Greetings Rockers ’N’ Rollers! The year 2025 ended with a flurry of Harrisburg’s best local bands. On Dec 5, XL Live hosted a Food Bank Benefit Concert featuring Swisher Sweets, Cold Spring Union, The Jellybricks and the debut of Van Wirsing (Van Halen tribute). On Dec 12, the Mad Moose Tavern featured The Jellybricks and Reilly and the Pick Em Ups. The following day, Jynx and Dino opened for Surface Noise at Mechanicsburg’s Metropolis Collective. Surface Noise played an amazing set of incredible songs and are possibly Central PA’s best band currently. Shea Quinn and Steve Swisher visited Marysville’s Waterfront on Dec 16. Electric Love (The Music of The Cult) opened for Back In Black (AC/DC Tribute) on Dec 20 at Harrisburg’s XL Live. And the highlight show of the month took place on Dec 6 at Ramonas Basement featuring The Last Post and The After Hours. Both bands played fantastic sets and are phenomenal artists creating original music in Harrisburg.
Australian punks Amyl and The Sniffers have announced a summer run of 11 North American headline dates. The now-Grammy-nominated band will visit Philadelphia’s Mann Skyline Stage on June 5, Washington DC Anthem on June 10 and their debut at Colorado’s Red Rocks on June 17. The band recently opened for AC/DC on the legends’ Australia return. Ahead of that, Amyl and The Sniffers sold out London’s Alexandra Palace October 25, grossing $491,530 on 9,912 tickets. Little Steven Van Zandt has unveiled the headliners for Little Steven’s Underground Garage 2 Cruise, sailing April 3-7, 2026, from Miami to Cozumel. Social Distortion is the top-billed act for the second edition of the musical cruise. Among the acts performing on the cruise are Jesse Malin, Rival Sons, Michael Monroe, Buzzcocks, The Raveonettes, The Sonics, Redd Kross, The Big Star Quintet, Marky Ramone Plays The Ramones, Black Lips, The Mooney Suzuki, Low Cut Connie, Supersuckers,Wyldlife, Tuk Smith * The Restless Hearts, The Jellybricks and many more. The event promises to be louder and wilder than the first edition, and attendees will enjoy multiple sets from each band, surprise collaborations, autograph sessions, a special merch store, a tattoo parlor and much more.
Rolling Stones have scrapped any plans for a 2026 stadium tour in Europe and the United Kingdom because guitarist Keith Richards can’t “commit” to another major trek. Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood said the band was working on a new album and hinted at shows in 2026. “We sat down to discuss the tour, Keith said he didn’t think he could commit and wasn’t keen on a big stadium tour over four months.” In 2023, Richards said arthritis has affected his playing and he recently stated, “Funnily enough, I’ve no doubt it has, but I don’t have any pain, it’s sort of a benign version.” Keith Richards celebrated his 82nd birthday on December 18th.
After two years, Phish will return to Sphere in Las Vegas. The jam band helmed by Trey Anastasio first performed at the venue in 2024 for four nights, with a different set incorporating varying visuals on each night. Now, Phish is set to perform nine dates, running from April 16 to May 2. Phish gave fans only a small taste of what they could do in the venue. Already fans are theorizing what Phish may bring for their second go-around at Sphere. While these shows are not branded as a “unique experience,” unlike their initial run at the venue, the jam band is sure to have something up their sleeves.
David Byrne has a massive tour slated for 2026, including numerous festival appearances such as at Coachella and Mad Cool Festival. The former Talking Heads frontman has 67-dates planned through North America and Europe. The final two dates of America will take place with two nights at a Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, MD on May 16 and 17.
Bob Dylan will be on the road next spring, extending his “Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour” with 28 shows across the U.S. from March through the beginning of May. The legendary singer will kick off his 2026 headline trek March 21 in Omaha, Nebraska. Dylan is a road warrior, visiting dozens of venues around the globe this year. He then embarked on the Outlook Music Festival tour alongside Willie Nelson before playing fall shows in Europe.
Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts are planning to set out on the “Love Earth Tour” with a 13-date European leg. Elvis Costello & The Imposters will join Neil Young on select dates. Costello will bring “Radio Soul!” – the celebration of Costello’s earliest work. The show features selections from Costello’s discography from his 1977 debut My Aim Is True through 1986’s Blood and Chocolate, representing some of Costello’s most enduring and beloved work.
Toto, Christopher Cross and The Romantics will be hitting the road together for a North American tour set for summer 2026, featuring more than 30 gigs including PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ on July 18 and The Mann in Philadelphia on July 26. Live Nation stated “this past year has been one of the strongest in Toto’s 48 years of existence with more than a half a million fans coming out to see them perform, alongside over a billion streams counted this year alone.” The band’s hit “Africa” has achieved two billion plays at Spotify alone and has been certified Diamond by the RIAA with cumulative sales approaching 11 million. The band’s other singles include the triple platinum “Hold The Line” and double platinum “Rosanna.”
Avenged Sevenfold and Good Charlotte are teaming up for a 16-date run in 2026, including Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden, NJ on Aug 14. Both bands are offering VIP experiences that may include a backstage tour, early entry to the floor and an early entry merch package. The two bands have been friends for decades, and both made their mark on radio airwaves in the 2000s and 2010s. Good Charlotte played major festivals this year like Aftershock, Oceans Calling, Welcome to Rockville and When We Were Young.
Wiz Khalifa is facing prison time in Romania over a marijuana charge he received last year. Last July, the Pittsburgh native lit up a joint on stage at the “Beach, Please!” festival in Costinești. Recreational use and possession of marijuana are illegal in Romania and carry heavy consequences, including prison time. The rapper’s legal team is appealing the nine month prison sentence. Wiz Khalifa wrote after his arrest, “Last night’s show was amazing. I didn’t mean to disrespect Romania by lighting up a joint on stage. I’ll be back soon. But without a big joint next time.”
Paul Simon has filled up his spring 2026 calendar with a run of European dates as he follows up the U.S. “A Quiet Celebration Tour” with shows across the pond. The iconic singer/songwriter is continuing to support his Grammy-nominated acoustic suite, Seven Psalms, along with newly arranged interpretations of his classic tunes. Simon explains that each show will feature a complete presentation of the 33-minute Seven Psalms and “after a brief intermission, the evening continues with many of Simon’s most beloved songs – along with rarely performed gems – brought to life through fresh arrangements created specifically for this tour.” The U.S. 2025 tour earned rave reviews the Los Angeles Times declaring “A beautiful benediction for one of America’s defining songwriters… take any chance you get to see him again.” Rolling Stone described the tour as “a remarkable performance… a victory lap for one of the greatest songwriters of the past century.”
Joe Ely, the influential Texas-born singer-songwriter who collaborated with Bruce Springsteen, Rolling Stones and the Clash, passed away Dec 15 at the age of 78. Ely died in Taos, New Mexico, of complications from Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s and pneumonia, with his wife and daughter by his side. Ely was considered a key figure in the progressive country and opened for the Clash at several shows and sang backup vocals for their hit song “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”
JANUARY CONCERTS: Hexbelt – Harrisburg HMAC Jan 10. Anthrophobia – Harrisburg XL Live Jan 16. The Menzingers – Lititz Mickeys Black Box Jan 23. Reilly and the Pick Em Ups / Slick Willie – Harrisburg XL Live Jan 23.
