The Best Australian and New Zealand Tours of 2025

Brian Johnson and Angus Young clearly live to perform. Ably backed by rhythm guitarist Stevie Young (nephew of Malcolm and Angus), bassist Chris Chaney (formerly of Jane’s Addiction), and drummer Matt Laug (formerly of Slash’s Snakepit), the current lineup is a formidable unit.

And their first Australian shows in a decade proved they are far from done, particularly when “Back in Black” came on – which was only song two in the setlist.

“It’s only song two and AC/DC have already proven they’ve still got it; don’t heed the haters, there’s still plenty of power in Brian Johnson’s gritty vocals,” we wrote, later saying: “After two-plus hours spent rocking our socks off, AC/DC leave it all on the MCG stage. There’s plenty of ‘High Voltage’ left in these old rock dogs yet.”

Read our 4.5-star review here.

Billie Eilish’s return to Australia, touring Hit Me Hard and Soft, was nothing short of spectacular.

When she hit the floor on her first Australian stop in Brisbane wearing her LA cap and oversized Ralph Lauren jersey, the capacity crowd went nuts. There’s nothing quite like seeing an artist locked into the cultural zeitgeist at the peak of their powers, as Eilish so obviously is.

“Eilish confessed to sinus trouble and jet lag, but you wouldn’t have guessed it. Her energy was off the charts. The show was an overall spectacle, but the undisputed star wasn’t the tech wizardry: it was the touching fan connection and the way Eilish delivered a collection of songs that stand alongside the best written by any of her pop peers within the last five years,” we wrote.

Read our 4.5-star review here.

Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour saw the iconic pop star bringing her colourful, career‑spanning show to six Australian cities in April, with special guests The Veronicas joining her on the road.

The Australian leg was part of what Lauper has billed as her final major tour after nearly five decades performing, giving fans one last chance to hear classics like “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “True Colors” live onstage.

“She’s synonymous with fun and female empowerment, and Lauper opens this ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour’ with her tongue-in-cheek ode to female masturbation, ‘She Bop’ – resplendent with that recorder solo,” we wrote.

Read our 5-star review here.

Daniel Johns promised a night of sitting on the couch, telling stories and sharing songs no one had heard before for his ‘In Conversation’ series – and he certainly delivered.

Unheard material was delivered in the form of “All the Time in the World”, an unreleased demo from sessions for Silverchair’s 1999 album Neon Ballroom. Being just a demo, it featured raw vocals and acoustic guitar with a hint of keyboard in it. Fans were also treated to another unreleased Silverchair track, “Machina Collecta”.

“There were multiple interactions with the crowd, numerous occasions where a member would shout out something and Johns would respond. The loose vibe suited the night, truly feeling like the audience were participants in a massive hang on the couch, just having a chat, and things got stronger as the night progressed,” we wrote.

Read our 4-star review here.

Some music artists pick a lane and do one thing very well, while others might try out different sounds from album to album, proving they can adapt to varying styles. Then, you’ve got artists like Genesis Owusu, the rare unicorn who can masterfully switch up genres from one track to the next — rap to punk, R&B to pop, and everything else in between — while still having it all sound of a piece.

In September, he previewed his new album at Sydney Opera House, and the shows were ones for the ages.

“He’s a star in every sense of the word, and, based on tonight’s show, another Album of the Year ARIA Award is in his near future. For now, he’ll just have to be content with a performance that everyone in attendance will rave about to all their friends and speak of in highly reverential terms for years to come,” we wrote.

Read our 4.5-star review here.

Gracie Abrams officially entered her arena era – and Australian fans felt every bit of it.

It’s been a fast climb. Since her last (sold-out) Aussie visit in early 2024, Abrams has gone from cult favourite to full-blown main pop girl – opening for Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ shows, dropping a No. 1 album (The Secret of Us debuted at the top of the ARIA chart), and somehow landing on Drake’s radar – all while navigating fame with a familiar last name and the occasional nepo-baby comment (yes, her dad is that J.J. Abrams).

But the vibe of her Australian shows were incredible. “Think best-friend sleepover with 21,000 guests,” we wrote.

Read our 3.5-star review here.

If success is the best revenge, then Kendrick Lamar is practically God-tier when it comes to getting even.

Ever since he obliterated rap rival Drake in what was arguably the ugliest hip-hop beef of all time in 2024, the Los Angeles rapper has been doing an extended victory lap, from a televised performance broadcast to millions at the 2025 Super Bowl, to his recent world tour, where he played to sold-out crowds and gets to rub a few dump trucks’ worth of salt into his enemy’s wounds at every show.

He landed Down Under in December, bringing a setlist that expertly blended his new material with the old, ensuring fans got to hear beloved favourites alongside his latest songs.

“Even though the Kendrick vs. Drake battle dominated music discourse in 2024, it still can’t overshadow the fact that Kendrick has been in a prolonged Imperial phase of his career that shows no signs of stopping any time soon, his catalogue now full of bona fide classics and new tracks worthy of sitting alongside them,” we wrote.

Read our 4-star review here. 

Thirty odd years ago Kylie Minogue played her first-ever arena show in Brisbane. With only a club gig under her belt prior to that, Kylie and her band lifted the lid off the place and a musical juggernaut was born.

She returned this year for the ‘Tension Tour’, delivering a show laid out in five acts, filled with pop classics galore.

“In 2025, Kylie remains Australia’s undisputed Queen of Pop, her 2023 single ‘Padam Padam’ reacquainting her with the zeitgeist. In this city alone she’s now playing to numbers that double the attendance of her previous visit,” we wrote.

Read our 4-star review here.

Gaga may be “Born This Way”, but she’s also in the shape of her life – physically and vocally. Her live performances are undoubtably among the best, as she’s never not ‘on’ and her acting ability gives her an edge: every eye movement, gesture, breathy exhale, and perfectly executed dance move is done with intention.

So when she arrived for the local leg of her ‘Mayhem Ball’ tour in December, it was no surprise fans were obsessed.

“It’s such a powerful statement of authenticity to watch Gaga revert to Stefani Germanotta before our very eyes. She’s been a global superstar for 17 years now, and ‘Mayhem Ball’ finds this once-in-a-generation artist at the peak of her powers,” we wrote.

Read our 4.5-star review here.

Put it down to his Scottishness, put it down to whatever you want, but Lewis Capaldi is peerless in pop right now because there’s such an endearing lack of pretension to what he does. He writes “Bruises”, one of the most aching ballads of the last 10 years, but he never makes it sound like it was a preternatural songwriting gift. It’s just what he does.

They’ve come a long way, Metallica. Over forty years ago, four spotty teens co-invented neck-aching thrash metal, then against all odds became chart-topping titans, struggled through a difficult experimental ’90s fuelled by pills and booze, then a dysfunctional life coach period before evolving into venerated elder statesmen.

So, for their first Australian tour since 2013’s Soundwave jaunt (their 2019 tour was canned when singer/guitarist James Hetfield took himself off to rehab), Metallica served up a career-spanning smorgasbord that played to many of their strengths and delighted those of a certain age whose jaw hit the floor listening to their 1983 debut Kill ‘Em All, right through to younger fans, of which there were many present.

“Metallica could have played another two hours featuring many of the great songs they skipped tonight, but the chosen songs, the show, and the entire spectacle of Metallica live in 2025 was undeniably triumphant,” we wrote.

Read our 4-star review here.

In the 16 years since Oasis broke up, their legend has only grown. The anticipation around their reunion tour – the most buzzed-about series of concerts since Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ – came as no surprise.

After shows overseas, their reunion finally landed Down Under in October, and, to the delight of many, Oasis in 2025 sounded amazing – if not better than before.

“The Oasis we see tonight isn’t the band of Knebworth 1996, when they were creating their legend – and their notoriety – in real-time. If you couldn’t be there, perhaps the next best thing is to be here now, amongst the generations who’ve kept their music alive. ‘While we’re living / The dreams we have as children fade away‘, they sing – but not tonight,” we wrote.

Read our 5-star review here.

In February, an up-and-comer named Olivia Dean graced Australian stages. The Mercury Prize-nominated breakout star, fresh off conquering Glastonbury and Coachella in 2024, sold out the UNSW Roundhouse, with a capacity of just over 2,000 – which felt comically small for her surging popularity.

“Dean’s show made one thing clear: next time, she’ll need a bigger venue,” we wrote. “It’s clear that Olivia Dean is already a star – Australia just needs to catch up.”

And boy, were we right. She has grown to become one of the world’s hottest stars of the year, with no shortage of love Down Under. Her second album, The Art of Loving, has dominated the ARIA Charts – she even came to perform at the 2025 ARIA Awards.

“For over two decades, we have carried our home in our hearts as we roamed around the world…” So went the opening sentence of Parkway Drive’s brief explainer of the mammoth undertaking that was bringing their catalogue to the Sydney Opera House.

Bringing their music to one of the world’s most recognisable venues in June was a big swing from a band already renowned for their expansive and ambitious live shows. Yet to witness Parkway Drive backed by a full symphonic orchestra within the Concert Hall proved to be a new level of emotional evocation for fans to experience.

“With a show like this one, they have proven their legacy potential in a definitive way. Sure, Parkway Drive have long been regarded as one of Australia’s best heavy bands, but this show at the Concert Hall served a potent reminder that they are one of Australia’s best live bands, period,” we wrote.

Read our 4.5-star review here.

With an audience of thousands spanning decades, gender and race, RÜFÜS DU SOL transcend the boundaries of a typical listener.

Their recent Australian run offered the audience the opportunity to surrender – they are so unwavering in their presence that it’s easy to hand yourself over. They garner trust, and implore a vivid sense of letting go. Each song blends seamlessly into the next, like one endless mix. There is hardly a moment of silence, but this never feels like too much.

“I’d argue that RÜFÜS DU SOL turning me into a fan within thirty seconds of their entrance speaks volumes; perhaps more than if I were already well acquainted. It proves that their work is timeless, their reach endless, and their talent so formidable that just existing in the sphere they’ve created for themselves is an invitation enough,” we wrote.

Read our 4.5-star review here.