Relive your favourite concerts with these books
For the past year Australia has been busy, with artist after artist bringing their world tours to our stadiums and arenas. From hosting the biggest grossing tour in history, to first-time visitors to Australia and to some returning after years – music lovers and concert goers have been loving it. Now that we have reached the end of this big year of music, let’s close off this chapter with the perfect book that resonates with your favourite concert of the year. Happy reading!
To relive The Eras Tour ...
Taylor Swift bought her biggest stadium tour to date, The Eras Tour, to Melbourne and Sydney, selling out 7 shows across the two cities. With over 120 shows, a three-hour long setlist, ten eras to dance and sing along to, a surprise song set, thousands of friendship bracelets, and over ten million people in attendance across the world, The Eras Tour made history and broke records. It was a magical experience for all fans, and a celebration of Swift’s illustrious career, spanning over a decade of music, personal storytelling and genres.
... read Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert resonates with The Eras Tour through its celebration of creativity, resilience, and authenticity. Big Magic revolves around treating creativity as a natural, joyful force that shapes life and art, mirroring Taylor Swift’s approach to her music. The Eras Tour reflects Swift’s willingness to take risks, redefine her sound, and tell personal stories, embodying Big Magic’s call to overcome fear and live authentically. Like Gilbert’s celebration of storytelling as an essential human experience, Swift transforms her music into a shared narrative journey, inspiring audiences to embrace creative potential, live boldly, and find magic in their passions.
To relive Gracie Abrams' Good Riddance Tour ...
Gracie Abrams’ Good Riddance Tour is an intimate, emotionally charged, and poetic journey through her debut album, Good Riddance. Abrams creates a deeply personal atmosphere through her confessional lyricism and tender vocal delivery; the tour revolves around themes of heartbreak, self-reflection, and growth, with a setlist blending fan favourites and poignant new tracks. Abrams crafts a live experience that feels like a heart-to-heart conversation, with minimalist staging that allows her storytelling to take centre stage.
... read The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower echoes Gracie Abrams’ Good Riddance Tour through their shared exploration of vulnerability, self-reflection, and emotional growth. The novel follows the main protagonist, Charlie, who is the eponymous ‘wallflower’. He is quiet and withdrawn, but extremely thoughtful and observant. In a world of first dates, mixtapes, family dramas and new friends, the novel and Abram’s tour centre on the process of navigating identity, heartbreak, and the complexities of human connections. Both emphasise the cathartic power of art, ultimately creating deeply personal, yet universal experiences that encourage audiences to embrace their emotions and grow through vulnerability. I suggest listening to Gracie Abrams’ song ‘Good Luck, Charlie’ as you read The Perks of Being a Wallflower!
To relive Olivia Rodrigo's GUTS tour ...
In 2024 Olivia Rodrigo performed for the first time in Australia! The GUTS World Tour was a sea of purple, red and glitter as ‘Livies’ across Australia travelled to Melbourne and Sydney to see Olivia Rodrigo’s final nights on tour. The show was spectacular, showcasing Rodrigo’s evolution as an artist as she blended her signature confessional lyricism and rock-infused sound. The stage design juxtaposed bold, edgy visuals with moments of stripped-back intimacy, reflecting the album’s balance of fierce confidence and emotional vulnerability. The GUTS World Tour solidified Rodrigo’s place as a defining voice of her generation through her magnetic presence and powerful vocals, delivering a show that fans will never forget.
... read Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
The first book that popped into my mind to pair with this show was Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight. Not only does it resonate with Olivia Rodrigo’s song ‘Vampire’, but both the novel and tour explore intense tumultuous emotion, and the complexities of youthful love and identity. Like the characters in Twilight, who journey through the highs and lows of an all-consuming, passionate relationship, Rodrigo’s music delves into the intense, and sometimes painful emotions that come with heartbreak, love, and growing up. Both reflect the duality of being young and emotional – caught between innocence and experience, desire and fear – creating a deep connection between the intense emotional landscapes of Twilight and the GUTS World Tour.
To relive the DominATE World Tour ...
Stray Kids’ DominATE World Tour is an electrifying, high-energy celebration of the group’s unparalleled talent and musical diversity. With a powerful blend of intense performances, cutting-edge visuals, and intricate choreography, the tour showcases Stray Kids’ rapid evolution as global K-pop icons. On tour, the fans are treated to a mix of theatrical storytelling and raw energy, as the group amplifies and solidifies their reputation as one of the most exciting and innovative forces in modern K-pop.
... read Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo resonates with the DominATE World Tour due to its exploration of teamwork, found family, resilience and defying the odds. The characters in Six of Crows – a group of dangerous outcasts – come together to accomplish the impossible. They face struggles and obstacles but their collective strength, determination, and loyalty to one another help them to overcome adversities. Stray Kids’ journey to international success mirrors this sense of unity and collaboration. Both the book and the tour defy expectations and challenge the status quo through a rebellious spirit and bold performances, making Six of Crows a fitting literary companion to the tour’s energetic and empowering message.
To relive Coldplay's Music of the Spheres World Tour ...
Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour is a vibrant, immersive celebration of connection, unity, and the power of music to transcend boundaries. Coldplay took to the stage for their eighth concert tour, which is inspired by their album Music of the Spheres and merges dazzling visuals with deeply emotional performances. Frontman Chris Martin’s magnetic stage presence and the band’s signature anthems foster an atmosphere that makes every show feel like a shared celebration of humanity.
... read Cosmos by Carl Sagan
Just like Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour, Carl Sagan’s Cosmos shares its sense of awe for the universe and its exploration of humanity’s place within the cosmos. Just as Sagan poetically examines the interconnectedness of life on Earth and the vastness of the universe, Coldplay’s tour celebrates love and joy through celestial visuals, galactic motifs and songs that evoke wonder and unity. Both works inspire a sense of collective responsibility and a belief in the power of connection; they invite their audiences to reflect on the profound and infinite, celebrating the shared bonds that make life extraordinary.
To relive Louis Tomlinson's Faith in the Future World Tour ...
Welcome to Australia, Louis Tomlinson! The Faith in the Future World Tour was Tomlinson’s second concert tour and drew on his second solo album, Faith in the Future. The tour displayed Tomlinson’s evolution with a mix of uplifting anthems, introspective ballads, and his signature indie-rock inspired sound. The setlist included fan favourites from his two albums and even One Direction hits, reflecting Tomlinson’s commitment to staying true to himself and delivering an incredible show that was emotional and uplifting.
... read How to Stop Time by Matt Haig
Matt Haig’s How to Stop Time is an exploration of time, resilience, and the emotional complexities of living in the moment while carrying the weight of the past – just like Louis Tomlinson’s tour. The novel follows Tom Hazard, a man who has lived for centuries and must navigate love, loss, and the search for meaning across time. This mirrors themes of Tomlinson’s music about embracing life’s struggles and finding hope in the face of adversity. Both Haig’s story and Tomlinson’s tour convey a sense of endurance and growth, celebrating the beauty of resilience.
To relive Niall Horan's The Show: Live on Tour ...
Niall Horan brought his third concert tour to Australia with a setlist that includes tracks from his album, The Show, alongside favourites from his earlier albums. With its beautiful production, the concert accentuated Horan’s charisma and ability to make large venues feel personal, as the tour explored themes of love, self-reflection and perseverance. This heartfelt celebration of his growth as an artist and storyteller made the little girl in me that adored One Direction so incredibly happy and proud!
... read You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry
Emily Henry’s You and Me on Vacation and Niall Horan’s The Show: Live on Tour both explore the beauty of life’s quiet and meaningful moments. You and Me on Vacation is the story of Poppy and Alex. Good friends, they decide to travel every summer of each year and as each trip passes, they learn more about each other and themselves, and maybe wanting more than just friendship. Like Horan’s music, the novel captures both the simplicity and depth of human relationships, exploring how bonds evolve over time through shared experiences and obstacles.
