The concert scene here is in rude health with an endless stream of international names coming to town.

Music lovers! Brace yourselves for a rocking new year as we welcome back familiar names and say selamat datang to new artistes on their first concert visits to Malaysia.

New festivals and franchised events are also in the pipeline. You’ve probably seen Simple Plan and Avril Lavigne on stage here before – but let’s wait and see what new music they have cooked up for the masses when they arrive in town again. Foster The People, you say? That’s the hipster favourite and the American indie trio is set to open up the concert year with a bang!

The popular Evanescence, led by the vampy Amy Lee, is also the gig on every emo rocker’s lips next month.

The F1 Rocks franchise, if we hear correctly, is also set to makes its debut during the F1 weekend from March 23-24. Fingers-crossed, Kuala Lumpur will finally get some A-list entertainers to give the F1 weekend more vrooom in the entertainment department.

The Future Music Festival, an Australian dance/electronica event, is also tipped to branch out to KL in mid March. If we’re lucky enough, that opens up the doors to acts like Chemical Brothers, Swedish House Mafia and New Order to rock the faithful. The wishlist is out, then.

Good news galore for world music fans with the Penang World Music Festival confirmed (complete with cooler and edgier programming) at the sprawling Botanic Gardens in Penang from March 30 to April 1. You might just be surprised by Mongolian post-rock and beyond.

There is also a buzz building up for shows by politically-slanted punk group Anti-Flag (Feb 2), metalcore band Underoath (March 10), electro-rap duo LMFAO (March 29) and pop punk outfit Sum 41 (April 14) taking place in Kuala Lumpur.

Be it R&B, pop, rock or indie, 2012 concerts will certainly have something for everyone. Here are some gigs for your checklist:

Dashboard Confessional main man, Chris Carrabba, will roll out a solo show here on Feb 22.

Foster the People
Jan 13, Plenary Hall
KL Convention Centre

With its platinum hit solo, Pumped Up Kicks, Foster the People “invades” Malaysia for the first time on Jan 13, kick-starting a fantastic new year. The American indie group (under Sony Music), recently nominated for MTV’s Best New Artist, Best Rock Video and chosen as MTV’s Push Artiste of the Month, is guaranteed to awe you with its melodic dance-infused indie pop and rock tunes like Houdini and Helena Beat. Tickets are nearly sold out, so book online fast at ticketpro.com.my.

Simple Plan
Jan 14, KL Live

Fancy some Canadian modern rock? Well, what about the multi-platinum band Simple Plan to spice things up on Jan 14? Ending 2011 with its diverse-sounding fourth album, Get Your Heart On, and hit song Jet-lag, the Montreal-based band (pardon the pun) is a familiar name in these parts. It has played KL twice before – each time a packed out affair. Don’t miss out on the party and score your tickets pronto from ticketpro.com.my to watch the lads that have given us hits like I’d Do Anything, Perfect, Addicted, Welcome To My Life and more.

JS Concert is also offering concert fans an unprecedented “offer that you can’t refuse” whereby with every two Simple Plan tickets purchased (any category), you get a free Avril Lavigne Rock Zone ticket (worth RM198). Just bring two Simple Plan tickets to redeem it on the day of Simple Plan’s concert next Saturday.

Avril Lavigne
Feb 18, Stadium Merdeka
Kuala Lumpur

We’re sure that 27 is not the new 17! But punk pop princess Avril Lavigne, now a lot more grown up, is hoping to spark a teenage riot again. She returns to KL after her energy-sapping Stadium Merdeka gig in 2008 (remember the concert protests outside the venue?).

Like a real trooper, Lavigne was a pro on stage and impressed the fans with her music back then. Now she is back for seconds. She is currently on The Black Star Tour, featuring material from her fourth studio album, Goodbye Lullaby. The bets are on that Lavigne will have fans singing along and dancing to What The Hell, Smile and Wish You Were Here. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your tickets now from ticketpro.com.my.

Erykah Badu
Feb 28, Plenary Hall
KL Convention Centre

Erykah Badu is one of the hip hop scene’s true visionaries and the 40-year-old is set to bring her soulful live show to Kuala Lumpur next month.

Badu, who had to cancel her appearance at the Sunburst Festival in KL in 2009, is finally set to meet her fans here with a stand-alone concert. Her show in KL is also set to be an eventful one since it comes only two days after her 41th birthday. Tickets for Badu’s show are available through airasiaredtix.com.

Dashboard Confessional frontman Chris Carrabba Feb 22, KL Live

Malaysian acoustic music lovers, listen up! Playing solo, pin-up star Chris Carraba is bringing his stripped down show featuring the Dashboard Confessional songbook here. This solo tour has gained rave reviews abroad and yes, it’s time that the KL Live venue plugged out for an intimate show. Quiet is the new loud, indeed. Turning songs performed by an indie rock band into a one-man show with an acoustic guitar, what’s not to love? Tickets are available from airasiaredtix.com.

Evanescence
Feb 23, KL Live

Need a lil’ emo goth-inspired rock to party to? Get ready to rock the floorboards with the resurgent Evanescence as the group hits Malaysia for the very first time. This Asian tour sees edgier material from the band’s self-titled third album set to be unleashed. You can already see the masses brought to life in a mosh pit frenzy at KL Live! Of course, the band will also play its more popular tunes from its previous two albums. Amy Lee and gang will turn your world upside down. More details at ticketpro.com.my.

British pop singer Jessie J will be making a splash at Surf Beach, Sunway Lagoon, Selangor on March 16.

Jessie J
March 16, Surf Beach
Sunway Lagoon, Selangor

It’s not about the money, money, money, it’s just about Jessie, Jessie, Jessie! So forget about the price tag and lose yourself to the “new face of pop” as dubbed by the music industry.

Made possible by Tune Talk, prepare yourselves for an awesome outdoor concert by this British vocal powerhouse and colourful fashionista whose debut album, Who You Are, charted at No. 2 on the British Albums Chart in 2011. Head to ticketpro.com.my early to enjoy a 20% discount on tickets.

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