rock band asia tour 2023

Geoff Downes announces John Wetton An Extraordinary Life book

Jan 25, 2023

ABOUT THE BOOK

Musician, songwriter, singer and “top bloke” (as Geoff Downes describes him), John Wetton lived a truly extraordinary life. In this book some seventy-plus people who knew and worked with John, from Family, King Crimson, Uriah Heep, Wishbone Ash, Roxy Music, U.K., Asia, the John Wetton solo band and beyond, pay tribute to that fact. Other contributors hail from the music industry and have compelling tributes to pay, equal to those from friends who knew John for decades, and his family.

Among the stories of friendship, music and sometimes craziness are reflections on what made John Wetton such an unforgettable man. His friends and family do not steer clear of his problems but rather explain the why, how, and triumph over them in honest and touching recollections. Scattered among the stories are personal and classic photos of John at work and play which add to the celebration of An Extraordinary Life.

https://johnwettonbook.com

Remember John Wetton – Five Years Later

Jan 30, 2022

Five years have gone by since the day that broke the hearts of countless John Wetton fans.

Five years since John said goodbye, changing life as we know it, and leaving a void behind which could be filled only by the immortal notes of his music.

Five years that saw the world going through an unprecedented test and being frozen in its steps, for long, silent months.

As the planet laid dormant and ran frantic at the same time, the world of JW took a respectful step back, putting projects on hold and waiting for everything to heal. However, the die was cast and the quiet times gave many of John’s friends, family and associates a chance to reflect and pay tribute, contributing their personal stories to the creation of the ultimate homage to his immense creative talent.

Like in all the best stories, there’s laughter, tears, love, passion, angels and demons, the roller coaster of, you guessed it, an extraordinary life.

Thoughts from Geoff Downes : Right now I am thinking back to what is exactly 5 years since we lost my great friend and musical collaborator, John Wetton. Not a day goes by without raising a thought to his memory. I miss his company greatly, not just in musical terms but also his wonderful sense of humour and friendship. That is something I will always cherish. But with that sadness, comes great joy that I was blessed with his presence in my life. The many songs we wrote together are timeless, and will hopefully be played, enjoyed and remembered for all eternity. That alone is cause for celebration. So John, I salute you dear friend. “Ride Easy” and “Till We meet Again”. GD x

ASIA Announces 40th Anniversary Celebration

Jan 29, 2022

ASIA with original members Carl Palmer & Geoff Downes Announces 40th Anniversary Celebration

ASIA, one of the greatest and best-loved supergroups to emerge during the 1980s is currently preparing for an extensive 40th Anniversary celebration, due to kick off in summer 2022. Featuring founding members  Carl Palmer  (ELP, Crazy World of Arthur Brown) and  Geoff Downes  (Yes, The Buggles) the group will also include long time bassist/ vocalist  Billy Sherwood  (Yes) and newest member, guitarist/ lead vocalist  Marc Bonilla , (Solo artist, Keith Emerson Band). The band is currently being booked for a US tour to start late summer this year.

“40 years of ASIA is a real musical milestone for us,” says Geoff Downes. “The success we experienced with our early albums has carried us through and gave us the foundation when we reformed in 2006. ASIA has been together ever since, although we lost John in 2017 to cancer. Still, we have endured and will carry on now with Marc Bonilla, who we know will be a great addition to the band.”

“The fans have never left ASIA,” says drummer Carl Palmer. “That first ASIA album with all those radio and MTV hits weaved the fabric of the music scene in the early 1980s. Those great songs like ‘ Heat Of The Moment,’ ‘Sole Survivor,’ and ‘Only Time Will Tell,’ still hold up today. When we play those songs and our other hits, we can see the entire audience singing along.”

In December the multi-platinum selling English supergroup released its most ambitious collection to date: a 10-CD boxset  The Official Live Bootlegs Volume 1 . Issued through BMG Records on December 3rd, the expansive set chronicles five complete performances of the original line-up captured between 1982 and 2010. The collection celebrates the huge appeal of the concert tours that followed ASIA’s first two albums in 1982 and 1983. The success continued following ASIA’s 25th anniversary reunion in 2006 and three more highly acclaimed albums. The slipcase boxset features 5 x 2CD concerts from 1982 (Buffalo, NY, USA), 1983 (Worcester, MA, USA), 2007 (São Paulo, Brazil), 2008 (Tokyo, Japan) and 2010 (London, UK). The bootleg collection follows a previous 5 CD box set of studio recordings released in April, 2021.

ABOUT ASIA :  Geoff Downes  (The Buggles, Yes, keyboards),  Steve Howe  (Yes, guitars),  Carl Palmer  (Emerson, Lake & Palmer, drums) and  John Wetton  (King Crimson, UK, bass/vocals), took the world by storm with their eponymous debut album, globally the biggest-selling album of 1982, and the single  Heat Of The Moment . ASIA   was a true ‘supergroup’ pooling the talents of its four members who had already amassed tens of millions of record sales with their collective bands of the 70s. Leaving behind their progressive roots, ASIA embraced the commercial FM rock sound that dominated US airwaves and took that, and the new MTV video channel, by storm. The single  Heat Of The Moment  was a world-wide monster smash and their eponymous 1982 debut album spent an incredible 9 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard chart as  ASIA  became the biggest selling album of the year and world tour dates sold out.

A second album,  Alpha , was released in 1983, followed by  Astra  in 1985. The four original members reconvened in 2006 for a world tour, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of that incredible success, and the album  Phoenix  followed. While the members were still heavily involved in other projects, they came together again to record  Omega  in 2010 and  XXX  in 2012, both albums were acclaimed by their faithful fans and supported by more world tours. Steve Howe stepped back from ASIA to concentrate on his work with Yes and was absent for 2014’s  Gravitas . Following this tour came the news of John Wetton’s treatment for cancer, a fight he sadly lost in 2017. Asia was special guest of Journey for an extensive US tour in 2017, and in 2019 the band toured with Yes within the Royal Affair tour.

“We are planning an extensive tour to celebrate our 40th,” adds Downes, “and the music will feature all the hits the fans have embraced. Stay tuned! It will be show you won’t want to miss.”

ASIA THE OFFICIAL LIVE BOOTLEGS – VOLUME 1 is available where records are sold or ORDER HERE .

The new ASIA set to embark on 2019 “Royal Affair” Tour with Yes, John Lodge Band, and Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy.

Apr 2, 2019

Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal joins line-up as new singer/ guitarist.

Original guitarist and former member STEVE HOWE to make guest appearance each night.

The dragon has risen again.

Two years after the band’s critically acclaimed and successful US trek opening for Journey, an all-new ASIA line-up will return to concert stages across North America as special guests of the YES “ROYAL AFFAIR” tour. The influential British Rock band that rose to the top of the charts with its initial albums and a number of hits including “Only Time Will Tell,” “Heat Of The Moment,” “Don’t Cry,” and “Sole Survivor,” returns with a new line-up that includes founding members Carl Palmer on drums, Geoff Downes on keyboards and backing vocals, and current Yes bassist Billy Sherwood .

Joining the band for the first time is lead guitarist and vocalist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, an acclaimed solo artist and former member of Guns N Roses for eight years. Thal is also in the prog-rock band Sons Of Apollo.

The invitation to join the band came from both Palmer and Downes, after Geoff had worked with him in a project called The Platinum Rock All Stars. “Ron is a remarkably innovative guitarist,” says Downes, “with a multi-range lead vocal ability. I believe it will give our material a whole new dimension.”

Also appearing on the tour with YES and ASIA, will be Moody Blues member John Lodge and his band and Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy, with special guest vocalist, Arthur Brown. Founding member and original guitarist Steve Howe will join ASIA on stage each night on the Royal Affair tour to play on a few of the band’s biggest hits and honor the memory of his friend, John Wetton. It will mark the first time Howe has performed with the band since his departure in 2013.

Asia’s debut album exploded onto the music scene in April 1982, featuring Billboard top 10 classics amongst six radio hits. It became the best-selling album in the World in 1982. Featuring Geoff Downes on keyboards, Steve Howe on guitar, Carl Palmer on drums and John Wetton on lead vocal and bass, Asia was the logical successor to their collective bands of the 70s – Yes, ELP, King Crimson, UK and The Buggles.

Asia became one of the most played acts during the first year of MTV. Throughout most of ’82, Asia ruled the radio airwaves and MTV, selling out every date on tour as the debut album crushed all the competition in record stores around the World.

The original line-up of ASIA reformed in 2006. It was the first time the four original members had worked together in 23 years. After Howe’s departure, the band regrouped in 2013, with guitarist Sam Coulson and a new studio album, Gravitas, followed. Tragedy struck in January 2017, when John Wetton lost a valiant battle against cancer, just as the band was about to embark on a 43 date tour opening arena shows for JOURNEY. Despite this huge loss, the band recruited old friend bassist Billy Sherwood from YES and completed the tour, triumphantly. In 2018, Coulson left the line-up to concentrate on solo projects, with sincere gratitude from ASIA for his five years of contributions.

“”The original members of Asia were progressive musical heroes of mine,” says Ron Thal. “ It’s a great honor to be asked to play with these legendary musicians with a legacy of great songs, and also contribute some of my own musical ideas. Very much looking forward to our time on the road together.”

“There is a great energy when we step on stage,” says Geoff Downes. “We can feel it and I know the fans can feel it.” For ASIA’s long-devoted fans, the band’s return to the concert stage cannot come soon enough.” And Downes confirms: “It is what John would have wanted”.

As Carl Palmer has said in the past: “Performing on stage is where this band truly comes into its element. Seeing the fans reacting to our music is what makes it all worthwhile. It is the fuel that drives this train we call ASIA.”

ASIA on THE 2019 “ROYAL AFFAIR TOUR” with Yes, The John Lodge Band, and Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy with Arthur Brown.

TO PURCHASE TICKETS: www.yesworld.com/live

MORE DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED!

Watch the promotional film about the ROYAL AFFAIR TOUR:

Remembering John Wetton

Jan 30, 2019

Two years ago, John Wetton passed away after an extended battle with cancer. John remained optimistic throughout, and expessed excitement about an upcoming tour with Journey. He is missed immensely, but the musical legacy he left behind continues to be celebrated—it remains a cherished part of so many lives.

An extensive and modular box set celebrating John’s life and legacy will be released this year, including new contributions from John’s many peers around the world.  Stay tuned to @officialjwetton and @qedgmanagement for news as it happens.  

Wetton Downes’ iCon Trilogy of Studio Albums Re-Released with Bonus Tracks

Jun 13, 2018

The John Wetton Estate and Geoffrey Downes are pleased to announce the re-release of the iCon Trilogy of albums, now remastered with bonus tracks in six panel digipacks.

The re-releases have been personally overseen by Geoff Downes and are intended to be a return to the marketplace of individual albums for fans who may wish to purchase a definitive edition.

Of his song-writing relationship and the formation of iCon, Geoff Downes says,  “Throughout my entire career, there is no doubt in my mind, that some of my proudest achievements have been the songs that I wrote with the late John Wetton. Not only were we great friends, but also blood brothers in the song-writing department…We also had the luxury of working with some of the finest musicians in the world who were willing participants in the project.”

Please visit Geoff’s web site  for more details and ordering information.

Journey/Asia Dinner

Jul 11, 2017

Shown here (Standing L to R) Bruce Pilato (Asia tour mgr); Madison Cain; Journey’s Jonathan Cain; Journey’s Steve Smith; Asia’s Geoff Downes. (Seated L to R) Asia’s Sam Coulson; Journey’s Ross Vallory; Ken Silva (Journey Tour Accountant) and Asia’s Carl Palmer.

The members of ASIA and JOURNEY  (bands and crews) recently took time from their sold out US tour to have a dinner together at the trendy Pappas Bros Steakhouse in Houston, Texas.  A great time was had by all.

Drummers Having Fun

Jun 21, 2017

Fox Rochester Speaks with Carl and Geoff

Jun 16, 2017

Carl and Geoff Discuss Asia Show at Bergen Performing Arts Center

Current Line-up

– Carl Palmer – Geoff Downes – Billy Sherwood – Marc Bonilla

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© The Original Members of Asia

ASIA Feat. Original Members CARL PALMER And GEOFF DOWNES: 40th-Anniversary U.S. Tour Rescheduled For 2023

ASIA , one of the greatest and best-loved supergroups to emerge during the 1980s, will embark on an extensive U.S. tour in March 2023 to promote the 40th anniversary of its multi-platinum debut album and the new "Asia In Asia" box set. The tour, which had originally been set for August 2022 as a co-bill with THE ALAN PARSONS LIVE PROJECT , has been rescheduled for early 2023 to accommodate a medical procedure needed by Parsons . Dates will be announced shortly.

Featuring founding members Carl Palmer (drums, percussion), Geoff Downes (keyboards, backing vocals),along with Billy Sherwood (bass, backing vocals) and newest member, guitarist and lead vocalist Marc Bonilla , this will be the ASIA 's first tour since 2019.

"We were hoping to be out this August. However, moving the tour to early next year so we can remain on a co-bill with THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT will be well worth it," said Palmer . "I am so thrilled that ASIA has finally been able to return to performing after three years off the road due to the pandemic. We have much to celebrate."

Added Downes : " ASIA has been through a lot during these last four decades, but the music has always endured. The fans have never left us, nor we them. This tour will be historic."

In addition to its 40th anniversary, ASIA will be promoting the release of "Asia In Asia - Live At The Budokan, Tokyo, 1983" , a deluxe box set containing 2LP, 2xCD, 40-page 12" book, Blu-ray video, memorabilia and more, out now on BMG . Also available are a 2LP gatefold, 1CD and digital format.

In December, the multi-platinum-selling English supergroup released its most ambitious collection to date: a 10-CD boxset "The Official Live Bootlegs Volume 1" . Issued through BMG on December 3, the expansive set chronicles five complete performances of the original lineup captured between 1982 and 2010. The collection celebrates the huge appeal of the concert tours that followed ASIA 's first two albums in 1982 and 1983. The success continued following ASIA 's 25th-anniversary reunion in 2006 and three more highly acclaimed albums. The slipcase boxset features 5 x 2CD concerts from 1982 (Buffalo, NY, USA),1983 (Worcester, MA, USA),2007 (São Paulo, Brazil),2008 (Tokyo, Japan) and 2010 (London, UK). The bootleg collection follows a previous 5 CD box set of studio recordings released in April, 2021.

Downes , Steve Howe ( YES , guitars), Palmer and John Wetton ( KING CRIMSON , UK , bass/vocals),took the world by storm with ASIA 's eponymous debut album, globally the biggest-selling album of 1982, and the single "Heat Of The Moment" . ASIA was a true "supergroup", pooling the talents of its four members who had already amassed tens of millions of record sales with their collective bands of the 1970s. Leaving behind their progressive roots, ASIA embraced the commercial FM rock sound that dominated U.S. airwaves and took that, and the new MTV video channel, by storm. The single "Heat Of The Moment" was a worldwide monster smash and their eponymous 1982 debut album spent an incredible nine weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard chart as ASIA became the biggest-selling album of the year and world tour dates sold out.

A second album, "Alpha" , was released in 1983, followed by "Astra" in 1985. The four original members reconvened in 2006 for a world tour, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of that incredible success, and the album "Phoenix" followed. While the members were still heavily involved in other projects, they came together again to record "Omega" in 2010 and "XXX" in 2012, both albums were acclaimed by their faithful fans and supported by more world tours. Howe stepped back from ASIA to concentrate on his work with YES and was absent for 2014's "Gravitas" . Following this tour came the news of Wetton 's treatment for cancer, a fight he sadly lost in 2017. ASIA was special guest of JOURNEY for an extensive U.S. tour in 2017, and in 2019 the band hit the road with YES for the "Royal Affair" tour.

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Asia (founded in 1981) is a British progressive rock supergroup formed of fallen flagship progressive rock bands King Crimson, Yes and Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

The original members: John Wetton, formerly the vocalist/bassist of King Crimson, Family, Roxy Music; Steve Howe, formerly the guitarist of Yes; Geoff Downes, formerly keyboardist of Yes and The Buggles; and Carl Palmer formerly drummer of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, all had significant experience before being brought together. In 1980 Wetton and Howe were put together by music scout John Kalodner at Geffen Records and the two then started writing material for a new album. The year after Palmer joined along with Howe’s fellow Yes cohort Geoff Downes.

The band’s first musical releases were seen as disappointing by critics and progressive-rock fans, classed as easily accessible radio-friendly rock, although they found new interest from fans of popular classic rock acts Journey, Boston and Styx.

Asia’s debut self-titled album released March 1982 represented a huge commercial success for the band. The album spent nine weeks at No. 1 in the U.S. album chart, selling over 10 million copies worldwide and has never been out of print. Singles “Only Time Will Tell and “Heat of the Moment” contributed to this success becoming popular Top 40 hits, the latter of which, arguably Asia’s most recognised song, climbed to No. 4 on the Hot 100. After the release the band set out on a tour of various U.S. theatres however had to expand to massive arenas due to their popularity and high ticket demand, and went on to win a Grammy for Best New Artist in 1982.

Despite maintaining a devoted following and receiving considerable television and radio attention, none of Asia’s subsequent albums ever achieved the commercial success of the first. Their follow-up “Alpha” released July 1983, produced the singles “Eye to Eye”, “My Own Time” and “The Smile Has Left Your Eyes” which became huge fan favourites. Based on the ‘disappointing’ success of “Alpha”, Wetton was booted from the group in 1983 and replaced by former bandmate of King Crismon and ELP frontman Greg Lake only for Wetton to return in 1984 to start work on the new album.

Asia’s third album titled “Arcadia” before a change to “Astra” was released in November 1985 which performed worse than “Alpha” and “Asia” and resulted in the label cancelling the subsequent tour. The band went through a period of being more off than on, with line-up changes occurring frequently.

In 1990 Asia released “Then & Now”, a best-of album with four new tracks which received substantial airplay and led to two sold-out nights in the Soviet Union in front of 20,000 fans. The band toured here and there for albums “Aqua” in 1992, “Aria” in 1994, “Arena” in 1996, “Aura” in 2001 and “Silent Nation” in 2004.

2012 saw the return of the original Asia line-up and with it the album “XXX” which featured the popular ingle “Face on the Bridge”. Shortly after Howe announced his departure from the group to pursue other things, and the band introduced guitarist Sam Coulson who contributed to the 2014 album “Gravitas”.

Live reviews

I won't belabor the background of these icons of progressive rock - John Wetton, Carl Palmer, and Geoff Downs... sadly, Steve Howe decided to focus on solo work and Yes' tour (ironically - Geoff was on the same Yes tour... saw them only a month or so ago - thanks for coming back Geoff!). That said - the 27-year-old Sam Coulson not only filled the spot, but left his own mark as well. Coming in from touring with Carl Palmer's band, he was a perfect fit to a rockin' evening. I won't belabor the setlist - just to say that it ranged the entire expanse of their career, some, Wetton was clear to point out, that were written before Coulson was even born. :-) While I've seen each play separately in their own accord (except for Coulton), together as Asia, they exhibit true mastery. Some will say that Asia "sold out to pop" (well, Downes is credited with the very first music video with the Bangles...), it was obvious that each not only performed flawlessly, but they were having a lot of fun doing it! Of particular note - each time I have ween Wetton perform, he is not only a great bassist, but a true lyricist. You see and feel his emotion... especially in "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes"... However, Carl Palmer's drumming, and in particular, his extended solo, stole the show. I have to first state that I actually cringe at the "obligatory drum solo", as very few really make it worth one's while to listen. This was clearly amongst the best I've seen, and I've seen quite a few. Moves I've *never* seen before (LOVED his undulating one stick on a cymbal while tapping and maintaining the undulation with the other... hard to describe... incredible to watch. The show had pure energy from beginning to end... yeah, it may be pop... but it's glorious pop... :-) Check out my pics: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204086142566810&set=a.1377867119689.54242.1022200766&type=1&theater&notif_t=like

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Although Asia is considered a supergroup consisting of various members from well respected progressive rock bands, they have consolidated their sound into something unique and of their own.

The band’s members have performed in some of the highest caliber progressive rock bands out there. John Wetton played bass for King Crimson, Steve Howe played guitar for Yes, Geoff Downes played keyboards for Yes, and Carl Palmer played drums for Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. Each member brings their unique style to Asia, but as a collective they are able to create their own sound. Although Asia has some highly technical progressive rock elements to their music, they are able to play straight forward rock songs that will immediately grasp your attention such as “Heat of the Moment”.

Asia is absolutely fantastic live. Carl Palmer rocks away on his huge drum kit consisting of double bass drums and two gongs positioned behind him. Geoff Downes is surrounded by a tower of synthesizers, which allows him to create ethereal, ambient sounds on and produces incredibly catchy leads. John Wetton keeps the rhythm pulsing with his intricate bass playing and he manages to sing every note in the perfect timbre, reaching incredible vocal ranges. Steve Howe often plays simple, but catchy chord progressions that have a strong force. He often shreds a few solos on his guitar, but never manages to draw it out into irritable lengths like some progressive rock bands have been known to do.

Asia has been consistently releasing albums and touring since their formation. On their most recent tour you can expect them to play through their classic songs like “Only Time Will Tell” and “Sole Survivor”, as well as play through some of their newest tracks from their 2014 release, Gravitas.

Awesome totallyawsome. Having a meet and greet with the band and having the priveledge of watching the show from backstage made it a dream come true. All the asia classics were performed as well as elp fanfare and buggles video killed the radio star. It was a celebration of life for john wetton and it was extraordinary and rare. Sound was spot on. I'll never forget it. Asia rocks!!!!

They were great I would see them again songkick did not put that they were playing with journey but Asia was awesome I would see them again the venue was really good but Asia was playing all there hit songs and there last song heat of the moment they played it really well

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Live concerts around Southeast Asia in 2023 that are worth the trip

Because why not.

By Marissa Chin

RECOMMENDED

All the exciting live concerts in KL to look forward to in 2024

2023 has been a great year for music lovers with live concerts now back in full swing. So far, we’ve already seen the likes of  Blackpink and Simple Plan performing for the Malaysian crowd—with more exciting acts still to come!  

In saying that, there are some artists who are, unfortunately, not making a pitstop in Malaysia for their tour. Before you get disappointed, though, we’ve compiled the most exciting artists and bands that are travelling to our Southeast Asian neighbours that are totally worth the extra mileage . Plus, we even went ahead and included some live concerts happening in 2024 so you can snag those tickets and plan your holiday out early!

[Note: Remember to bookmark this page as we will be updating it when more concert news becomes available!]

Charlie Puth Presents The “Charlie” Live Experience

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Charlie Puth (@charlieputh)

Another chart-topping artist making his way around the SEA region is none other than Charlie Puth! The American singer-songwriter became an overnight sensation with See You Again which was featured in Fast and Furious 7. Since then, he has gone on to produce many hits such as Attention, One Call Way and even collaborating with BTS’ Jungkook for Left and Right . The Berklee graduate is also known to have a perfect pitch which you can hear for yourself in any of these SEA countries:

• Thailand, 6 October 2023
• Indonesia, 8 October 2023
• Singapore, 10 October 2023

Tickets can be purchased here .

Sam Smith Gloria the Tour

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by SAM SMITH (@samsmith)

Still vibing to his viral hit Unholy ? Whether you’re a fan of Sam Smith’s new music or not, you can’t deny that the English singer has some catchy songs! Known for his deep and soulful vocals, Smith rose to fame with emotional pop ballads such as Too Good at Goodbyes, I’m Not The Only One and Fire on Fire . Now, the artist has embraced a totally new and more provocative sound for his fourth studio album, Gloria . You can catch the singer-songwriter performing in these Southeast Asian countries:

• Thailand, 3 October 2023
• Philippines, 21 October 2023

Tickets are available for purchase here .

Post Malone: If Y’all Weren’t Here, I’d Be Crying World Tour 

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by @postmalone

It’s time to get lit with Post Malone as he will be making his way through Southeast Asia real soon! After breaking out with White Iverson in 2015, the American rapper continued to gain millions of fans around the world with tracks such as Sunflower, Circles and Better Now . His fifth album Austin drops on 28 July 2023. Catch the chill rapper on these dates:

• Thailand, 14 September 2023
• Philippines, 18 September 2023

Find tickets here .

P1Harmony [P1ustage H : P1oneer]  Live Tour 

Debuting in 2020, P1Harmony captured fans around the world with their hip hop beats and eye-catching performances. The six-membered K-pop group formed by FNC Entertainment is currently on their world tour which kicked off in January 2023. Consisting of members Keeho, Jongseob, Soul, Intak, Jiung and Theo, catch the boys perform some of their popular hits such as Do It Like This , Siren and Jump  in these Southeast Asian countries:

• Philippines, 9 September 2023
• Singapore, 17 September 2023
• Thailand, 7 October 2023

Sabrina Carpenter emails I can’t send Tour

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Sabrina Carpenter (@sabrinacarpenter)

From her crazy catchy songs to her infectious personality, it’s hard not to see why Sabrina Carpenter is making waves these days. She started gaining the attention of fans worldwide after she dropped because I liked a boy in 2022 about an infamous breakup involving another Disney star (cough, the one about a driver’s license). Most recently, you’ve most likely seen her viral TikTok dance challenge with her hit song Nonsense and probably even dabbled in it yourself. If you would like to catch her singing that live, here are two Southeast Asian countries she’ll be visiting:

• Philippines, 25 July 2023
• Singapore, 27 July 2023

Taeyeon: The Odd of Love Tour

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by SM Entertainment Group (@smtown)

Sones, get your lightsticks ready! The Girls’ Generation leader and vocalist will be making her way around Southeast Asia in the latter half of July. She will be performing songs from her latest studio album INVU which is also the same name as her hit title track. Despite having debuted in 2007 with Girls’ Generation, Taeyeon remains one of the most popular artists in K-pop for her incredible vocals and sweet disposition. Here are her concerts in Southeast Asia:

• Indonesia, 22 July 2023
• Philippines, 30 July 2023
• Thailand, 12 August to 13 August 2023
• Singapore, 20 August 2023

Ticketing details have yet to be announced.

Rini Past the Naked Eye 2023 Asia Tour

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by RINI (@rinidawg)

R&B lovers, you don’t want to miss out on seeing Rini live—even if you have to travel out of the country! Justerini Sandova, more commonly known as Rini, is a Filipino-Australian artist who has some 240 million plays on Spotify alone and is an online sensation for his smooth buttery vocals and soulful numbers. Hailing from Melbourne, the singer-songwriter and producer has been on tour since March last year and Southeast Asian fans won’t be waiting long to catch him soon! Some of his most popular songs include sentimental tracks such as Meet Me in Amsterdam , My Favourite Clothes and most recently, My Luv . Here’s where you can find him in SEA:

• Singapore, 17 July 2023
• Philippines, 19 July 2023

Tickets will be available for purchase here .

NMixx Nice to Mixx You Showcase Tour

K-pop girl group NMixx has been making waves since its debut on February 2022. As NMixx comes from JYP Entertainment, one of the K-pop industry’s ‘Big Three’, all eyes were set on them as they were the company’s newest girl group after Itzy. A departure from JYP’s usual catchy pop sound, NMixx is described to have a genre of their own called Mixx Pop which combines two or more genres in one song to create a truly unique and distinct musical experience. With songs such as O.O , Dice and Love Me Like This , fans can enjoy NMixx’s trademark experimental sound and hard-hitting choreography live in the following Southeast Asian countries:

• Indonesia, 9 June 2023
• Singapore, 23 June 2023
• Philippines, 30 June 2023

Agust D D-Day World Tour

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by SUGA of BTS 민윤기 (@agustd)

Another famous boy group member making his way around Asia for his solo tour is none other than Suga from BTS. The announcement of his tour came to an overwhelmingly positive response as this would be the South Korean megastar’s first solo tour as Agust D. For the uninitiated, Agust D refers to the artist’s solo work outside of BTS and when read backwards means DT Suga—DT standing for Daegu Town, his hometown. Suga has released numerous mixtapes and ARMYs will finally be able to hear him perform hits such as Daechwita , People and Give It To Me live in these Southeast Asian countries:

• Indonesia, 26 to 28 May 2023
• Thailand, 10 to 11 June 2023
• Singapore, 17 to 18 June 2023

Harry Styles Love on Tour 2023

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by @harrystyles

Arguably the it-boy in the male solo artist game right now, Harry Styles needs no introduction. From Watermelon Sugar to As It Was , the British singer has been churning out hit after hit since One Direction’s indefinite hiatus. Donning bold and spectacular outfits on stage, Styles is known to be especially interactive and playful with his fans while on stage. While Malaysian fans would’ve loved to see him perform in Malaysia, all hope is not lost as the artist will be touring these neighbouring countries for Love On Tour Asia 2023:

• Thailand, 11 March 2023
• Philippines, 14 March 2023
• Singapore, 17 March 2023

Arctic Monkeys Asia Tour 2023

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Arctic Monkeys (@arcticmonkeys)

Hailing from Sheffield, Arctic Monkeys is a band with a huge cult following behind them since their debut in 2002. From topping four Billboard charts and becoming the first independent label band with five consecutive number-one albums in the UK to boasting close to 40 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Arctic Monkeys is one of England’s greatest bands. Their albums such as Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, AM,  and  Tranquility Base & Casino  have all received critical acclaim, and their musical influence reaches far and wide across the globe. While they are not stopping by at Malaysia for the Asian leg of their tour, it would still be a treat to catch the English rock band live in any one of these countries:

• Singapore, 28 February 2023
• Philippines, 6 March 2023
• Thailand, 9 March 2023
• Indonesia, 18 March 2023 

Tickets are available here.

Backstreet Boys: DNA World Tour

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Backstreet Boys (@backstreetboys)

For a group that debuted back in 1993, Backstreet Boys have been active for close to 30 years (29 years, to be specific)! Given how fast-paced and competitive the music industry is, seeing such an iconic group thriving to this day is not an easy thing to come by. While they’re still making music, you should consider seeing the legendary boy group in the flesh at their DNA World Tour by taking a trip to one of these countries:

• Philippines, 20 February 2023
• Singapore, 22 February 2023

Phoebe Bridgers Reunion Tour

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Phoebe Bridgers (@phoebebridgers)

If Phoebe Bridgers’ relatable lyrics and melancholic melodies are what got you through the pandemic, you might want to think about flying down to the Lion City to see her. The indie rock singer-songwriter was gradually gaining a fanbase of her own but it was the release of her album Punisher in 2020 that catapulted the star on regular radio waves. She will only be visiting Singapore in Southeast Asia for her Reunion Tour so don’t miss out on this opportunity!

• Singapore, 15 February 2023

Tickets can be purchased here.  

Kehlani: Blue Water Road Trip

With 14.5 million followers on Instagram and 13 million monthly listeners on Spotify, it’s safe to say that Kehlani has amassed a legion of fans who love her for her powerful dancing and sensual beats. The American singer-songwriter first found fame on America’s Got Talent Season Six as a member of the group Poplyfe. After going solo, Kehlani found mainstream success in singles such as Toxic, Nights like this, Gangsta and more. She is currently touring for her album Blue Water Road . Unfortunately, Kehlani doesn’t have Malaysia on her Asia tour, but you can consider travelling to these neighbouring countries to watch her show:

• Indonesia, 4 February 2023
• Singapore, 6 February 2023

Enhypen: Manifesto World Tour

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by ENHYPEN (@enhypen)

The popular K-pop boy group is embarking on the first world tour of their career since their debut in 2020. Formed as a joint effort by Belift Lab, CJ Entertainment and Hybe Labels, fans have had eyes on them ever since their pre-debut due to the fact that the group was formed from a competitive survival show, I-Land . Since then, they’ve had multiple successful hits such as Fever , Polaroid Love which went viral on TikTok and their latest title track, Future Perfect (Pass the Mic). While they have yet to perform in Malaysia, you can catch the seven members performing songs from their latest mini album, Manifesto: Day 1 here:

• Thailand, 28 January and 29 January 2023
• Philippines, 4 February and 5 February 2023

Find tickets here.

Bonus: Coldplay Music of the Spheres World Tour

We know this is not in 2023 but we just had to include it on the list as many Malaysians did not get the opportunity to nab tickets for Coldplay’s show in KL . It’s time to rejoice again as you will get not one, two or three but four choices of dates to score tickets to the highly coveted concert in Singapore! The legendary band is playing an unprecedented four-night show in the city of the Mer-Lion, the first act to perform on such a scale at the venue. Ticket sales for Singapore and Thailand go on sale in June 2023, all the best!

• Singapore, 23 to 24 January and 26 to 27 January 2024
• Thailand, 3 February 2024

The general ticket sale will happen on 20 June 2023 here .

Bonus: Taylor Swift The Eras Tour

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift)

It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for. The international dates for her historic The Eras tour are out and Asia is on the list! While Malaysian Swifties are no doubt mourning over the lack of a Malaysian stop, dry those tears because the Anti-Hero singer will be coming to Singapore for three whole nights at the National Stadium! It’s her only Southeast Asian destination (as of now) so be sure to mark your calendars for when the ticket sales go live in July. If you’re a dedicated Swiftie, this is one concert you don’t want to miss out on as she will be performing songs across all her record-breaking albums such as Speak Now, Red, Reputation and more.

• Singapore, 2 to 4 March 2023

UOB card members are eligible for the presale happening from 5 to 7 July 2023 at 12pm MYT. The general sale will take place on 7 July 2023 at 12pm MYT. Tickets can be purchased here .

Don’t miss out on other music-related updates here.

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One OK Rock Announces Luxury Disease Asia Tour 2023

• June 1, 2023
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Japanese rock band One OK Rock has announced their upcoming Luxury Disease Asia Tour 2023. The tour will kick off on Sept 16 in Taipei, and will make stops in Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Manila. The band will also be performing at the Summer Sonic festival in Osaka and Tokyo.

One OK Rock is known for their energetic live shows and their blend of rock, pop, and electronica. The band has released seven studio albums, all of which have been met with critical acclaim. Their most recent album, Luxury Disease, was released in September 2022 and debuted at number one on the Billboard Japan Top Albums chart.

Tickets for the Luxury Disease Asia Tour 2023 go on sale soon. For more information, please visit the band’s website.

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Dream Theater share full slate of 2023 Asia tour dates: Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and more

The prog rock band will return to the region later this month

Dream Theater have unveiled the full slate of Asia dates for their Top of the World tour, which will go down in April and May this year – see the list below.

After news of individual shows, including Manila and Indonesia , trickled out last month, on April 2 the prog rock band unveiled a poster that confirms their full Asia itinerary.

They’ll kick off the tour later this month with two shows in Seoul, South Korea, before heading to Japan for four shows across three cities. May 4 will mark their first show in Southeast Asia with a Manila concert. They’ll then head to Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur before concluding in Jakarta.

Dream Theater’s 2023 Asia dates for the Top of the World tour are:

APRIL Tuesday 25 – Seoul, South Korea, Blue Square Mastercard Hall Wednesday 26 – Seoul, South Korea, Blue Square Mastercard Hall – SOLD OUT Friday 28 – Tokyo, Japan, Nippon Budokan Sunday 30 – Tokyo, Japan, Nippon Budokan

MAY Monday 1 – Nagoya, Japan, Civic Center Forest Hall Tuesday 2 – Osaka, Japan, International Conference Center Thursday 4 – Manila, Philippines, Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday 7 – Bangkok, Thailand, MGI Hall Tuesday 9 – Singapore, The Star Performing Arts Centre Wednesday 10 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Zepp Friday 12 – Jakarta, Indonesia, EcoPark Ancol

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dream Theater (@dreamtheaterofficial)

Tickets are now on sale for all gigs – find yours for the Manila , Bangkok , Singapore , Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta dates.

Dream Theater briefly toured Asia last August, though they only performed in Jakarta and Download Festival Japan . It’s possible that the band will hit the road again after this Asia tour, as guitarist John Petrucci said last October that Dream Theater expect to be touring throughout 2023 off the back of latest album ‘A View From the Top of the World’.

“Just like everybody else, we were shut down for two years and have a lot of catching up to do,” he said in an interview. Petrucci added that their heavy tour schedule means that it’s unlikely that Dream Theater will enter the studio again to work on a new album “before the fall; I highly doubt it”.

Dream Theater are far from the only international act performing in the region this year. Other artists who’ve just announced Asia tours of their own include Kodaline , Sabrina Carpenter , Dhruv and Ruel .

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Top 10 Highest-Grossing Rock Tours of 2023

Check out our recap of Billboard Boxscore's top 10 rock tours of the year, featuring blink-182, Metallica, and more.

By Eric Frankenberg

Eric Frankenberg

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Last week, Billboard revealed its year-end Boxscore charts , ranking the top tours, venues, and promoters of 2023. That coverage included analysis of the new wave of genre diverse artists crashing stadium stages, and in turn, our charts. This week, we are breaking down the year’s biggest tours, genre by genre . Today, we continue with rock.

Rock music has been at the center of the touring industry for decades, with legendary acts like The Rolling Stones , U2 , and the Eagles controlling stadium calendars and delivering record-breaking grosses. That is still the case, as rock is responsible for more entries in the all-genre top 10, 20, 40 and 100 than any other genre.

But at 32.4% of all top 100 tours’ grosses, rock takes a dramatic hit from last year’s 42.5% figure. Combined with pop, the two central genres have lost a third of their total market share since the pandemic, as pockets of Latin and K-pop acts take up prime Boxscore real estate. And as rock accounts for many of the oldest artists in the top 100, with Latin and K-pop bringing up the chart’s youngest names, the future of rock bands as touring titans is blurrier than it was 5-10 years ago.

But with a new round of legacy tours from ‘90s and ‘00s bands, plus steady arena grosses from 21st century acts like Arctic Monkeys, Greta Van Fleet and Imagine Dragons, there is still plenty of juice for the coming years.

Scroll to check out the top 10 highest-grossing tours by rock artists, with such acts qualifying due to recent performance on Billboard ’s Top Rock Albums and/or Hot Rock Songs charts. Rankings are determined according to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore. All reported shows worldwide between Nov. 1, 2022 – Sept. 30, 2023 are eligible.

$76.8M / 597K tickets / 41 shows

All-Genre Top 100 Rank: 24

Phish is among the most consistent touring acts, regardless of genre. From its annual destination event in Mexico to its reliable runs of shows at Madison Square Garden, the jam-band legends continue to one-up themselves, after winding up at No. 31 on last year’s all-genre ranking.

Red Hot Chili Peppers

$77.2M / 657K tickets / 18 shows

All-Genre Top 100 Rank: 23

Red Hot Chili Peppers repeat in the year-end rock breakdown with shows in Asia, Europe and North America. Still, the band’s $77.2 million total doesn’t include the $48.2 million from its co-headline shows with Post Malone in Australia.

$92.7M / 1M tickets / 45 shows

All-Genre Top 100 Rank: 20

Muse makes its first appearance among the year-end top 10 rock tours since 2013, when the glam-rock band earned $43.2 million while on The 2nd Law World Tour. The European leg did the heaviest lifting, with nine of the top 10 grosses of the year.

$95.7M / 692K tickets / 45 shows

All-Genre Top 100 Rank: 19

Blink is back with the biggest tour of its career. The original trio of Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker reunited for 45 sold-out shows in North America and Europe. Things came to a head with two nights at Los Angeles’ BMO Stadium, where blink-182 grossed $8.8 million and sold 43,600 tickets.

Guns N' Roses

$96.2M / 888K tickets / 31 shows

All-Genre Top 100 Rank: 18

Guns N’ Roses logs a second year between $90-100 million after being No. 8 on 2022’s genre Boxscore breakout. More shows after the tracking period’s cutoff puts the rock icons on tap for the ’24 ranking with $19.7 million already in the bank.

Dead & Company

$114.7M / 845K tickets / 28 shows

All-Genre Top 100 Rank: 15

Dead & Company played its farewell tour between May 19 and July 16, yielding its first $100 million summer since launching as a touring unit in 2015. The peak was a three-night run at San Francisco’s Oracle Park to end the tour, earning $20.4 million from 118,000 tickets sold.

$125.8M / 1.2M tickets / 19 shows

All-Genre Top 100 Rank: 14

Metallica grossed more than $10 million in seven markets between Europe and North America, doubling up in Montreal, Paris and more. The M72 World Tour continues with scheduled dates through Sept. 29, 2024.

Depeche Mode

$175.2M / 1.8M tickets / 47 shows

All-Genre Top 100 Rank: No. 9

The first of three rock acts in the all-genre top 10, Depeche Mode scores the biggest year of its touring career, blowing past 2017’s $123.5 million. Three shows at Mexico City’s Foro Sol on Sept. 21, 23 and 25 delivered the band’s biggest gross ever, at $15.4 million from 195,000 tickets sold.

$210M / 1.3M tickets / 65 shows

All-Genre Top 100 Rank: No. 7

Elton John notches a fifth year on the year-end Boxscore recap with the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, having topped the abridged 2020 report. After all was said and done, set a new record as the highest-grossing tour in Boxscore history, regardless of genre. Over 329 shows, the trek earned $939.1 million and sold six million tickets.

$342.5M / 3.2M tickets / 55 shows

All-Genre Top 100 Rank: No. 2

Switching places with John from last year, Coldplay takes top honors as the highest-grossing rock act of 2023. The band’s spread covers shows in North and South America, as well as Europe, with dates in Asia and Australia in the 2024 tracking window. After kicking off in 2022, the Music of the Spheres Tour has brought in $664.5 million and sold 6.7 million tickets.

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All the concerts in Bangkok we’re looking forward to in 2023

The new year is almost here, and with international travel back to normal again, we’re seeing the return of world-renown artists performing in Bangkok. Here are some of the concerts in Bangkok during 2023 that we’re looking forwards to most.

From Blackpink to Westlife to The Strokes, 2023 is looking like a good year for concerts. It’s been a while since Bangkok has welcomed international artists back to its shores to perform, so seeing a lineup like this makes us hopeful that there might be more announcements of concerts that will happen in the later parts of 2023. Fair warning: you might want to save up because all these concerts are happening in the first quarter of the year. Your wallet’s definitely going to feel this.

[Hero Image: Blackpink; Featured Image: 50 Cent/Facebook]

2023 concerts in Bangkok we’re looking forward to

Blackpink born pink world tour.

National Stadium, January 7-8

The Korean powerhouse girl group is giving Bangkok a memorable start to the year by bringing their Born Pink World Tour here. Recently-named Entertainer of the Year by Time Magazine, Blackpink will be performing for two nights here. If for some reason you still haven’t gotten your hands on tickets yet, you’re in luck: there are still some available at the time of writing this, but it’s probably best not to push your luck and just cop them already. 

https://www.thaiticketmajor.com/blackpink-born-pink-world-tour-bangkok/

Conan Gray Superache Tour Asia

February 23, Impact Exhibition Hall 5

One of the more recent artists who started off on YouTube and found themselves being launched into success and stardom, Conan Gray follows the likes of many fellow YouTubers-turned-international-artists as he brings his music to Thailand. Listen to the American singer-songwriter perform songs off his second album, the eponymous Superache , as well as a few from his debut album. Tickets are still available. 

Buy tickets here

Westlife The Wild Dreams Tour

Impact Arena, February 28

The Irish boy band are returning to the Land of Smiles! The Wild Dreams Tour, which kicked off in the UK in July, will be making its way to Thailand and will mark be third concert here. The boy band numerous hits are included in the childhood soundtracks of many millennials, and if their last concert is anything to go by, then expect a smattering of new songs and plenty of the classics we all know and love.

OneRepublic Live in Concert

Impact Arena, March 3

The Grammy-nominated American pop-rock band returns to Bangkok for the third time as part of their OneRepublic Live in Concert tour in Asia. The band will be performing in five cities: Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, Tokyo, and Bangkok. It’s been four years since the band last performed in Bangkok at the Spotify on Stage even in 2019 so it’ll be good to see the boys back in town. 

Arctic Monkeys Asia Tour

March 9, BITEC Hall

This is the first time the English rock band will be performing on the Kingdom’s shores so this is one for the books. Originating from Sheffield, the band has been nominated for six Grammy awards and won countless others including seven Brit awards. They’re also the first indie-label band to have debuted at number one in the UK with their first five albums. Tickets are still available so you still have time to buy them, or let’s be real, you still have a few months to save up for a ticket. Oh, and insert a really funny “Do I Wanna Know?” pun here. Heh. 

Harry Styles Presents Love on Tour

Rajamangala Stadium, March 11

The darling of UK music (sorry, Elton John) will be performing at Rajamangala, one of his five stops on the Love on Tour live in Asia. While Styles has also been stretching his acting skills as of late, the former Directioner is still very much an artist at heart. While this will be his second gig as a solo act in the Kingdom, it’s actually his third time performing for the people of Bangkok: back in 2015, he did a concert here as part of One Direction. It was a memorable gig since just a few days later, Zayn Malik announced he was leaving the group. Too soon?

Simple Plan The Harder Than it Looks Tour

CentralWorld, March 14

Sure, we may not be kids anymore and life hopefully is no longer a nightmare, but that doesn’t mean we’re not gonna rock out with Simple Plan when they arrive here in March. The Canadian punk band returns to the City of Angels for their The Harder Than It Looks Tour, which is also the name of their latest album released in May. The concert is set to be held in CentralWorld though no ticket details have been announced as of yet. Time to buy some fresh eyeliner and spiky bracelets.

Blackpink Born Pink World Tour Encore

May 27-28, Rajamangala Stadium

If it isn’t obvious just how much these K-pop icons love Thailand, this should be a pretty telling sign. Just four months after their first concert of 2023, the girls are returning to the Land of Smiles, and not just for one night but for two. Usually, artists come back for a song or two for encores, which has been described as “peekaboo for adults”. Blackpink has topped all those artists by making their encore two more nights of their full-fledged world tour concert. How you like that?

Jeff Bernat Live in Bangkok 2023

June 13, BCC Hall Central Ladprao

The Filipino-American R&B singer returns to Bangkok to serenade his fans once more. Bernat was supposed to be here in the city earlier but sadly, the concert had to be pushed back. That’s alright. We’re just glad he’s here so we can listen to him flawlessly croon his hits like “Pillow Talk” and “Call You Mine” once more.

Peach Tree Rascals Live in Bangkok

July 17, Lido Connect

The Peach Tree Rascals, most known for their Tik-Tok famous song “Mariposa”, will be touring Asia this year. Luckily, they’ll be swinging by Bangkok on July 17. Get ready to take out your phones and practice your trendiest dances because it’ll definitely be a vibe at their concert.

The Strokes

July 18, Thunderdome

American indie rock band The Strokes will be performing in Bangkok this July. Particularly famous in the 2000s, time travel back to your youth by singing along to their muted, yet energetic vocals.

Very Summer Fest 2023

29 July, Bitec Bhiraj Hall

Very Summer Fest will feature a variety of international artists, including Sabrina Carpenter, DPR Ian, Dhruv and more. There’s a total of 11 artists who will be performing on 2 stages, so it will be well worth your time and energy to dance from summer sun up to summer sun down with your friends.

Ateez World Tour – The Fellowship: Break the Wall

5 August, Impact Exhibition Center Hall 8

Any fans of Ateez here? Ready to watch them dance perfectly in synchronous motion and sing in crazy high tones? Well, you’re in luck. They’re coming by Impact as part of  their world tour, so grab a light stick and all your ATiny friends.

LANY Concert

12 August, Impact Exhibition Hall 5-6

LANY, the two member pop band hailing from Los Angeles, will be performing at Road to Sonic Bang in Bangkok. They’re headlining, so also expect some other bands to sing your heart out to underneath the glittering, towering city skyline.

You can find ticket info for the LANY concert through Road to Sonic Bang in Bangkok at  Thai Ticket Nation .

Two Door Cinema Club

August 14, Bhiraj Hall

Two Door Cinema Club, a band from Northern Ireland, will be performing live in Bangkok in August. They’ll perform their indie/alternative bangers as part of their tour around the world. If you’re a fan of their amazing vocals and instrumentals, you’re in for a treat.

D&E World Tour Fancon (DElight Party)

19 August, Thunder Dome

K-pop group SuperJunior’s Donghae and Eunhyuk are currently on tour! They’ll be doing a fanmeeting in Bangkok this year and it looks like there’s seats aplenty for all of you fans out there. The poster is already promising an entertaining, fun night!

26 August, Ballroom Hall 1-4, QSNCC

Do you like relaxing tunes and the uber soft and smooth voice of Lauv ? Well, he’ll be making a stop in Thailand. He’s extremely popular so try and rush as fast as you can to secure one of his tickets.

AK Liuzhang Bus Stop Bangkok Tour

26 August, Voice Space Bangkok

Liu Zhang (also known as AK) is a Chinese rapper behind songs like “Top Lead” and the titular “Bus Stop” (his new single). He’s an upcoming artist with intriguing beats and a strong rapping voice. Before he comes to Bangkok, you can listen to his discography on Spotify .

For more information on his upcoming concert, make sure to check updates on The DnD Thailand’s Twitter page

Post Malone

14 September

Post Malone will be touring around Asia on his “If Y’all Weren’t Here, I’d Be Crying” world tour. He’s stopping by Bangkok in September and we’re sure to meet this jovial, happy rapper with our widest smiles and untatted faces.

Details for the venue haven’t yet been announced, so you can follow along on Live Nation’s  social media channels  for updates.

3 October, Impact Arena

Sam Smith, in all of his “Gloria,” will be visiting Bangkok later this year . Unfamiliar with this English singer-songwriter who always has the most eccentric, energy filled hits along with some slow paced, chill songs? Have a listen to his most popular songs: “I’m Not The Only One” and “Too Good at Goodbyes.”

Charlie Puth

6 October 2023, Impact Arena

You can take your eyes off of Charlie Puth on TikTok now, because he’s finally here to perform at a concert in Bangkok. In preparation, you can watch his smooth music videos and marvel at his perfect pitch.

Le Sserafim “Flame Rises” Tour in Bangkok

https://twitter.com/bex_concert/status/1680805809897324544?s=46&t=ks02-h_iCu8y2I3fEwkIXg

7-8 October, Thunder Dome

Le Sserafim, the K-pop girl group, will be stopping by the Thunder Dome in Bangkok as part of their “Flame Rises” tour. You can get some special tickets or get presale tickets through Thai Ticket Major. Just make sure to prepare your dance moves and fierce singing for the concert.

Rex Orange County

Rex Orange County is currently on a world tour, and he’s planning to head to Bangkok as the last stop at the end of this year. Rex Orange County is a one man show, he’s a British singer-songwriter who performs under the name Rex Orange County. He’s popular under the genre of “bedroom pop.”

James Arthur Southeast Asian Tour 2023

29 November, Union Hall

Bangkok is the first and one of the four stops on the English singer-songwriter’s Southeast Asian tour. From his start as an  X Factor contender and winner to making hits like “Say You Won’t Let Go”, Arthur boasts 38 million listeners on Spotify and multiple certified-Platinum records. Tickets start at THB 1,900.

Maho Rasop Festival 2023

2-3 December, ESC Park Bangkok

A huge music festival presented by Johnnie Walker, the Maho Rasop festival will have incredibly famous American rock band Interpol headlining. In addition to Interpol, there’ll also be Idles and Alvvays along with another large variety of musicians. We’re looking forward to listening to all of these artists here in Bangkok.

Disney Princess – The Concert

2-3 December, Muangthai Rachadalai Theatre

Hear your favourite Disney princess songs live at “Disney Princess – The Concert” featuring a number of Broadway legends like Krysta Rodriguez, who played Meg in the musical version of  Hercules, and Benjamin Rauhala, their music director who is affectionately known as “Fairy Godfairy” at popular Broadway hangout 54 Below. Expect Disney classics like “A Whole New World” and more recent hits like “Let It Go,” but also be prepared for twists in the arrangement done by Rauhala.

Daniel Caesar – Superpowers World Tour

9 December, Impact Exhibition Hall 5

The Grammy award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer is bringing his “Superpowers World Tour” to Bangkok this December. Caesar is one of the top 10 most streamed Canadian artists of all time on Spotify, a winner of the “Best R&B Performance” Grammy Award, and one of his songs was featured on Barack Obama’s annual playlist. His newest album, Never Enough , came out this year, so expect to hear a few songs from that album in his concert.

ONE OK ROCK

12 December, Impact Arena

ONE OK ROCK, the four-member rock band from Japan, will be coming to rock the hearts of Thai fans. They’ll be playing their latest album, Luxury Disease, on tour, so it’s a chance to hear it live if you haven’t before. Make sure to get tickets to watch this iconic Japanese band by the end of 2023.

50 Cent – The Final Lap Tour 2023

19 December,  Impact Arena

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is returning to Bangkok after 17 years. The multi-hyphenate is bringing his “Final Lap Tour” to Thailand in celebration of 20 years of his debut album,  Get Rich or Die Tryin’ . Prepare to take yourself to the candy shop to party like it’s your birthday. Tickets start at THB 2,500.

Eric E. Surbano

Eric can be found lost in his own world jamming with headphones on while writing when he's not prepping for a DnD session or researching 'Star Wars' galactic history on Wookiepedia. A proud Ravenclaw, he loves playing (and writing about) video games, humming the 'Doctor Who' theme under his breath, and rewatching 'Friends', 'New Girl', and 'The West Wing'.

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Japanese Rock Band Coldrain to Hold Their First Asia Tour in Four Years

by: The Beat Asia

March 16, 2023

Internationally known Japanese rock band Coldrain has announced on social media that they’ll be holding their first Asia tour in four years this May!

Presented by Neon Lit, Loudly Prefer, and Icon Promotions, the “Coldrain Asia Tour 2023” will see the five-piece act perform at three cities: KITEC Music Zone @ E-Max in Hong Kong on May 25; The Street Ratchada Hall in Bangkok, Thailand on May 26; and Zepp New Taipei in Taiwan on May 28.

They’ll also be supported by Japanese metalcore band Paledusk and Thai metalcore band ANNALYNN (Thailand only).

Tickets are now on sale through the respective ticketing channels of each city.

• Hong Kong – HK$550 (advance), HK$680 (VIP)
• Thailand – THB2,500 (early bird), THB3,000 (regular), THB3,500 (VIP)
• Taiwan – NT$2,000 (advance), NT$2,400 (on-site), NT$3,000 (VIP)

Known for their hits “Envy,” “The Side Effects,” “January 1st,” and “Mayday,” which is the opening theme for the animation series “Fire Force,” Coldrain is a post-hardcore metal band from Nagoya, Japan with songs all written and performed in English.

The group was formed in 2007 and is composed of Masato David Hayakawa, Ryo Yokochi (Y.K.C.), Kazuya Sugiyama (Sugi), Ryo Shimizu (RxYxO), and Katsuma Minatani.

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Damien Rice announces 2023 Asia tour — concerts in Taipei, Singapore, and Bangkok confirmed

Damien Rice will be making his way to Asia this year.

On 6 March, the Irish singer-songwriter announced that he will be visiting the continent as part of his globetrotting 2023 tour — which will also see him perform across Europe and Australia — in May and June. 

After making an appearance at the   Seoul Jazz Festival , which will be held from 26 to 28 May in South Korea, the 49-year-old will make his way to Taipei for a show on 31 May . He will then make a stop in Singapore on 3 June before wrapping up the Asia leg of his tour in Bangkok on 6 June . 

Fans who wish to get early access to tickets can sign up to join Rice's mailing list here . 

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          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Damien Rice (@damienrice)

Formerly a member of Irish rock band Juniper , Rice has gained fame for tracks such as 'The Blower's Daughter' , '9 Crimes' , and 'Cannonball' since kicking off his solo career in 2001.  To date, he has also released three studio albums — O , 9 , and My Favourite Faded Fantasy .

Check out the details for the Asia leg of Rice's tour below.

Date: 3 June 2023

Venue: The Star Theatre

Tickets: from S$98 onwards

Tickets will go on sale via Ticketmaster 's website , hotline (+65 3158-8588) , and SingPost outlets from 10 AM local time on 9 March .

For instant concert announcements directly to your inbox, follow SG Concerts by Bandwagon !

Date: 6 June 2023

Venue: Union Hall

Tickets: ฿1,900 to ฿3,000 

Pre-sale will commence at 10 AM local time on 9 March . Public sale will begin at 10 AM on 10 March . Tickets will be available for purchase via Viji Corp .

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Longtime classic rock band to perform in Peoria during 50th anniversary tour

Longtime band Kansas is set to perform at the Peoria Civic Center Theater later this year.

Known for songs like “Carry On Wayward Son,” the band will perform in Peoria on Nov. 8 as part of its “Another Fork in the Road” 50 th anniversary tour. This is the third leg of the band’s tour, which began in 2023.

Tickets will become available to the public on Friday, March 22, at 10 a.m. Customers can purchase tickets from the Toyota Box Office or Ticketmaster .

Guitarist Richard Williams described the tour as "incredibly special for the band.” Ronnie Platt, the band’s lead vocalist, called the energy from audience members "exhilarating.”

“Let me tell you, after a decade of performing in the band, the energy the fans bring each night continues to give me goosebumps,” Platt said. “Fans in attendance seem to continue to raise their energy level and that just makes it even more fun for us up on stage than it already is!”

More: This popular Canadian rock band is coming to Peoria for a show in the fall

Carrie Underwood Gets Ready to Join Guns N’ Roses on the Band’s 2023 Tour

Carrie Underwood shared a video of rehearsal as she prepares to join legendary rock band Guns N’ Roses during three stops of their 2023 tour.

Axl Rose appears with Carrie Underwood at Stagecoach on April 30, 2022. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Carrie Underwood is “getting ready for the jungle, baby!”

After revealing in May that she’ll be joining legendary rock band Guns N’ Roses for three stops on their upcoming North American tour, Carrie is hard at work behind the scenes at rehearsals ahead of the first show this Saturday in Canada.

Listen to CARRIE’S COUNTRY, Carrie’s exclusive SiriusXM channel, on the SiriusXM App

In a video posted to Instagram, Carrie shared an intimate glimpse at her vocal and guitar prep. Set to the rocking song “Poor Everybody Else” from her Denim & Rhinestones album, the video is the perfect taste of what’s to come when she joins Guns N’ Roses on stage this weekend.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood)

Carrie, who also recently launched her own SiriusXM channel , will join Guns N’ Roses for three stadium dates throughout this month. Two of the shows will take place in Canada – Moncton, New Brunswick, on August 5, and Montreal, Québec, on August 8 – and the third at GEODIS Park in Nashville on August 26.

“SO ready for this!” Carrie wrote in a social media post . “…I CANNOT WAIT!”

The upcoming shows won’t be the first time Carrie and Guns N’ Roses have performed together. The two acts have shared the stage on several occasions, including when Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose performed alongside the country superstar during her Stagecoach set in 2022.

New Carrie Underwood Channel: CARRIE’S COUNTRY

Earlier in May, Carrie talked about CARRIE’S COUNTRY and more with Howard Stern as part of the official opening week of SiriusXM Miami. During her appearance, the country star also performed live: two of her hits – “Blown Away” and “She Don’t Know” – and an Ozzy Osbourne cover. Read more about her appearance here , and watch a clip from her performance below.

Carrie Underwood Covers Ozzy’s “Mama, I’m Coming Home”

The Black Crowes Are Back on ‘The Howard Stern Show’: Stream

Bruce springsteen calls into e street radio to discuss 2024 world tour, carrie underwood shares faith-based country and gospel music on her newest channel, listen to u2’s final sphere concert on their siriusxm channel, music, sports, news and more.

All in one place on the SiriusXM app

Bruce Springsteen setlist 2024: Every song he sang at world tour relaunch in Phoenix

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band relaunched their world tour in downtown Phoenix on Tuesday night.

The night allowed for a journey through his catalog, from his first album, "Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.," to 2022's "Only the Strong Survive," a collection of soul and R&B covers.

The return came after Springsteen and the E Street Band cut the trek short in 2023  on the advice of Springsteen’s doctors as the star was treated for peptic ulcer disease , a potentially serious gastrointestinal condition.

At the time, Springsteen issued a statement saying, "Over here on E Street, we're heartbroken to have to postpone these shows. ... We'll be back to pick these shows up and then some. Thank you for your understanding and support. We've been having a blast at our US shows and we’re looking forward to more great times. We'll be back soon."

Bruce Springsteen forced to postpone Philadelphia concerts with E Street Band due to illness

Springsteen announced that he was symptom-free on the Nov. 20 episode of his E Street Radio show "From My Home to Yours." Since then, the New Jersey native performed at the 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year ceremony , the 17th annual Stand Up for Heroes benefit and the New Jersey Hall of Fame induction honoring his wife and E Street Band member, Patti Scialfa .

He also appeared at the 81st Golden Globe Awards (where he was nominated for best original song for "Addicted to Romance"), alongside Darlene Love to present her with a platinum record for "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," and multiple events at the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music on the campus of Monmouth University in New Jersey.

Making music at MusiCares: Bon Jovi rocks with Springsteen, McCartney dances in the crowd at Grammys event

Bruce Springsteen setlist 2024: Every song he played in Phoenix

Here's every song Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played at Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix on March 19, 2024.

"Lonesome Day"

"No Surrender"

"Two Hearts" (with snippet of “It Takes Two” by Marvin Gaye/Kim Weston)

"Darlington County"

"Prove it All Night"

"Darkness on the Edge of Town"

"Letter to You"

"The Promised Land"

"Spirit in the Night"

"Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" (Ben E. King cover)

"Night Shift" (Commodores cover)

"Mary’s Place"

"Last Man Standing"

"Backstreets"

"Because the Night"

"She’s the One"

"Wrecking Ball"

"The Rising"

"Thunder Road"

"Born to Run"

"Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)"

"Glory Days"

"Dancing in the Dark"

"Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out"

"Twist and Shout" (The Top Notes/Isley Brothers/Beatles cover by sign request)

"I'll See You in My Dreams"

Contributing: Jay Stahl, USA TODAY

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band came back down San Diego way (finally!) and rocked up a storm

The nearly three-hour concert came 43 years after the still-vibrant rock legend and his group last performed here together. Their roof-raising version of ‘Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)’ was modified to acknowledge the five-decade gap between their San Diego shows.

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Back again, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band? Why the hurry to return to San Diego so soon after your last concert here?

Make that “so soon” as measured in dog years, since Monday’s rousing, life-affirming concert at Pechanga Arena came 43 years after Springsteen and The E Street Band last performed here together. By coincidence, their 1981 concert was at the same venue (then known as the San Diego Sports Arena).

Dear Bruce Springsteen: What’s wrong with San Diego?

The Boss and his equally tireless E Street Band played nearly 4 hours Saturday in Los Angeles. But they haven’t played in San Diego together since 1981. Why not? Can we make a deal?

March 20, 2016

This inexplicably long gap was acknowledged by the New Jersey-bred rock legend as he and his 17-piece group began the elegiac “My City of Ruins,” an emotional high point in a show bursting with high points. Their eighth selection of the night, “Ruins” came 38 minutes into the nearly 3-hour marathon performance, which at one point saw Springsteen crouching to pet a fan’s emotional-support bulldog — say what? — while singing “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” from a steel ramp on the arena’s floor.

“Good evening, San Diego!” he said to the sold-out audience of 13,500, which responded with one of many sustained ovations. “It’s great to be back in San Diego. It’s been a while. I mean, where the f--- was I?”

Springsteen didn’t dwell any further on the multi-decade gap between his concerts here with The E Street Band. Nor did he offer any insights about what finally prompted their return, after so many years.

But he and his group made up for lost time by performing with more than enough purpose, passion and precision to reaffirm the power of their music to elevate and entertain. And they made a special modification near the conclusion of their third of seven encore numbers, “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight).”

Immediately after Springsteen sang “I know a pretty little place in Southern California, down San Diego way,” he and his band stopped on a dime to let the crowd roar its approval. The song resumed 15 seconds later and a key point had unmistakably been made.

The best place for this Oscar-winner, 20-time Grammy Award-winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Presidential Medal of Freedom honoree to sing about coming down San Diego way is in San Diego.

Monday’s set included 27 songs. They drew from Springsteen’s 1973 debut album, “Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ,” his 2022 album, “Only the Strong Survive,” and various points in between.

The high-octane opening salvo of “Lonesome Day,” “Prove It All Night,” “No Surrender,” the Celtic-flavored “Death to My Hometown” and “Ghosts” made it appear that he is fully recovered from the peptic ulcer disease that forced him to postpone 14 concerts last year, including his originally scheduled Dec. 2 show at Pechanga Arena.

Bruce Springsteen postpones all his 2023 concerts, including in San Diego, citing peptic ulcer disease

After postponing a series of September performances, Springsteen has now pushed all of his 14 remaining concerts this year to 2024

Sept. 27, 2023

Springsteen performed with impressive power and unmistakable conviction throughout, just months after his illness made him wonder if he’d ever be able to sing again. By the mid-point of Monday’s concert, his light blue shirt had turned dark blue from perspiration. At 74-going-on-34, he looked and sounded like a musician on an age-defying mission.

It was the third date on his now-resumed tour with The E Street Band, which performed with a winning combination of carefully calibrated fire and finesse throughout. Anchored by drummer Max Weinberg — who drove the music with vigor but knew exactly when to lay back — this was a band in the best sense of the word, a well-drilled ensemble that skillfully served the songs at hand.

Those songs included such favorites as “The Promised Land,” “Because the Night,” “Badlands,” the Bo Diddley-inspired “She’s the One,” “Born to Run” and “Thunder Road,” each delivered with fist-pumping intensity. But there were also some welcome surprises, among them the first performances on this tour of “Bobby Jean” and the gospel-music-inspired “Last Man Standing.”

“We are here to wake you, to shake you, to take you to higher ground,” Springsteen vowed, assuming the rock ‘n’ roll preacher persona he long ago honed into an art form. “I plan on sending you home with your feet hurting, your hands hurting and your sexual organs stimulated.”

Monday also included the first performance since 2019 of the E Street Band favorite “Detroit Medley,” which found Springsteen and company rocking out on such classic songs as the Shorty Long-penned Mitch Ryder hit “Devil with the Blue Dress On,” Little Richard’s “Good Golly Miss Molly” and the rollicking Ma Rainey blues standard “See See Rider.” The aforementioned “My City of Ruins” was performed for the first time since 2017, but sounded fresh and vital.

During a brassy, bouncy retooling of “Dancing in the Dark,” Springsteen yelled out “San Diego!” and the crowd roared its affirmation. He did so five more times — with the crowd roaring back each time — but not 43 times, which would have been a precise acknowledgment of exactly how many years had passed since he and the E Street Band last performed here. But who’s counting?

Either way, Springsteen’s parting words to the audience after his concert-closing solo acoustic ballad, “I’ll See You in My Dreams,” were cause for hope.

“We’ll be back,” he said.

Let’s hold him to it.

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Variety’s International Achievement in Music Honoree and Japanese Rock Legend Yoshiki Talks New Documentary and Fashion: ‘The Fans Are the Reason I’m Still Here’

Ahead of Milan Fashion Week 2024’s unveiling of the high-end line Maison Yoshiki , its designer and namesake, Japanese rock star Yoshiki, made a last-minute decision to perform on the runway.

In its review of the show, the Cut noted the “performance quality” of Yoshiki Maison’s debut, noting the multihyphenate’s demeanor: “He seemed utterly chill about his ability to be a designer, which is perhaps not surprising at all.”

Indeed, that “chill” demeanor is far from a surprise for those familiar with Yoshiki’s four-plus decades of work in the entertainment industry — they know the star’s fearless specificity in everything he touches.

From genre-spanning music collaborations to directing a documentary to his fashion endeavors and philanthropy work, the soft-spoken, frequently sunglass-toting rock star masks a deeply creative soul.

“I was hesitating to perform because I want the center of attention to be the clothes, not me,” Yoshiki reflects several days later over a late-night phone call from Tokyo. “My team suggested, ‘Yoshiki, you should play, it will add a kind of strength to your show,’” before adding with a laugh, “Pretty much, at the last minute, I was convinced to perform because I wanted to take people on some kind of journey.”

In 2023 alone, Yoshiki embarked on two international tours, made his directorial debut with the music documentary “Yoshiki: Under the Sky,” released new music with his two rock bands, and performed with top stars across the pop, rock, opera, J-pop and K-pop worlds, including Ellie Goulding, St. Vincent and Tomorrow X Together.

During the same period, Yoshiki received the Icon Award at Los Angeles’ Stars Asian Intl. Film Festival and was named Favorite Intl. Artist at the 2023 Mnet Asian Music Awards in Tokyo. He also became the first Japanese artist to have hands and footprints memorialized at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

And he’s not slowing down: On April 16, he will perform the national anthem at Dodger Stadium for Hello Kitty night. The musician is creating a global theme for Hello Kitty in honor of its 50th anniversary.

“Defining Yoshiki is very confusing,” he says. “I meet people who don’t know me who ask, ‘What do you do?’”

As if needing to take a moment to remind himself of the answer, he pauses with a slight hmm before he lands on, “I just love being surrounded by art — something like that.”

Yoshiki Hayashi was born in the city of Tateyama in Chiba, part of the greater Tokyo area, to parents who ran a kimono shop. They also both had backgrounds in music. When his father, a jazz pianist and tap dancer, died by suicide when Yoshiki was only 10, the future star found relief from tragedy in punk and hard-rock music, embracing acts including Kiss, Led Zeppelin and Iron Maiden, alongside learning to play drums and guitar — a stark contrast to the piano lessons and music theory the pitch-perfect student had been taught since he was very young.

Yoshiki played in bands alongside childhood friend and singer-songwriter Toshimitsu Deyama (soon to be better known to the world via his own mononym, Toshi), with the two founding X Japan in 1982 and leading the band through its multi-platinum, award-winning career. X Japan was the first act to bring metal to the famous Tokyo Dome stadium, and was also Japan’s answer to glam rock, but with a local twist via the popular Visual Kei fashion movement with its explosively colorful makeup, hairstyles and costumes.

In the early 1990s, Yoshiki ventured into solo work beyond his work for X Japan, collaborating with Japanese electronic pioneer Tetsuya Komuro and releasing his 1991 “Yoshiki Selection” CD with interpretations of Bach, Beethoven and Chopin. Looking increasingly outward in both his collaborators and recognition, Yoshiki tapped Beatles producer George Martin for his first solo album, 1993’s “Eternal Melody,” while Queen drummer Roger Taylor featured him on “Foreign Sand,” the second single off the English drummer’s 1994 solo album “Happiness?,” which entered the Top 40 of the U.K.’s singles chart.

“When I do some kind of project, I always put a hundred percent,” he reflects. “I’m just picky about everything, I guess?”

Looking back at his “crazy” 2023, Yoshiki expresses his gratitude but hopes 2024 can be a year for him to create and take some “extracurricular time for myself to think about life more.” Or, as he later puts it with a blunt laugh: “Well, I’m still single.”

But his personal life may need to take a backseat once again as the star swims through his sea of creative commitments, which includes recording new music.

Yoshiki is currently composing the official song to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sanrio’s Hello Kitty character and brand. The Last Rockstars, his Japanese supergroup that features three other legends in the scene, will play its final U.S. tour date in August at L.A.’s YouTube Theater. Yoshiki is also writing a symphony, intended for a full orchestra, and recently hosted fellow Asia icon and friend G-Dragon, the leader of K-pop group Bigbang, in his Los Angeles studio.

“We were just figuring out if we’re creating music together,” he says. “He’s very talented and charismatic. I love K-pop, it’s very inspirational, and I love J-pop and J-rock. Sometimes working together or collaborating could be amazing.”

Inspired by his experience directing and starring in documentary “Yoshiki: Under the Sky,” which showcased pandemic-era musical collaborations with such diverse artists as Scorpions, Sarah Brightman, Hide, Jane Zhang, St. Vincent, Nicole Scherzinger, Lindsey Stirling and the Chainsmokers, Yoshiki is also directing another documentary project and a feature film.

Yoshiki still aspires to make his mark in the world’s largest music industry.

“In terms of America or being international, I don’t feel like I achieved that much yet,” he admits. “I’m still not a household name or anything so there is a lot more I need to do, but at the same time, my goal is not to become famous or anything.”

Instead, he has aspirations that transcend the traditional confines of fame and fortune.

“My goal is to try to dedicate any time of my life to this art — the beauty of art, everything,” Yoshiki says. “By me doing this, I can support people. That’s why I’m doing this.”

And it’s the fans who keep Yoshiki seeking excellence.

“The fans are the reason I’m still here,” he says. “Sometimes, I get lost in thoughts like, ‘Why am I living in this world?’ When I see my fans, they make me feel like I’m OK to be living.”

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Set List: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band 2023-2024 Tour

In September 2023, Bruce Springsteen was forced to postpone the remainder of his tour so that he could recover from peptic ulcer disease—doctor’s orders. Thankfully, by early 2024, he was back to his rock god self and able to pick up right where he left off. He relaunched his tour with a show in Phoenix on March 19, during which he apologized to the crowd for any “inconvenience.” (As if anyone in that deafening crowd could be mad at the Boss!). The nearly 30-song set includes fan favorites like “Born to Run” and “Dancing in the Dark,” along with a few surprise covers (the Phoenix date featured “Nightshift” by The Commodores and “Twist and Shout” by The Beatles). Springsteen is joined as usual by The E Street Band, a full horn and brass section, and four backup singers, and will play dozens of rescheduled shows in Los Angeles, D.C., Calgary, and more, before wrapping in Vancouver in November.

27 Songs, 2 hours, 8 minutes

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