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When Bruce Finkelman opened the Empty Bottle in 1993, he smoked cigarettes, like many of his customers. It was part of his vision for the Chicago rock club: “The small, dark, smoky jazz room or rock ‘n’ roll club. Dingy. That really romantic view of the door opening up and smoke billowing out.” But like every other venue in Chicago and just about everywhere else, Empty Bottle has been smoke-free for decades — and Finkelman, now a non-smoking marathon runner, can’t imagine it any other way. “Even if I smell smoke,” the club’s owner says today, “I’m like, ‘Ugh.’”
The first U.S. indoor smoking ban went into effect almost exactly 35 years ago, in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Since then, just about every municipality followed, from New York City in 2003 to Chicago in 2006 to the entire state of North Dakota in 2012. During that same 35-year period, the concert business has boomed: The top 100 tours grossed $674.5 million in 1990, according to Billboard Boxscore, compared to $10 billion last year, an increase of 1,383%. Promoters, club owners and public-health experts say fans not having to breathe deadly secondhand smoke is almost certainly a reason for that growth.
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“It’s part of the equation,” says Dr. Stephen Hansen, who, as the former director of the Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center’s cardiopulmonary department in San Luis Obispo, crusaded for the citywide indoor-smoking ban. “Most places in California, it’s hard to find a smoker these days, and they sure as hell don’t want to be packed in with a crowd where people are smoking.”
Adds Joe Shanahan, owner and founder of Metro, the 43-year-old Chicago rock club: “It really did help business. I believe there is a direct correlation.” He adds that parents were more willing to buy tickets for their 12-to-14-year-old kids to all-ages shows without worrying about the risk of secondhand-smoke exposure.
Given how ecologically serene concerts have been for years — with the exceptions of occasional joints and vapes — the early fights to achieve smoking bans seem like a black and white movie. When Hansen took on Big Tobacco and the entire nightlife scene in San Luis Obispo, a downtown bar owner complained to the Los Angeles Times that he feared his smoking customers would “just find a bar in another city”; a retired truck driver interviewed from a local barstool likened the ban proponents to “Communists,” and added, “That’s the kind of thing they have in Russia.” Just before the city council voted to approve the ban, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. distributed fliers imploring residents to phone council members and oppose an “outrageous attack on your rights!”
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The U.S. surgeon general famously laid the groundwork for smoking bans in 1964, when an advisory committee reported a connection between smoking and lung cancer, declaring the habit a “health hazard” in the days of widespread, fashionable, Mad Men-style lighting up. Nine years later, Arizona banned smoking in some areas, and several states followed by enacting limited bans in the ’80s. But Hansen and his San Luis Obispo public-health allies were the first to defeat the formidable opposition to indoor smoking bans. “I did get some calls,” the retired physician recalls. “I got some death threats.”
The country of Ireland studied the example of San Luis Obispo, population 42,000, before enacting its own countrywide ban in 2004 — although Irish public health officials found New York City to be a better case study. “The attitude was, ‘It may be OK to be in California to go outside, but try to tell that to an old man in the west of Ireland with the pouring rain,” says Luke Clancy, a former professor who is director general of the Tobacco Free Research Institute of Ireland.
Back then, after speaking to Irish pub workers — including The Dubliners, a well-known folk band — Clancy and his team realized the smoking ban concept was more popular than it seemed. “I got a lot of feedback from them saying, ‘Thank God for this, my voice is ruined,’” he recalls. “It was not only the audience but the actual artists as well.”
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Several studies report that smoking bans have reduced poisonous secondhand smoke, and therefore lung cancer, over the last two or three decades. Jessica Cance, a public-health researcher for independent scientific-research institute RTI International, concluded in a 2015 study that bans have been effective in “decreasing the rates of smoking on college campuses” — and researchers found that alcohol consumption stayed the same at the venues they studied, suggesting young bar patrons didn’t respond to smoking bans by simply leaving to smoke at home. “The data are very clear that smoking bans have been effective for public health,” Cance says. “We can clearly see there is public benefit.”
Numerous club owners and promoters say the bans had an immediate positive impact on their customers and employees, and that fears they had about decreasing attendance never materialized. “If you had 30 or 40 or 50 smokers, the whole room would be an ashtray. My staff were getting sick for no apparent reason,” Metro’s Shanahan says. “When they instituted the smoking ban, and no cigarettes were allowed on a permanent basis, the health of the company turned around in a year. I began to realize business was better.”
The Gothic Theatre near Denver was, in the early ’90s, so smoky that it was difficult to clearly see the stage from the balcony. “It gives me the willies, man,” says Doug Kauffman, who promoted Gothic shows back then. “A lot of business owners complained when it happened: It would hurt their business if you could smoke inside. But it didn’t. What business owner in his right mind wants to kill his customers?”
In the ’90s, smoking at rock clubs gave off an odor so grungy it seemed cool — notably at Washington, D.C.’s 9:30 Club, where one regular described the smell as “Aerosmith and my a——.” But Donna Westmoreland, chief operating officer of I.M.P., the club’s promoter for decades, is a former smoker whose life improved after D.C. officials banned cigarettes at indoor venues in 2006. “I don’t think anybody said, ‘Should we go to a show or not? Well, you can’t smoke now, so we should go’ — but [it’s] probably a contributing factor,” she says. “People aren’t putting out cigarettes on the floor. It might have just felt a little nicer as a result.”
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Independent music venue Antone’s has been guaranteed another 50 years in downtown Austin.
On Monday (Nov. 10), the club’s owners announced they had signed a 50-year lease for the venue’s current location on East 5th Street, which will see the iconic space through to its 100th anniversary in 2075.
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The Antone’s brand has been in several locations throughout its history, with its most recent ownership group landing on a former glass depot on the busy East 5th Street. The venue’s current edition, which opened on New Year’s Eve 2015, includes the 400-capacity concert hall, a record shop called Big Henry’s and an event space on its upper floor. The long-term lease includes all three spaces, while the event space and bar will be transformed into an Antone’s museum.
This summer, the venue, which originally opened in 1975, celebrated its 50th anniversary with a commemorative merch collection, a touring show and an anniversary box set that included live recordings from the blues club’s history.
“We’ve got to use this milestone and the achievement of the 50th to switch from surviving to thriving,” Antone’s co-owner Will Bridges tells Billboard. “It’s crazy to think that Antone’s would have a 100th anniversary and by having that long of a term, to just be able to think and plan long term.”
When Antone’s took over its current space, the owners signed a 10-year lease with two five-year options, with Bridges noting the landlord has been nothing but supportive of the venue. However, the ownership group saw an opportunity to receive a grant from the local Iconic Venue Fund if Antone’s had a secure position in the city, such as land ownership or a long-term lease agreement. Other Austin venues that have benefited from the fund include Hole in the Wall and Empire Control Room & Garage.
Thanks to the 50-year lease, Antone’s has been selected to receive a $1.3 million investment from Rally Austin (home to the Austin Cultural Trust that controls the Iconic Venue Fund) to create a museum called Antone’s “World Famous” Museum of the Blues. The museum, which will be housed permanently on Antone’s upper level beginning in 2027, will celebrate Austin’s blues heritage and foster educational and community programming. It will donate a portion of its proceeds to the city’s Rally for Live Music Fund.
On Monday (Nov. 10), Antone’s will also launch the Antone’s Forever Fund as part of the Clifford Antone Foundation, to ensure the museum’s educational, cultural and community initiatives are continually advancing.
The museum will be open both during the day and in the evenings, providing additional revenue to support the venue and the Clifford Antone Foundation. The Iconic Venue Fund grant also includes a five-year operating stipend to help grow museum operations.
Given the response to the Antone’s 50th All Stars shows in Los Angeles, New York and Nashville, Antone’s creative and musical director Zach Ernst believes these new developments will help cement the venue’s legacy.
“All this extra activity we did this year under the banner of the 50th really reminded us how important Antone’s is outside of Austin,” Ernst tells Billboard. “We really do deserve this kind of [support] as an institution. It’s hard for worker bees like me and Will to think that way. But it is all thanks to Clifford Antone and his vision back in ‘75.”
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Australia’s iconic Bluesfest has announced the first round of artists set to perform at its 2026 edition, unveiling a cross-generational lineup led by Split Enz, Earth, Wind & Fire, and The Pogues.
Returning to Byron Bay’s Bluesfest site — the Byron Events Farm — from April 2 to 5 next year, the long-running festival will host a full reunion set from Split Enz. The legendary New Zealand group, featuring brothers Neil and Tim Finn of Crowded House fame, also announced a separate national tour this week. It will mark the band’s first full-scale Australian tour in nearly two decades.
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Joining them are funk and soul trailblazers Earth, Wind & Fire, who last played the event in 2012, and Irish punk-folk icons The Pogues, returning for the first time in 14 years to mark 40 years since the release of their seminal album Rum, Sodomy & the Lash — a tribute to the late Shane MacGowan.
Other international acts on the 2026 bill include Sublime, The Black Crowes, Counting Crows, blues veteran Buddy Guy (on his farewell tour), and Marcus King Band. Local talent includes Xavier Rudd, The Living End, South Summit, Mental As Anything, Skegss, The Dreggs, Pierce Brothers, and Mark Seymour.
The announcement follows a high-water mark for the festival earlier this year. In April, Bluesfest officially confirmed its return for 2026 following one of its strongest post-pandemic editions. Held across the Easter long weekend, Bluesfest 2025 drew more than 109,000 attendees over five days — the festival’s highest attendance since 2019, and the third-biggest turnout in its 35-year history.
“We’re the top-selling festival in the country, and we’ve worked hard to get here,” festival director Peter Noble said in a statement at the time. “We’ve had the highest attendance of any Australian festival since pre-COVID at 109,000 attendances – the third-biggest event we’ve done in the history of the festival… Festivals are back.”
The festival’s second lineup drop for its 2026 event is expected in the coming weeks. Several of the artists announced — including The Pogues, Sublime, and Buddy Guy — will also play exclusive headline shows around the country as part of the Bluesfest touring program.
Bluesfest 2026 takes place from Thursday, April 2, to Sunday, April 5. Tickets and artist information are available at bluesfest.com.au.
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Few artists have had as big a year as Sombr. The 20 year old New York native broke out in a big way in 2025, with two top 20 Billboard Hot 100 hits — “Back To Friends,” which peaked this week at No. 12, and “Undressed,” which reached No. 16 in October — and the release of his debut album, I Barely Know Her, which reached No. 10 on the Billboard 200 in September.
This week, things are getting even better: the singer/songwriter is set to make his debut on Saturday Night Live this weekend, and just today (Nov. 7) received a Grammy nomination in the coveted best new artist category. To add on to that, last night he finished the sold out North American leg of his first-ever headlining tour in his hometown, across 31 dates in which every single venue had to be upgraded to accommodate demand, with several cities adding dates as well. All told, according to UTA data, Sombr has sold more than 100,000 tickets across two dozen countries, including his first-ever sold-out arena show at the 3Arena in Dublin, with more shows in Australia and Europe to come later this year into next. And that victory earns UTA agent John “JT” Taylor the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
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Taylor, who is Sombr’s co-agent alongside UTA partner Matt Meyer, also has a long relationship with the Jonas Brothers, for whom he played guitar and served as musical director in their early days, before joining their management team at Philymack from 2014 to 2022. He is now their agent as well, as the group is in the midst of a tour that has sold 442,000 tickets and grossed $42.4 million from shows between Aug. 10 and Sept. 29, according to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore. Here, Taylor discusses Sombr’s remarkable rise, the logistics of having to upgrade so many venues on a tour while an artist is blowing up and more. “I haven’t ever seen it this quickly, personally,” Taylor says of Sombr’s rise. “It’s indicative of the way artists are able to effectively engage and reach audiences far and wide through smart digital strategy and great partnership with DSPs and social media platforms.”
Sombr broke out in a big way this year with two top 10 Hot 100 hits, and this week, he wrapped the North American leg of his Late Nights & Young Romance Tour, having sold out the entire run, according to UTA figures. How did you approach the booking and routing for someone who was actively making a name for themselves at the time, and what key decisions did you make to help make that happen?
To begin with, we are so fortunate to be working with a very special artist who is particularly attuned to his fan base. Shane’s fans are the most important thing in the world to him, so he has been incredibly focused on the fan experience throughout every step of this incredibly rapid growth trajectory. As for the strategy, we have an incredible IQ department at UTA that helped us as we determined our strongest markets and how to best estimate demand as we determined venue size. We worked with individual local promoters, who we are proud to have great relationships with, to ensure we could keep ticket prices accessible, the venues open to all ages, and to make sure we had Shane playing in iconic places that his fans would be excited about.
As things continued to explode for Shane online, on the airwaves and beyond, it became evident that the rooms we had initially booked, which were the right rooms at the time, were simply too small. With the awareness we might leave too many fans unable to see a show, we pivoted quickly in real time to upgrade wherever we could.
sombr in his home studio.
Bryce Glenn
Each venue on the North American tour was upgraded, and multiple dates were added in several cities. How do you make the call to do that and how difficult is it, logistically to pull off the switch, and overall to assess the correct venue size for an artist without much touring history?
Throughout this process, Shane has prioritized the fans and their experience. That mandate definitely brought with it some challenges, but was ultimately rewarding in the end. Shane wanted to upgrade wherever possible, but with the caveat that he didn’t want to change dates, didn’t want to refund tickets or cancel any of the shows. He was admirably adamant that we honor all of the original tickets sold at face value. This meant that our team — Matt Meyer, Jess Braunstein and myself — had to work with the promoters to find what larger rooms were available and able to accommodate those who already purchased tickets in the same seating configuration. We had to navigate this while renegotiating our current deals, all while considering the additional expenses associated with the larger rooms, and continuing to keep ticket prices fair and accessible throughout. We are very proud to say we were able to accomplish this in almost every market, which felt almost like a miracle once we had pulled it off.
He’s also performed in Europe and is about to go to Australia, with more European dates planned for next year, and has sold over 100,000 tickets across more than a dozen countries. How rare is that for an artist so relatively new, and how did you approach each territory?
Some markets still really depend on the artist showing up and doing the leg work to build the audience, such as Japan, but even there Shane played Summer Sonic in August as his first-ever festival appearances and first time in the country, and already has amassed strong offers to return to a rapidly growing base. In Europe, we played a few headline shows in key markets, where the data was overwhelmingly convincing to test the waters. Shane was quick to alert us to the incredible numbers he was seeing in Ireland, for example. Again, we moved quickly and did everything we could to stay ahead of the explosive growth as we plotted out our 2026 headline run, which sold out clean on the on-sale, including highlights of three nights at Brixton in London and capping off with a show at the legendary 3Arena in Dublin.
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How do you continue to grow an artist over the years into a real touring heavyweight?
By always prioritizing and supporting the artist’s vision and always putting the fan experience first. We are so fortunate to have an incredible team to support that vision with care and expert level strategy. We work closely across all departments at UTA to ensure we are not leaving any opportunity overlooked. Beyond the walls of our buildings, we have amazing partners at Warner Records, High Rise PR and of course with Shane’s team at The System — Andy Boose and Ann Perkins.
What’s next for Sombr?
SNL! His first ever Australian shows, the aforementioned headline European/U.K. run and some amazing festival looks in 2026.
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After releasing his fifth studio album Deadbeat, Tame Impala is setting sail on a global tour. Already kicking things off in October in New York, Kevin Parker and the gang played most of their new album – and plenty of old favorites to a sold-out crowd at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. In case you missed the show, here are our favorite moments from the inaugural show as well as the setlist.
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For the remaining of Tame’s brief national leg of the tour, he will hit four major cities, including Austin, San Diego, Oakland and Inglewood, Calif. Afterward, Parker will head oversees stopping in Spain, France, Italy, London, Germany and many more before concluding the tour in Dublin on May 13.
Keep reading for a roundup of how to secure last-minute tickets to Tame Impala and how much you can expect to spend.
How to Get Tickets to Tame Impala
Now that the tour is underway, tickets are going faster than usual. Luckily, with a few resell sites, fans can grab affordable tickets and their preferred venue seating with a breeze. Tickets are available on sites such as Seat Geek, StubHub, Vivid Seats and Ticketmaster to browse online now.
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StubHub has Tame Impala tickets available. Stubhub’s Fan Protect Guarantee ensures valid tickets or your money back. And if your event is canceled and not rescheduled, you’ll receive 120% in credit or be given the option of a full refund.
Vivid Seat
You can find Tame Impala tickets online at Vivid Seats for as low as $194. The ticket site lets you search by price, location and “Super Sellers,” which denotes reputable sellers with the best deals on tickets.
Vivid Seats is great for group tickets: the site has a rewards program that gives you your 11th ticket free (in the form of a credit) after you buy 10 tickets online. And as a bonus, you can use our exclusive promo code BB30 to take $30 off your purchase at VividSeats.com.
One of the lowest prices we’re seeing for Tame Impala tickets is at SeatGeek, which has stubs from $199 and up. Use our discount code BILLBOARD10 to save an additional $10 at checkout.
Courtesy of Gametime
For more affordable tickets, Gametime is offering ticket options for as low as $197. Purchasers will receive the Gametime Guarantee, which includes event cancellation protection, a low-price guarantee and one-time ticket delivery. Bonus offer: Get $20 off orders of $150+ when you use the code SAVE20 at checkout.
TicketNetwork
TicketNetwork has tickets to Tame Impala’s concerts with all-in pricing that lets you see exactly what you’ll pay up front (fees included). For a limited time, you can use our exclusive code BILLBOARD150 to save $150 off $500 or BILLBOARD300 to save $300 off orders of $1000 and up.
Trending on Billboard Gunna’s upcoming tour is turning into a marathon. The Atlanta native has announced more shows as part of the global trek, along with plenty of coinciding Wunna Run Club 5K race events to accompany tour dates. Explore See latest videos, charts and news The North American leg of the Wun World Tour […]
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AXS is ramping up its European ambitions with two senior executive hires designed to accelerate the ticketing company’s growth across the region. The company has appointed Peter Quinlan as managing director of Europe, and Hannah Rouch as vp of marketing in Europe — both newly created roles that will operate out of London and report to AXS’s international division.
Quinlan will oversee all European operations and lead the company’s regional strategy, reporting to Blaine Legere, president of AXS International. Rouch will report to Quinlan and spearhead marketing efforts across the continent, with a mandate to expand brand awareness and drive audience growth for the ticketing platform.
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“Europe remains a critical growth engine for AXS, and these appointments mark an important step forward in our continued evolution,” Legere said in a statement. “Peter’s global experience and operational acumen, combined with Hannah’s deep marketing expertise and track record of execution, will be instrumental as we continue to scale and deliver across the region.”
Quinlan joins AXS after 18 years at Live Nation Entertainment, where he held leadership roles across marketing, sponsorship, and ticketing. He most recently served in a global executive capacity at Ticketmaster, overseeing commercial partnerships, payments, fraud operations and other revenue initiatives. His new role puts him at the center of AXS’s European expansion strategy at a time when the company continues to compete with Live Nation’s Ticketmaster, CTS Eventim and other players across the territory.
“There’s tremendous opportunity for growth — especially in Europe, where promoters, venues and artists are looking for innovative, transparent partners with technology that can scale and deliver,” Quinlan said. “I’m excited to help lead that charge.”
Rouch joins AXS from Gumtree/eBay, where she led a brand repositioning for the marketplace and previously held marketing leadership roles at Motors.co.uk and Bauer Media. Her remit will include strengthening the AXS brand across all European markets and building a marketing infrastructure to support both promoter clients and consumer initiatives.
“I’m thrilled and energized to take on this role at a time of significant growth for AXS across Europe,” Rouch said. “Our focus will be on strengthening our brand and reach across Europe and building out marketing as a growth engine for the business – accelerating our ability to deliver for our clients and enhancing our efforts to ‘hold the hand of the fan’ from show discovery to live event.”
The hires come as AXS continues to grow its international footprint, with partnerships spanning festivals, arenas, sports franchises, and touring artists. The expansion also reflects the company’s broader strategy to scale its global technology platform and deepen its presence outside the U.S.
“These new appointments reflect AXS’s ongoing commitment to scale, unify, and empower our international teams,” Legere added. “With this expanded leadership structure, we’re better positioned than ever to deliver world-class support for our clients and partners.”
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This article was created in partnership with VENU.
Billboard’s highly anticipated Live Music Summit presented by VENU made its return this year, marking its second gathering and celebration since its hiatus in 2019. The summit’s comeback is in response to high demand to refocus on the thriving touring industry.
Attendees experienced a dynamic mix of panel discussions, live performances, workshops, and industry mixers, all culminating in the Touring Awards Ceremony. Among the star-studded panel lineups were Usher, Rauw Alejandro, and top industry executives. It was an invaluable opportunity for those in the music business to gain insights from industry leaders while celebrating the milestones many touring artists have achieved this year.
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The Live Music Summit made its highly anticipated return with exciting new awards and recognitions including the Disruptor Award, presented to Khalid by visionary entrepreneur, J.W. Roth, Founder and CEO of premium live entertainment company, VENU. Over the past 9 years, Khalid has taken the industry by storm, embodying the very definition of a “disruptor.” His bold approach has challenged both fans and music executives to see artists through a new lens.
Accepting the award, Khalid said, “I can remember doing my first venue and there was 125 people at a coffee shop and to be able to see the things that I’ve seen in my career is just such a blessing.” adding, “It wouldn’t have been able to be done without support. So, I just want to thank everyone for supporting me. Especially, me coming into myself as an individual in the public but I’ve seen nothing but love and I hold it with grace and humility.”
Khalid Donnel Robinson in the Green Room during the Billboard Live Music Summit at 1 Hotel West Hollywood on November 03, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Christopher Polk/Billboard
Also disrupting the live-music world is Venu Holding Corporation (“VENU”). It isn’t your typical live entertainment company. Rising fast throughout the live entertainment space, the company has built its brand around delivering premium experiences, opening multiple venues nationwide and redefining not only how audiences experience concerts, but how they can own a piece of live entertainment. They’re more than destinations to see your favorite artists. VENU is a fan-founded, fan-owned, artist-inspired movement creating unparallelled, immersive spaces, designed to elevate every part of the concert journey for fans and artists alike. Their mission is to create nationwide, top-tier live music destinations that change how the world experiences and connects with music, shaping the future of live entertainment.
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After the Billboard Live Music Summit, some of the industry’s top executives gathered at the Sun Rose in West Hollywood for a Music & Money Dinner to reflect on the conversations of the day and engage in insights for the future of live entertainment. During which, VENU Founder, CEO, and Chairman J.W. Roth and industry veteran Tommy Ginoza engaged in a thought-provoking fireside chat, moderated by Billboard’s Editorial Director, Hannah Karp, about the state of the music industry, the evolution of live entertainment, and VENU’s continued expansion of its destination network across the United States. With over three decades of experience as a talent buyer, Ginoza spoke candidly about the future of artist development and the critical role of fan engagement in shaping the live music experience. Roth, meanwhile, highlighted that while recent investment trends have heavily favored music publishing catalogs and master recordings, the live music sector has seen comparatively less attention from investors in recent years.
Rashida Zagon for Billboard
Acknowledging this shift, Roth emphasized that the current landscape presents a unique opportunity to redirect investment toward live entertainment, such as VENU’s unique ownership opportunities in Luxe FireSuites, Aikman Clubs built in partnership with NFL Hall of Famer, Troy Aikman, or common shares, stating, “If you’re going to be innovative in this space, not only do you have to have a concept that is going to be attractive to our customer but you’ve got to figure out a way to finance it… So, we’re not just building amphitheaters. We’re building venues that are multiseasonal, multiconfigurational, and more importantly they are multisensory.”
The event was a true celebration for accomplishments in the live music world and the heights to which this community intends on taking the art of live entertainment in the near and distant future. The prospects of live music are looking bright and Billboard and VENU plan to be a part of every step of the way.
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After more than 50 years on the road, Journey is preparing for one last victory lap.
On Thursday (Nov. 5), the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band announced plans for its Final Frontier Tour, a 60-date North American trek that will kick off Feb. 28 at Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and run through July 2 in Laredo, Texas.
Billed as “A Special Evening With Journey,” the tour will feature a new stage production and a career-spanning setlist packed with the band’s biggest hits — including “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Any Way You Want It,” “Faithfully,” “Lights” and more — along with a handful of deeper cuts for longtime fans. All dates are being promoted by AEG Presents.
“This tour is our heartfelt thank-you to the fans who’ve been with us every step of the way,” said founder and guitarist Neal Schon in a statement. “We’re pulling out all the stops — the hits, the deep cuts, the energy, the spectacle. It’s a full-circle celebration of the music that’s brought us all together.”
Schon emphasized that while this marks the final chapter for Journey as a touring act, he has no plans to step away from music entirely. “I want everyone to know I’m not done,” he said. “Music is still burning strong inside me, and there are new creative horizons ahead.”
Keyboardist Jonathan Cain called the farewell run a chance to reconnect with the fans one more time. “We’ve shared our music with millions and this tour is about gratitude, connection and one last chance to feel that magic together,” he said.
Frontman Arnel Pineda, who joined the band in 2007 after being discovered by Schon on YouTube, added: “Every night on stage has been a dream come true. I’m honored to be part of this legacy.”
The current lineup also features Jason Derlatka (keyboards, vocals), Deen Castronovo (drums, vocals) and Todd Jensen (bass).
Since forming in 1973, Journey has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, scored 18 top 40 Billboard Hot 100 singles, and earned RIAA diamond certification for its Greatest Hits album. “Don’t Stop Believin’” passed 1 billion streams on Spotify in 2024 and remains one of the most downloaded songs in the history of digital music.
The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 and received the Billboard Legends of Live award for its blockbuster co-headline tour with Def Leppard in 2018, which sold more than 1 million tickets.
Tickets go on sale to the general public Nov. 14 at 10 a.m. local time. Citi cardmembers will have access to a presale beginning Nov. 11 at 10 a.m. local time through Citi Entertainment. A limited number of VIP packages — including premium seats and exclusive merch — will be available.
Journey’s Final Frontier Tour dates are below:
Feb. 28: Hershey, PA @ GIANT Center
March 1: Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
March 4: Washington, D.C. @ Capital One Arena
March 5: Trenton, NJ @ CURE Insurance Arena
March 7: Ottawa, ON @ Canadian Tire Centre
March 9: Hamilton, ON @ TD Coliseum
March 11: Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
March 12: Quebec City, QC @ Vidéotron Centre
March 14: Hartford, CT @ PeoplesBank Arena
March 16: Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena
March 17: Indianapolis, IN @ Gainbridge Fieldhouse
March 19: Milwaukee, WI @ Fiserv Forum
March 21: Memphis, TN @ FedExForum
March 22: Lexington, KY @ Rupp Arena
March 25: N. Little Rock, AR @ Simmons Bank Arena
March 26: Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center
March 28: New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center
March 29: Bossier City, LA @ Brookshire Grocery Arena
March 31: Austin, TX @ Moody Center
April 3: Oklahoma City, OK @ Paycom Center
April 4: Wichita, KS @ INTRUST Bank Arena
April 6: Sioux Falls, SD @ Denny Sanford PREMIER Center
April 8: Des Moines, IA @ CASEY’S CENTER
April 9: Lincoln, NE @ Pinnacle Bank Arena
April 12: Salt Lake City, UT @ Delta Center
April 14: Boise, ID @ ExtraMile Arena
April 15: Spokane, WA @ Spokane Arena
April 17: Vancouver, BC @ Pacific Coliseum
April 19: Eugene, OR @ Matthew Knight Arena
April 21: Sacramento, CA @ Golden 1 Center
April 22: Bakersfield, CA @ Dignity Health Arena
April 24: Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center at Fresno State
May 15: Tampa, FL @ Benchmark International Arena
May 16: Jacksonville, FL @ VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
May 18: Columbia, SC @ Colonial Life Arena
May 20: Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center
May 21: Greensboro, NC @ First Horizon Coliseum
May 23: Atlantic City, NJ @ Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall
May 27: State College, PA @ Bryce Jordan Center
May 28: Charlottesville, VA @ John Paul Jones Arena
May 30: Knoxville, TN @ Food City Center
May 31: Savannah, GA @ Enmarket Arena
June 3: Hampton, VA @ Hampton Coliseum
June 4: Roanoke, VA @ Berglund Center Coliseum
June 6: Worcester, MA @ DCU Center
June 7: Manchester, NH @ SNHU Arena
June 10: Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center
June 11: Allentown, PA @ PPL Center
June 13: Cincinnati, OH @ Heritage Bank Center
June 14: Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena
June 17: Evansville, IN @ Ford Center
June 18: Fort Wayne, IN @ Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
June 20: Champaign, IL @ State Farm Center
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If two artists are company and three are a crowd, then some Nashville stages are threatening overpopulation.
On three successive nights, Oct. 27-29, a total of 30 artists, three speakers and a pair of comedians assembled at three multi-artist shows with three different themes. For most cities, even one of those concerts would have been a major event, but in Music City, it’s de rigueur; ho-hum; par for the course; been there, done that.
Not to say that other communities can’t produce a big, multi-act show — music capitals such as New York, Los Angeles, Austin or Atlanta certainly do it — but Nashville may have a leg up on the phenomenon, particularly for multi-artist concerts.
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“If you’re in New York, the Friars Club will give you a roast,” says Larry Gatlin, who participated in two of the three Nashville events. “In Los Angeles, they have the Academy [Awards] and stuff. But I think Nashville is unique.”
The parade of large Music City productions started Oct. 27 with The Music of My Life: An All-Star Tribute to Anne Murray, with 14 performers doing one song each at the Grand Ole Opry House while Murray applauded from a floor seat. Collin Raye led with “Daydream Believer,” Shenandoah delivered “Could I Have This Dance,” Canadian Michelle Wright chipped in “Snowbird,” and k.d. lang mirrored Murray’s phrasing while performing “A Love Song” barefoot.
The next night, the Grand Ole Opry stacked six musical acts, including Warner Music Nashville signee Braxton Keith, who was surprised with his first gold record; The Forester Sisters, whose three songs included a cover of the 1950s girl group song “Mister Sandman”; and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, who ended the show with a song that’s central to country music history, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”
On Oct. 29, the annual Concert for Cumberland Heights raised money for a Middle Tennessee rehab center, with Gatlin and Christian artist Joseph Habedank kicking things off before The Warren Brothers MC’ed an eight-person songwriter round that ricocheted between comedic songs and profound material.
The camaraderie across all three nights was notable.
“This is so vibrant — you know, the sense of community,” says Dirt Band frontman Jeff Hanna, who spent time in Colorado and L.A. prior to moving to Nashville. “If you’re in the music business, you’re always going to have a competitive edge. Everybody wants to win, but you also root for your pals, and I just love that about this town.”
Not many towns could hope to pull off three straight nights of comparable multi-artist shows. They’re larger than a traditional two- or three-act concert, but smaller than a weekend music festival.
It’s not financially feasible — for the artist or the promoter — to have that many people travel long distances to play just a handful of songs. And few communities have the volume of local musical talent.
Other towns also don’t have the Grand Ole Opry. One of the side benefits of the program, which will celebrate 100 years on WSM-AM on Nov. 28, is the infrastructure it has created. The Opry is typically booked four or more nights a week. The artists who play it know ahead of time that they’re part of a big ensemble with lots of moving pieces — very different from a concert with one headliner and an opening act. And the crew has developed a routine for the quick changes that a barn-dance format requires.
“Everything has its challenges,” Opry senior vp/executive producer Dan Rogers allows, “but over the course of all those years and this many shows in a year, you begin to figure out the things that work and don’t work.”
The staff itself has a bigger impact on running a multi-artist show. If The Dirt Band is headlining a date, the group can make adjustments deep into the set by reading the audience. But it doesn’t necessarily know what the crowd is like when it pops out from backstage at the Opry, and since it only does two or three songs in that setting, there’s little opportunity to change the dynamic.
“You’re sitting around for a couple of hours,” Hanna says, “then they go, ‘You’re on in five minutes,’ and you’re plugging in these guitars.”
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Because the artist typically doesn’t have an opportunity to make adjustments, it’s up to the production team to read the room and keep the pace going.
“I’m a time person,” Cumberland Heights development events manager Lee Ann Eaton says. “Like, I’ve jerked Santa [Claus] off the stage because he was taking too long. You know what I mean? ‘Your time is over, Santa. Get up!’ ”
That doesn’t mean the artist is unable to influence a show with an adjustment or two. Rogers points to a recent Jamey Johnson Opry appearance, when an onstage mention of the late Vern Gosdin led him to play three Gosdin songs during his set. Gatlin notes that making the audience laugh can engage a sedate crowd.
“Self-deprecating humor is the secret sauce,” he says. “If you can go out there and, very quickly, make a little fun of yourself or pick on yourself a little bit, the audience immediately relaxes and they take you into their heart.”
Still, because the barn-dance format requires a large cast of performers, all of whom have plenty of downtime, there’s room for a lax production to go off the rails. Making it smooth for the talent and their teams while maintaining a sense of structure is what makes the show work.
“It requires a lot more organization on the back end,” Eaton says. “I’m dealing with eight artists and their dressing rooms and their backstage passes and their parking. But the Ryman makes it easy, too. I mean, they’re so good at what they do, I would say I could do my job from my car.”
It’s that institutional knowledge and experience that makes it possible for Nashville to handle three straight nights of multi-artist packages. The Opry has established an air of normalcy around lineups that would be a major undertaking in most other settings. The production teams know the drill, and the artists see it as part of the heritage in country music.
“This community, as much as any other community, loves to pay respect to the people who paved the way for them — and pay it forward,” Rogers says. “So somebody’s often going to say ‘yes’ when you ask, ‘Do you want to come tip your hat to an artist who you listened to growing up?’ Or ‘to come give a boost to [a young] artist who has said you did the same thing for them.’ ”
In just about any other locale, the production team would be in chaos trying to pull off a live music show with so many moving parts. But in Nashville, three straight nights of heavily populated stages — and backstages — is not such a big deal.
“They’re just so calm about it,” Eaton says of the Ryman team, “because it is commonplace.”
