August Burns Red, Courtney Barnett & Noah Kahan announce NZ tours

International arena and theatre headliners dominate this week's gig announcements. Folk-pop songwriter Noah Kahan is bringing his band and dedicated 'busyhead' fanbase to Auckland's Spark Arena on October 10. Across the indie spectrum, Australian artist Courtney Barnett returns with her sharp, conversational songwriting for shows at Hamilton's BNZ Theatre on November 18 and the Auckland Town Hall on November 20. US singer Stephen Sanchez also joins the touring circuit, bringing his pop sound to the Christchurch and Auckland Town Halls in July.

For fans of heavy and alternative music, Pennsylvania's August Burns Red will deliver their technical metalcore to Wellington’s San Fran on October 7 and Auckland’s Powerstation on October 8. UK punk rock pioneers The Damned—famous for dropping 'New Rose', the UK's first ever punk single—will take over the Powerstation earlier in the spring, playing on September 8.

Hip-hop, dance, and international pop are well represented too. American rapper MIKE. stops by the Tuning Fork in early September, while Australian drum and bass producer Luude hits Shed 10 and Shed 6 in July. Bollywood playback singer Sonu Nigam will bring decades of hits to Spark Arena on October 2. Meanwhile, Japanese-American artist Mei Semones brings her jazz and Bossa Nova-infused indie pop to the Tuning Fork in June, followed closely by UK Disney pop act Freya Skye at the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre. Hardcore dance producer Restricted is locked in for Shed 10 in September.

It's a solid week for Aotearoa's own legends. Dave Dobbyn plays The Civic in Auckland on July 25, the same night alt-country stalwart Delaney Davidson takes over Christchurch’s James Hay Theatre. Fans of heavy dub and bass can catch Salmonella Dub at Taranaki's Butlers Reef on May 16. Multi-instrumentalist Graeme James heads to Rotorua in May, Greg Johnson returns for a Christchurch gig in November, and trans-Tasman dark-pop songwriter Georgia Knight plays Wellington and Auckland in May.

Rounding out the week's announcements:

• Indie folk act Buffalo Traffic Jam plays a two-night run at the Tuning Fork in October.
• Tribute act Queen Forever plays Takapuna and Hamilton in September.
• The Auckland Live Cabaret Festival runs across June and July at The Civic's Wintergarden.
• Auckland also hosts the Exploding Rainbow Orchestra, Morning People, The Rock 2000 Live, and Kings College Big House Music.
• Christchurch venues welcome Atomic! and Christopher Rawlinson.
• Rotorua will see the NZCMA Entertainer of the Year awards, The Kiwi Glow Disco, and Future Sounds.