Scotsman music critic Fiona Shepherd picks ten must-see gigs for 2025

Kylie Minogue | Contributed

Lyle Lovett In a characteristically strong Celtic Connections line-up, this show by Americana legend Lyle Lovett stands out, not least because it marks his first UK appearance in, ooh, yonks. Expect material from across his eclectic career, including 2022’s 12th of June, his first new material in a decade. Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 19 January

​Tae Sup Wi’ a Fifer James Yorkston’s intimate songwriters’ singaround marks its tenth birthday with its tastiest touring line-up to date – a veritable school reunion of his Fifer friends, KT Tunstall and Johnny Lynch aka Pictish Trail, plus comedian/writer Maeve Higgins. ​Mareel, Lerwick, 5 February, Eden Court, Inverness, 6 February, Strathearn Arts, Crieff, 7 February, Byre Theatre, St Andrews, 8 February, Eastgate Theatre, Peebles, 9 February

​Kylie Minogue The veteran pop princess never puts a foot wrong on her concert tours and with a Las Vegas residency now under her belt too, there is no reason to expect her latest Tension tour to be anything other than spectacular, charming, cheeky, euphoric, genial, stylish, feelgood and discotastic. Hydro, Glasgow, 16 May and 6 June

​Iggy Pop The world’s a mess but Iggy Pop’s presence onstage makes everything alright for a time. When he worked with Queens of the Stone Age, his collaborators named the resulting album Post Pop Depression after the vacuum he left in his incorrigible leathery wake. Iggy could play a larger venue for sure so expect this one to be intense and ecstatic. O2 Academy, Glasgow, 3 June

Iggy Pop | AFP via Getty Images

​Sting In recent years, Sting has toured with Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon and collaborated with everyone from Annie Lennox to Swedish House Mafia but now he is back in trim power trio mode on his 3.0 tour, rocking solo and Police hits in the company of guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas. ​Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, 25 June

​Lana Del Rey With her music as intimate as a seductive whisper in the ear, Lana Del Rey is not an obvious candidate to slay a stadium show. Nevertheless, the dreamy alt.pop chanteuse has reeled in the masses over the past decade and embarks on her first UK stadium tour to promote her tenth album, the country-infused The Right Person Will Stay. Hampden Park, Glasgow, 26 June

Simple Minds | AFP via Getty Images

​Simple Minds Hometown heroes Simple Minds have not headlined an outdoor show in their native Glasgow since they played two concerts at Ibrox Stadium in 1986, right at the peak of their commercial pomp. Almost four decades later, for one night only, they celebrate the 40th anniversary of Once Upon A Time, playing in full the album that took them to the top of the charts around the world. Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, 27 June

​Smokey Robinson Motown titan and Miracles legend Smokey Robinson (need we even go on?) is a smoking hot ticket in 2025. His latest Legacy tour celebrates the 50th anniversary of his solo album A Quiet Storm, making him the only artist on this list to inspire an entire radio genre. Now that’s soft power. ​Armadillo, Glasgow, 3 July

​Billie Eilish Double Oscar-winning Billie Eilish, the thinking teenager’s pop star, is only 23 years old and on her seventh concert tour, promoting third album Hit Me Hard and Soft. This is her first tour without her producer brother Finneas in tow but there is good reason for his absence – he is touring in his own right, playing Glasgow’s O2 Academy on 20 April. ​Hydro, Glasgow, 7 and 8 July

​Oasis You might have heard that Britpop behemoths Oasis have reformed following a rapprochement in relations between the brothers Gallagher… The announcement of their reunion tour was understandably overshadowed by the outcry over the use of dynamic pricing but come the dates the audiences likely won’t look back in anger. Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, 8, 9 and 12 August