Here are the hottest concerts coming to South Florida this season
The 2023-24 concert season is hotter than a Miami summer - well, that’s probably hyperbole, because nothing is as hot as a Miami summer. Still, it’s plenty steaming, with hundreds of great pop, rock, hip-hop, jazz and country shows to choose from. Here are the acts that have us excited. All tickets are available through Ticketmaster unless otherwise indicated.
Who is performing in South Florida this season? Here’s a complete concert calendar
Outlaw Music Festival featuring Willie Nelson & Family
It’s almost ridiculous that Willie Nelson would be on the road again at age 90, but instead of shaking our heads in disbelief, we should be more than thankful to be able to enjoy one of the greatest and most prolific voices in country music history once more. You’ll hear timeless classics such as “Crazy,” “Funny How Time Slips Away,” “Stardust,” “On the Road Again,” “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” and “Always On My Mind,” plus other selections from his 74 (not a typo!) solo albums – including the new “Bluegrass,” featuring 12 reinterpretations of Nelson’s back catalogue – performed as always on his beloved, well-worn guitar, Trigger. Also on the bill: The Avett Brothers, Gov’t Mule, Elizabeth Cook and Particle Kid.
Oct. 6 at the iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach.
Morrissey – 40 Years of Morrissey Tour
Hard to believe that the incredibly influential English band The Smiths released only four studio albums, all within four years in the mid-’80s. Of course, the group’s devilishly witty and literate lead singer, Morrissey, went on to make an indelible mark as a solo artist, and now celebrates four decades helping to shape alternative rock with this tour. He’s got plenty of compelling tracks to choose from, including “Hand in Glove,” “This Charming Man,” “Sheila Take a Bow,” “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now,” “There is a Light that Never Goes Out,” “Girlfriend In a Coma,” “William, It Was Nothing,” “Suedehead,” “Every Day Is Like Sunday,” “Hairdresser On Fire” and “How Soon Is Now?” You also might hear a few tracks from his yet-to-be-released 14th solo album, “Without Music the World Dies.”
Oct. 8 at the Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood.
Depeche Mode – Memento Mori Tour
The seminal British synth-pop group – the most successful electronic-music band in history – returns to South Florida in support of its 15th studio album, “Memento Mori,” with the first single “Ghosts Again” being hailed as “hypnotic” (Rolling Stone) and “a gorgeous, haunting song” (Revolver). You’ll also hear hits including “Personal Jesus,” “Enjoy the Silence,” “Walking in My Shoes,” “Never Let Me Down Again,” “Blasphemous Rumours,” “People Are People,” “Strangelove,” “World in My Eyes,” “Policy of Truth,” “It’s No Good” and “Just Can’t Get Enough.” Raved the British daily The Guardian about the band’s lead singer: “Dave Gahan is a mic-spinning, limb-bending, theatrical marvel as the band gallop through decades’ worth of hits.”
Oct. 12 at the Kaseya Center in downtown Miami.
Aerosmith – Peace Out: The Farewell Tour
The Grammy-winning “bad boys from Boston,” who happen to be the best-selling American rock band of all time, have apparently reached the end of their road after more than five decades. The band led by singer Steven Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry that started out with swaggering, heavy blues-rock in the ’70s (“Dream On,” “Back in the Saddle,” “Walk This Way,” “Sweet Emotion”) and then found chart gold with power ballads in the ’80s and ’90s (“Angel,” “Crazy,” “Cryin’,” “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”) and straightforward pop-rock tunes (“Love in an Elevator,” “Janie’s Got a Gun,” “Dude [Looks Like a Lady]”) go out with a bang in South Florida.
Oct. 20 at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise
III Points Festival
Feeling “edgy”? The coolest music festival in South Florida returns with its typical two-day blowout that brings together dozens of top alternative, electronic, experimental and indie-rock acts that somehow sound amazing together. As always, this year’s lineup is eclectic and dynamic, highlighted by alt-rock god Iggy Pop, plus electronic stars Skrillex, Fred again …, Green Velvet, Grimes, the Martinez Brothers, Richie Hawtin, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and former Miami Heat center-turned amazing house DJ Rony Seikaly. Also on the bill are R&B legends Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and stunning Texas post-rock band Explosions in the Sky.
Oct. 20-21 at Mana-Wynwood
Country Bay Music Festival
Inaugural country-music blowout features some of the best acts in the genre, such as Thomas Rhett (“Die a Happy Man,” “Marry Me,” “Country Again”), Sam Hunt (“Body Like a Back Road,” “Kinfolks”), Chris Young (“I’m Comin’ Over,” “Losing Sleep”), Lee Brice (“Rumor,” “One of Them Girls”), Lainey Wilson (“Things a Man Oughta Know”), Nate Smith (“Whiskey On You”), Travis Denning (“After a Few”), Elle King (“Ex’s & O’s,” “Drunk [And I Don’t Wanna Go Home”]), Randy Houser (“Boots On,” “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight,” “How Country Feels”), Chris Lane (“I Don’t Know About You”) and LOCASH (“I Love This Life,” “I Know Somebody”).
Nov. 11-12 at Miami Marine Stadium in Key Biscayne.
Travis Scott – UTOPIA: Circus Maximus Tour
Travis Scott is far from your typical hip-hop star in that his sound incorporates psychedelic rock and ambient vocals, and he is fond of concept albums. Scott will hit Miami for two shows on the strength of his fourth studio album, “Utopia,” which features collabs with luminaries such as Drake, Playboi Carti, Beyonce, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny and even comedian Dave Chappelle.
Nov. 27 and 29 at the Kaseya Center in downtown Miami.
GroundUP Music Festival
When you’re “one of the most versatile bands on the planet,” according to Rolling Stone mag, you can feel free to help create your own music festival. And that’s exactly what the five-time Grammy-winning jazz-fusion band Snarky Puppy has done with GroundUP, a three-day jam that embodies the group’s playful and exploratory spirit. Snarky Puppy headlines with daily sets, but there are plenty of other acts worth checking out, starting with Mali musician Bassekou Kouyate, who is best known for playing the traditional West African guitar “ngoni”; Portuguese fado singer Gisela Jo?o; and Indian singer and flautist Varijashree Venugopal, with many more artists TBA.
Feb. 2-4, 2024 at the Miami Beach Bandshell
Samara Joy
She’s only 23 and already crowned the Grammy-winning Best New Artist for 2023, largely on the strength of her second album, “Linger Awhile,” which also won the Grammy for the Best Jazz Vocal Album. Catch her now at a relatively small venue before she truly blows up.
Feb. 17, 2024 at the Dennis C. Moss Cultural Center in Cutler Bay
Madonna – The Celebration Tour
The Queen of Pop’s health scare is over, so it’s time to celebrate with the iconic singer’s greatest hits, including “Holiday,” “Like a Virgin,” “Vogue,” “Frozen,” “Into the Groove,” “Express Yourself,” “Papa Don’t Preach,” “La Isla Bonita,” “Like a Prayer,” “Ray of Light,” “Music” and many more.
April 6-7, 2024 at the Kaseya Center in downtown Miami.