THE GIFT OF ‘LIVE’
AS AN ARTS AND CULTURE INDUSTRY ABSOLUTELY FLOORED BY THE HORRORSHOW OF 2020 LOOKS TO GET BACK ON ITS FEET, RAHUL VERMA TAKES HIS PICK OF HOT TICKETS FOR THE YEAR AHEAD...
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Tickets are on sale for the definitive rock festival which has begun to announce its headliners. They include Kiss’s pure theatrics, towering Scottish rock trio Biffy Clyro, ear-shredding rockers System Of A Down and thrash metal legends Megadeth. June 4 to 6, Donington Park, downloadfestival.co.uk
TRNSMT
Running since 2017, TRNSMT takes place in one of Glasgow’s oldest parks and is shaping up to be large, with Friday’s headliners including The Courteneers, Ian Brown, Yxng Bane, and Little Simz; Saturday stars Liam Gallagher, Foals, Keane and AJ Tracey; while Sunday has a gentler feel with Lewis Capaldi, Snow Patrol, Loyle Carner and Ash. July 9 to 11, Glasgow Green, trnsmtfest.com
Bluedot
Expect a big bang as music, science and culture collide around UNESCO World Heritage site, the Jodrell Bank Observatory, in Lancashire. 2021 promises to be a corker with just-announced headliners Björk, Groove Armada and Metronomy, performing next to the towering Grade I-listed Lovell Telescope. Handily, Bluedot is offering a seven-month payment plan for ticket purchases in time for Christmas. July 22 to 25, Jodrell Bank Observatory, discoverthebluedot.com
WOMAD
Christmas special tickets for the festival co-founded by Peter Gabriel – celebrating music, arts, dance and food from around the world – went on sale last week. While the line-up is yet to be confirmed you can expect to find musicians from South Asia to West Africa, and from Latin America to the Caribbean. If you’ve ever wanted to take part in a drumming circle, this is your chance. July 22 to 25, Charlton Park, womad.co.uk
Camp Bestival (Dorset)
The family-friendly festival (above) is a giant playground for grown-ups and kids. Tickets are on sale for 2021 and the musical line-up is taking shape with Fatboy Slim, Groove Armada,
Kelis, Becky Hill, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and the Sugarhill Gang. There’s also comedy (Dom Joly) and literature (Irvine Welsh), and, for kids, ziplines, water slides, bushcraft, fancy dress and a fireworks finale. July 29 to Aug 1, Lulworth Castle, campbestival.net
TOURS Stormzy
The Glastonbury-wowing rapper brings energy, compelling presence and stunning wordplay to arenas in support of Heavy Is The Head, the UK’s fifth biggest selling album of 2020. From April 5, stormzy.com
The Killers
Can Mr Brightside really be 17-yearsold? Yes it can, and you can belt it along with tens of thousands of people as The Killers embark on a nine-date stadium tour in May, in support of their 2020 album, Imploding The Mirage. From May 25, thekillersmusic.com
New Order
The beloved sons of Manchester play their first home gig in four years at Heaton Park, with electrodisco geeks Hot Chip and Working Men’s Club supporting. September 10, Heaton Park, neworder.com
Dua Lipa
The platinum-selling pop queen kicks off her much-anticipated Future Nostalgia arena tour in Liverpool and takes in nine more cities. It’s in support of her 2020 album of the same name, an upbeat, disco-pop record bringing much joy to a tough year. It’s guaranteed to be Hotter Than Hell. From Sep 10, ticketmaster.com
The Weeknd
The brilliant, boundary-breaking R&B superstar brings his After Hours tour to the UK for nine dates to promote his new LP of the same name. The 1980s-inspired single Blinding Lights not only inspired a viral TikTok dance craze, but is surely one of the tracks of 2020. From Oct 22, theweeknd.com
COMEDY Katherine Ryan
The Canadian comic is fast becoming an honorary Brit and hits the road in autumn 2021 with new stand up show, Missus, about falling in love and marrying her childhood sweetheart 20 years after they broke up (#truestory). If you can’t wait that long, the writer and star of The Duchess, the bitingly-funny, single-mum comedy series on Netflix, brings her podcast Telling Everybody Everything, to London’s Forum on February 4. From Sep 2, ticketmaster.co.uk
Stewart Lee
The revered comedian is on the road in early 2021 to wrap up coronavirus-delayed Snowflake/ Tornado, his first new live show in three years. The show deftly dives into culture wars, cancel culture, free speech and silencing, and some of its topical gags have had to be rewritten so it’s not woefully out of date or ignores the pandemic. With 12 further months to marinate, Snowflake/Tornado promises to be even more delicious.
From March 1, 2021, stewartlee.co.uk