Rod Stewart
The voice behind hits like Sailing and the Rhythm Of My Heart takes the stage at the Budapest Arena on January 29th. One of the world’s best-selling artists will be appearing in Hungary’s capital for the first time since 2010. In between, Rod has grossed more than $50 million with his show ‘The Hits’, performing an astonishing 16 residencies at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, with another set for this June. The upcoming Budapest show will span six decades of the Anglo-Scot singer’s career.
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode bring their Global Spirit Tour back to Hungary on February 2nd, playing the Budapest Arena. Promoting 2017 album Spirit, the tour will have taken in 120 dates, including 84 in Europe, by the time it wraps up in July 2018. After a sold-out concert here last year, the band now give fans who missed them last year the chance to enjoy hits such as Personal Jesus and Everything Counts. The Basildon boys follow up this performance with an appearance at Sopron’s Volt Festival on June 26th.
Emeli Sandé
On February 18th, Scottish singer Emeli Sandé will entice fans with her stimulating soul and R&B tunes vibrating across the Budapest Arena. The four-time Brit Awards winner released her second studio album Long Live The Angels in 2016, promoting it with a major tour that has taken in London, Paris, Munich and her native Aberdeen. In recent years, Sandé has also written songs for stars such as Rihanna and Alicia Keys.
Caro Emerald
Dutch-Aruban singer Caro Emerald has performed at several Hungarian festivals and now returns to give her own concert show on February 26th at the Budapest Arena. Known for her outstanding live act, award-winning Emerald combines jazz, pop and electro swing, throwing in tango elements as successfully presented on hit album The Shocking Miss Emerald.
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk’s visually enthralling 3-D The Catalogue show comes to the Budapest Arena on February 21st. Having played venues such as London’s Tate Modern, the Sydney Opera House and the Guggenheim in Bilbao, all featured on the current eight-CD/nine-vinyl record live album. This Budapest concert comes halfway through the Eastern European leg of the tour that also includes appearances at the Kremlin Palace in Moscow and the century-old, Roman-style Arenele Romane in Bucharest. The pioneers of electronic music finish the tour in March at the Faliro Pavilion on the Athens seafront.
Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias last appeared in Budapest in 2000 at the late lamented Petőfi Csarnok. Since then, the King of Latin Pop has performed around the world, but only now returns to the Hungarian capital to kick off his Enrique Iglesias Live! tour that also takes in Russia, Brazil and Argentina. Iglesias makes up for his long absence with a two-night stint taking place at the Budapest Arena on March 11th and 12th.
Metallica
After LA heavy metal band Metallica announced the Hungarian leg of their WorldWired tour, all tickets sold out within a few hours. Promoting their latest album Hardwired… to Self-Destruct released in 2016, Metallica will deliver an extensive extravaganza at the Budapest Arena on April 5th. Those who didn’t manage to snag a ticket first time round can try to buy one through the official website of Tickething.
Editors
Platinum-selling UK indie band Editors have selected a number of smaller venues for their spring European tour, including Budapest’s focal Akvárium Klub on April 16th, giving local audiences the chance to experience a more intimate live show. The Akvárium event is organized by A38, a prominent player in the Budapest music scene. Darlings of the UK music press, the band should announce a new studio album later this year. Expect dark post-punk, intense lyrics and a catchy riff or two.
Rag’n’Bone Man
Singer of hit tune Human, Rag’n’Bone Man makes his debut Budapest appearance on May 4th. Known for his deep, bass baritone voice, the English singer-songwriter was named British Breakthrough Act at the 2017 Brit Awards and received the Critics’ Choice Award. The Hungarian leg of his European tour takes place at the Budapest Arena.
James Blunt
Promoting new album The Afterlove, British singer James Blunt touches down in Hungary’s capital for his May 8th show at the Budapest Arena. A Sandhurst trainee, Blunt left the the military in 2002 to pursue a career as a singer-songwriter, achieving phenomenal international success with his third single You’re Beautiful. The rest is history.
Lenny Kravitz
Save the date! On June 3rd, one of the world’s most prominent rock musicians appears onstage at the Budapest Arena. In addition to performing his biggest hits, the American legend will also play a few new songs due to be released this spring. Winner of four consecutive Grammy Awards, Lenny Kravitz has transcended genre, style, race and class over his two-decade musical career, and produced ten studio albums.
The Offspring
Named after its spike-like roof, Tüskecsarnok at Budapest’s District XI will fill with the heavy sounds of Californian punk combo The Offspring. Dexter Holland’s band have already performed at the Sziget Festival and now they take the spotlight with their own show on June 12th. American ensemble Anti-Flag and Hungarian stoner-rock group Run Over Dogs provide the warm-up.
Arcade Fire
For the first time, Canadian multi-instrumental indie outfit Arcade Fire come to Budapest, to give a major show at the Budapest Arena on June 17th. Promoting their latest album Everything Now, Win Butler’s ensemble are known for throwing together the sounds of violin, accordion, harp, mandolin, hurdy-gurdy and even a musical saw for a memorably wild performance.
Body Count Feat. Ice-T
Ice-T and his legendary metal band Body Count take central stage at Budapest Park on June 17th to celebrate their return to the Hungarian capital after more than 20 years. The father of gangsta rap has since become an award-winning actor but hasn’t lost his touch as a frontman with the Californian band he co-founded back in the day. Here they promote sixth album Bloodlust, released in 2017.
Queens of the Stone Age
The summer agenda at Budapest Park is filled with top-tier acts. On June 21st, this alfresco concert space presents American hard rock band Queens of the Stone Age. The one-time Sziget performers take their Grammy-nominated album Villains on tour, released to great critical acclaim last August.
Stone Sour
Making their Budapest debut on June 25th, Iowa metal heads Stone Sour should wow the crowd at the open-air Barba Negra Track with blasting rock tunes. The American outfit will be promoting smash last release Hydrograd, voted Hard Rock Album of the Year 2017 at the inaugural Loudwire Music Awards in Los Angeles.
Billy Idol
One of the biggest punk icons of yesteryear returns to Hungary’s capital with a headline show. The British singer has had a rollercoaster career since hitting the UK charts 30 years ago with Generation X, but is currently on the up with a tour of big venues and outdoor festivals across Europe. Fans can shake it to Idol’s best-loved hits, including Dancing With Myself and White Wedding. The show takes place at Budapest Park on July 2nd.
