Most Anticipated Shows of 2017

With 2016 behind us, it’s time to look ahead, and we kick off our preview with our Most Anticipated Shows of 2017. The list below is a preliminary one, as new tours should be announced in the coming weeks. In the meantime, here’s our list of tours and festivals that we cannot wait to arrive.

Elbow

It has been more than five years since Guy Garvey brought the Elbow lads ’round my part of the country. Maybe I’ll get doubly lucky and they’ll announce a US tour and play Glastonbury, too? Regardless of where they tour, just having new music from some of my favorite Mancunians will make 2017 infinitely more bearable. ~~ Hollie

Fleet Foxes

It has been an entirety since Robin Pecknold, Skyler Skjelset, Casey Wescott, Christian Wargo, and Morgan Henderson released an album. OK, it’s been nearly six years since Fleet Foxes‘ second LP, Helplessness Blues, was released, but longtime fans (like us) have been craving something. With a new record on the horizon and shows in Spain and Ireland have been confirmed, a tour should follow shortly. We’re keeping our fingers (and toes) crossed! ~~ Ben

Glastonbury | Somerset, England (June 21-25)

2016 was all about my Bucket List artists. I was able to cross off nearly a dozen from my list, including Prince. But 2017 will be about the Bucket List venues, of which Glastonbury is #1. I’ve tried for nearly a decade to snag tickets, and this year – when my all-time favorite band, Radiohead, is headlining – will make my first trip to Worthy Farm a dream come true. ~~ Hollie

Governors Ball | New York City (June 2-4)

Governors Ball is proof you can have a consistently great large music festival in New York City. Last year’s lineup included some top headliners like Beck, The Strokes, and Haim as well as an incredible undercard featuring Torres, Holly Miranda, and Bully. This year they look to bounce back from a shortened festival due to rain, so they will likely pull out all the stops to get some incredible acts to bring people back to Randall’s Island. Add to that the new affiliation with LiveNation, it sets up Governors Ball 2017 to be the biggest yet. No word on headliners, but the social media crew has been dropping hints for weeks now. And oh yeah, some of the best food trucks in New York City will be there. ~~Rich

The Hangout Beach, Music and Arts Festival | Gulf Shores, AL (May 19-21)

A festival by the beach? Enjoying the sun while listening to Frank Ocean, Franz Ferdinand, Mac DeMarco, Warpaint, Joseph, LP, and Foreign Air? That’s this year’s The Hangout Festival, which has swelled in popularity in its short history. Being able to take a dip in the Gulf of Mexico in the heat is another benefit. Where do we sign up? ~~ The Revue

Lady Lamb – Living Room Tour (USA)

Lady Lamb‘s music is ideal for intimate spaces. Her first recordings were very minimal, usually just vocals and guitar or banjo, sometimes with other instruments sprinkled in. She then released two full, fleshed-out records and toured for years with a full band. With her latest EP, Tender Warriors Club, however she has gone back to the minimal execution of her early work. The result is an album that would be absolutely perfect when heard preformed in someone’s cozy living room. Lady Lamb is also doing some smaller club dates as well during this tour, which are also not to be missed. ~~Rich

My Baby (New Zealand & European Tour)

Heading south during New Zealand’s summer has been an annual rite for Dutch voodoo, neo-psychedelic trio My Baby. It also helps that lead guitarist Daniel Johnston hails from Aotearoa, and Cato and Joost van Dyck have made themselves at home here. Last year, they had one of the best shows I’ve seen all year – a two-hour mind-blowing event, and it was free! They’re finalizing a new album, so concertgoers in NZ and Europe should get a glimpse of what is to come. Tour dates can be found here. ~~ Ben

Newport Folk Festival | Newport, RI (July 29-31)

Some of us will be making our sixth straight venture to the greatest small music festival on the planet: Newport Folk Festival. Each year, NFF gets a little bigger, a bit bolder, and always memorable. As a result, three-day passes sell out more quickly each year; this year’s edition sold out in less than an hour! All this happens before the lineup is announced. So we have no idea who will be there, but NFF never disappoints. Some of our favorite songs and photos came from the Festival due to the surprise performers (Kris Kristofferson), unexpected collaborations, and the extremely intimate setting. Along with Glastonbury, NFF should be on everyone’s Bucket List. ~~ Ben

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (global tour)

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds released one of the best albums of 2016. Skeleton Tree was dark, moving, and emotional, as Cave revealed a side of himself not seen before. How the record translates live will be a fascinating experience. Cave and The Bad Seeds’ tour is being billed as bold and epic. The six-month tour commences on January 13th in Tasmania before it arrives in New Zealand than the US and Canada. Dates can be found here. We cannot wait to see the Prince of Darkness in action. ~~ Ben

Planned Parenthood & ACLU Benefit Concerts | Brooklyn (January 18 & 19)

Days before the next U.S. president is sworn into office, two benefits will occur for organizations seeking to protect rights that may be at risk. The two shows will take place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on the 18th and Rough Trade NYC on the 19th. Sharon Van Etten will headline on the 18th and Helado Negro will headline on the 19th. Both shows will feature Beirut, Daniel Rossen (of Grizzly Bear), and Kevin Morby (Woods, The Babies). Beyond that great lineup, it all supports two great causes. ~~Rich

PJ Harvey (global tour)

Another great artist kicking the new year off with a worldwide tour is the incomparable PJ Harvey. Her last album, The Hope Six Demolition Project, once again sees the UK singer-songwriter and filmmaker push the musical and lyrical boundaries. If her European shows from the past year are any indication, her live shows should be more than just another concert but a theatrical experience. Her tour commences January 13th in Singapore before hitting the shores of Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, and the USA. Dates can be found here. Here’s hoping she’ll be adding Newport Folk Festival, Ottawa Bluesfest, or Osheaga. ~~ Ben

Rock Werchter Festival | Belgium (June 29 – July 3)

Belgium’s Rock Werchter already has a solid foundation of headliners set up for 2017. Any festival with Radiohead and Arcade Fire gets our attention. Last year’s lineup was solid all the way through with Paul McCartney at the top and Courtney Barnett, Beirut, and Daughter mixed in. Also confirmed for this year are Linkin Park, System of a Down, and Blink-182, so be prepared for some late ’90s – early ’00s nostaligia! ~~ Wendy

Strand of Oaks (Europe, US, and Australia)

Collectively, we have attended more than a dozen Strand of Oaks show. Each and every time, Tim Showalter delivers. His concerts are more cathartic than therapy. He shreds as hard as Mike McCready, and he’s one of the nicest, humblest guys you’ll ever meet. He’s also approachable and can often be found lingering around the venue talking with fans before and after his show. We’re ready to experience the thrill of singing along to his new and old songs. Tour dates for the first half of 2017 can be found here. ~~ Hollie & Ben

South By Southwest | Austin, TX (March 10-19)

The essential festival to see, discover, and be blown away by independent artists is undoubtedly SXSW. For a few days, Austin’s population triples, and the entire city becomes a madhouse of music. It’s frenetic, crowded, sweaty, and an awesome time, as Wendy and Gabe can attest from year-to-year. The lineup so far is outstanding as always, including many artists featured right here. ~~ Ben

U2 (global tour)

The past decade has been a bit topsy turvy for U2, although their live shows remain among the best on the planet. While they may not reclaim their spot at the top of the charts (especially with the direction music is going), their last two LPs, Songs of Innocence and No Line on the Horizon, were really solid. This year, they’ll release Songs of Experience and an accompanying tour that will revolve around the 30th anniversary of The Joshua Tree. Tour + The Joshua Tree = sign us up!!! ~~ Ben

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