Live music in 2024 certainly has big shoes to fill, and some of the shows that have already been announced are proving that the new year is up to the challenge. Here are just some of the upcoming shows we're most excited about.
Playboi Carti: Antagonist Tour
Wednesday, Jan. 17American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave.
The Antagonist Tour and its Dallas stop were originally supposed to take place in summer 2023, but the rapper abruptly postponed the entire tour for unknown reasons. No surprise. Carti has an alleged history of blowing off things that are kind of important. All tickets purchased for the previously announced date are being honored.
Tool
Friday, Feb. 17American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave.
The Observer has a complicated relationship with Tool's fans. Our unimpressed review of the band's 2020 Dallas show generated enough backlash to make it our most-read music story of the year. When 2022's show made a better impression and we announced that Tool had redeemed themselves, fans were further incensed. Tool apparently didn't need to redeem themselves. Somewhere along the way, the band blocked us on Twitter. The jury's still out on if we'll dare to cover them again, but their return to Dallas is definitely a treat for their very intense fanbase.
Olivia Rodrigo: The Guts World Tour
Friday, March 1American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave.
Olivia Rodrigo doesn't know the meaning of the term "sophomore slump." Her second album, Guts, was both a commercial and critical sensation, and next year she'll be spilling her guts to Dallas. Rodrigo is nominated for six Grammys, including Album of the Year. By the time she takes the stage at American Airlines Center, her world tour might also be a victory lap.
Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks
Saturday, March 9AT&T Stadium, 1 AT&T Way, Arlington
This dynamic boomer duo was scheduled to come through Dallas in 2023, but the show was postponed after Nicks' entire band fell ill. The show has thankfully been rescheduled and will be an event the whole family can enjoy, from parents who got into Nicks and Joel in their prime to their daughters who admire Nicks because they think she put a curse on Lindsay Buckingham in that one performance of "Silver Springs."
Madonna: The Celebration Tour
Sunday, March 24, and Monday, March 25American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave.
This sprawling tribute to Madonna's four-decade career has already garnered rave reviews during its first dates in Europe this year. The material girl will spend two nights in Dallas unifying every era and persona she's portrayed under a single message: "Bitch, I'm Madonna."
Laufey: Bewitched: The Goddess Tour
Wednesday, April 17, and Thursday, April 18Winspear Opera House, 2403 Flora St.
Laufey isn't your grandmother's jazz singer, but she could've been. The 24-year-old Icelandic singer-songwriter draws inspiration from artists ranging from jazz legends like Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald to modern pop singers like Taylor Swift. Billboard have praised her for "[creating] a blueprint for modern jazz success." The Winspear Opera House is the perfect place to experience her brand of warm, nostalgic jazz with a modern pop flair.
Hozier: Unreal Unearth Tour
Sunday, April 28, and Monday, April 29Dos Equis Pavilion, 1818 First Ave.
Hozier is proof that the traditional methods of measuring an artist's success are useless. On paper, Hozier is a one-hit wonder, with his 2013 single "Take Me to Church" being by far his most notable mainstream hit. But he's now three albums into his career and maintains a strong enough following that he can serenade Dos Equis Pavilion with his moody, sexy folk rock for two nights in a row. Bring your girlfriend at your own risk.
Bad Bunny: Most Wanted Tour
Friday, May 3, and Saturday, May 4American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave.
As it currently stands, Bad Bunny is one of the biggest artists alive and his Most Wanted Tour is set to be one of the major live music events of the year. Two nights in an arena almost seems like an underplay for him, as unreal as that sounds. But if there's one thing 2023 taught us, it's that scarcity creates mystique, and FOMO is a foolproof marketing tactic.
Luis Miguel
Wednesday, May 8American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave.
Yet another reason to pack into American Airlines Center next year is to see the one and only Luis Miguel. This date was scheduled to accommodate the demand for his previous Dallas show in October, which sold out in 30 minutes. Name doesn’t ring a bell? Google “Ahora, Te Puedes Marchar,” for a quick reminder — arguably the best song that came out of Latin pop in the '80s. Just as his songs don’t age, neither has Luis Miguel’s voice. Now go watch the Netflix biographical series (two seasons!) to learn about this musical star. At the age of 53, Luis Miguel still has “it,” and we can’t wait to see it.
Nicki Minaj: Pink Friday 2 World Tour
Saturday, May 11American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave.
The announcement of this tour, Minaj's first solo headlining tour since 2016, combined with the release of Pink Friday 2, has the Barbz (Minaj's name for her fans) beside themselves. We have no clue what could've compelled her to create a sequel to her famously pink debut album that heavily features a persona named Barbie. Regardless, we're ready to party like it's 2010.
Caifanes and Cafe Tacvba
Saturday, June 22Dos Equis Pavilion, 1818 First Ave.
These two highly influential Mexican rock bands are embarking on a co-headlining tour that will “[bridge] nostalgia with contemporary culture and musical significance,” according to a press release announcing the collaboration. Both bands have been around since the ‘80s and are preeminent forces in the Mexican rock scene; this tour will showcase and celebrate those legacies.
Morgan Wallen: One Night at a Time
Thursday, July 25, and Friday, July 26AT&T Stadium, 1 AT&T Way, Arlington
It's impossible to bring up country superstar Morgan Wallen without talking about that one time he was filmed yelling racial slurs, but at this point, it also feels redundant. In the three years since it happened, everyone's heard about it and firmly made up their minds about how they feel about him and how his story fits into the "cancel culture" discourse. If playing two nights back-to-back at the gridiron home of the Dallas Cowboys is what getting canceled looks like, we should all be so lucky.
Limp Bizkit
Tuesday, Aug. 13Dos Equis Pavilion, 1818 First Ave.
Corey Feldman is one of the openers, making this nu-metal show most notable for how batshit insane it is. Count us in.
Zach Bryan: The Quittin Time Tour
Saturday, Aug. 17AT&T Stadium, 1 AT&T Way, Arlington
Another blockbuster country tour coming through Arlington is courtesy of Zach Bryan, whose self-titled fourth album (which the tour is promoting) debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 and spawned the top charting single, "I Remember Everything (ft. Kacey Musgraves)." Seeing as Musgraves is a North Texas native, we're not ruling out a surprise appearance. (Don't come for us if this doesn't happen, but feel free to give us credit for calling it if it does.)
