With large-scale concerts and festivals making comebacks across the world, it’s a good time to be a music lover. It’s also a great year to plan an Asian itinerary, considering the A-lister performances that are scheduled across Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines.
Justin Bieber, Halsey, Post Malone, Avril Lavigne and a host of other names are scheduled to perform across Asia at solo concerts or music festivals. Moreover, the popular UK-founded electronica music festival Creamfields is making its Asian debut with a two-day show in Pattaya, while the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix will be returning to Singapore after a two-year gap and is promising a stellar line-up.
Here are all the live acts you need to bookmark this year:
Java Jazz Festival: PJ Morton, Emma-Jean Thackray
Location: Jakarta
Dates: May 27-29
The long-running jazz festival will host its 17th edition at the JIExpo Kemayoran grounds, in May. The line-up includes American soul singer and Maroon 5 keyboardist PJ Morton, English multi-instrumentalist Emma-Jean Thackray, Indonesian producer Oslo Ibrahim and more.
Tickets: Ticket sales are live and they’re being sold as daily passes, priced at Rp 850 (Indonesian rupiah)
Louis Tomlinson
Location: Jakarta
Date: July 10
The former One Direction band member, who just released his debut album Walls, is headed to Asia this year. The British singer will make a pit stop at Jakarta’s Tennis Indoor Senayan Stadium this July. His Asian concert was first announced for mid-2020 but was pushed back to the summer of 2021 owing to pandemic-related issues. The singer was also scheduled to perform in Japan but had to cancel it, due to immigration and quarantine restrictions.
Tickets: Find tickets to his show here
Fuji Rock Festival: Jack White, Bonobo, Vampire Weekend
Location: Niigata Prefecture
Date: July 29-31
For its 25th edition, Fuji Rock Festival — one of the world’s biggest outdoor music festivals — is returning to its original, three-day weekend format. The festival is scheduled to be held in July at the Naeba Ski Resort, in Japan’s Niigata Prefecture. Headliners like multiple Grammy-winning rocker Jack White, pop star Halsey and American rock band Vampire Weekend are expected to perform. The festival will also feature popular British Dj Bonobo, singer-songwriter Arlo Parks and New Delhi metal act Bloodywood.
Tickets: Advance sales have already begun this month onwards, while general ticket sales will go live from June 17. A one-day ticket can cost you around Rs 11,905 (¥20,000) and a three-day ticket can cost you around Rs 27,382 (¥46,000).
Find tickets here.
SUMMER SONIC 2022: Megan Thee Stallion, Post Malone, Måneskin, St. Vincent
Location: Tokyo and Osaka
Dates: August 20-21
The three-day Japanese music festival is held across two venues, Tokyo and Osaka. SUMMER SONIC started its run in 2000 and suspended its last two live editions due to COVID-19. In 2020, they aired archival footage from some noteworthy sets from previous editions. This year the festival has a stellar roster. Headlining acts include Megan Thee Stallion, Post Malone, and Måneskin. Some of the other scheduled acts are country music star Kacey Musgrave, English pop-rock band 1975 and singer-producer St. Vincent.
Tickets: Tickets for the festival are sold as one-day and two-day passes and start from Rs 9,524 (¥16,000)
Justin Bieber
Location: Multiple venues
Dates: October-November
The pop star is bringing his Justice world tour to Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan. His Asian tour begins mid-October and will have nine shows across the three countries, including at the Nagoya Dome in Nagoya, Osaka Dome and Kyocera Dome in Osaka and lastly, Tokyo Dome in Tokyo.
A second show in Jakarta was announced after the tickets to the first show reportedly sold out within an hour.
Tickets: Tickets for the concerts are selling fast. Find them here
It’s The Ship: Line-up yet to be announced
Location: Singapore
Date: TBA
This Singapore music festival takes place aboard a cruise ship that sails from Marina Bay in Singapore to Langkawi and back. Though the official line-up for the festival hasn’t been announced, a sneaky teaser for its 2022 roster hinted the involvement of major names such as K-Pop sensation BLACKPINK, cast members from Squid Game, Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding and more.
Tickets: Tickets to the festival at sea are usually sold as four-day passes; the passes for this year’s edition have not been announced yet. Keep tabs on the festival here.
Avril Lavigne
Location: Manila
Date: November 3
Pop-punk icon Avril Lavigne will mark her return to Southeast Asia with a performance at Manila’s Araneta Coliseum. The singer who is currently on the Bite Me tour across Canada, announced her engagement this month and also dropped her seventh studio album Love Sux a few weeks ago. The singer’s Asia concert was originally scheduled for 2020 but was postponed more than once, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Tickets: Tickets purchased for cancelled shows will be honoured at the upcoming November show. New tickets are available here
