Europe in September.

Why you should go: It’s the pop-punk icons’ first tour with Tom DeLonge since he left the band in 2015 – aka a massive deal. There’s also a new album on the way, so this won’t just be a big nostalgia trip.

  • Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift performing live on-stage

Dates announced: US leg begins March 17; international dates TBA.

Why you should go: Taylor Swift ’s 2023 tour is dubbed ‘The Eras Tour’ and, while it’s not entirely clear exactly how she’s going to honour each of her past albums yet, it’s guaranteed to be the perfect chance to celebrate the many highs of her brilliant career so far (if you can beat Ticketmaster). Plus, the support bill in the US is stacked, with Paramore , Phoebe Bridgers , Gracie Abrams , Haim , Girl In Red , and many more along for the ride.

The Walkmen 

The Walkmen Hamilton Leithauser

Dates announced: US tour begins April 24; one further festival date confirmed so far at Portugal’s Paredes de Coura Festival.

Why you should go: Sure, New York in the early noughties had The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Interpol , but it also had The Walkmen , a band who often get left out of top billing when talking about that much-romanticised scene. Take one listen to the indie disco classic ‘The Rat’ and tell us that’s fair, and then go book your tickets to their reunion tour.

Kirk Hammett (left) and James Hetfield (right) of Metallica performs on day 1 of Lollapalooza at Grant Park on July 28, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois

Dates announced: The tour begins in Europe in April, heading to the UK for two sets at Download Festival in June, before moving onto North America.

Why you should go: As if you need a reason to go and see Metallica , the titans of metal. But just in case: they’re masters of their craft – aka big, bruising, headbang-worthy riffs – and have a discography of seemingly endless anthems for you to get lost in the moshpit to.

Damiano David of Måneskin

Dates announced: The Italian rockers will tour Europe across spring with a massive London gig at The O2 in May.

Why you should go: In this day and age, it’s rare for Eurovision contestants to carve out careers post-Song Contest that aren’t short-lived or derided as novelty. But Måneskin are living proof that it is doable, so long as you have the tunes and the charisma to deserve more than 15 minutes of fame. The four-piece have both in bucketloads, as you can bear witness to on this tour.

Foals

Dates announced: An intimate UK tour in May.

Why you should go: Foals are now one of the biggest bands in the UK and so the opportunity to see them in tiny venues is a rare chance we must grab when it’s presented to us. Dance to ‘My Number’ on the sticky floor of a club in spring, then celebrate their ascent as they headline Reading & Leeds in the summer.

Pulp

Dates announced: The UK and Ireland-only dates begin in May, continuing til July.

Why you should go: They’re back, baby! Just under a decade since their last live performances, Pulp have reunited once more and are taking their show back on the road to liven up our summer. Expect all the classics, but no Steve Mackey – the bassist has confirmed he won’t join the band on tour.

Damon Albarn of Blur performs live

Dates announced: Select European festival dates woven between three headline shows in Dublin and London this June.

Why you should go: When Blur first reunited in 2009, they instantly blew away any fears that the band might not be the same after years apart. This latest reunion should be no different and the members seem in good spirits about it, too. “We really love playing these songs and thought it’s about time we did it again,” Damon Albarn said when the gigs were announced.

Moldy Peaches 

Adam Green

Dates announced: One London show and appearances at Primavera Sound in Barcelona and Madrid

Why you should go: It’s been 20 years since anti-folk icons The Moldy Peaches last performed in Europe. Although they announced their reunion with the slogan “Once a Moldy Peach, always a Moldy Peach”, who knows when this opportunity to see New York underground royalty will come around again?

Joni Mitchell 

Joni Mitchell

Dates announced: George, WA, Gorge Amphitheatre (June 10).

Why you should go: Joni Mitchell might be playing only one date next year but you should move heaven and earth to try and make it. Why? The last time she held a full concert was 23 years ago and it’s unlikely she’s about to hit the road for even a handful more dates at this point, so it could be your only chance to see the bonafide legend live.

Pet Shop Boys 

Pet Shop Boys Neil Tennant

Dates announced: The UK and European tour runs from June to July.

Why you should go: This is Pet Shop Boys ’ ‘Dreamworld – The Greatest Hits Live’ tour so you’re basically assured that you’re going to hear all of the biggest and best songs in their inimitable arsenal.

jamie t live

Dates announced: London, Finsbury Park (June 23)

Why you should go: It’s Jamie T ’s biggest headline show to date and bound to be an absolute riot. This is an artist who can do indie disco bangers, poignant, softer (if booze-soaked) cuts, and everything in between and make it seem effortless.

The Weeknd 

The Weeknd

Dates announced: UK and Europe tour begins in June before covering Latin America.

Why you should go: This huge stadium tour will cover both of The Weeknd ’s two latest albums – ‘After Hours’ and ‘Dawn FM’ – taking you inside the sci-fi-tinged world of both masterpieces.

Stormzy

Dates announced: Stormzy will take over one day of London’s All Points East, curating a special ‘This Is What We Mean Day’.

Why you should go: The whole day will be Stormzy’s vision – something he’s already proved countless times is a great thing. The line-up has yet to be announced but expect to discover exhilarating new talent, big names making surprise appearances and, of course, it all to be topped off by a headline set from Big Mike himself.

The Postal Service & Death Cab For Cutie

Ben Gibbard

Dates announced: US tour kicks off September 8

Why you should go: Ben Gibbard is pulling double duty on the tour, fronting both The Postal Service and Death Cab For Cutie . The tour itself is a celebration of two albums – the former’s ‘Give Up’ and the latter’s ‘Transatlanticism’, and you’ll get to see both played in full. What more could you ask for?

  • Related Topics
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  • Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
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The 27 biggest concert tours featuring ‘70s bands in 2023

  • Updated: Sep. 07, 2023, 12:29 p.m. |
  • Published: Jul. 19, 2022, 5:30 a.m.

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are just one of the many groups who made their name in the '70s on tour in 2022 and 2023. SL

  • Matt Levy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Although bell bottoms and disco didn’t quite survive the ‘70s, many of the decade’s biggest stars are still performing at peak levels.

From rockers like Bruce Springsteen and Aerosmith to R&B icons Diana Ross and The Temptations , they’re all putting on can’t-miss tours featuring all your favorite oldies this year.

After a bit of whittling and fine-tuning, our team has put together an epic list of the 78 biggest classic rock, R&B, funk, pop, New Wave and country concert tours featuring acts from when Watergate was still recent news.

(Note: First-time Vivid Seats users can save $20 off ticket orders over $200 with promo code NJ20 at checkout.)

Classic Rock

Billy Joel’s MSG residency

StubHub | Ticketmaster | Vivid Seats

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s 2023 Tour

Runs Feb. 1 through Dec. 12

Foreigner’s “Farewell Tour”

July 6 to Nov. 18

Buy tickets: StubHub | Ticketmaster | Vivid Seats

Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top’s “The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour”

Runs July 21 through Sept. 17

Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks concerts

Aug. 5, 2023 to Mar. 9, 2024

Rick Springfield’s “I Want My ‘80s Tour”

Aug. 4 to Sept. 17

Alice Cooper

Runs Aug. 6 through Oct. 23

Stevie Nicks

Runs Aug. 8 through Dec. 15

Sting’s “My Songs World Tour”

Runs Sept. 1 through Oct. 12

Aerosmith’s “The Peace Out Tour”

Runs Sept. 2 through Jan. 26

Graham Nash’s tour

Sept. 5 to Nov. 18

Eagles’ “The Long Goodbye”

Runs Sept. 7 through Nov. 17

Eric Clapton

Runs Sept. 8-19

Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band

Runs Sept. 17 through Oct. 13

Queen and Adam Lambert tour

Oct. 4 to Nov. 12

KISS’ “End Of The Road Tour”

Runs Oct. 29 through Dec. 2

R&B/Funk

Anita Baker’s “The Songstress Tour”

Tour runs from Feb. 11 to Dec. 23

Janet Jackson’s “Together Again Tour”

Tour runs from June 9 to Oct. 27

Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire on “Sing A Song All Night Long”

Runs Aug. 4 through Sept. 15

The Temptations tour

Runs Sept. 8 through Dec. 10

Rod Stewart tour

Runs Feb. 10 through Nov. 22

Cheap Trick tour

Runs Sept. 8 through Oct. 22

Duran Duran’s tour

Runs May 27 through Sept. 19

The Pretenders’ tour

Runs Aug. 16 through Oct. 6

Blondie’s show dates

Sept. 15 and 17

U2′s “U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere”

Sept. 29 to Dec. 16

Willie Nelson′s “Outlaw Music Festival Tour”

Runs Sept. 29 through Dec. 16

Not into ‘70s music?

Check out or story on the 50 biggest concert tours featuring ‘80s bands in 2022 .

Born even a little later?

Try out the biggest concert tours featuring ‘90s bands in 2022 here .

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Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Matt Levy covers the live entertainment industry, writing about upcoming concerts, festivals, shows and events. He can be reached at [email protected] .

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The 25 Concert Tours You Can’t Afford to Miss This Summer

From the stones to j. lo, pearl jam, journey, foo fighters and robert plant, it’s all about big shows and big stars. grab your tickets now.

Edna Gundersen,

Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Photo by: Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images; Photo by Jim Bennett/Getty Images; Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images; Chris Putnam/Future Publishing via Getty Images; Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ONE Musicfest; Getty Images)

After a massive slump during COVID , the concert industry is again sh-boom, sh-booming! The gross for the top 100 North American tours in 2023 reached $6.63 billion, up 39.5 percent over 2022, with attendance nearly doubling, to 15,008 per show, according to Pollstar.

And this year is shaping up to be another box office blowout. Despite the national outrage over price spikes for eggs, airfare and gas , music lovers seem immune to ticket shock. Ticket prices climbed 22 percent last year, to an average of $135.88, compared to $111.49 in 2022. And the trend is pointing skyward.

Taylor Swift’s “Eras” tour and Beyonce’s “Renaissance World” tour ranked first and second last year, but boomer acts remain the tour circuit’s lucrative and reliable summer tentpole, delivering packed arenas and sheds year after year as fans flock to relish the oldies and rekindle the past.

Here are the acts to catch this sunny season.

​Heart (April 20–May 24, Aug. 10–Nov. 22)

Sisters Ann Wilson, 73, and Nancy Wilson, 70, haven’t released an album since 2016’s Beautiful Broken , but they have decades of hits, including “Magic Man,” “Barracuda,” “These Dreams” and “Alone,” to draw from on their “Royal Flush” tour . Cheap Trick opens.

Kenny Chesney (April 20–Aug. 23)

After hitting arenas last year, country star Chesney, 56, has booked 18 stadiums for shows with openers including the Zac Brown Band, Megan Moroney and Uncle Kracker, his duet partner on chart-topper “When the Sun Goes Down.” All but one of the shows are on Saturdays.

​Billy Joel (April 26–Nov. 9)

The Piano Man, 74, has scheduled only 13 dates , four of them at New York’s Madison Square Garden, so ticket stampedes are likely. Fans are curious to know if “Turn the Lights Back On,” Joel’s first single in 17 years, will be added to his hit-heavy repertoire.

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​The Rolling Stones (April 28–July 17)

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Mick Jagger , 80, Keith Richards, 80, Ron Wood, 76, and company continue their global “Hackney Diamonds” tour , named after last year’s highly praised album , the group’s first batch of originals since 2005’s  A Bigger Bang . Expect  Diamonds  cuts and lots of hits.

​Stevie Nicks (May 3–June 21)

Between Fleetwood Mac’s songbook and her own solo catalog, singer-songwriter Nicks, 75, has a huge well of material to draw from as she extends a tour that started in February. She’s been performing crowd favorites “Landslide,” “Dreams,” “Rhiannon” and “Edge of Seventeen” as well as Tom Petty hits in honor of her late friend.

George Strait (May 4–July 20, Dec. 7)

A touring juggernaut, honky-tonk country singer-songwriter Strait, 71, resumes the record-breaking stadium tour he kicked off in 2023. He’s joined by Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town. The King of Country serves up “his own Eras tour, leading a well-curated, decades-spanning set of songs,” according to  Billboard .

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​Roger Daltrey (May 6, June 10–29)

Daltrey, 80, the Who’s charismatic singer, headlines a solo electric and acoustic tour that showcases the British band’s songs, tunes from his own catalog and personal stories. KT Tunstall, Dan Bern and Leslie Mendelson rotate opening slots.

Pearl Jam (May 10–May 30, Aug. 22–Sept. 9)

Seattle’s grunge pioneers (whose average age is 59) have mapped out their high-demand “Dark Matter” world tour to follow the April release of their 12th studio album,  Dark Matter . Ten Club members can register for the presale. Nonmembers? Watch the secondary ticket market sites.

​Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire (May 15–Sept. 7)

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The brass-driven rock band and the R&B group join forces for the return of their “Heart & Soul” tour . The night features each legendary act’s full set and culminates in a finale with both on stage.

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Lionel Richie (May 23–June 16)

After selling out 2023’s “Sing a Song All Night Long” tour, the soul-pop superstar, 74, returns for another 13 dates , performing solo hits “Hello,” “Dancing on the Ceiling” and “All Night Long” as well as such Commodores classics as “Easy,” “Brick House” and “Three Times a Lady.” With Earth, Wind & Fire ("September," "Boogie Wonderland").

​Red Hot Chili Peppers (May 28–July 30)

The California funk-rock quartet’s exhaustive “Unlimited Love” tour began in 2022 to celebrate that year’s pair of number 1 albums, Unlimited Love and Return of the Dream Canteen . Shows have been a mix of hits and covers of Funkadelic, the Clash, Elton John and others.

​Robert Plant and Alison Krauss (June 2–Sept. 1)

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The unlikely duo of the former Led Zeppelin wailer, 75, and bluegrass/country queen, 52, take their eclectic Americana duets on the road . JD McPherson opens the shows and also plays guitar in the band. Plant and Krauss first linked talents for the hit 2007 album  Raising Sand , with a second collaboration,  Raise the Roof , arriving in 2021.

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Janet Jackson (June 4–July 30)

The R&B/pop singer, 57, best known for “Control,” “Nasty,” “Miss You Much” and precision choreography, extends her 2023 “Together Again” tour with 35 dates in amphitheaters and arenas. Nelly (“Not in Herre”) opens.

​Alanis Morissette (June 9–Aug. 10)

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To commemorate the 25th anniversary of her Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie album, the alt-rock singer, who turns 50 on June 1, is staging the “Triple Moon” tour , featuring guests Joan Jett, 65, and the Blackhearts and Morgan Wade. The album’s standout “Thank U” is likely on the set list, along with Jagged Little Pill selections.

​Foreigner and Styx (June 11–Aug. 28)

Ten years after linking up for their “Soundtrack of Summer” trek, vintage rock bands Foreigner (“Hot Blooded,” “Double Vision,” “I Want to Know What Love Is”) and Styx (“Come Sail Away,” “Lady,” “Mr. Roboto”) are together again for a classic rock showdown they’re calling the “Renegades and Juke Box Heroes” tour. John Waite, 71, is the opener.

Blink-182 (June 20–Aug. 13)

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The high-energy pop-punk band, featuring Mark Hoppus, 52, Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker, will play stadiums and arenas in support of their album  One More Time…  Dubbed the “Blink-182” tour , it’s a maturity leap from their 1998 outing, the “PooPoo PeePee” tour.

Jennifer Lopez (June 26–Aug. 17)

The “This Is Me … Live: The Greatest Hits” tour , the first outing for J. Lo, 54, since 2019, celebrates her past while also serving up fresh cuts from her February studio album,  This Is Me … Now,  released along with companion films This Is Me … Now: A Love Story and The Greatest Love Story Never Told .

​Journey and Def Leppard (July 6–Sept. 8)

Journey, whose 18-times-platinum “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” was recently crowned the biggest song of all time, co-headlines with fellow legacy rock band Def Leppard on a stadium tour , with rotating guests Heart, the Steve Miller Band and Cheap Trick.

Jewel and Melissa Etheridge (July 11–Oct. 5)

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Jewel, 50 on May 23, and Etheridge , 62, team up for a co-headlining tour that spans their catalogs, with emphasis on their ’90s peaks. Jewel will dip into 2022’s  Freewheelin’ Woman , and Etheridge, coming off her “I’m Not Broken” tour , revives “Come to My Window” and “I’m the Only One.”

The Pretenders (July 13–Aug. 14)

The British-American rock band, led by original members Chrissie Hynde , 72, and Martin Chambers, 72, will launch a sprawling world tour to promote last September’s release of their album  Relentless . The set list also dives into a deep bag of hits that include “Brass in Pocket,” “My City Was Gone,” “I’ll Stand by You” and “Precious.”

Foo Fighters (July 17–Aug. 18, May 1–9)

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In their biggest headlining U.S. shows so far, the Foo Fighters will play stadiums on their “Everything or Nothing at All” tour , with rotating support acts that include the Hives, L7 and the Pretenders. In 2023, the Seattle band, led by Nirvana member Dave Grohl, 55, released  But Here We Are , its first studio album since the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins in 2022.

Green Day (July 29–Sept. 28)

The punk trio takes on stadiums in its extensive “Saviors” tour , named after the new album that spawned “The American Dream Is Killing Me” and “Look Ma, No Brains!” Openers include Smashing Pumpkins and Rancid.

Pink (Aug. 10–Nov. 23)

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The rock belter’s “Summer Carnival” tour , which began last year, covers a wide range of material, from hits “So What,” “Get the Party Started” and “Who Knew” to the title track from her latest album,  Trustfall,  to such covers as Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” and Janis Joplin’s signature tune “Me and Bobby McGee.”

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (Aug. 15–Sept. 15)

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Many 2023 tour dates were postponed when the Boss called in sick with peptic ulcer disease and E Street members got COVID. Springsteen, 74, is back at work and promising a wider selection of songs than the fairly static set list played earlier in the tour .

​Crowded House (Aug. 29–Sept. 28)

The Australian rock band, best known for “Don’t Dream It’s Over” and “Something So Strong,” will launch its “Gravity Stairs” tour to support its eighth studio album, Gravity Stairs , out May 31. In 2019, a reshuffled lineup added original producer Mitchell Froom and founding member Neil Finn’s sons Liam and Elroy to the lineup.

Edna Gundersen, a regular AARP music critic, was the longtime pop critic for  USA Today .

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Must-See Tours & Music Festivals: How to Get Tickets to Avril Lavigne, Janet Jackson, Madonna & More

We've put together a list of 24 tours and music festivals to attend in 2024.

By Latifah Muhammad

Latifah Muhammad

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Avril Lavigne

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

2024 is the year of mega-tours. After two years of rescheduled, postponed or canceled tours and concerts , music fans can rejoice in knowing that live shows are in full swing.

How to Score Tickets to Bad Bunny’s Most Wanted Tour

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For more tour guides, check out our roundups of 2023 Latin Tours in the U.S. and Las Vegas residencies .

A List of Must-See Music Tours (Updating)

Avril Lavigne — Avril Lavigne: The Greatest Hits Tour kicks off on May 22. All Time Low, Simple Plan, Royal & the Serpent and Girlfriends will be featured on select dates. Get ticket here and here .

Billy Joel — In addition to joining Stevie Nicks for a co-headlining tour , Billy Joel has solo shows scheduled for this year. Get tickets here .

Blink-182 – Blink-182 will be heading back on tour in North America this summer. Buy tickets to here .

Bob Dylan – Tickets to The Never Ending Tour will be available starting Thursday, Jan. 26 (for presale) and Friday, Jan. 27 (general onsale). Get details here .

Bruce Springsteen – After postponing 2023 dates, Bruce Springsteen will be back on tour starting in March. Buy tickets to see The Boss here and here .

Bush – Bush – Loaded: The Greatest Hits Tour starts on July 26. Get tickets here .

Dave Matthews Band — The Dave Matthew Band will head on tour in May. Select tickets are available now through the DMB Warehouse Fan club. Citi presale tickets drop on Feb. 13, general onsale tickets will be available on Feb. 15.

The Eagles – The legendary band recently announced a UK residency as part of the band’s farewell tour. Get tickets to see The Eagles here .

Foo Fighters – The Foo Fighters’ Everything or Nothing Tour starts in July. Get tickets here and here .

Janet Jackson — Following the success of last year’s Together Again Tour, Janet Jackson is extending her stage run. Get tickets here .

Luke Combs – Luke Combs extended his Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour into next summer. Get tickets here and here .

Nicki Minaj — The Pink Friday 2 Tour starts in March. Get tickets here .

Madonna – The highly anticipated Celebration Tour launched in London last year. Get tickets to see the Material Girl here .

Metallica – The hotly anticipated M72 Tour from the rock legends returns to North America this summer. Get tickets here and here .

Olivia Rodrigo – The Guts tour kicks off in February. Get tickets here and here .

Paramore – The pop-punk band will head overseas with Taylor Swift in addition to iHeart Alter Ego 2024 with The Black Keys, Thirty Seconds to Mars The 1975 last month. Click here for tickets to see Paramore on the Eras Tour .  

The Rolling Stones — The Hackney Diamonds Tour launches April 28 in Houston. Get tickets here .

Stevie Nicks – Stevie Nicks will be on the road starting in February. Get tickets to see the music icon live here .

2024 Music Festivals: Where to Get Tickets

Coachella, SXSW, Lovers & Friends, Dreamville Fest, Lovers & Friend, Austin City Limits, Global Citizen Festival will all be returning this year. See a list of upcoming festivals below.

Coachella — Doja Cat, Lana Del Ray and Tyler, the Creator will headline Coachella 2024 featuring performances from No Doubt, Peso Pluma, Lil Uzi Vert, Ice Spice, Tyla, Tinashe, Jhené Aiko, Victoria Monét, Sabrina Carpenter, Coi Leray, Reneé Rapp, Bebe Rexha, Tems, Sublime and more. Get tickets here .

Lovers & Friends Fest — Usher, Janet Jackson and the Backstreet Boys will headline the 2024 Lovers & Friends Festival in Las Vegas in May. Performers include Lil Wayne, Ciara, Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg, Alicia Keys, Nas, Nelly Furtado, Ludacris, Mary J. Blige, TLC and more. Presale tickets go on sale Friday, Jan. 26.

Stagecoach Festival — Lainey Wilson, Leon Bridges, Willy Nelson and more will take the stage for Stagecoach 2024. Get tickets here .

SXSW — If you love movies and music, you need to experience SXSW — at least once. Hundreds of acts will be featured at the 2024 SXSW Conference & Festival which will be held from March 8-16. Register for pre-sale tickets here .

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The 20 best Milwaukee concerts of 2023 — and the most disappointing show of the year

best concert tours for 2023

When it comes to live music in 2023, five words will be remembered more than anything else: "Taylor Swift The Eras Tour."

The "Trouble" is, Time's Person of the Year has become so popular there isn't a big enough venue in Milwaukee where she could play, Swift's longtime tour promoter Louis Messina told the Journal Sentinel.

But even if Milwaukee missed out on the touring phenomenon of the year (as well as Beyoncé's blockbuster "Renaissance" stadium tour), it was a landmark year for concerts in the city. In 2023, the city had a record number of shows at American Family Field, plus 21 concerts at Fiserv Forum, 19 concerts at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater, an ultra-rare Veterans Park music festival, and stuffed calendars at theaters and clubs across town.

These 20 concerts stood out most in an exceptional year — as did one particularly dreadful performance.

20. Hozier ( May 19, Eagles Ballroom, The Rave )

The Irish singer-songwriter woke up May 19 with "zero voice," but by that evening, he was wowing a Milwaukee crowd — including the local doctor who helped him through the ordeal — with a golden voice at a special "pop-up concert" at a venue far smaller than the arenas and amphitheaters he spent most of 2023 playing.

19. Lainey Wilson ( March 30, Eagles Ballroom, The Rave )

Running off the momentum of dominating the 2022 CMA Awards, Wilson, at one of her biggest shows of her career up to that point, seemed to be gunning for Entertainer of the Year for 2023 — a long shot given the CMA's dreadful history of giving the top prize to women. But sure enough, Wilson clinched that prize and four others — all of which, her Milwaukee show made clear, she deserved.

18. Santa Fe Klan ( June 24, Miller Lite Oasis, Summerfest )

A breakthrough booking for one of America's largest and longest running music festivals, the fast-rising Mexican rapper and singer brought the breathless dancers, sharp musicians and magnetic swagger he showcased in his debut arena tour to a Summerfest grounds stage. The festival needs more diverse bookings like this one — and the packed and passionate Summerfest crowd for Klan's concert suggests it won't be the last.

17. Bob Dylan ( Oct. 11, Riverside Theater )

The renewed vigor that the at-times apathetic live performer brought to the Eagles Ballroom in 2019 was still vibrant four years and one pandemic later at the first of two shows at the Riverside Theater. The 82-year-old legend enhanced the delicious delivery of his signature lyrics with some piano dazzle and a couple of uncharacteristic but inspired fist pumps.

16. Lucinda Williams ( Oct. 12, Pabst Theater )

Not allowing a stroke in 2020 to stifle her creativity or slow down her career, Williams in 2023 released a memoir and album, and embarked on her most personal tour to date, where several off-the-cuff stories — some sweet, others somber — about the idols and loved ones who inspired her life and life's work enriched her esteemed songbook.

15. Tool ( Nov. 1, Fiserv Forum )

Notorious for taking lots of time between albums, Tool had no new music to share at the band's return to Fiserv Forum. But the metal titans gave a sold-out crowd a dramatically different show from its last local appearance in 2019, swapping out nearly half of the songs they played four years earlier and demonstrating that the meticulous, patient craftsmanship on returning epics like "Fear Inoculum" yields new rewards with each performance.

14. Os Mutantes ( March 13, Cactus Club )

Singer and guitarist Sérgio Dias might have had some vocal issues due to a cold, but nothing could dim the brilliant opportunity to see the influential Brazilian psychedelic rock legends live up to their envelope-pushing, six-decade-plus pedigree in the tiny confines of the Cactus Club.

13. Paramore ( Aug. 1, Fiserv Forum )

Paramore had to scrap some shows a few days before a tour stop in Milwaukee when frontwoman Hayley Williams developed a lung infection. But she gave one of the most animated and demanding physical performances of the year, her body-flailing, stage-sprinting feat all the more jaw-dropping in the wake of health issues that sidelined the band again less than two weeks later.

12. Billy Porter ( May 20, Bradley Symphony Center )

Safe to say the newish home of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra has yet to host a wilder performer than Billy Porter, who channeled James Brown’s relentless energy and Whitney Houston’s peerless pipes at a show stuffed with deeply personal confessionals, rousing political outrage and a whole lot of liberating dancing.

11. Nick Cave ( Sept. 27, Riverside Theater )

Cave’s Milwaukee performance, as he described it on stage, may have been “extremely reduced”; he sang and played piano, Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood played some ambient bass, and that was it. But Cave’s emotions were heightened, his brooding and bleeding songs, despite and even because of the spareness, almost unbearably intense at times.

10. Peter Gabriel ( Oct. 2, Fiserv Forum )

Gabriel may be the only arena rocker in his seventies daring to play mostly new material. That may have led to some soft ticket sales, but Gabriel’s conviction as he performed his engrossing new songs, enhanced by a spellbinding band and mesmerizing staging, was a bold undertaking inspiring to behold.

9. Janet Jackson ( May 28, American Family Insurance Amphitheater )

Milwaukee may not have gotten a Beyoncé date, but we got to see the artist who’s probably had a greater influence on Queen Bey’s acclaimed live shows than anyone else. Through a dazzling, painstakingly choreographed and impeccably executed set — nearly 45 songs, many creatively reimagined — Jackson showed, at 57, that she’s still in a league of her own.

8. Los Bukis ( Aug. 24, American Family Insurance Amphitheater, Mexican Fiesta )

Mexican Fiesta scored one of the greatest booking coups in recent city history for its 50th anniversary: Los Bukis, essentially Mexico’s answer to the Beatles, playing one of the group's first shows since reuniting after a 25-year hiatus. It was, in all likelihood, a once-in-a-lifetime event, and the passion expressed by a gracious Marco Antonio Solís and his reunited band mates lived up to the occasion.

7. Jelly Roll ( Aug. 18, American Family Insurance Amphitheater )

There wasn't a more emotional concert in town this year than Jelly Roll's triumphant sold-out Milwaukee show. The convicted felon and former drug dealer and addict, and his fans, shed tears as they exorcised their demons, processed their traumas and found hope from what the country singer and rapper perfectly described as "real music for real people with real (expletive) problems."

6. Zach Bryan ( July 7, American Family Insurance Amphitheater, Summerfest )

With Summerfest's 55th anniversary in the books, one concert years from now will be best associated with the celebration: Zach Bryan's swiftly sold-out American Family Insurance Amphitheater performance, a lightning-in-a-bottle moment when an artist early in their transformation to bona-fide phenomenon performs for one of the largest crowds of their career, made all the sweeter by an already impeccable catalog and a spirited band largely made up of lifelong friends. I'm expecting good things from Bryan's Milwaukee return at Fiserv Forum in March — but the electricity from that Summerfest show is going to be hard to replicate.

5. Violent Femmes with Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra ( Oct. 3, Bradley Symphony Center )

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the breakout debut album from Milwaukee's most accomplished band, the Violent Femmes did something special, performing those songs, and others, with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Any concerns that those folk-punk gems would lose their edge to strings and woodwinds were quickly stifled; the 54-piece orchestra frequently enhanced the anxiety and whimsy, resulting in what may have been the Femmes' finest showcase in their hometown.

4. Foo Fighters ( July 15, Veterans Park, Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival )

Harley’s 120th anniversary and return to a music-driven celebration — anchored in Veterans Park for the first time since 2008 — was not without some sadness. The return of Foo Fighters as the closing headliner was the band's first Milwaukee show since the death of the group’s beating heart, drummer Taylor Hawkins. But Dave Grohl and company, including explosive new drummer Josh Freese, honored their fallen friend the best way possible with a no-holds-barred set, giving Harley and some 45,000 fans a party for the ages.

3. Drake ( Aug. 4, Fiserv Forum )

It’s not an overstatement to suggest Drake changed the world, bringing vulnerability and melodic flows to the hip-hop ecosystem, which has become the dominant genre in the wake of his influence. But he had never played Milwaukee — until this summer. The explosive energy from the crowd, finally witnessing an artist with a peerless track record who’s still at the center of the zeitgeist, is something I’ve never experienced, and the significance wasn’t lost on the superstar. His bravado and cutting-edge production ensured that the show was worth the very, very long wait.

2. Pink ( Aug. 14, American Family Field )

It’s embarrassing how long it took for a tour led by a female artist to come to a Wisconsin stadium, but Pink gave a towering performance that lived up to the historic, glass-ceiling-shattering event with radiant vocals, a down-to-earth casualness, and signature, jaw-dropping acrobatics — the most daring set pieces attempted by any artist on the planet.

Our favorite concert of 2023: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band ( March 7, Fiserv Forum )

Few artists of his generation, of any generation, exhibit more gravitas on stage than Bruce Springsteen. But several of the Boss’ peerless songs were more profound at this staggering three-hour show, where Springsteen brought literal tear-swelling sadness and giddy exuberance made possible by deep introspection and 73 years of pain and joy. Live "every moment of every day," Springsteen preached at one point. His heaving, sweat-covered chest by night's end showed he did just that in Milwaukee.

The most disappointing concert of 2023: Trippie Redd ( July 1, American Family Insurance Amphitheater, Summerfest )

I can't count how many artists I've been able to see as a full-time music writer for 11 years — but none has come close to treating their devoted (and paying) fans as terribly as Trippie Redd. For his first show in town in 2018, his DJ didn't make it to town, dooming his set. For his second appearance, he showed up on stage 80 minutes late, then left his own show for 20 minutes a half-hour into his set. And as a Summerfest headliner at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater this year, Redd had the nerve to be late again — taking the stage 76 minutes behind schedule — and call it a night after a lifeless performance that lasted just 28 minutes. "Shameful" doesn't suffice.

Contact Piet at (414) 223-5162 or  [email protected] . Follow him on X at  @pietlevy  or Facebook at  facebook.com/PietLevyMJS .

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Revisiting Jeff Lynne’s 2023 Concert, His First in 4 Years

best concert tours for 2023

Jeff Lynne performing at the 2023 VetsAid concert in San Diego, Nov. 12, 2023

Jeff Lynne’s ELO returned to the concert stage for the first time in more than four years on November 12, 2023 with a 10-song, hit-filled performance. The appearance, part of Joe Walsh’s annual VetsAid benefit concert held this year in San Diego, Calif., was almost four years to the day since his band played a studio show for BBC Radio in London in November 2019 and their first since Lynne completed a North American tour that August 1. The shorter set, part of a multi-act lineup organized by Walsh, included such ELO favorites as “Don’t Bring Me Down,” “All Over the World” and “Mr. Blue Sky.”

Lynne, born on December 30, 1947, had been enjoying a late-career renaissance. A huge comeback event, billed for the first time as Jeff Lynne’s ELO before 50,000 in London’s Hyde Park in September 2014, gave him the confidence that the public interest was not only there, it was insatiable. In 2015, he recorded a studio album, Alone In the Universe , and signed a worldwide deal with Columbia Records. That led to club appearances in New York and Los Angeles. A year later, he played a pair of shows at Radio City Music Hall as well as at the Hollywood Bowl. Soon, he was back to headlining arenas in Europe and North America, and triumphantly played London’s Wembley Stadium in 2017. That same year, decades of being eligible, the Electric Light Orchestra was finally inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Lynne, a production nut, released another studio album in 2019, and it was expected that he would continue touring as Jeff Lynne’s ELO. The pandemic, however, changed all of that.

The spaceship finally landed on a chilly Sunday evening at an outdoor venue, the North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, as Lynne and company kicked off their set with “Evil Woman” and “Do Ya.”

Watch them perform “All Over the World”

Before performing “Turn to Stone,” Lynne said, “I’d just like to say, to all veterans, thank you for your service. It’s a wonderful thing that you do.” He also thanked Walsh “for inviting us all here tonight.”

It was a rare public appearance for Lynne since the pandemic. In June 2023, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame by none other than Walsh. On March 18, 2024, Lynne announced a final tour, called “Over and Out.” Tickets will be available starting March 22 here .

Related: Walsh headlined the evening with a set that featured Stephen Stills as a special guest

Jeff Lynne’s ELO, VetsAid, San Diego, CA, November 12, 2023, Setlist Evil Woman Do Ya Rockaria! Livin’ Thing All Over the World Telephone Line Turn to Stone Don’t Bring Me Down Mr. Blue Sky Roll Over Beethoven

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Mike Pinder, Moody Blues’ Founding Member and Innovative Mellotron Player, Dies

7 Comments so far

MrBee

Once Jeff Lynne’s ELO began everyone was Standing up! Wow! Top Class beyond the best! Jeff has it better now then ever! Will go see ELO again and soon I hope!

Melf

That’s a great lineup of songs, from an amazing, and humble English rocker. Hope they plan a tour for 24 sometime soon!

Greg P

Jeff let his hair down and actually seemed to be having fun, as he and his band performed a fun, raw, and rare set of live music that was over 50 years in the making. This live, understated performance came from his heart and it absolutely showed.

Ironbob

Being at the 2018 tour opener in Oakland was an unforgettable experience. It had been 35 years since they last toured and 37 since they had opened a show in Oakland.

Lucjan

I enjoy this very much. Still after 4 years his voice is lovely and the music make me feel so good and positive. Wonderful indeed

NoVaxHeffy

I was lined up to see ELO in high school-but somehow didn’t get tickets. About 40 years later I saw him at Hollywood Bowl-with a full orchestra!! it was totally Epic. Saw him again in L.A. and took my grown kids-they loved it…and last night played “Cant get it out of my Head” and it is so true. Go if you get a chance-best concerts of my life

Pug

My son and I flew out to San Diego from Pennsylvania to see the VetsAid concert and were very happy we did. Jeff did not disappoint. It was my first ELO concert and hopefully not my last. Jeff is a class act.

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