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The excitement of having Taylor Swift perform locally in 2024 doesn’t carry over to 2025.
This year’s concert calendar in central Indiana lacks the music industry’s biggest stars who are on tour, a list topped by Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar and Sabrina Carpenter.
But there’s no shortage of summer shows at Ruoff Music Center, Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park (where the season kicks off tonight with a performance by Ivan Cornejo), Gainbridge Fieldhouse and other venues. Following last week’s IBJ report on free concerts planned this summer, we compiled a list of 10 buzzworthy shows that require tickets for entry.
Some events are considered sold out, but there’s usually a way to secure a seat through the secondary ticket market—if a music fan is willing to pay.
Our list bypasses some household names who routinely include Indianapolis on their summer itinerary and instead focuses on less familiar artists such as Lainey Wilson and MJ Lenderman.
Check out the recommendations, in chronological order:
Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan and Stephanie Mills
June 1 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, 125 S. Pennsylvania St.
This tour, billed as “The Queens,” is one instance in which Indianapolis has the edge. The all-star lineup of soul singers is scheduled to visit just 20 U.S. cities.
Ticket talk: Front-row VIP tickets are available for $2,629.50. Face-value standard tickets range from $79.50 to $229.50.
Info: Visit ticketmaster.com.
MJ Lenderman & the Wind
June 14 at the Egyptian Room in Old National Centre, 502 N. New Jersey St.
Vocalist-guitarist MJ Lenderman is on tour to promote his critically acclaimed 2024 album, “Manning Fireworks.” The North Carolina native also plays guitar in the band Wednesday, and he contributed to Waxahatchee’s 2024 album, “Tiger’s Blood.”
Ticket talk: Face-value standard tickets range from $41.75 to $48.
Info: Visit livenation.com.
Iris DeMent
June 22 at Shelton Auditorium, 1000 W. 42nd St.
Two-time Grammy Award nominee Iris DeMent will make a rare Indianapolis appearance when she headlines at Shelton Auditorium, a 400-capacity venue on Butler University’s campus. In 1999, DeMent sang four duets with John Prine on his album, “In Spite of Ourselves.”
Ticket talk: Face-value standard tickets range from $25.50 to $100.
Info: Visit ticketmaster.com.
“Weird Al” Yankovic
July 3 at Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park, 801 W. Washington St.
Master parodist “Weird Al” Yankovic will perform his hit songs on tour this year for the first time since 2019. In April, Yankovic made his debut at the Coachella festival by singing “Rainbow Connection” as a guest of Yo Gabba Gabba.
Ticket talk: All face-value tickets are sold. Verified resale tickets range from $114.24 for lawn access to $892.50 for a seat in the pavilion’s second row.
Info: Visit livenation.com.
Post Festival
July 24-26 at Hi-Fi and Hi-Fi Annex, 1043 Virginia Ave. Unit 4
Post Festival—an Indianapolis event dedicated to artists classified as post-rock, post-punk and post-hardcore—will be presented for the sixth time. The 2025 lineup includes bands such as Converge, Cave In, A Place to Bury Strangers and Pelican.
Ticket talk: Single-day tickets are priced $59 to $79. A three-day pass is available for $179.
Info: Visit thepostfestival.com.
Widespread Panic
Aug. 8-9 at Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park
Popular jam band Widespread Panic will play its first shows in Indianapolis since a 2016 date at the Murat Theatre in Old National Centre. In 2002, the band served as one of the headlining attractions at Indy Summer Stages—a three-day festival at White River State Park that showcased acts such as Blondie, Guided by Voices and Los Lobos.
Ticket talk: A face-value lawn pass that includes both concerts is priced at $145.25. A lawn ticket for one show is $78.25. Only verified resale tickets are available in the pavilion for each night, with prices ranging from $103.75 to $487.73.
Info: Visit livenation.com.
Rod Stewart
Aug. 9 at Ruoff Music Center, 12880 E. 146th St. in Noblesville
Rod Stewart, who celebrated his 80th birthday in January, is billing his current tour as “One Last Time.” There’s no guarantee the two-time inductee to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (in 1994 as a solo artist and in 2012 for his work in rock band Faces) won’t make it back to Indiana after this summer, but his fans probably want to catch this show.
Ticket talk: Official platinum tickets are available in the third row for $765.55. Lawn tickets are available for $70.85.
Info: Visit livenation.com.
Red Clay Strays
Aug. 13 at Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park
Alabama’s Red Clay Strays enjoyed prolonged success with their song “Wondering Why,” which initially was released as a single in March 2022. The song landed on a pair of 2024 year-end charts published by Billboard magazine: No. 23 among rock and alternative songs and No. 38 among country songs.
Ticket talk: Official platinum tickets are available in the third row for $349.55. All face-value lawn tickets are sold, with verified resale tickets offered at $143.99.
Info: Visit livenation.com.
Outlaw Music Festival
Sept. 18 at Ruoff Music Center
Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan, two long-running icons of American culture, top the bill for this stop of the Outlaw Music Festival tour. The lineup also includes performances by Sheryl Crow, Waxahatchee and Madeline Edwards.
Ticket talk: Face-value tickets range from $54.50 to $183.
Info: Visit livenation.com.
Lainey Wilson
Oct. 3 at Ruoff Music Center
Louisiana native Lainey Wilson served as a supporting act for Luke Combs at Lucas Oil Stadium in 2023, the year she collected the entertainer of the year trophy at the Country Music Association Awards. Wilson, also known for portraying a country singer on TV series “Yellowstone,” is on tour to promote her “Whirlwind” album.
Ticket talk: Official platinum tickets are available in the third row for $618.55. The only lawn tickets available are $231.75 and designated as VIP because a commemorative picnic blanket and laminate are included.
Info: Visit livenation.com.
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