The year kicks off with a star-studded line-up of concerts by Kylie, Eagles, Eminem and the Chili Peppers
It’s going to be a long, hot summer of live music with major Aussie artists and some of the world’s biggest rock and rap superstars gracing our stages.
AUSTRALIAN music fans enjoyed some of the most explosive, talked-about and memorable live entertainment in 2018.
From the super-sized pop extravaganzas of P! nk, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran to the triumphant artistic reinvention of the pop concert by Talking Heads legend David Byrne, live music proved to be a box office bonanza for artists and promoters last year.
And this year is shaping up as another strong year of music offerings from heritage artists including Phil Collins and Eagles through to the evergreen favourites such as Florence and the Machine and Keith Urban.
Here’s our picks for the 2019 Summer of Music not to miss.
Phil Collins — Not Dead Yet tour
After semi-retirement from the concert stage, the 67-year-old got back in the saddle in 2017 with the tour named after his autobiography. While decades of drumming and running around like well, a rock star, have resulted in some pretty savage back injuries and forced him onto a stool for most of the concert, reviews from his performances throughout Europe and the US have celebrated his excellent tonsils, quick wit and stellar band, which now includes his teenage son Nicholas on drums. Tickets available.
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane on January 19, Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney on January 21 to 23, Adelaide Oval, January 25, RAC Arena, Perth, January 28 and 29 and AAMI Park, Melbourne on February 1 and 2.
Keith Urban — Graffiti U! tour
Anyone who has witnessed the country music superstar in concert is well aware Keith Urban loves to rock, give away guitars and play in the middle of the crowd. He also loves a special guest and this time is bringing pop hitmaker Julia “Issues” Michael with him to open and no doubt duet on their recent single Coming Home. Big production plus that bizarre EDM desk he calls The Phantom add to the experience but ultimately it’s Urban’s guitar mastery and natural showmanship which take centre-stage. Urban and family have enjoyed an Australian summer vacation ahead of resuming his world tour in a few weeks. Tickets available.
Newcastle Entertainment Centre: January 23; Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney: January 25 and 26; GIO Stadium, Canberra: January 27; Brisbane Entertainment Centre: January 31 and February 1, 2; Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne: February 5, 6.
Florence and the Machine — High as Hope tour
The queen of ethereal pop that rocks, Florence Welch, returns to bewitch Australian fans with a big outdoor tour in support of her fourth album High as Hope. One of the most captivating and visually compelling live performers of her generation, Welch and her band have been regular visitors here since her breakthrough with the release of her debut album Lungs in 2009. Get there early to check out opener Marlon Williams, who you may have clocked in A Star Is Born. Limited tickets available.
Perth Arena, January 12; Adelaide’s Botanic Park, January 16; Sidney Myer Music Bowl, January 18, Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong, January 19; Brisbane’s Riverstage, January 22 and 23; Sydney’s The Domain, January 26.
Slash — Living The Dream tour
The world’s most famous top-hatted shredder continues to defy the doomsayers sounding rock’s death knell by doing what he does best. For Slash, there can never be too much rock, with the revered musician cutting his third album in six years with this line-up, in between his touring duties with the reunited Gunners. As his fans are well aware, this gig isn’t Slash doing Gunners with Alter Bridge frontman Kennedy reprising Axl Rose; it’s a fully-fledged romp through their own considerable repertoire with a few nods to his other work thrown in. Tickets available.
Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney on January 28, Brisbane Convention Exhibition Centre on January 30, Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne on February 1 and Perth’s RAC Arena on February 3.
Lauryn Hill — The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 20th anniversary tour
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill remains one of the most successful, acclaimed and influential debut solo records recorded in contemporary music. Yep, it is that good. After finding success with The Fugees, Hill struck gold with an album that genre-hopped through neo-soul, R & B and hip hop and featured such esteemed collaborators as Mary J. Blige, D’Angelo and a then unknown John Legend. Fans would be well aware of Ms Hill’s incurable tardiness on stage, as evidenced by her supremely late arrival to her Bluesfest set last year. Tickets available.
HBF Stadium, Perth, February 5, Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, February 7, Riverstage, Brisbane on February 10, Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, February 13, Festival Hall, Melbourne, February 14.
Red Hot Chili Peppers — Australia 2019 tour
It has been six long years since the colourful funk rockers last graced our stages. The good news for their patient Australian fans is the band’s recent setlists have been a crowd-pleasing mix of new stuff from their last studio record, 2016’s rather very good The Getaway with plenty of the songs which have fired up backyard BBQ singalongs for the past couple of decades, from the cover of Stevie Wonder’s Higher Ground through to the ultimate crowd karaoke goodness of Otherside. You can also expect some not-so-off-script solos from Flea, Josh Klinghoffer and Chad Smith to give frontman Anthony Kiedis a breather. Limited tickets available.
Derwent Entertainment Centre, Hobart, February 17; Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on February 19 and 20; Hope Estate Winery, Hunter Valley, February 23; Brisbane Entertainment Centre, February 25 and 26; Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, February 28; A Day On The Green, Geelong, March 2, Superloop Adelaide 500, Adelaide, March 3 and NIB Stadium, Perth on March 5.
Eminem — Rapture 2019 tour
The rap superstar hasn’t been in concert mode since his Rapture run in Europe last July so Australia will be the staging ground for his return next month. Eminem last toured here in 2014 but has been a constant presence on our airwaves and charts since, most recently with the surprise Kamikaze album in September, which soared to No. 1 here and generated its fair share of hits including Killshot, The Ringer and Lucky You. One of the few rappers who can command stadiums in Australia, Eminem is going to have to bring it to match the huge outdoor gigs which captivated music fans in Australia in 2018. Limited tickets available.
QSAC, Brisbane, February 20; Sydney’s ANZ Stadium, February 22, the MCG, February 24, Optus Stadium, Perth, February 27.
Bryan Ferry — 2019 World Tour
The King of sophisticated cool, who has soundtracked four decades of rock seduction, brings his acclaimed world tour to our wineries and arenas next month. A joint celebration of his beloved work with Roxy Music and his successful solo works, the concert is a fan’s dream of a setlist from More Than This and Avalon to Let’s Stick Together and Slave To Love. He recently confessed his love of Oz psychedelic rockers Tame Impala so here’s hoping he adds their hit I’m A Man to his set. Tickets available.
Kings Park and Botanic Gardens, Perth, February 21, Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley, February 23, Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne, February 26, ICC Sydney Theatre, March 1, Sirromet Wines, Queensland, March 3.
Kylie Minogue — Golden tour
The Golden girl of pop returns for her first tour in four years by heading into the great outdoors. While Kylie has done plenty of outdoor festival gigs in the UK, this is the first time she ventures into the more adult winery circuit. But there will be indoor arena shows littered throughout the homecoming run which suggests Minogue will be retooling her Golden extravaganza for two very distinct set-ups. It will be interesting to see what she comes up with but you can count of a set full of new stuff and fresh takes on the old stuff. And lots of gorgeous outfits, of course. Limited tickets available.
Sydney’s ICC Theatre, March 5 and 6; Adelaide Entertainment Centre, March 11; Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne, March 13. A Day on the Green winery shows — Perth’s Sir James Mitchell Park, March 9; Bimbadgen Estate, Hunter Valley, March 16 and Sirromet Wines, Mt Cotton, Queensland, March 17.
Eagles — World Tour 2019
Fans may have thought the controversial rockers wouldn’t return to touring after the sudden death of Glenn Frey in 2016. But a memorial concert for the late co-founder of the band revealed his son Deacon was up to the unenviable challenge of stepping into his father’s shoes in the band. With American country star Vince Gill further swelling their ranks, and originals Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B Schmit, the new incarnation of the Eagles has been getting plenty of love from fans during last year’s show. Tickets available.
Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena, March 5 and 5; Brisbane Entertainment Centre, March 9 and 10, Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, March 13 and 14.
Other concerts worth checking out in January include Mumford and Sons, So Pop! and Craig David.
In February, you can see Missy Higgins and John Butler, Lily Allen, Nickelback, Maroon 5 and Arctic Monkeys.
Acts to book dates in March include Bryan Adams, John Mayer and Slayer.
And further into 2019, we will enjoy shows by Iggy Pop, Basement Jaxx, Norah Jones, Air Supply, Post Malone, Matt Corby, Amy Shark, Bring Me The Horizon, Kasey Musgraves and Shawn Mendes.
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