Lighters up - you’ve come to the home of high voltage rock. Discover the best, biggest and shreddiest rock concerts near you in 2023. Catch up with everything you need to know about the rock music scene, from the best venues to trending new rock artists. From hard rock to pop punk to new wave, we’ve got you covered.
Rock music has a magnetic energy that transcends borders, and some venues around the world have become legendary for hosting electrifying performances by rock's biggest names. One such iconic venue is the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles, California. Since opening its doors in 1964, this intimate club has witnessed unforgettable shows by acts like The Doors, Led Zeppelin, and Guns N' Roses. Moving across the Atlantic, London's O2 Arena stands tall as a mecca for rock enthusiasts. Its massive capacity and state-of-the-art facilities have welcomed rock gods like AC/DC, Metallica, and Foo Fighters.
Explore the cities around the world where rock music dominates the scene, from London to LA to New York City.
Rock music has many layers. Here are the artists blowing up and making waves in different scenes across the globe.
Post Grunge emerged in the mid-1990s as a musical offspring of grunge, blending grunge’s raw emotion with a less intense, more polished sound. Characterized by grunge-inspired lyrics but more melodic hooks, post grunge bands found commercial success with radio-friendly tunes while marking a shift towards a cleaner production style and a more accessible sound. Bands like Matchbox Twenty, Creed, and Foo Fighters became pioneers of this genre, bridging the gap between grunge's authenticity and mainstream appeal in the 90’s. Today, post grunge continues to evolve, with artists like Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, and Shinedown leading the charge as prominent post grunge artists.
At the intersection of Pop and Rock, Pop Rock presents a highly polished sound that fans can’t get enough of. Artists like Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, and Kings of Leon are just a few who routinely sell out concert halls and give fans the show of a lifetime.
Pop Punk is characterized by its fast-paced tempos, introspective lyrics, and unique instrument elements like distorted electric guitars, and power chords that echo pop melodies. Pop punk fans, prepare to sing your heart out at your next concert with favorite bands like Green Day, Fall Out Boy, Paramore, or blink-182.
Hailing from sunny California in the 1960s and cutting its teeth in the UK, Soft Rock isn’t going anywhere. The genre is known for its enthralling melodies, light drumming, and introspective lyrics. Bands like Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton, and the Eagles helped defined the genre as we know and love it today.
Taking its roots from the Pop of the 70s and 80s and melding with punk elements, New Wave is something unique to the rock genre. Known for its iconic usage of synthesizers, electric drums, and other electronic instruments, New Wave devotees can get enough of its unique sound. Artists like The Cure, Depeche Mode, and Blondie made the genre more iconic, thanks to their unique fashion and quirky lyrics.
The use of feedback, electronics, and volume all echo the attempt to reflect drug-induced states in Psychedelic Rock. It exploded in popularity in the 1960s, with bands like The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, and The Grateful Dead leading the way. Bands today like Tame Impala carry the torch with Psychedelic Rock.
Garage Rock originated in the 60s, with teens and college students picking up their instruments and starting their own bands, sometimes literally in their garage. The tradition of simple chords, distorted sound, and edgy lyricism lives on today with many new Garage Rock bands like the Arctic Monkeys, MGMT, and The Black Keys.
Defined by its influences from the Blues and traditional Rock and Roll, Hard Rock delivers with powerful, riff-heavy music. It emerged in the 1960s alongside Garage Rock and Psychedelic Rock. Famous Hard Rock bands include Led Zepplin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, and Guns N’ Roses.
Infused with the rhythm and instrumentation of Dance music, Dance Punk pulls inspiration from Disco, Punk, and New Wave music that was emerging alongside it at the time. Some early pioneers of the Style include Talking Heads and New Order, while more modern versions of Dance Punk can be found in the sounds of Arcade Fire, Phoenix, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
Known for its avant-garde stylings and non-rock influences, Post Punk opened the door to new musical possibilities. Artists experimented with genres ranging from rock and punk to funk, electronic music, and jazz. Drawing on ideas from art and politics, Post Punk artists weren’t afraid to speak their minds.
Dive into some of the best reviewed artists on Songkick, and find out what makes their performances so awesome.
Green Day is the type of band that makes you either want to go overthrow the government or go find the love of your life and everything in-between. Every song has its own unique story that touches the hearts of everyone in the audience. Despite all the hatred and fear and walls that divide us in this country right now, Green Day allowed for a brief moment of tranquility and release of political tension that I think everyone needs right now. You can just forget about your problems for a while and live in the moment. The lyrics are so empowering and inspiring. Billie Joe makes everyone feel accepted. He provides a safe haven for the oddballs, weirdos, and those who don't "fit in". You can be whatever you want, love whomever you want, and just be yourself and have fun and not feel judged. Mike Dirnt is a phenomenal bassist and Tré Cool is a complete badass on drums. Seeing them in concert was surreal. The ear ringing afterwards is totally worth it. If you get the chance to see Green Day in concert, do it. You won't regret it.
by emily.schroeder22
Grace is a highly underrated quality for a rock band to possess. When compared to other, more universal assets like rawness, volume and ability it might seem a little forgettable, but a band playing to the absolute best of their ability and making it look as natural as breathing can be the genesis of some truly unforgettable moments of live music. Not one band that I’ve seen sums this sight up as well as Philadelphia indie rockers The War on Drugs, and when it comes to their sold out show at the Koko, Camden’s most ornate venue, most traditional phrases describing a well played gig seem too violent to sum it up. They didn’t “smash it”, they didn’t “blow the roof off”, they didn’t “destroy the place”, they were far better than that. Make no mistake, Adam Granduciel and co played up a storm, their psychedelia inflected country-rock filling every inch of this beautiful venue but the atmosphere was unlike any gig I’ve been to in a very long time. The crowd lost themselves in the music in a way that didn’t lead to mindless moshing and crowd-surfing, the 1400 people were enraptured, moved by the music, not to the music. It was an experience as beautiful as it was exciting and anyone with a passing interest in this life affirming lunacy we call Rock and Roll should seek it out as soon as possible.
by william-howard-2
This is my third time seeing a Muse performance and I swear, each time gets better!!! The energy, the sound, the visual effects.... it just blows your mind. Muse takes you to another level, keeps your in extreme excitement and makes you wanting to see more,even after you are exhausted of jumping, singing out loud and screaming, it's a nonstop. They also bring back memories of their past with teasers of tracks from Showbiz, Absolution, Origin of Symmetry, in fact, no album left behind. The all time favorites won't be missed: Madness, super massive black hole, the legendary Hysteria, which literary put me hysterical, just to mention a few. Bottom line: Seeing Muse live is a must. Worth it by any means possible.
by elsa-gonzalez-9
This was by far the best concert I have ever been to. Everyone on the crowd was just so wild, happy and full of energy. The whole crowd sang all of the songs and danced to it. That energy that I felt when I was there face to face with the Arctic Monkeys was incredible, I can’t even begin to explain it. I wish I could go back in time and rewatch that concert. I just love them, and their songs are extremely good. Alex’s voice was perfect last night. Jamie, Nick and Matt were amazing too. The arena where the show took place was pretty good and had a nice space. It was a little crowded in the beginning, but then people just started to spread out. The moment when 505 came on, everyone just danced calmly and sang along so well. We all turned on our cellphones flashlights so we could light it up. Do I Wanna Know was my favorite song performed from last night. I love that beat and it’s my favorite song in the whole world. I wish I could listen to it played live everyday. Honestly, going to the Arctic Monkeys concert was the best decision I have ever made in my life. I wish everyone could be there to feel the vibe with me. I also managed to buy myself a shirt, not from the official store because it was expensive, but from someone else selling them. It looks really good, it’s from the “Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino” album. I just wish they would’ve played some other songs too, like “I Wanna Be Yours”, “Mardy Bum”, “No Buses”, “Despair in the Departure Lounges” and a couple others. Alex sang pretty fast and wouldn’t give us a minute between each song, and unfortunately that resulted on the show going on by pretty quickly. But despite it all, I loved it and it was the best night of my life so far. It was perfect, I miss it already. Jamie, Nick, Alex and Matt, you guys are amazing. Thank you for everything last night. I will never forget it.
by ceciliacarlier
I cannot find the proper words, the hilarious, great, awesome, concert of a lifetime are not enough! The show was beyond this. I fell in love with the guys. Sure I loved there music before, but thanks to the concert my devotion and adoration have reached a level that I had never felt before about any band. I love how they vibe together, how they can forward their positive vibes to us. I'm still in heaven. Was just FCKN,FRKN AWESOME. I hope that don't have to wait 20 years for the next one.
by zita-feit-jarabin
Amazing show. Ton of energy that you could really feel. One of my favorite bands of all time. Dan's stage performance was fantastic , he really involved the crowd and spoke to us. Wayne's guitar skills were spot on. Confetti and balloons who could ask for more.
by cristina-saitta
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