Your guide to the must-see concerts headed to Melbourne
The year has only just begun, but there’s already an array of local and international musicians in town, with more headed our way. Here’s a guide to the best tours of 2020
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The year has only just begun, but there’s already an array of local and international musicians in town, with more headed our way. Here’s a guide to the best tours of 2020
ELTON JOHN
DON’T want to tell you what to do, but you’ll kick yourself if you miss Elton’s farewell tour. Tickets may be hard to come by (don’t buy them from Viagogo or any secondary websites and save yourself grief) but if you can obtain them, it’s worth it. The man and his incredible band play a three hour show that feels like they know it’ll be the last time you see them and they’re making sure it counts.
Guaranteed moment: when Elton does his ‘farewell’ speech about halfway through
Venues: Hanging Rock Jan 25-26, A Day on the Green All Saints Estate Jan 29, A Day on the Green Rochford Wines Jan 31, Feb 1, AAMI Park Feb 22
COLD CHISEL
Chisel are only doing three Victorian shows on their latest tour and two have sold out. Your only chance to see them is when they play A Day on the Green next week with Magic Dirt and Birds of Tokyo.
Guaranteed moment: they’ve been playing Flame Trees, Bow River and Khe Sanh back to back
Venue: All Saints Estate Rutherglen, Tuesday Jan 7
ROD STEWART
His mate Elton is retiring, but Rod is still out there doing his thing — returning to Australia in 2020 with a tour he’s calling ‘The Hits’. We appreciate a non-cryptic tour title, with the rocker dipping into his now 50 year career. The chance of you hearing a song you don’t know is slim.
Guaranteed moment: hard to choose but Maggie May is going to be hard to beat.
Venue: Rod Laver Arena October 28, A Day on the Green Mt Duneed Estate Geelong October 31
MICHAEL BUBLE
It’s been six years since Michael Buble’s done a full Australian tour. His fans know why he took a break and he’s singing the song he wrote for his children, Forever Now, in this latest tour which should provide plenty of emotion.
Guaranteed moment: watching him sing Cry Me a River is goosebump material. See also Where or When.
Venue: Rod Laver Arena February 15,16,18
RED HOT SUMMER TOUR
You want a classic Aussie line-up? Try a reformed Hunters & Collectors headlining with James Reyne, The Living End, The Angels, Baby Animals, Killing Heidi and Boom Crash Opera. That’s literally hours of classic Australian music that’s been so popular most shows have already sold out, but there’s still a couple of dates left.
Guaranteed moment: Hunnas doing Throw Your Arms Around Me under the night sky in the great outdoors? C’mon …
Venues: Gateway Lakes Wodonga March 21, North Gardens Ballarat March 28
IRON MAIDEN
ICONIC English metal band Iron Maiden, like AC/DC, keep being discovered by new generation, without losing any fans who grew up with them. This is their Legacy of the Beast tour and sees them including material they haven’t done since the 80s including Flight of Icarus.
Guaranteed moment: There’s a reason Run to the Hills pops up towards the end of the show
Venue: Rod Laver Arena May 9, 11
A-HA & RICK ASTLEY
THERE’S two types of music fans – those who think a-ha are one hit wonders and those who’ve enjoyed the brilliant music they’ve made post Take On Me. Even Coldplay are fans. For their first Australian tour since 1986 they’ll play their debut album Hunting High and Low in full (home to The Sun Always Shines on TV and Train of Thought as well as the title track) then a second set that includes Analogue, I’ve Been Losing You and their Bond theme The Living Daylights. If that’s not enough Rick Astley opens for them, also often mistaken for having just one or two hits, but the man oozes them – Together Forever, Cry For Help, She Wants to Dance With Me, Whenever You Need Somebody and a little tune called Never Gonna Give You Up.
Guaranteed moment: toss up between Rick ending with Never Gonna Give You Up and a-ha opening with Take On Me (it’s track one on their debut album).
Venues: A Day on the Green Rochford Wines Feb 22, Margaret Court Arena Feb 23
QUEEN & ADAM LAMBERT
THERE’S no denying it, the success of the movie Bohemian Rhapsody has put Queen back in stadiums. And with Adam Lambert, they’ve got the ideal frontman to do justice to Freddie Mercury without just sounding like celebrity karaoke. There’s a few deep cuts on this tour (’39, Doing All Right, In the Lap of the Gods) but really it’s just hit after hit after hit after hit. And more hits.
Guaranteed moment: Love of My Life always tests the ol’ tear ducts
Venue: AAMI Park, Feb 19-20
SO POP
You want a pop package tour? Try the reformed Pussycat Dolls (Don’t Cha, Beep, I Don’t Need a Man, Buttons, When I Grow Up, I Hate This Part) plus Steps (Last Thing on My Mind, Tragedy, 5,6,7,8), Sophie Ellis-Bextor (Groovejet, Murder on the Dancefloor, Get Over You), Smash Mouth (Walkin’ on the Sun, All Star), Jesse McCartney (Beautiful Soul), Whigfield (Sexy Eyes), Alice DJ (Better Off Alone), Reel to Real (I Like to Move It) and Samantha Mumba (Gotta Tell You).
Guaranteed moment: Steps doing 5,6,7,8 is going to bring bootscooting back for five minutes
Venue: Melbourne Arena, April 30
LANEWAY FESTIVAL
WANT to see hometown hero Tones And I? She’s at Laneway Festival. Along with The 1975, Charli XCX, Earl Sweatshirt, Ruel, DMA’s, Ocean Alley, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Hockey Dad, Benee, Fontaines DC, The Chats and more. It’s now open to everyone over 16 too.
Guaranteed moment: the drop in Dance Monkey
Venue: Footscray Park, Feb 8
DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL
My Chemical Romance have reformed and this is the only place you can see them. Not enough reason to buy a ticket? There’s also Deftones, Jimmy Eat World, Ministry, Clutch, Testament, Hands Like Houses, Bodyjar and some huge names still to come in the next announcement.
Guaranteed moment: as soon as the intro to My Chem’s Welcome to the Black Parade starts
Venue: Melbourne Showgrounds, March 20
THE NATIONAL
The US indie band have an intensely loyal following and scored rave reviews for their latest album I Am Easy to Find, which featured a string of female vocalists. They’ll be touring with some of them when they return to the Palais, the scene of some of their finest earlier shows on our shores.
Guaranteed moment: Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks, which the audience usually sing for them
Venue: The Palais, March 30,31, April 1
FOMO
The only place you can guarantee seeing Lizzo this month? The FOMO Festival. Her sideshow at the Forum sold out in a heartbeat, but she’ll play FOMO along with Giggs, Brockhampton, Jax Jones, Meduza, Madeon and more. It’s the festival with only one stage, so no clashes.
Guaranteed moment: as soon as Lizzo busts out her trusty flute – it’s named Sasha and it has its own Instagram account.
Venue: Melbourne Showgrounds, January 12
MIRANDA LAMBERT
Who? Some of you will be saying? There’s a reason Lambert is playing Rod Laver Arena, she’s one of the biggest names in country music, with the American singer/songwriter known for pushing the genre a little further than most, especially lyrically. Her latest album, Wildcard, went Top 20 in Australia
Guaranteed moment: The House That Built Me should do it
Venue: Rod Laver Arena, March 26
SIMPLE MINDS/OMD
BOTH of these bands are celebrating their 40th anniversaries. Scots Simple Minds are no strangers to these parts, and their recently released live album displayed that immense sound that crosses from synth pop (Love Song) to booming stadium rock (Alive and Kicking). Meanwhile OMD haven’t been here since 1987 – remember their Pretty in Pink banger If You Leave?
Guaranteed moment: Simple Minds doing Don’t You (Forget About Me)
Venues: A Day on the Green, Rochford Wines, Nov 28, Margaret Court Arena Dec 1
FATBOY SLIM
BOOK the babysitters, middle aged ravers! Fatboy Slim is back in town, playing the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, with 2ManyDJs as guests. Fatboy’s DJ set mixes whatever tunes he’s loving now with his biggest hits he’d be scalped if he didn’t drop into the mix.
Guaranteed moment: Whenever he drops Praise You
Venue: Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Jan 24
AUSTRALIAN OPEN: AO LIVE STAGE
IN just a few years this has become a mini summer festival – a bonus if you’re there for the tennis, and a stand-alone event if you just want to go for the music. There’s still more acts to be added but highlights so far include Jessica Mauboy (with Montaigne) on Jan 19, Thelma Plum and G-Flip on January 21, The Veronicas on Jan 23, Grinspoon and Eskimo Joe on Jan 24, Fatboy Slim on January 26, Kate Miller-Heidke on Jan 27, Billy Idol on Jan 29, Matt Corby on Jan 30 and Bastille on February 1.
Guaranteed moment: Billy Idol – Rebel Yell. The ‘More More More’ bit in particular.
Venue: AO Live Stage, Birrarung Marr
BACKSTREET BOYS
They’re back, alright? Now back to the original five piece line-up (it helped they never had a Justin Timberlake who went off to a huge solo career), Backstreet are still making new music and indeed recently scored their first hit in yonks with Don’t Go Breaking My Heart. But that’s not really what you’ll be buying tickets for, is it?
Guaranteed moment: The crowd doing the dance moves in Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)
Venue: Rod Laver Arena, May 26,27
STORMZY
UK rapper Stormzy is not afraid to speak his mind. After a headline slot at Glastonbury (wearing an anti-stabbing vest designed by Banksy) Stormzy has just released his impressive album Heavy Is the Head, featuring collaborations with H. E. R and Ed Sheeran.
Guaranteed moment: when he drops Vossi Bop
Venue: Melbourne Arena, May 14
ULTRA
Looking for a dance festival on the long weekend – Zedd, Afrojack, Eric Prydz, DJ Snake and Joel Fletcher are among the line-up playing the Ultra festival.
Guaranteed moment: Zedd dropping The Middle (written with Melbourne’s Sarah Aarons).
Venue: Melbourne Showgrounds, March 8
BON IVER
Justin Vernon has upgraded – he’s an arena act now. Following the release of last year’s i,i album, Bon Iver are returning to Australia in June, after being booked for the Dark Mofo festival in Hobart.
Guaranteed moment: he’s been doing a cover of Leon Russell’s A Song For You on the US tour
Venue: Rod Laver Arena, June 16