7 Tours Actually Worth Paying For
Good news: There are a lot of popular mainstream acts heading out on stadium tours this year. Bad news: We, as college students, obviously aren’t going to be able to afford tickets for all these shows.
But, there are some artists that are actually worth the price of admission — just skip the daily Starbucks run and stop buying a round of shots every night, and you just may be able to make it work.
1. Fall Out Boy & Wiz Khalifa: Boys of the Zummer Tour
You’re probably thinking this is the most random tour of the year, but it makes more sense than you think. Fall Out Boy went on tour with Paramore last summer for the modern day rock fan’s dream concert, so they’re no strangers to collaborating. Wiz Khalifa has shown that he is a very successful crossover artist, and his live shows never disappoint. This should be one of the most energetic tours of the year.
2. Taylor Swift: The 1989 World Tour
Even though I’m in no way, shape, or form a “Swiftie,” I do respect Taylor’s success given the fact that all of her tours are worldwide events. With a whopping 78 shows already announced (and more likely to be added), she’ll be joined on the road by Vance Joy, Shawn Mendes, and Haim to support her blockbuster pop album, 1989.
3. Maroon 5: Maroon 5 World Tour 2015
I still can’t believe Maroon 5 have only released five albums in their long and storied career, but it seems that they only get bigger with each release. Riding high off of successful singles such as “Animals” and “Maps,” they will be supporting their aptly titled album V, when they embark on a 43-show trek beginning in February, supported by MAGIC!
4. Ariana Grande: The Honeymoon Tour
A pop princess with a dynamic voice, Grande finally showed the world in 2014 that she’s a certified pop star with the success of her album My Everything, along with her numerous performances and awards. She plans to ride that success into 2015 with her first world tour supported by Rixton (another act to look out for this year).
5. Lana Del Rey: The Endless Summer Tour
Catching a Lana Del Rey show is a rare occurrence, but whenever she does decide to grace the public with her live shows, they quickly sell out. With Courtney Love joining her on this 17-show run in May, and her next solo album Honeymoon dropping sometime in the near future, expect to hear a lot from Lana in 2015.
6. Kanye West: Untitled 2015 Tour
I’m not sure if you remember this, but this past fall Rihanna held a live auction on her website where people were invited to bid on a package for the “Kanye West Tour Experience.” With the public clamoring for Kanye to drop an album any day now, and the massive success of the “Yeezus” tour, this show shouldn’t disappoint.
7. Iggy Azalea: The Great Escape Tour
No matter what your feelings are towards Iggy Azalea, she’s had a pretty successful past 12 months. She’s looking to ride that momentum into 2015 with her headlining stadium tour. She claims the concept of the tour came from the idea that she pictures herself as “a musical escape artist for people.” Beginning in April, she’ll be joined by Nick Jonas and Tinashe for a 24-show run.
Art by Shawna Rabbas