By Craig Mathieson
Live music is one of life's great pleasures, but there's something to be said for the added anticipation of buying a ticket when a tour is announced and waiting for the night at hand; when a show once months away is mere minutes from starting the excitement can be palpable. Thankfully, Australia remains a solid link on the international touring chain, with no shortage of exciting artists to choose from as 2017's concert market takes shape. Good luck getting to the front row.
LADY LESHURR
Melbourne: February 12, Howler, Brunswick, $39, moshtix.com.au
Sydney: February 14, Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst, $39, moshtix.com.au
From the "one to see before everyone else does in 2018" category comes Melesho O'Garro, the English rapper and producer who releases music – via a torrent of songs and guest spots – under the moniker of Lady Leshurr. Originally known for her freestyle verses, Lady Leshurr tracks have a propulsive skip that keeps her voice and words one step ahead of the listener's expectations. Track down her various numbered Queen's Speech singles, especially 4, 5 and 6, and you'll be ready to happily bow down.
GUNS N' ROSES
Melbourne: February 14, Melbourne Cricket Ground, $79.90-$356.75, ticketek.com.au
Sydney: February 10 and 11, ANZ Stadium, $79.90-$356.75, ticketek.com.au
It's more than 20 years since Los Angeles hooligans turned hard rock heavyweights Guns N' Roses were the biggest band in the world, and no-one expected dictatorial frontman Axl Rose to ever welcome back defecting fellow founders such as guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan for a reformation tour. But a combination of maturity and money prevailed, and internationally the recharged Guns N' Roses has been delivering a greatest hit set notable for not bringing back the cancellations and audience skirmishes that characterised their torrid peak.
PORTER ROBINSON + MADEON
Melbourne: February 26, Hisense Arena, $79.90, ticketek.com.au
Sydney: February 25, Hordern Pavilion (sold out)
Americana and French respectively, Porter Robinson and Hugo Leclercq (aka Madeon) first met online more than a decade ago as mutual fans of Daft Punk looking to explore digital production. Since then they've built concurrent careers in electronic music that effortlessly merged with the warm keyboard washes of their joint 2016 hit single Shelter. Already a success in the northern hemisphere, their collaborative tour finds the friends reworking hits and venturing into each other's back catalogue. Like Flume, they're beatmakers who've crossed into the mainstream to refocus pop music.
PIXIES
Melbourne: March 4 (sold out) and 5, Margaret Court Arena, $101.70, ticketek.com.au
Sydney: March 7, Hordern Pavilion, $101.85, ticketek.com.au
The band that laid the foundation for Nirvana – transformative energy, thrilling dynamic shifts, and helter-skelter narratives – Pixies have been through the reformation nostalgia hysteria of the past decade and come out of it a stronger, forward-looking band. Since bassist Paz Lenchatin signed up in 2014, the one-time Boston quartet has been adding to their repertoire. New album Head Carrier will supply accompaniment on their upcoming tour to the Doolittle classics that are still thrillingly vital.
ADELE
Melbourne: March 18 and 19, Etihad Stadium, $101.74-$305.64, ticketek.com.au
Sydney: March 10 and 11, ANZ Stadium, $103.95-$307.85, ticketek.com.au
Adele Adkins' third long player, 25, was the highest-selling album in Australia in both 2015 and 2016, while last year's world tour took in more than 100 arena gigs. The shows retained the qualities that have distinguished Adele's songbook and see her sell more than 100 million albums worldwide: the ready emotion of her music and the immersive power of her voice. Her Australian dates, which had extra tickets released this week, will debut a new stage show that sees Adele performing in the round with a 360 degree perspective.
TEENAGE FANCLUB
Melbourne: March 11 and March 13 (sold out), Corner Hotel, Richmond, $66, cornerhotel.com
Sydney: March 10, Taronga Zoo, $54.95-$74.95, twilightattaronga.org.au
In the long and twisted history of indie-rock, Teenage Fanclub ring loud and true. Built around multiple songwriters with an ear for engaging guitars and a knack for joyously compelling harmonies, the Scottish outfit has been moving between cranked alternative rock and melodic guitar pop since the late 1980s. Their 10th and most recent album, 2016's Here, hit the UK top 10 and proved to be a worthy encapsulation of their maturing talents.
MARY J. BLIGE
Melbourne: April 12, Hamer Hall, $78-$144, artscentremelbourne.com.au
Sydney: April 10, Concert Hall, Opera House (sold out)
Mary J. Blige is perennially referred to the as "the queen of hip-hop soul", which is both an awkward but nonetheless accurate title – from 1992's influential What's the 411? album onwards she has merged distinct genres in a way that has stamped the contemporary urgency of hip-hop culture on the classic soul and funk template. Her signature track is 2001's No More Drama, but her best songs continue to deliver just that as the 46-year-old New Yorker remains one of the great divas.
PATTI SMITH
Melbourne: April 16 and 17 (both sold out), Hamer Hall; April 18, State Theatre (sold out); April 20, Festival Hall, $114.80-$157.71, ticketmaster.com.au
Sydney: April 9 (sold out), 10 and 11, State Theatre, $99.52-$199.44, ticketmaster.com.au
A punk pioneer, poet and memoirist whose interwoven wildness and wisdom made her into a beloved visionary, Patti Smith's Australian tour, which also includes a festival performance at Bluesfest, began as a celebration of her ground-breaking 1975 debut album, Horses, but now it's a goodbye. An extra Melbourne show, with support from Courtney Barnett, has been billed as the 70-year-old's final show ever in Australia. Don't say that you haven't been warned.
THE LUMINEERS
Melbourne: April 19, State Theatre, $87-$123, artscentremelbourne.com.au
Sydney: April 17 and 18, Concert Hall, Opera House, $69-$109, sydneyoperahouse.com
Announced by the yearning but revitalising stomp and strum of their 2012 breakthrough single Ho Hey, this Denver folk-rock trio went through the full debut album cycle of sudden acclaim, extended touring and lingering doubt. They put it all to rest with their second album, last year's Cleopatra, which hit two on the Australian charts and with Neyla Pekarek's cello as the defining twist made clear their contemporary take on classic American folk forms.
GREEN DAY
Melbourne: May 5 (sold out) and 6, Rod Laver Arena, $115.45-$149.05, ticketek.com.au
Sydney: May 10 (sold out) and 11, Qudos Bank Arena, $117.75-$151.35, ticketek.com.au
No sooner does a divisive Republican President of the United States take charge than Green Day arise. The Oakland punk rock trio, who gave the opposition to George W. Bush a memorably exciting voice with the likes of American Idiot, are back on tour with their latest album, 2016's Revolution Radio, after several years out of the limelight to deal with various personal issues. With guitar groups currently a niche in popular music, Green Day could set a timely example.
Ticket prices do not include booking fees, VIP packages and any other ancillary charges.