A curated guide to the best tours and concerts in Canada for 2025.
An Oasis fan walks past a mural depicting Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis in Manchester, England, on Aug. 28.Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
The reunion: Oasis
Here comes the long-awaited reconciliation tour from the Britpop legends, led by brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, who have a history of quarrelling. But why look back in anger, when one can look forward to it instead? Aug. 24-25, Rogers Stadium, Toronto
More rock: Sum 41 (13-date national tour starting Jan. 10 in Victoria); MJ Lenderman (Feb. 21, Vancouver; May 8-9, Toronto); Bachman-Turner Overdrive (22-date national tour, starting April 1 in Victoria); Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (April 23, Toronto; April 24, Montreal; May 11, Vancouver); Heart (eight Canadian dates beginning March 13 in Vancouver); Coldplay (July 7, 8, 11, 12, Toronto)
Soprano Measha Brueggergosman.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
New compositions: 21C Music Festival
Highlights of the annual new-music affair include Zombie Blizzard, a jazzy song cycle from composer Aaron Davis, based on Margaret Atwood’s 2020 book of poetry Dearly. Davis’s trio, soprano Measha Brueggergosman-Lee and the Hannaford Street Silver Band perform seven arias on Jan. 24. Jan. 18-25 (plus Bruce Hornsby and yMusic, May 3), Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto
More classical: Bruce Liu (Jan. 17, Kingston; Jan. 19, Toronto; May 30-June 1, Vancouver); Voïvod, with Montreal Symphony Orchestra (Jan. 29 and 30, Montreal); Rachel Fenlon (Jan. 31-Feb. 11: Salt Spring Island, B.C.; Whitehorse; Dawson City, Yukon; Toronto); Winnipeg New Music Festival (Jan. 21-25, Winnipeg); Yo-Yo Ma (May 2-June 6: Calgary, Victoria, Vancouver, Toronto)
Sue Foley.Mark Abernathy/Supplied
Finger-picking good: Sue Foley
The Ottawa-based blues guitarist, just nominated for a Grammy, trades in her trademark pink Fender Telecaster for a nylon-stringed acoustic model. Her current “One Guitar Woman” show pays tribute to female pioneers of the instrument. March 6, Red Deer, Alta.; March 7, Edmonton; March 10, Penticton, B.C.; March 11, Salmon Arm, B.C.
More blues and jazz: Branford Marsalis (Jan. 22-Feb. 8: Ottawa, Quebec City, Kingston, Toronto); Laila Biali: Joni Mitchell & the Canadian Songbook Reimagined (Jan. 29, Regina; Jan. 30, Saskatoon; Jan. 31, Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.; Feb. 1, St. Albert, Alta.); Marcus Miller (March 15, St. Catharines, Ont.); Oscar Peterson at 100 (June 14, Toronto); George Thorogood (July 2, Toronto; July 3, Montreal)
Kaia Kater.Janice Reid/Killbeat music
The summit: Folk Alliance International
The international conference of folk-music showcases, industry schmoozing and trophy giving comes to Montreal. Hometowners Allison Russell and Kaia Kater, both vying for top-artist honours, will have acceptance speeches ready. Feb. 19-23, Montreal
More folk: Ron Sexsmith Sings Lightfoot (Jan. 30-Feb. 1, Toronto); Jeremy Dutcher (Feb. 11, Leduc, Alta.; Feb. 15, Calgary; Feb. 18, Whitehorse); Kellie Loder (Feb. 12, Ottawa; Feb. 13; Toronto); Mustafa (Feb. 27, Montreal); Suzanne Vega (March 11-12, Toronto)
Kendrick Lamar performs at The Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif., on June 19.Timothy Norris/Getty Images
The invasion: Kendrick Lamar
The Drake-Kendrick Lamar hip-hop superfeud hits home when the Pulitzer Prize-winning Californian arrives in his rival’s hometown. This is Zeus vs. Cronus, and Toronto is Mount Olympus. June 12-13, Rogers Centre, Toronto
More pop: Charlotte Day Wilson, with orchestra (Feb. 28, Toronto); Jelly Roll (13 Canadian dates beginning March 6 in Victoria); Billy Joel (March 15, Toronto); Satinder Sartaaj (March 23-April 17: Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg); Barry Manilow (May 30, Montreal; May 31, Toronto); Gracie Abrams (July 26, Toronto)
Legends of the Northern Sky at the Zeidler Dome at the TELUS World of Science Edmonton.Codie McLachlan/Zeidler Dome at Telus World of Science
Star time: Edmonton Opera’s Aquarius
The Edmonton Opera boldly goes where Laser Floyd shows go. The company’s Aquarius: Songs of the Stars, self-described as a “fusion of opera’s greatest moments inspired by the skies and galaxies,” is presented in a planetarium. April 9-12, Zeidler Dome at Telus World of Science, Edmonton
More opera: Canadian Opera Company (Jan. 24-Feb. 16, Madama Butterfly, Toronto; Jan. 31-Feb. 15, La Reine-garçon, Toronto); Calgary Opera’s Don Pasquale (Feb. 1-7, Calgary); Vancouver Opera’s Flight (Feb. 8-16, Vancouver); Tapestry Opera’s Jacqueline (Feb. 20-23, Toronto); Opera Montreal’s La Bohème (May 10-20, Montreal)
