It’s all been a bit up and down the last few years (translated: an absolute bloody nightmare), but if all of these exciting shows aren’t evidence that live music is well and truly back, we don’t know what is. Now that things are seemingly a little more stable, it’s been a bit of a mad scramble for everyone and their dog to announce events that have hung in Covid-controlled limbo for some time, so you’d be forgiven for finding it all a bit overwhelming.
But take a deep breath and count to three, as we’re here to help with the live events side of your diaries, with a full round-up of the biggest shows for the rest of the year. Can’t help with the excuse for getting out of your mate’s baby shower/cousin’s wedding/nan’s bingo night though, you’re on your own there.
FEBRUARY
There aren’t many bands that have been able to conquer the fickle crowds of MySpace, pass the Tumblr test of time and then still live to tell the tale in 2023. Surrey’s You Me At Six, however, are not the Hello Kitty-laden nostalgia band of MySpace profiles past, having grown with their first fans and evolved enough to amass an army of new ones in the process. We're about to witness the arrival of their eighth album, ‘Truth/Decay’, and with it a tour of the same name that hits venues across the UK, wrapping up with a massive show at London’s Alexandra Palace.
Also this month: Yungblud, Disney On Ice Presents Discover The Magic, Caroline Polachek, Dream Theater, Palaye Royale, Bullet For My Valentine, Florence and the Machine, Metric, The Subways, Dry Cleaning.
MARCH
Our attitude towards news of a Lizzo tour can best be summarised by the great oracle of self-love herself: it’s ABOUT. DAMN. TIME. The powerhouse singer-songwriter will be crossing the pond for the aptly-named Special Tour this month, wrapping up her run of arena shows with a headline slot at Belfast’s Ormeau Park, as part of Belsonic 2023. Who would have guessed that flautists would be back on the map in the 2020s? Maybe it’s worth digging the flute you were forced by your mum to learn in primary school back out after all.
March also heralds the inaugural London edition of Just For Laughs Festival, which is hosting some of the biggest names and hottest newcomers in comedy from around the world, including Kathryn Ryan, Graham Norton, Joe Lycett, Rob Delaney, Bianca Del Rio and Ryan Reynolds (yes, THE Ryan Reynolds, AKA Deadpool, AKA Wrexham FC owner, AKA People’s Sexiest Man Alive 2010). Stand-up shows will be taking place throughout The O2 complex over the course of the weekend, as well as live podcasts, music and more.
Also this month: Snoop Dogg, Dermot Kennedy, Panic! At The Disco, Jim Jefferies, Country To Country, Tom Grennan, Pixies, Don Broco, Michael Buble, Loyle Carner, Death Cab For Cutie, Self Esteem.
APRIL
Here’s the tea for April ’23: while you’re savagely biting the head off your 15th chocolate bunny of the week like some sort of sugar-starved heathen, all 12 queens from the fourth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK will be heading out on tour across the country for a run of wild and wonderful shows. That means Danny Beard, Baby, Black Peppa, Cheddar Gorgeous and loads more are set to make an appearance, bringing all the glam, sass and bants to Plymouth, Brighton, Southampton, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Stockton, Sheffield, Liverpool, Nottingham, London, Southend, Cardiff, Swansea, Ipswich, Newcastle, Leeds and Bristol.
If that’s not your bag, though, there’s plenty more going on to put the springtime spring in your step, with global megastar Sam Smith supporting their new album ‘Gloria’ in arenas across the UK and Ireland, Kevin Hart stopping off in a handful of cities on his Reality Check Tour and, of course, the long-awaited return of the inimitable Paramore. Yep, the years of begging and pleading have finally paid off, with the beloved alt-rock trio hitting Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester, London, Birmingham and Dublin throughout the month. Phew!
Also this month: Macklemore, Olly Murs, Maisie Peters, Andre Rieu, Parenting Hell Live, Sabaton, Magic Mike, Girl In Red, Limp Bizkit, Joel Corry, Shea Couleé, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs.
MAY
It’s been a long ol’ wait for Arctic Monkeys fans, but Sheffield’s finest are finally making their return to the stage, having not toured their home shores since 2018. Get ready for classic sing-a-long anthems aplenty, as well as a good dose of fresh tracks from their new album ‘The Car’ when the indie-rock titans hit stadiums across the UK and Ireland, from late May through to June.
Also kicking off a huge trek at the end of the month after a whopping six sold-out nights at Wembley Stadium last year, Coldplay are bringing their Music Of The Spheres World Tour back to the UK for a run of spring shows. Now indisputably masters of their craft, they’ll be heading to Manchester’s Etihad Stadium and Cardiff’s Principality Stadium en route to Europe and North America.
Also this month: Bruce Springsteen, Avril Lavigne, The Chats, Duran Duran, Maneskin, Steel Panther, Bad Boy Chiller Crew, The Vamps, Delta Goodrem, NOFX.
JUNE
Come on, do we even have to remind you about this one? If the mass-hysteria on social media wasn’t enough to grab your attention, the audible screaming from every corner of the UK and Ireland on the day of this announcement must have been
Following the release of ‘Harry’s House’ last year—which picked up a Mercury Prize nomination and nods at the BRITs and Grammys—singer-songwriter Harry Styles will be heading out on the second European leg of Love On Tour in June, where he’ll be hitting stadiums across the UK and Ireland, with special guests Inhaler and Wet Leg. Expect conga lines, up to 90,000 voices screaming the “leave America” line of As It Was, and finding bits of feather boa in places you didn’t even know you could find them for weeks after the show.
Grab tickets now to see Harry’s electrifying, critically-acclaimed live shows for yourself. And Harry’s hair…and Harry’s smile…and Harry’s…sorry, what were we talking about again?
Also this month: P!nk, Muse, Ozzy Osbourne, Guns N' Roses, Burna Boy, Kiss, The Weeknd, Rancid, Blur, Sam Fender, Kiss, Pulp, Tim Heidecker, Le Tigre, UK Garage All Stars.
JULY
The only thing hotter than the summer sunshine of July (well, maybe, these are the British Isles after all…) is a big fat serving of Red Hot Chili Peppers, who’ll be taking over London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Glasgow’s Hampden Park for two massive shows. Also heading to the Spurs’ stomping ground this month is Grammy-winning Afrobeats superstar Wizkid, making his only UK stop on the More Love, Less Ego Tour.
Alternatively, how about a double dose of glam metal legends? Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard are teaming up for a massive World Tour, which hits the UK and Ireland this month too.
Also this month: Take That, Hollywood Vampires, Kiss, Iron Maiden, Maroon 5, 2000trees, Rag'n'Bone Man, Ministry Of Sound Classical.
AUGUST
Ah, breathe it in, my friends: we can almost smell it now. The sweet scent of stale beer, sweaty pits and rancid loos that can only mean the peak of festival season. If only Balenciaga could bottle it in to an eau de parfum to bring us up during the winter blues. Whether you’re ready for Reading & Leeds, counting down to Creamfields or geared up for Green Man, August is bursting at the seams with gatherings big and small, all around the country. Dig out your favourite floral wellies, load up on dry shampoo and wet wipes, and get ready for what is almost always the highlight of your year: festival szn is here, baby.
There are three words on this earth that have the power to move mountains, to end wars and bring joy to the coldest of hearts. Words that unite humans of all ages, genders, backgrounds, where upon hearing them, even those deep in their graves begin to stir.
LET’S GO GIRLS.
Yee-freakin’-haw, y’all. Pull on your cowboy boots and saddle up for a good time, because god IS a woman and her name is Shania Twain. This month, she’ll be bringing the Queen Of Me Tour to arenas across the UK and Ireland for 10 nights of country-pop classics.
If you’re more accustomed to studded belts than spurs though, September also brings the long-awaited Blink-182 reunion, celebrating the return of O.G. Tom DeLonge who has kindly taken a break from alien hunting for a massive arena tour alongside bandmates Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus.
Also this month: Deacon Blue, Sugababes, Joe Hisaishi, The National, Arlo Parks, Echo & The Bunnymen.
OCTOBER
Cone bras? Check. Oversized hair bows? Check. A massive catalogue of hits to sing along to? Abso-flippin’-lutely check. Please may the congregation be upstanding for the queen: Ms Madonna is in town. Arguably the most iconic name in pop, she’ll be celebrating four decades of bangers when The Celebration Tour hits the O2 in London for not one, not two, but six nights this month.These tickets were in such high demand the day they went on sale, she probably could have sold out a whole month of shows, but following the UK run she’ll be heading west to grace the rest of Europe. Besides, it’s Madonna’s Material World, we’re just living in it.
Also this month: Luke Combs, The Australian Pink Floyd Show, Gabrielle, The Waterboys, Diversity, Europe.
NOVEMBER
Last year indisputably belonged to Mo Gilligan. He hosted the BRITs to rave reviews, completed his second season as a judge on The Masked Singer and continued his reign as the (unofficial) King of Celebrity Gogglebox alongside fellow comedian Babatunde Aléshé (who’s also touring in 2023, btw). Adding another string to his bow, he’ll tourThe Black British Takeover at venues across the UK, bringing some of the most exciting Black comedians on the circuit along with him for the ride.
One Direction alumni Louis Tomlinson is gearing up for a huge arena tour too, after hitting the #1 spot on the UK Official Albums Chart with his new LP, ‘Faith In The Future’, exactly one year ago. That means you’ve had a whole 12 months to learn all the words, so no excuses, alright?
Also this month: Shagged Married Annoyed, Cliff Richard, Hauser, Pete Tong, Trevor Noah, Suzi
Quatro.
DECEMBER
What, you’re saying you haven’t planned what you’re doing in December yet?! Well then, let this be the first thing in your diary for the festive season: Pe-ter Kay is com-ing to toooown. Admittedly, by this point his mammoth tour will have been going on for some time, but it would be absolutely criminal not to give a mention to the second most searched for tour of 2022—and who wants to be on the naughty list this time of year? Not us, that’s for sure.
With news of his first tour in 12 years breaking the internet (who knew Kim K and Pete K had so much in common?), date after date after date was added to the run in an attempt to keep up with a trek that has truly redefined ‘phenomenal demand’. Now extended as far ahead as December 2025, there’s certainly a reason that the comedian has gained national treasure status, but don’t take our word for it: you’ll just have to see for yourself.
Also this month: Leona Lewis, Suede, Sophie Ellis-Bextor
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