Absolute Radio's guide to the hottest upcoming tours and festivals
There's a lot to look forward to
Last updated 28th Oct 2024
It's fair to say there was no shortage of live music in the UK last year - and the same goes for 2024! To help you navigate through all the live music hitting the UK soon, here at Absolute Radio we've put together a handy guide of all of the biggest upcoming tours and festivals to look forward to in 2024 and beyond.
From legendary acts such as The Libertines and The Cult touring the UK, we can also look forward to the likes of Sam Fender and Biffy Clyro this year - not to mention the highly-anticipated Oasis reunion in 2025. But that's just the tip of the iceberg, so join us as we look at the hottest UK tours and festivals coming up in 2024 and 2025.
The hottest tours and festivals coming to the UK in 2024 and 2025:
The Libertines - 2024
This autumn, The Libertines are completing their 16-date UK & Ireland tour, which began in Dublin on Monday 23rd September 2024. Playing another show in Belfast, the English rockers are continuing dates in October, touring through Birmingham, Norwich, Cambridge, Cardiff, Bristol, Glasgow, Liverpool, Nottingham and Leeds, then playing two shows in London before their final date of the tour on 7th November.
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Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro are set to perform six very special UK concerts in October 2024. The 'A Celebration of Beginnings' tour dates will see the Scottish rock band perform their first three studio albums - 2002's 'Blackened Sky', 2003's 'The Vertigo of Bliss' and 2004's 'Infinity Land' - from start to finish, plus other tracks from their back catalogue. Shows begin in London from 20th-22nd October 2024, before the band travel up for a series of shows in Glasgow from 24th-26th. Find out which albums will be played at which shows.
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The Cult - 2024
The Cult will celebrate their four-decade career with a major headline tour in autumn 2024. The seminal rock band's '8424 40th Anniversary Tour' visits 10 cities in England, Scotland and Wales from Monday 21st October to Monday 4th November.
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Deep Purple - 2024
Rock legends Deep Purple will head on their five date UK tour 'The =1 More Time Tour' this November. Opening at Birmingham Resorts World Arena on Monday 4th November, they'll visit London, Leeds and Manchester before concluding at Glasgow OVO Hydro on Sunday 10th November - with the brilliant Glastonbury rockers Reef joining them at all dates.
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Kasabian with The Streets
English rockers Kasabian have announced a UK arena tour, taking place in November 2024, with special guests The Streets. In support of their latest album 'Happenings', which was released in July and boasts singles such as 'Algorithms', 'Call' and 'Coming Back to me Good', the tour starts at Birmingham bp pulse LIVE on Friday 8th November, with the band then playing at Glasgow OVO Hydro (Sat 9th Nov) and London The O2 (Fri 15th Nov) before culminating at Manchester Co-op Live on Saturday 16th November.
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The Script
The Script announced 12 arena shows in the UK and Ireland, as part of the 'Satellites World Tour', with dates taking place from 13th-30th November 2024. The tour will follow the release of the serial hitmaker's new album 'Satellites' (August), and will see them perform in cities including Belfast, Dublin, Cardiff, Bournemouth, Nottingham, Birmingham, London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle and Manchester.
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Suzi Quatro - 2024
Suzi Quatro will celebrate her 60th anniversary in the music business with a five-date UK tour in the autumn of 2024. Playing in prestigious venue throughout the UK, her tour opens at the world-famous London Palladium on Wednesday 13th November 2024. She'll then play dates at York Barbican, Cardiff New Theatre and Liverpool Philharmonic Hall before closing at Leicester De Montfort Hall on Wednesday 20th November.
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Shed Seven - 2024
Chart-topping indie icons Shed Seven will celebrate their 30th anniversary this year, heading on an extensive 23-date UK tour in November and December, joined by special guests The Sherlocks. The tour begins at Sheffield Octagon on Thursday 14th November, and after 21 more shows will wrap up exactly a month later at London O2 Academy Brixton on Saturday 14th December.
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Hard-Fi
After the release of Hard-Fi's new 'Don't Go Making Plans EP' on Friday 1st November 2024, the band will be heading on a headline UK tour later that month. The 10-date UK tour will see them visit Hastings on Saturday 16th November, performing in Portsmouth, Cardiff, Wolverhampton, Nottingham, Glasgow, Sheffield, Manchester and Leeds before ending the run in London on Saturday 30th.
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Absolute Radio Live
Mark your calendars for the return of Absolute Radio Live this year - heading back to the iconic London Palladium on 17th November 2024. One of the best nights in the comedy calendar, Absolute Radio's Jon Richardson and Matt Forde will be co-hosting the brilliant night, with confirmed names such as The Last Leg's Josh Widdicombe, Live at the Apollo star Suzi Ruffell and The Dave Berry Breakfast Show's very own Glenn Moore. This year, the night will raise funds the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Charity.
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Blossoms
Stockport's beloved sons Blossoms will play a very special five-night residency in Manchester in autumn 2024. The shows will take place over five consecutive nights, beginning on Tuesday 19th November, running to Saturday 23rd. Blossoms are set to kick off their run of shows at Manchester Academy, before playing the O2 Ritz, Albert Hall, O2 Victoria Warehouse and O2 Apollo. The support acts will be unique to each concert, with Neon Waltz, The K's and Lottery Winners confirmed so far.
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Sam Fender
Geordie lad Sam Fender will be hitting the road in December 2024 for his 'People Watching Tour', with special guests at all shows being Newquay indie rockers Wunderhorse. North Shields' prodigal son will begin the tour at Dublin 3Arena on Monday 2nd December 2024, and after visiting Leeds First Direct Arena, Manchester Co-op Live, London The O2, Birmingham Utilita Arena and Glasgow OVO Hydro, will conclude with a homecoming show at Newcastle Utilita Arena on Friday 20th December. The tour announcement came as the hitmaker teased new music, as well as opening pre-orders for his new album.
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Culture Club with Tony Hadley and Heaven 17
Music legends Boy George and Culture Club will embark on a major UK & Ireland arena tour in December 2024, that will see them perform their first two albums - 1982's 'Kissing To Be Clever' and 1983's 'Colour By Numbers' - from start to finish. The very special guests on the 10-date trek will be Spandau Ballet legend Tony Hadley and fellow 80s icons Heaven 17. The tour will open at Dublin 3Arena on Tuesday 3rd December 2024, visiting Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle, Cardiff, Nottingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Birmingham before culminating at London The O2 on Sunday 15th December.
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Travis
Scottish indie icons Travis lined up a major headline UK tour - the 'Raze The Bar Tour' - for December 2024, with dates beginning on Thursday 5th December, at Leeds O2 Academy. The 12-date tour will visit Manchester, Liverpool, Wolverhampton, Nottingham, Margate, London, Bristol, Eastbourne, Sheffield and Newcastle, concluding with a massive homecoming show at Glasgow OVO Hydro on Saturday 21st December.
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The Human League
'Don't You Want Me' legends The Human League play eight huge shows in 2024, heading on their 'Generations' tour. Dates begin at the Cardiff Utilita Arena on 5th December 2024, and run up until 14th December when they will play a show at London's OVO Arena Wembley - with the very special guests at all gigs being serial-hitmaker Sophie Ellis-Bextor and their fellow 80s icons T'Pau.
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The Prodigy
Electronic rock titans The Prodigy announced a headline UK tour for December 2024, which will see them play seven concerts in the run-up to Christmas. The tour will include a three-night residency at their beloved London O2 Brixton Academy, as well as shows in Bridlington, two nights at The Warehouse Project in Manchester, and Wolverhampton. DJ Jaguar Skills is the opening support on all dates, with Jack Saunders also playing the late-night shows in London and Manchester.
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Toto - 2025
As part of a larger European tour, rock icons Toto will grace the UK for a headline arena tour in February 2025. Opening at Glasgow OVO Hydro on Saturday 1st February, the 'Africa' legends will play Birmingham BP Pulse Live and Manchester AO Arena, before wrapping the short trek at London OVO Arena Wembley on Thursday 6th Feb.
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Cyndi Lauper - 2025
'True Colours' icon Cyndi Lauper will embark on a farewell tour in 2025 - in what will be her first major trek in more than a decade. After announcing US dates, the 80s icon soon announced a European leg of the 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour', taking in four dates across the UK from 8th-14th February 2025. Cyndi will also be joined by some special guests, which are yet to be announced.
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Snow Patrol - 2025
In support of their eighth studio album 'The Forest Is The Path', Snow Patrol will head on an arena tour in February 2025, through the UK & Ireland. The album, set for release in September 2024, will be their first in six years, with the eight-date tour starting at London's The O2 on Saturday 15th February 2025, and concluding at Belfast SSE Arena on Thursday 27th.
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The Futureheads - 2025
Alongside announcing their two-decade career-spanning greatest hits album 'Decent Days & Nights: The Singles', Sunderland's prodigal sons The Futureheads also revealed that they will embark on a short six-date UK tour in February and March 2025. The band will be calling in at London, Bristol, Manchester, Nottingham, Leeds and Newcastle, from Saturday 22nd February 2025 through to Sunday 2nd March.
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The Darkness - 2025
The Darkness will be heading on a 17-date UK tour in March 2025, with their new studio album 'Dreams on Toast' being released that same month. Justin Hawkins and co. will kick off their lengthy tour at Ipswich Regent Theatre on Friday 7th March, with support on all dates yet again from indie-rockers Ash, and after completing 15 more dates will wrap up with a huge show at the 12,500-capacity London OVO Arena Wembley on Saturday 29th March.
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David Gray - 2025
In support of his 13th album 'Dear Life', set for release on Friday 17th January 2025, David Gray will embark on a major UK & Ireland headline tour. Beginning the 17-date 2025 UK & Ireland tour at Portsmouth Guildhall on Thursday 13th March, 'The Past and Present Tour' will take in dates at locations such as Brighton, Swansea, Bath, Oxford, Newcastle, Stockton, Glasgow, Nottingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Llandudno, Leicester, Liverpool, Birmingham and London, before wrapping up with a huge show at Dublin 3Arena on Saturday 5th April.
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The Lathums - 2025
Wigan indie rockers The Lathums will take on a major headline tour in spring 2025, following the release of their third album 'Matter Does Not Define'. Opening at Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom on Thursday 13th March 2025, they will play shows in Newcastle, Stoke, Sheffield, Nottingham, Birmingham, London, Southampton and Bristol as part of the major trek, wrapping up with a 5,000-capacity gig at Manchester O2 Apollo on Friday 11th April.
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The Wombats - 2025
Scouse-Scandinavian indie heroes The Wombats will take on a major six-date UK arena tour in March 2025 - joined by special guests Everything Everything and Red Rum Club. The Wombats kick off their tour at Nottingham Motorpoint Arena on Tuesday 18th March, and after visiting London The O2, Cardiff Utilita Arena, Manchester AO Arena and Glasgow OVO Hydro, wrap up at Leeds First Direct Arena on Wednesday 26th March.
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Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene have announced a sizeable 19-date UK tour for spring 2025 - with the very special guests at all 19 shows coming in the form of their fellow 90s chart-denters Kula Shaker. The indie icons open their tour at Leeds O2 Academy on 27th March 2025 and wrap up at Liverpool Uni The Mountford Hall on 20th April 2025, also visiting Stockton, Birmingham, Southend, Sheffield, Portsmouth, London, Swansea, Truro, Plymouth, Bristol, Cambridge, Manchester, Nottingham, two nights in Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Dunfermline as part of the major trek.
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Skunk Anansie - 2025
March and April 2025 will see British rock livewires Skunk Anansie - fronted by Absolute Radio's very own Skin - take on their 14-date UK tour. Opening up their tour at London Roundhouse on Saturday 29th March, they are set to perform in Bristol, Cardiff, Nottingham, Manchester, Birmingham, Norwich, Cambridge, Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds, Bournemouth and Brighton, before concluding at Guildford G Live on Wednesday 16th April.
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Primal Scream - 2025
Bobby Gillespie and co. are set to play 14 shows across the UK and Ireland next spring, with Primal Scream heading on tour to support the release of their new album 'Come Ahead'. The major headline trek begins at Bristol Beacon on Monday 31st March 2025, and wraps up at Newcastle O2 City Hall on Saturday 19th April 2025, with them visiting Southampton, Edinburgh, two homecoming shows in Glasgow, Birmingham, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Nottingham, Belfast, Dublin and Leeds in between.
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Manic Street Preachers
Alongside announcing their new studio album 'Critical Thinking', Welsh rock legends Manic Street Preachers also confirmed a headline tour for April and May 2025. The tour opens with two nights at Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom on 11th and 12th April 2025, with the band also playing a pair of dates at London O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on 18th and 19th April. Further two-night residencies include Manchester O2 Apollo on 2nd and 3rd May, and Swansea Arena on 9th and 10th. Sandwiched between are standalone shows at Wolverhampton The Civic at The Halls on 25th April and Bristol Beacon the following night, on 26th.
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Supergrass - 2025
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of their phenomenal debut album 'I Should Coco', Supergrass will embark on a headline tour in May 2025. Featuring a performance of the 1995 album in its entirety, the 10-date anniversary tour opens at Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom on Thursday 8th May 2025 and visits Nottingham, Sheffield, Newcastle, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff, Leeds, London and finally Cornwall on Saturday 31st.
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Bryan Adams - 2025
Chart-slaying Canadian rocker Bryan Adams will be gracing the UK with a nine-date arena tour next year, as part of the 'Roll With The Punches' world tour. The rock legend's headline trek opens at Newcastle Utilita Arena on Thursday 8th May 2025, before visiting Manchester, Leeds, Aberdeen, Glasgow, London, Liverpool and Nottingham with it later concluding at Birmingham bp pulse LIVE on Sunday 18th May.
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Pixies - 2025
Pixies have lined up a nine-date headline UK tour for May 2025. Black Francis, Joey Santiago, David Lovering and new bassist/vocalist Emma Richardson will kick off the trek in Aberdeen on Tuesday 13th May, with the tour including two nights at London O2 Brixton Academy, on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th. Taking in dates in Edinburgh, Leeds, Birmingham, Cardiff, Newcastle and Manchester, the tour culminates on Saturday 24th May.
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Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - 2025
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band will be gracing our shores for the third consecutive year, with them announcing a trio of concerts for May and June 2025, taking place in Manchester and Liverpool. The Boss and his legendary band are set to kick off their short run of shows with two nights at Manchester's Co-op Live on Saturday 17th and Tuesday 20th May 2025, before performing an epic outdoor concert at Liverpool Anfield Stadium on Wednesday 4th June 2025.
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The Lumineers - 2025
'Hey Ho' and 'Stubborn Love' hitmakers The Lumineers will gift us with a five-date UK arena tour in May 2025, with the American indie folk outfit hitting up locations such as Cardiff, London, Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow OVO Hydro from 22nd - 29th. The band, led by founders Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites, are playing the UK shows as part of a much larger 2025 European trek - that is set to conclude with an outdoor gig at Dublin's St Anne's Park on Saturday 31st May.
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The Sisters of Mercy - 2025
Gothic rock icons The Sisters of Mercy will bring a pair of concerts to the London Roundhouse next May Bank Holiday weekend. Sunday 25th and Monday 26th May 2025 will see Andrew Eldridge and co. play the famous Camden venue, serving as their first shows on home turf since their autumn 2023 tour.
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Kaiser Chiefs - 2025
Although it's not a full tour, Saturday 31st May 2025 will see Kaiser Chiefs perform a very special headline show at Leeds Temple Newsam Park. The colossal outdoor show celebrates 20 years of their debut album 'Employment', and will see them perform the album from start to finish alongside other musical gems from their two-decade back catalogue. Support comes from an array of Kaiser Chiefs' mid-noughties indie peers, many of whom are also celebrating album landmarks.
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Stereophonics - 2025
Welsh indie rock giants Stereophonics will be playing seven massive shows in 2025, having announced a major UK & Ireland tour for June and July. With Stadium Anthems being the band's first tour in three years, it will open at Belfast Belsonic on Thursday 5th June before visiting Dublin St. Anne's Park and Cork Virgin Media Park, then Huddersfield The John Smith's Stadium, Glasgow Bellahouston Park and London Finsbury Park before concluding with a huge hometown show at Cardiff Principality Stadium on Saturday 12th July. You can also catch the band playing at their previously announced headline slot at Isle of Wight Festival on Saturday 21st June. The performances will include some of their biggest hits, as well as fresh new music set to be released in 2025.
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Holly Johnson - 2025
June 2025 will see Holly Johnson celebrate the 40th anniversary of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's debut album 'Welcome to the Pleasuredome'. Touring the UK from Friday 6th June through to Saturday 21st, the anniversary tour will take in locations such as Birmingham, London, Bath, Newcastle and Glasgow before culminating with a massive homecoming show in Liverpool.
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Richard Ashcroft - 2025
Verve legend Richard Ashcroft announced a fresh outdoor gig for summer 2025. He will headline Nocturne Live, located at the 10,000-capacity UNESCO World Heritage Site of Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, on Thursday 19th June 2025. Special guests will come in the form of Richard's fellow indie icons The Lightning Seeds and The Zutons.
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Isle of Wight Festival 2025
Isle of Wight Festival will return to Seaclose Park next year, from Thursday 19th to Sunday 22nd June 2025. The first wave of artists have already been announced - including all three headliners, Sting, Stereophonics and Justin Timberlake. Music legend Sting will top the bill on the Friday, with Welsh indie-rock giants Stereophonics headlining Saturday and pop sensation Justin Timberlake bringing the weekender to an emphatic close. Check out the rest of the so-far announced line-up here.
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Iron Maiden - 2025
50 years since bassist Steve Harris formed Iron Maiden, the rock titans will be heading on a very special anniversary tour around the UK & Ireland. The 'Run For Your Lives Tour' kicks off in Budapest at the end of May, with dates coming to the UK from 21st June. With five shows in the UK and Ireland in June 2025, Iron Maiden will play indoor concerts at Birmingham Utilita Arena (Sat 21st), Manchester Co-Op Live (Sun 22nd) and Glasgow OVO Hydro (Mon 30th), as well as two colossal outdoor shows at Dublin Malahide Castle (Wed 25th) and London Stadium (Sat 28th).
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Alanis Morissette - 2025
Alanis Morissette will embark on a five-date UK & Ireland tour in the summer of 2025, playing locations including Dublin Malahide Castle, Belfast Ormeau Park, Cardiff Castle, Lytham Festival and Glasgow OVO Hydro. The dates, which are part of a larger 16-date European tour throughout the summer, will run from Sunday 29th June to Saturday 5th July.
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Oasis - 2025
15 years after the infamous disband of Oasis, brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher buried the hatched and announced that the band would be reuniting in 2025. The highly-anticipated reunion will see them play a series of mammoth UK & Ireland shows in summer 2025. Dates will spread from 4th July 2025 through to 17th August, with the support act now being revealed as The Verve legend Richard Ashcroft.
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Fontaines D.C. - 2025
Irish post-punk heroes Fontaines D.C. will play two colossal outdoor concerts next summer. The quintet will take to the stage at London Finsbury Park on Saturday 5th July 2025, followed a performance at Manchester's 26,000 capacity outdoor venue Wythenshawe Park, on Friday 15th August. Joining the band in Manchester will be Belfast hip hop trio Kneecap and Mercury Prize winners English Teacher.
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Jeff Lynne's ELO - 2025
Jeff Lynne's ELO are set to play their last-ever concert on Sunday 13th July 2025, with the monumental gig taking place at American Express presents BST Hyde Park next summer. Following the announcement of the huge show, the band added more UK arena dates to their farewell tour - now also playing a homecoming arena date at Birmingham Utilita Arena on Saturday 5th July 2025 and Manchester Co-op Live on Wednesday 9th July 2025. Due to high demand, they are playing multiple dates at both locations. Hyde Park being the location of ELO's first festival performance in three decades back in 2014. The group are set to come full circle and wave goodbye to the world with the final, epic performance, with the support bill yet to be announced.
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Imagine Dragons - 2025
Las Vegas hitmakers Imagine Dragons will perform a colossal show at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in summer 2025. The 'Radioactive' stars will be embarking on their first ever full stadium tour, on a 16-stop European trek - which concludes at London Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday 26th July 2025, in what will be their biggest-ever headline concert on UK soil.
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Kendal Calling - 2025
Kendal Calling returns in 2025, set to take place from Thursday 31st July to Sunday 3rd August, returning to the beautiful surroundings of Lowther Deer Park in the Lake District. Organisers have now announced the blockbuster line-up for its 20th anniversary extravaganza, including all four headliners - the Courteeners (Friday), DJ Fatboy Slim (Saturday), The Prodigy (Sunday) and riotous Leeds lads Kaiser Chiefs (Thursday). Check out the rest of the line-up.
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Catfish and The Bottlemen - 2025
Catfish and The Bottlemen will be bringing us two landmark performances in 2025, following extensive dates across the US and Australia. Taking place in the summer of 2025, the two stadium shows will take place in Cardiff Principality Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the 1st and 3rd August 2025 - serving as the band's first ever headline stadium concerts.
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Coldplay - 2025
In support of the Music Venue Trust, the almighty Coldplay announced eight August 2025 UK stadium shows. Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Guy Berryman are set to kick off their run of shows with two nights at Hull Craven Park Stadium on Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th August 2025, before performing six more shows at London's Wembley Stadium from Friday 22nd through to Sunday 31st. The shows are supporting the Music Venue Trust, which supports grassroot venues across the UK - with 10% of the band's proceeds going directly to helping struggling venues and upcoming artists. Following the initial announcement, Coldplay added extra shows, breaking Take That and Taylor Swift's residency record at Wembley Stadium.
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Reading & Leeds Festival 2025
The world-renowned Reading & Leeds Festivals will return over the August Bank Holiday 2025. Next year is set to include another star-studded line-up, having the epic weekenders live up to their reputation as one of the UK's biggest and best music festivals. Although exact dates and line-ups are yet to be confirmed, it is thought the festivals will run from 20th August 2025.
The Maccabees
Although it's not a full tour, The Maccabees have officially reunited and have confirmed a massive show in London next summer. Eight years on from their goodbye shows at London Alexandra Palace in 2017, The Maccabees will headline All Points East on Sunday 24th August 2025, with a full support bill yet to be announced. The announcement followed weeks of teasing their return, with the 2025 concert coinciding with the 10th anniversary of The Maccabees' Number 1 album 'Marks To Prove It,' their final critically-lauded record before going their separate ways.
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The Offspring - 2025
Punk icons The Offspring are coming to the UK next autumn for a five-date arena tour, as part of a larger global tour in support of their new studio album 'Supercharged'. Opening their tour at Cardiff Utilita Arena on Monday 10th November 2025, The Offspring then play London The O2, Newcastle Utilita Arena, Manchester AO Arena, and Glasgow OVO Hydro as part of the trek - with Simple Plan serving as the special guests at all dates.
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