After a year of live music that has been dominated by the likes of Rihanna, Katy Perry and Take That, and has even seen Beyonce headlining Glasto, we can gracefully admit that 2011 well and truly belonged to pop. But looking ahead, however, with the likes of Blink 182, the Chilis, the Stone Roses and Black Sabbath all preparing to make a big return to our shores in 2012, it seems that the coming year may well be heading back into the hands of rock and roll. Sadly, however, there will be no Glastonbury this year, but fear not as Download, Isle of Wight, T in the Park and even Phoenix Festival are eagerly making plans to fill in for their muddy counterpart. So, whether you’re planning to hit one of the summer festivals this year or just hoping to take in one or two gigs, here are Stereoboard’s Top 10 live events for 2012…
BLINK 182
Picking up where they left off, everyone’s favourite pop-punkers will finally be returning to the UK and Ireland in June to make up for last year’s cancelled tour, when they postponed all European dates to complete their long-awaited new offering ‘Neighbourhoods’. Although many smiles may have been turned upside-down back then – and aggravated further by the subsequent announcement of a US tour later that year – it appears that all has since been forgiven, for now at least. Following the release of ‘Neighbourhoods’, the trio’s sixth album and first in eight years, Blink 182 received a wave of praise from fans and critics alike, with some reviewers even calling it their best effort to date.
Click Here to Compare & Buy Blink 182 Tickets
Blink 182 ‘Heart’s All Gone’
COLDPLAY
After the stunning performances at last year’s Glastonbury and T in the Park, which led to them being named Best Festival Headliner of 2011 in a BBC 6 Music poll, and their more recent arena tour in December, Chris Martin and co will also be returning in June for another major touring stint on their home turf. This time around, Coldplay will be taking ‘Mylo Xyloto’ on the road for some mammoth shows at the likes of Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium in London. They may not have convinced absolutely everyone with their latest offering, but when you’ve topped the albums chart in over 11 countries, that’s probably just about all you need.
Click Here to Compare & Buy Coldplay Tickets
Coldplay ‘Charlie Brown’
DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL
When most music festivals are able to boast The Prodigy and Metallica as two of their Main Stage headliners in a single year, that usually makes for a pretty exceptional weekend. However, when you’ve managed to follow this by securing reformed metal legends Black Sabbath as your closing act, you’re suddenly faced with the honour of being the big event of the year. After managing to persuade Faith No More, AC/DC, Aerosmith and System of a Down to stop by in recent years, Download Festival have outdone themselves once again by convincing Sabbath to name the Donington event as their big comeback show. The original metallers may have only performed here seven years ago, but in light of recent events, many assumed that they wouldn’t be back. No other acts have been confirmed as yet, but with three bill-toppers like that, does anyone really care? Of course not. Oh yeah, and Metallica will be playing ‘The Black Album’ too. Sweet!
Click Here to Compare & Buy Download Festival Tickets
Black Sabbath
FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE
After releasing her difficult second album ‘Ceremonials’ in October and proving in the process that she’s still very much got it, Florence Welch will be taking her Machine out on the road in March for her first major UK tour in a couple of years. ‘Ceremonials’ is already well on its way to overtaking her debut, ‘Lungs’, having topped the albums chart in four countries and even breaching the Top 10 over in the US. Now, with a massive tour of the UK and Ireland planned for the spring, including a trio of dates at London’s Alexandra Palace, Florence and the Machine look set to produce one of the live events of the year.
Click Here to Compare & Buy Florence and the Machine Tickets
ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL
This year, the UK’s classic rock and roll festival is looking to continue its long tradition of booking some of music’s true greats by lining up three of the world’s biggest rock acts from the last 40 years to headline the 2012 event. 10 years after being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers are set to make their debut at the Isle of Wight with a headlining performance on the festival’s opening night. Also leading the weekend’s bill are Pearl Jam, who will be coinciding their appearance with two of their own dates at Manchester’s Evening News Arena, and Bruce Springsteen, who is also set to headline June’s Hard Rock Calling festival in London. Other acts confirmed so far for Isle of Wight include Biffy Clyro, Noel Gallagher and Elbow, with much more still to come.
Click Here to Compare & Buy Isle of Wight Festival Tickets
NME AWARDS SHOWS/NME AWARDS TOUR
With over 20 dates announced so far, the annual NME Awards Shows will be hitting venues around the country next month in the run-up to the ceremony itself. Bands confirmed include Band of Skulls, Justice, tUnE-yArDs, The Big Pink, Little Dragon, Marina and The Diamonds, The Drums and former Gallows frontman Frank Carter’s new band Pure Love. Coinciding with the shows, of course, will be the NME Awards Tour with Two Door Cinema Club, Metronomy, Tribes and rapper/singer Azealia Banks, who recently topped the paper’s yearly Cool List.
Click Here to Compare & Buy NME Awards Show Tickets
Click Here to Compare & Buy NME Awards Tour Tickets
NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS
Just a month after its October release, Noel Gallagher’s ‘High Flying Birds’ was awarded Platinum certification having sold over 300,000 copies in the UK alone, a claim that Liam is still unable to make almost a year since his first post-Oasis offering. OK, so maybe record sales aren’t everything, but while the ongoing squabble between the famous Mancunian brothers may continue for many years to come, the debate to decide which sibling has come out of the split better off is well and truly settled. Next month, Noel will be taking High Flying Birds out on the road for their first major UK tour, followed by yet more dates in September. An appearance at Isle of Wight Festival alongside Bruce Springsteen marks the band’s first UK festival confirmation with more likely to follow.
Click Here to Compare & Buy Noel Gallagher Tickets
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds ‘If I Had A Gun’
PHOENIX FESTIVAL
Things have been kept fairly quiet about this one so far and many younger festival goers may not even be familiar with it. For those that don’t remember, Phoenix Festival was a four-day event held in Stratford-upon-Avon from 1993 until 1998, when it was cancelled due to poor ticket sales. During its short tenure, Phoenix saw performances from the likes of Foo Fighters, The Prodigy, David Bowie and the Sex Pistols during a time when the popularity of summer music festivals had yet to reach its peak. Phoenix founder Vince Power, the man behind Reading, Leeds and Hop Farm, recently announced his intention to revive the event in 2012. Although few details have been confirmed so far, things have recently been hotting up after festival organisers were forced to deny rumours that Radiohead are due to be headlining. Stay tuned…
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
Following their recent arena tour, the Chilis will be returning to the UK and Ireland in June for three mammoth outdoor shows, including a headlining date at the legendary Knebworth. The tour will be a welcome return from the LA quartet, who recently released their first album in five years, ‘I’m With You’. Despite being their first release without popular guitarist John Frusciante since 1995’s ‘One Hot Minute’, the Chili Peppers haven’t lost any of their trademark style on the new album and certainly haven’t lost any of their fans. These gigs are likely to be a welcome addition to 2012’s summer of music.
Click Here to Compare & Buy Red Hot Chili Peppers Tickets
Red Hot Chili Peppers ‘Monarchy of Roses’
THE STONE ROSES
Surely, this one won’t have passed you by and, therefore, I shouldn’t need to tell you anymore about The Stone Roses long-awaited reunion shows in June. In addition to their three previously-announced comeback dates, the Madchester legends will also be performing at Dublin’s Phoenix Park in July before headlining T in the Park. With more festival line-ups still be announced, let’s hope that The Stone Roses will be making even more appearances this summer.
Click Here to Compare & Buy The Stone Roses TicketsNOTE FROM THE EDITOR
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
Let Us Know Your Thoughts
Related News |
Tue 08 Apr 2025
Blink-182 Announce New North American Shows For Missionary Impossible Tour
