Our new series Touring Radar takes a look at newly announced upcoming live tours that caught our attention, not because they're headline grabbers but because they say something interesting about where live music is and where it's heading.
Whether it's long-awaited returns, unexpected genre pivots, or ambitious residencies, we're tracking who's on the move, and what's moving audiences.
These are five tour announcements that we're excited about.
1. Brandon Flowers Steps Out on His Own Again
After more than a decade focused primarily on his band The Killers, Brandon Flowers is returning to the road with a solo tour supporting his forthcoming album Thrasher. On stage, The Killers built a live show around catharsis and arena-shaking anthems, but Flowers' solo work is built for introspection and creative license.
The Takeaway:
Solo tours of artists known for stadium-sized bands are always fascinating because they tend to reset expectations. Smaller venues, new material and a different audience dynamic often reveal another side of an artist's songwriting. Sometimes the strongest way to refresh your live show isn't making it bigger — it's making it different.
2. Hot Flash Heat Wave Takes the Next Step
One of the week's more exciting announcements came from indie favorites Hot Flash Heat Wave, who unveiled a lengthy North American fall tour spanning intimate clubs from Los Angeles and Phoenix to New York, Boston and Toronto.
Booked through in a completist fashion, the band's route embraces the kind of steady, coast-to-coast club run that has long been the backbone of independent touring for generations. Stops like Valley Bar in Phoenix, The Masquerade in Atlanta, The Chapel in San Francisco and Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge reflect a strategy built around developing loyal audiences one room at a time.
The Takeaway:
Tours can be successful even if you're not selling out theaters. Consistent club routing remains one of the best ways to build sustainable momentum, strengthen fan communities and return to markets with bigger opportunities the next time around.
3. The Co-Headline Tour Keeps Winning
One announcement that quietly caught our attention was the return of the co-headlining run between Erykah Badu and The Alchemist later this year. Badu and The Alchemist released the song, "Next To You," in 2025, and rumors circulated about a finished full-length album called, Abi & Alan, but that record has not yet surfaced. They'll clearly be bringing this material on the road so you're not going to want to miss these track debuts.
The Takeaway:
Co-headlining is something we always love to see. And it does feel increasingly common across genres. Artists share audiences, fans get more value, promoters have a stronger story to tell. Don't be surprised if this format continues growing over the next few touring cycles.
4. Beabadoobee Keeps Betting on the Long Game
Rather than announcing a handful of festival appearances, beabadoobee unveiled an extensive North American run behind her upcoming album Pylon. It shows she's building toward long term fan engagement in wide swaths of her listenership rather than taking the short-term, low-hanging fruit of select, big market appearances.
The Takeaway:
Album campaigns built around substantial headline tours have become less common in the streaming era, making this feel almost refreshingly traditional. It's also another reminder that touring still works best when it's tied to a clear creative chapter.
5. Dizzee Rascal Is Leaning Into Legacy Without Standing Still
Dizzee Rascal is heading back on the road with a newly announced UK tour celebrating more than two decades of boundary-pushing music while continuing to showcase new material.
What caught our attention isn't simply the anniversary factor. Like a growing number of veteran artists, Dizzee Rascal isn't treating nostalgia as the entire pitch. The tour balances career-defining records with a reminder that audiences still want to see artists evolve rather than simply recreate the past.
The Takeaway:
Anniversary tours don't have to become greatest-hits exercises. The strongest ones use a celebrated catalog as a foundation while giving fans a reason to experience the next chapter live.