Big, can’t-miss Montréal concerts in 2025

Summer concerts

The cult of the Creator

Genius lyricist (“Do you look both ways when you cross my mind?”) and rapper, songwriter, producer, director, actor, fashion designer, you-name-it Tyler, The Creator is set to grace us with his presence in support of his recently released album Chromakopia. True to form, Chromakopia is, at the risk of understatement, an eclectic and brilliant quasi-concept album that runs the gamut of influences and styles. Tyler and openers Lil Yachty and Paris Texas will break the Bell Centre on July 22, 2025.

(It’s all) working for The Weeknd 

Following a typically epic live performance at this year’s Grammy Awards ceremony, Canadian global pop superstar The Weeknd will embark on an all-new North American stadium tour in support of his new album Hurry Up Tomorrow. The recording serves as the final chapter in his trilogy, following After Hours (2020) and Dawn FM (2022), and comes on the heels of a record-breaking 2024 that saw him become the first artist in history to have 27 songs with over 1 billion streams each on Spotify. Blow your mind with The Weeknd as well as genre-defying rapper Playboi Carti and special guest Mike Dean at Parc Jean-Drapeau on July 24 and 25.

Get ready for a “Firework” to explode in MTL 

Dubbed the “Queen of Camp” by both Vogue and Rolling Stone, pop music mega-star Katy Perry has parlayed a wicked combo of light-hearted theatricality and razor-sharp songwriting sensibility into a music empire that has seen her become one of the biggest-selling artists in history. Katy Perry’s red-hot Lifetimes Tour, in support of new album 143, descends on the Bell Centre on July 30.

Phoenix rising

One of the most successful alt-rock/nu metal outfits of the early 2000s, Linkin Park suffered an enormous blow following the death of charismatic lead singer Chester Bennington in 2017. That would have been the end of most bands, but in the fall of 2024 the group made a triumphant return to the top of the rock charts with new album From Zero, featuring new vocalist Emily Armstrong. Linkin Park, with openers PVRIS, will pick up where they left off at the Bell Centre, August 6, 2025.

The best of the west

If you haven’t already heard of Tate McRae, buckle up, because you will soon. The crazy-talented Calgary singer, songwriter and dancer first gained prominence as the first Canadian finalist on So You Think You Can Dance at the age of 13, and by 2021, age 18, she was the youngest musician to be featured on the Forbes “30 Under 30” list. The multiple-award-winning pop star, who has racked up a staggering 11.6 billion career streams, performs with special guest Zara Larsson at the Bell Centre, August 24, 2025.

A night for the ages 

Sacramento’s Deftones have made a lengthy career — it’s almost ridiculous to think that they formed in 1988 — out of pushing the boundaries of what metal can be, leaving virtually no genre of rock unexplored, and they remain at the top of their game. Fitting then that they should have equally category-smashing, ascendant British band IDLES (who played two mind-blowing shows of their own in MTL in September 2024) in the opening slot with special guests The Barbarians of California as part of Deftones North American Tour 2025. It all goes down at the Bell Centre, September 8. 

This charming man

The famous (and occasionally infamous, as it suits him) Morrissey, legendary frontman for pioneering ’80s alternative band The Smiths, has made an indelible mark on Brit-pop for over four decades. With his unmistakeable voice, he is widely regarded to be one of the most influential figures and greatest lyricists of his generation. To wit, all of his 13 solo studio albums have hit the U.K. top 10. Morrissey’s North American tour kicks off at Place Bell in Laval on September 10.

Fans of Urban music rejoice! 

One of country music’s most influential artists, Australian/American singer, songwriter and guitarist Keith Urban has been a driving force behind the evolution and still-growing popularity of country music for the better part of the last 35 years. With a well-earned reputation for barn-burning live shows, Keith Urban brings his High and Alive World Tour to the Bell Centre with special guests Chase Matthew, Alana Springsteen and Karley Scott Collins on September 19.

Sweet home… Montréal

Often referred to as the definitive southern rock band, there’s an argument to be made that legendary live music institution Lynyrd Skynyrd are the penultimate American rock band. Period. Over a 50-years-plus career (to put that into context, the band formed the same year The Beatles released A Hard Day’s Night), they’ve released unmistakeable anthems like Sweet Home Alabama and the interminable Free Bird. Celebrating 50 years of Lynyrd Skynyrd, with openers The Outlaws, rocks and rolls into Place Bell in Laval, September 20.

Oh, Kanada! 

It’s been just over 30 years since Korn’s self-titled debut album redefined rock music, pioneering a whole genre in the process: nu metal. Now, whether you can still call it “nu” is debatable, but what’s not up for discussion is Korn’s enduring dominance in the realm of hard rock, as evidenced by their massive 30-year anniversary tour in 2024. This year, the L.A.-based metallists pay tribute to the Great White North with their eight-city Korn: Kanada Tour 2025, featuring special guests Gojira and Loathe, which slams into the Bell Centre on September 20. 

Praise the Lorde

The reviews are in and the reviews are good. Actually, great. Lorde fans are hailing her return to form on the New Zealand singing and songwriting phenom’s new album, Virgin, a compelling collection of alt-pop dance floor bangers and introspective slow burners led by the single What Was That. Lorde brings her Ultrasound tour, with openers Blood Orange and The Japanese House, to the Bell Centre on September 27.

Fall concerts

The boy$ are back in town

$uicideboy$ — the New Orleans duo comprised of cousins $crim and Ruby da Cherry — have parlayed an apocalyptic vision of hip-hop pierced with punk/hardcore intensity into a streaming and touring empire. As trailblazers of trap-metal and punk-rap, they have amassed over 25 billion career-total streams, and their current Grey Day Tour 2025 ranked number 3 on Billboard’s highest-grossing rap tours in 2024. They will be joined by underground icon BONES, and ascendant artists Joeyy, Germ, Night Lovell and Chetta at the Bell Centre, September 26.

Road warrior

If we tried to list even a fraction of the accolades Pickering, Ontario pop-star Shawn Mendes has racked up in the last decade, we’d be here for the rest of the day. The fact that it’s only been 10 years since the singer, songwriter and musician got his start at the age of 16 is a wonder unto itself. Now Mendes is embarking on his On the Road Again tour, which will feature a five-album, career-spanning set celebrating his biggest hits from the very beginning right up to his latest release, Shawn. The road reaches the Bell Centre on October 1.

Por primera vez en Montréal! 

Yes, you read that correctly: Mexican pop-rock superstars Maná will perform for the very first time in Montréal this fall. Formed in 1981, and with influences that run the gamut from prog rock to calypso, reggae and ska, Maná are the most successful Latin American band of all time having sold over 45 million albums. Fun fact: in November 2025, the band will break the record for most arena shows performed in Los Angeles history with a total of 44 concerts (previously held by Bruce Springsteen at 42 concerts). Their Vivir Sin Aire Tour fires up the Bell Centre on October 3. 

The summer of ’69 meets the fall of ’25

Canadian rock icon Bryan Adams has taken it on the chin more than a couple of times throughout a 45-year solo career, but he’s never lost any of his trademark fight. It’s fitting then that Adams — ranked 48th on the Billboard Hot 100’s list of all-time top artists — is about to embark on his massive Roll with the Punches tour, named for his 17th studio album. Classic-rock revivalists The Sheepdogs will open at the Bell Centre on October 8.

The Mumfords re-emerge

British folk rock juggernaut Mumford & Sons break a lengthy period of relative silence with their just-released, seven-years-in-the-making full-length, Rushmere. The album is named for the Wimbledon Common Pub where “it all began,” and sees the mega-group performing as a trio after guitarist/banjoist Winston Marshall’s exit from the band in 2021. The Mumford & Sons Rushmere tour will folk up the Bell Centre on October 17 with British singer/songwriter Michael Kiwanuka warming things up.

The last tour? We doubt it

French-Congolese singer/rapper GIMS rose to fame as a member of the French hip-hop group Sexion d’Assaut in the late 2010s before moving on to a triumphant solo career, becoming the first French rapper to fill the Stade de France in 2019. Le Dernier Tour is a celebration of GIMS’ musical career from his early days with Sexion d’Assaut to his solo successes, and he brings it to the Bell Centre on October 24.

A timeless 30-year-old

It’s hard to believe that it’s been three decades since much-loved Canadian singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan released her breakout album Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, but the numbers don’t lie. Now the Lilith Fair founder is announcing the Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30^th Anniversary Tour, which will see McLachlan playing the entirety of the album in addition to other hits over two nights at Salle-Wilfrid Pelletier, Place des Arts, October 29 and 30. Vocal trio and TikTok darlings Tiny Habits will open.

A living Legend 

It’s almost hard to believe that it’s been 20 years since John Legend blew onto the R&B scene with a sophisticated mix of neo-soul, hip-hop and pop on his debut album, Get Lifted. The recording garnered eight Grammy nominations and won three Grammy Awards. Now, backed by his full band, Legend’s Get Lifted 20th Anniversary World Tour will showcase a setlist celebrating the entirety of the album as well as other career-spanning hits. Take in this legend-in-the-making when he warms up Place Bell, Laval on November 14. 

Band on the run

The word “icon” isn’t nearly as monumental as it needs to be to describe Paul McCartney (who, in reality, needs no description at all). We’re going to have to invent a new word. The mind behind one of the most expansive, multi-generational and above all beloved music catalogues of all time will bring his Got Back 2025 tour to Montréal this fall. Expect classics like Hey Jude, Live and Let Die, Band on the Run, Let It Be and dozens more from McCartney’s solo, Wings and, of course, Beatles songbooks when he performs two shows at the Bell Centre, November 17 and 18.

Burnin’ down tha house

The first Nigerian artist to headline stadiums in the U.S. and the U.K., singer/songwriter/producer Burna Boy has hit the afterburners on his already rapid ascent. And he collects best international artist awards like other people collect baseball cards. Insanely infectious afrobeat, dancehall and reggae are his M.O., and he returns to the Bell Centre for his No Sign of Weakness Tour — featuring a 360-degree stage in the middle of the floor — on December 15.