From Ringo Starr to Charli XCX: The biggest shows announced this week
What’s the point of being a music fan if you don’t get to experience your favourite songs in real life, on the ground, with a beer in one hand and the other clasped around a friend’s shoulder? From seasoned stars like Ringo Starr and Charli XCX to smaller gems like Freak Slug and Willie J Healey, Far Out has selected the best of this week’s tour news for your perusal.
Beatles legend and cheeky chappy Ringo Starr has had a busy week; in addition to the honorary doctorate he received for his 86th birthday, the drummer has unveiled his first-ever East Coast tour of the US.
This autumn, Starr will undertake a run of 10 shows, kicking off on September 24th at the State Theatre in Easton, Pennsylvania, and concluding on October 7th at the Palace Theatre in Albany, New York.
Next up, another icon in her own right: Charli XCX, who is in full-force promo mode as she gears up for the July 24th release of her latest studio album, Music, Fashion, Film.
Beyond the surprising announcement that coveted film director David Cronenberg will feature on the album, Charli XCX had another surprise for fans this week: She has unveiled special listening parties taking place all over the globe between July 9th and 11th. There’s still time to get yourself down to an independent cinema for an exclusive first listen of the highly anticipated album.
Smaller doesn’t necessarily mean worse, and this week, Manchester-based artist Freak Slug proves that with the announcement of her return with the forthcoming album, Amulet, heralded by the dazzling first single, ‘Girl, Intentions’.
In support of the release, she will be undertaking an 18-date North American headline tour for this autumn, kicking off at The Fox Cabaret in Vancouver on October 23rd and concluding with a show at the Corona Capital in Mexico City on November 22nd.
Speaking of returns, this week, Willie J Healey has announced his next EP, titled 143. The lush first single, ‘Ditch’, is indicative of the calibre of talent you can expect at his forthcoming run of intimate UK shows, kicking off in Coventry on October 8th, with appearances in Glasgow, Blackpool, Brighton, and St Davids also planned.
And for those ready to travel much, much farther afield, Shakira recently announced her return to Egypt after almost 20 years; she is set for a landmark performance at the Pyramids of Giza on November 28th.
Equally as spectacular, Elton John also announced this week that he’ll be bidding Mexico really, truly, finally goodbye with two final shows at Mexico City’s Estadio Banorte on October 2nd and 3rd. “I’m thrilled to finally share this very special moment with my fans after all these years,” he shared in a statement accompanying the announcement. Perhaps a Latin American holiday is on the cards?
Meanwhile, Kasabian, following their huge show at Finsbury Park in London last weekend, have confirmed plans for a new arena tour in the UK in December.
The new tour dates from the acts mentioned above are listed below.
The biggest tour announcements this week:
Ringo Starr
September
- 24 – State Theatre, Easton
- 25 – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel
- 27 – PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel
- 28 – The Anthem, Washington DC
- 30 – MGM Music Hall at Fenway, Boston
October
- 01 – Forest Hills Stadium, New York
- 03 – Cross Insurance Arena, Portland
- 04 – Toyota Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford
- 06 – American Music Theatre, Lancaster
- 07 – Palace Theatre, Albany
Freak Slug
September
- 03 — Grand Social Ballroom, Dublin
- 04 — Ulster Sports Club, Belfast
- 05 — Psychfest, Manchester
October
- 23 — The Fox Cabaret, Vancouver
- 24 — Neumos, Seattle
- 25 — Polaris Hall, Portland
- 27 — The Starlet Room, Sacramento
- 28 — The Independent, San Francisco
- 30 — The Roxy, Los Angeles
- 31 — Farm House Collective, Riverside
November
- 01 — Grey Witch, Henderson
- 03 — Constellation Room, Santa Ana
- 11 — The Atlantis, Washington
- 13 — Ukie Club, Philadelphia
- 14 — Elsewhere – The Hall, New York
- 15 — The Sinclair, Boston
- 16 — Bar Le Ritz, Montreal
- 18 — Longboat Hall, Toronto
- 19 — Lager House, Detroit
- 20 — Lincoln Hall, Chicago
- 22 — Corona Capital, Mexico City
Willie J Healey
October
- 08 – Just Dropped In, Coventry
- 09 – Bootleg Social, Blackpool
- 10 – Tenement Trail, Glasgow
- 23 – Boia Festival, St Davids
Kasabian
December
- 11 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham
- 13 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
- 16 – Utilita Arena, Cardiff
- 18 – The O2, London
- 19 – Co-op Live, Manchester
Elton John
October
- 02 – Estadio Banorte, Mexico City
- 03 – Estadio Banorte, Mexico City
Charli XCX
July
- 10 – Music Hall of Williamsburg, New York
- 14 – Scala, London
Shakira
November
- 28 – Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
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