1 The xx
The xx stop off at Brixton Academy, SW9, for seven dates in March, but don’t be dismayed, this isn’t a new lazy approach to touring; they’re heading off around the country, too, in support of new album I See You.
4-17 Mar, tour starts Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
2 Drake
Seven nights in Brixton, you say? Drake is doing eight at the O2 Arena, SE10, and taking his soulful solipsism around the UK as well. Can anyone better this?
25 Jan-23 Feb, tour starts The SSE Hydro, Glasgow
3 Tegan And Sara
Sadly, Tegan And Sara won’t be doing nine nights from the international space station, but they will be performing their emotionally fraught electropop during a February tour.
13-19 Feb, tour starts Roundhouse, NW1
4 Aphex Twin
They’re building a whopping new arena at Field Day to accommodate the electronic auteur’s first UK show in half a decade; you can be sure he’ll do his best to demolish it.
Field Day, Victoria Park, E3, 3 Jun
5 Mexrrissey
Can the music of the Smiths withstand a Mexican makeover? It certainly can if past Mexrrissey shows are anything to go by. Expect mariachi horns, accordion and bajo sexto to brighten up the miserablist classics.
25-29 Jan, tour starts O2 ABC Glasgow
6 AR Rahman
Dubbed the “Mozart of Madras”, the Indian composer behind Slumdog Millionaire’s soundtrack will be bringing Bollywood to the UK’s arenas.
24-Mar, tour starts The SSE Arena, Wembley
7 Tom Petty, Stevie Nicks
Phil Collins and Justin Bieber are also doing Hyde Park gigs as part of the 2017 British Summer Time series, but the lineup of Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty steals the show.
8 Frank Ocean
As festival bookings go this is some scoop: the man behind 2017’s best album (according to several polls and, more importantly, me) will be headlining the first night of London’s Lovebox festival in July.
9 The Weeknd
Abel Tesfaye used to suffer from stage fright; nowadays he admits to being addicted to playing live. Help him feed his habit when he hits the UK.
5-14 Mar, tour starts Manchester Arena
10 The Maccabees
Wave goodbye to the indie charmers at their huge final gigs in June; tickets sold out quickly for the original shows, but they’ve announced a third night at Alexandra Palace, N22.
