September might be chilling down in the UK, but over in the US, things are getting sweaty.
Roughly halfway through their co-headlining tour, Charli XCX and Troye Sivan have been delighting audiences with a setlist that draws heavily on the mutually hedonistic pleasures of both ‘Brat‘ and ‘Something To Give Each Other’, closing out a summer in which partying, friendship and unapologetic sexuality were high on the cultural agenda. Lorde and Addison Rae have both made appearances, whilst even the creator of the viral ‘Apple’ dance got her moment to shine.
A sensible meeting of both minds and fandoms, the ‘Sweat’ tour makes incredible business sense. Gigs are really expensive, and attention spans are increasingly short; whilst we’ve seen both XCX and Sivan do a stellar job of holding down a full-length headline show on their own, it makes good sense for artists to split production costs and merge audiences, each permitted more time to perform than they might get in a support-and-main set up. With a cost of living crisis heightening our appetites for concerts that really feel like events, we’re all suckers for a bit of onstage camaraderie or the feeling of something ‘extra’. It’s been a whole decade since I saw it, but I’m still happy to admit that the energy in the room whilst watching Kanye and Jay-Z go bar-for-bar on the ‘Watch The Throne’ tour is one of the most memorable live experiences I’ve ever had, each artists pushing the other to top their biggest hit.
Even outside of arena shows, the co-headline touring experience is probably also a lot more fun for artists. In a situation that can often feel lonely, having someone of a similar career stage to hang out and get hype with removes any problematic sense of hierarchy between performers, and maybe even gives you a chance to record something exciting whilst out on the road. Add in a few extra cameos along the way, and you’re absolutely laughing — a great way to expand your sonic palette, but also a fun celebration of how vibrant a particular genre or musical culture currently is.
With all that in mind, here are six tours we’d happily throw silly amounts of money at. Got a killer suggestion we’ve missed? Drop us a message @TheForty_Five with your best suggestions…
Paramore and SZA
Paramore as the special guest on the European leg of the Eras tour was already a pretty hefty treat (as was Paramore and Bloc Party in the UK in 2023), but imagine the vocal powerhousing that would go on at a SZAMore show? Both parties are a little bit emo, incredibly heartfelt, and increasingly eclectic with their influences, with noticeable crossover in their fanbases. The fashion would be immaculate, and so would the intergenerational vibes, promising some serious bonding between millennials and Gen-Z.
CMAT and Self Esteem
Two down-to-earth queens with a knack for hilarious lyrical oneliners – need we say more? The synergies between these two artists have always been obvious, and with new projects presumably on the way for both, this would be a great way to toast the cream of the UK crop, highlighting homegrown talent in some of the best independent venues around the country.
Clairo and Arlo Parks
Yes, we still haven’t gotten over that Glastonbury performance with Lorde from 2022. Both Clairo and Arlo Parks have such a sweet, soft wistful temperament to their music that it would be a joy to watch them perform live together in an elongated setting, sequencing a set of quiet sophistication. A flow of ‘Green Eyes’ into ‘Softly’ into ‘Black Dog’ into ‘Terrapin’? Be still our beating hearts!
Victoria Monét and Silk Sonic
This one would be anything but subtle. In honour of both parties’ love of big retro sounds, we’re imagining a full Vegas residency, seventies dress code, and VIP tickets which ensure that you get your fill of the most delicious chicken tenders and iced tea before the show. A show like this would be a glorious celebration of the joy of maintaining black R&B history and culture, and we would be firmly seated — ideally in the fancy section next to FLO, Tinashé and of course, our Jade.
Yaeji and Nia Archives
Two very, very different approaches to dance music, but one hell of a night. Yaeji would bring the sleek, metallic vibes, whilst Nia Archives would go full-on rave, busting out heavy jungle and drum and bass. Considering how strong dance music has been over the past few years, this would be a glorious B2B showcase of the genre’s versatility, and a very cool meeting of artistic minds.
Beyoncé and Lady Gaga
It’s the big one, but you know it makes sense. ‘Telephone’ and ‘Videophone’ obviously deserve their mainstage moment, but with catalogues this big, you could have sensational fun setting up a desert-themed tour with big dramatic visuals, matching Cowboy Carter with Joanne and The Fame Monster with the big disco moments of Renaissance and Self-Titled. In all honesty, a ‘Paparazzi’/’Partition’ mashup would be almost too perfect to bear — neither party is exactly struggling to fill their calendars, but we live in hope that this fever dream could come true.
