The live music scene has changed a lot in the last few years – whether it was for the better or worse, it remains to be seen. Many so-called “live” performances by some of the highest-paid DJs in the world this year are nothing but setlists played with the artist waving hands and shouting random words in a mike – this is EDM, folks, where all the work is done in a studio today. At the same time, bands that we all thought were defunct are popping up at venues around the world giving people a taste of new materials they released and warming the hearts of those who loved them when they were young (both the bands and the audiences, mind you). While the members are well over their primes, they are still capable of giving the audiences what they want: songs they know and love combined with brand new material and great shows that they will remember forever.
This year, we’ve had quite a few great names from the past perform live all over the planet. After a farewell tour in 2017, Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne is retreating but not before completing a massive world tour that will last until 2020. This goodbye is not forever, though, as he will return to play “selected shows” even after bidding his farewell to the stage.
U2 is a band that refuses to go away. It seems that the scandal involving their album making it to every iPhone in existence didn’t hurt their reputation much – the band was touring in 2018. They spent most of the last year celebrating the 30th anniversary of “The Joshua Tree”, and this year they went on to promote their latest album, “Songs of Experience”.
Another name with a retro feel attached to it is Bon Jovi, coming straight from the 1980s glam metal era to rock your world. The band, along with its successful frontman, have been in the spotlight for more than three decades, tirelessly touring and pumping out fresh content. Their current tour is ongoing and will continue well into the middle of next year, offering nostalgia and good vibes to anyone that falls onto their itinerary.
And let’s not forget about Metallica, the real blast from the past. The band started its career in the early 1980s and gave the world some of the most beautiful power ballads ever since. While their new material is nowhere near as popular as their classics (think One, Enter Sandman, and The Unforgiven), they are still pumping out fresh music (their last album was released in 2016) and tirelessly touring the world.
What’s up with all these classic acts taking the stage?