Downunder Dates: Dua Lipa, The Kid Laroi

Dua Lipa’s ‘Future Nostalgia’ Tour follows up northern hemisphere dates with six arena dates Down Under in the southern spring. 

Live Nation has her at  Auckland’s Spark Arena (November 2), Brisbane’s BEC (5), Qudos Bank Arena Sydney (8), Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena (11), Adelaide’s AEC Arena (14) and Perth’s RAC Arena (16).

The 2020 album Future Nostalgia reached #1 in Australia and yielded six hit singles including the 7 x platinum “Don’t Start Now”. On her last visit to New Zealand, in 2018, she donated a hand-made piece of art for auction along with a signed vinyl copy of her album and merchandise with proceeds to Women’s Refuge New Zealand.

The Kid Laroi’s seven-date return to his native Australia in May and June 2022 as part of his End Of The World global run saw two shows added within days of the tour announcement.

Handsome Tours and TEG Live added a second show at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena May 27 and a second one at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena June 4.

The shows are a triumphant homecoming for the First Nations teenager from Sydney now based in Los Angeles. His last shows here were opening for mentor Juice Wrld in 2019 and his headline shows were to about 200. “I’ll come back to play arenas,” he promised when he left.

Singer-songwriter Casey Barnes is the toast of country music here after scooping artist of the year for a second year at the Gold Coast Music Awards this month.  He was also nominated for live act, song, and release of the year.

He’s the best selling Australian indie act, and second most played country artist on mainstream radio after Keith Urban, who also started his career on the Gold Coast.

In January, when his next album drops, Barnes will embark on his most extensive tour. “It’s unbelievable how good his live show is,” said co-manager Michael Chugg.

The US market remains a priority. He has been collaborating with Nashville songwriters Brown & Gray and recording there. “If it hadn’t been for COVID he’d have visited America three times in 2020 and a couple of times this year, and had a greater profile. We’ll start again once we get COVID out of the way,” Chugg added.

Of the quarter million YouTube views of current single “God Took His Time On You”, 67% were from the US, and generated much interest and country radio airplay.