From indie-rock to stoner metal to post-punk to Americana classics, the upcoming slew of live music coming to Orlando is sure to have something for everybody. There’s festival lineups, big-name world tours and long-awaited returns to the City Beautiful (Bruce Springsteen and Janet Jackson, to name just a couple). Here are some of the shows and live music events we’re most looking forward to this upcoming spring.
And remember, beloved concertgoers and live music enthusiasts, ear protection is always cool.
Death Cab for Cutie
Hard Rock Live, Feb. 2
Indie-rockers Death Cab for Cutie will be treading the boards throughout the U.S. to celebrate both recent album Asphalt Meadows and the 20th anniversary of breakthrough record Transatlanticism. Orlando is an early stop on this jaunt, with only one other Florida date on the books in St. Pete. Tickets are available online. Credit: Death Cab for Cutie/FacebookGoo Goo Dolls, 3 Doors Down and more
Universal Orlando, Feb. 4-March 5
Universal Orlando has unveiled the lineup of their Mardi Gras celebration series of concerts starting next month — and it’s a multigenerational crew of chart-toppers. The stacked lineup includes: Patti LaBelle (Feb. 4), JVKE (Feb. 10), Goo Goo Dolls (Feb. 11), Maren Morris (Feb. 18), Willow (Feb. 19), 3 Doors Down (Feb. 25), Sean Paul (March 4) and Lauren Daigle (March 5). The concerts are free with paid park admission on the appointed day.
Photo via Goo Goo Dolls/Facebook Credit: Photo courtesy Goo Goo Dolls/FacebookBruce Springsteen
Amway Center, Feb. 5
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band comes to Florida in early February to kick off their U.S. tour, the first time the group has played a Sunshine State show since 2016’s The River tour. Tickets are available now.
Photo via Bruce Springsteen/Facebook Credit: Photo courtesy Bruce Springsteen/FacebookNeko Case
Plaza Live, Feb. 9
Americana legend Neko Case has a date with Florida set for her upcoming 2023 tour — and this show has the unique attraction of Patty Griffin as a co-headliner. Case is hitting the road in January of next year for a string of dates, with the penultimate gig at Orlando’s Plaza Live. Case will be featuring songs from her latest album, Hell-On, which she says represents her “best self.” Tickets are available now through AXS.
Photo via Death Cab for Cutie/Facebook Credit: Photo courtesy Neko Case/FacebookDru Hill and friends
Additional Financial Arena, Feb. 17
A quartet of R&B heavyweights are teaming up next month to bring a night of “Love & Laughter” to Orlando. Headliners Dru Hill (with Sisqó!), Silk, Sunshine Anderson and Changing Faces converge on Additional Financial Arena near UCF next month for a one-off show with hits to spare. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.
Photo via Silk/Facebook Credit: Photo courtesy Silk/FacebookRise Against, Parkway Drive and more
Central Florida Fairgrounds, Feb. 18-19
HeartSupport Fest is bringing the likes of Parkway Drive, Rise Against, Underoath and Silverstein to the Fairgrounds in February. The two-day festival of metal and hard rock has been put together by August Burns Red singer Jake Luhrs to benefit his nonprofit HeartSupport. The lineup announced so far features Parkway Drive, Underoath, Memphis May Fire, Rise Against, the Ghost Inside, Spiritbox, Senses Fail, Hawthorne Heights and, of course, August Burns Red among others. One-day and weekend passes are available now.
Photo via Rise Against/Facebook Credit: Photo ocurtesy Rise Against/FacebookJohn Mellencamp
Dr. Phillips Center, Feb. 18-19
Singer John Mellencamp’s “Live and In Person 2023 Tour” kicks off in early February and will stop at the Dr. Phillips Center for two nights. The tour is notable in that the majority of shows are multiple-night stands in a city, allowing for a little bit more intimacy and proximity to Mellencamp. He’ll be in Orlando Feb. 18 and 19.
Photo via John Mellencamp/Facebook Credit: Photo courtesy John Mellencamp/FacebookEmmylou Harris
The Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center, Feb. 19
Iconic country music vocalist and singer-songwriter Emmylou Harris stops in The Villages next month for “An Evening with Emmylou Harris.” Through a 40-year career, Country Music Hall of Fame induction, 25 albums and countless awards, Harris’s influence has spanned generations. The show takes place at The Sharon at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $95 and are available online now.
Photo via Emmylou Harris/Facebook Credit: Emmylou Harris/FacebookBig Thief
The Beacham, Feb. 20
Indie-rock band Big Thief is stopping in Orlando on Feb. 20 as part of their upcoming world tour. Big Thief’s newest release, double LP Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You, explores the band’s deepest and most resonant sound to date. Conveying themes of chosen family and individual growth, DNWMIBIY offers the listeners a reflectively wistful and earnest account of everything Big Thief has to offer. Tickets are available here.
Photo via Big Thief/Facebook Credit: Big Thief/FacebookWeedeater
Will’s Pub, Feb. 27
The stoner metal group from North Carolina, Weedeater, takes Will’s Pub near downtown Orlando Feb. 27. Although Weedeater’s latest album, Goliathan, came out almost eight years ago, the band has been steady in playing festivals and touring. Tickets are on sale now.
Photo via Weedeater/Bandcamp Credit: Photo courtesy Weedeater/BandcampLudacris, Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker, Walker Hayes and more
Florida Strawberry Festival, Plant City, March 2-12
Central Florida’s Strawberry Festival will return to Plant City with a stacked line up of more than twenty musical artists including Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker, Ludacris, Walker Hayes, Train, Lynrd Skynrd and many more. Some of the shows are free with Strawberry Festival admission, and the big-name acts will be separately-ticketed performances. Tickets are on sale through the Strawberry Festival’s website.
Photo via Walker Hayes/Facebook Credit: Photo courtesy Walker Hayes/FacebookRauw Alejandro
Amway Center, March 8
Two-time Latin Grammy award-winning artist Rauw Alejandro brings his new-wave reggaeton and R&B to Orlando this spring.The Puerto Rican singer and songwriter’s Saturno tour celebrates his latest album of the same name. Tickets are available now through Ticketmaster.
Photo via Rauw Alejandro/Facebook Credit: Rauw Alejandro/FacebookCheap Trick
Hard Rock Live, March 12
Going strong since the 1970s, Cheap Trick’s alchemical combinations of pop, rock and heavy metal have created an instantly recognizable collection of singles like Surrender, Dream Police and I Want You to Want Me. The band was even inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. Don’t Be Cruel; head over to Ticketmaster to see the show.
Photo via Cheap Trick/Willful Publicity Credit: Photo courtesy Willful PublicityClan of Xymox
The Abbey, March 16
Gothic godfathers Clan of Xymox return to Orlando for a March 16 show. The Dutch rock band is known as a pioneer of dark wave music and sounds. Tickets are available now.
Photo via Clan of Xymox Credit: Photo courtesy Clan of XymoxAly and Aj
House of Blues, April 12
Pop rock sister duo Aly and Aj are coming to Orlando’s House of Blues April 12. Their With Love From tour celebrates their newest single of the same name. Tickets are on sale now.
Photo via Aly and Aj/Facebook Credit: Aly and Aj/FacebookMolchat Doma
Plaza Live, April 14
TikTok-famous post-punk trio Molchat Doma are heading to the U.S. for a lengthy tour this spring, and Orlando is down to get dour with the trio. The Belarusian band will be touring North America for most of April and May behind breakthrough album Monument on Sacred Bones. The tour has only three Florida dates — Orlando, St. Pete and Fort Lauderdale — all in mid-April. Tickets are available now through AEG.
Photo via Motormouth Media Credit: Photo by Alina Pasok, courtesy Motormouth MediaThievery Corporation, Collie Buddz and more
Central Florida Fairgrounds’ Orlando Amphitheater, April 15-16
The Florida Groves Festival is returning to Orlando in the spring with a cast of headliners poised to play, ahem, blazing sets. The festival, with a focus on music, cannabis and arts, happens again at the Orlando Amphitheater in April. Some of the bigger headliners confirmed for this year’s event include Thievery Corporation, Collie Buddz, Inner Circle, Protoje, Fortunate Youth, Kash’d Out, Bumpin Uglies, Ballyhoo!, Shwayze and the Savi Fernandez Band, among many others.
Florida Groves Fest happens at the Central Florida Fairgrounds’ Orlando Amphitheater on Saturday-Sunday, April 15-16. Tickets are on sale now.
Photo via Florida Groves/Facebook Credit: Photo courtesy Florida Groves/FacebookWilco
Orlando’s Hard Rock Live, April 18
Americana godfathers Wilco will be touring behind their newest album Cruel Country, which dropped digitally and on CD last year, but comes out on vinyl Jan. 20 (if you want to get some pre-show listening sessions in). Wilco plays the Hard Rock Live on April 18, with The A’s. Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster.
Photo via Wilco/Facebook Credit: Photo courtesy Wilco/FacebookJanet Jackson
Amway Center, April 19
Jackson will be hitting the road in April 2023 as part of her Together Again North American tour. Together Again is Jackson’s return to the road after a four year absence, and will mark three frankly gigantic milestones in her career: her own 50th anniversary in music and performance, the 25th anniversary of The Velvet Rope album and the 20th anniversary of the Janet album. So expect hits, and plenty of them. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
Photo via Janet Jackson/Facebook Credit: Janet Jackson/FacebookPedro the Lion
The Social, April 22
In April, Pedro the Lion’s third full-length album, Control, turns 21 years old, and to celebrate, the band is bringing the Jade Tree classic on the road for a tour that passes through Orlando this spring. Tickets to see Pedro the Lion play the Social in Orlando on Saturday, April 22, are on sale now.
Photo via David Bazan/davidbazan.com Credit: Pedro the LionLeaether Strip
Conduit, May 20
Danish musical project Leaether Strip is coming to Orlando’s newly revamped Conduit this May. Founded and brought to life by Claus Larsen, Leaether Strip has been influencing the electronic body music and electronic industrial genres since its inception in 1988.
Photo via Leaether Strip/Facebook Credit: Leaether Strip/FacebookNarrow Head
The Abbey, May 31
Houston-based rock band Narrow Head is joined by Graham Hunt for an Orlando show at The Abbey this May. The group released two singles, Moments of Clarity and Gearhead, late last year. The singles come ahead of the bands upcoming album Moments of Clarity, set to be released sometime next month. Ticket prices and sales to be announced.
Photo via Narrow Head/Facebook Credit: Narrow Head/Facebook
