Millennials will forgo their avocado-toast brunches to save money for two things: travel and music.
But while there are plenty of travel experts that compile lists of travel tips for picking vacation packages, and endless advice if you’re looking for the best music festivals or albums of the year, very little attention is paid to the golden combination—the international concerts that can transform an ordinary vacation into an experience you’ll never forget.
Think about it: Anthony Bourdain, the man who made food and travel seem just like rock’n’roll (before rock’n’roll officially died), once said, “Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you.” Couldn’t that quote just as easily be about music? People have been obsessed with music since the earliest in recorded history because of its transformative qualities, the way it can bring people together or transport them to another version of reality altogether. It’s the same with travel. If you want to concentrate all of the joys and sorrows of life down into a single experience, backpack across Vietnam for a week. Or listen to Bohemian Rhapsody.
Music makes everything better, including vacation. It’s also better if you can actually speak to locals conversationally, which is why Babbel created an app that lets you absorb a whole semester’s worth of language learning in 15-minutes-a-day lessons you can do on-the-go from your phone. They focus on the vocabulary words you actually need to know when you travel, and linguists scientifically engineered the lessons so you’ll learn a second language the same way you learned your first.
But back to music. Here’s my list of the biggest artists with international concerts coming up in 2019 you should plan your next vacation around.
1. Hozier in Paris, France
“TAKE ME TO CHURCH!” “Notre Dame or the Sacre Coeur?”
Hozier’s music is so rawly emotional and sincere; you can’t help but be instantly transported to every hopeful love affair and ruinous heartbreak of your life. So when they come to the city of love, the city with a type of kissing all it’s own, the city DJ spinmaster Paris freaking Hilton is named after, how can you not go? You don’t really get the full Paris experience without seeing the artistic masterpieces of 18th century French Romanticism at the Louvre, getting drunk on champagne and making out with a beautifully bearded Frenchman, and cry-singing along with Hozier on September 13th at the L’Olympia.
2. Cardi B in Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona is one of the most beautiful places on earth, and its weather makes the city a perfect place to bust out a summer dress, drink some sangria, and turn warm days into hot nights by busting out some flamenco dance moves. It’s a feeling yourself kind of place, and who better to accompany that vibe than Cardi B herself. Dancing along to her booty banger hits is better live, and her concerts are just what you would imagine from Cardi: colorful costumes, wicked fun, and lots and lots of twerking. On May 30th at the Parc del Forum, she’ll be joined by Solange and Erykah Badu, making this a ladies-of-hip-hop power show you can’t miss. Learn how to roll your Rs to properly pronounce perro, or Okurrr, using Babbel.
3. Imagine Dragons in Florence, Italy
Imagine Dragons is one of the most widely popular bands out there right now, breathing new energy into alt-rock with electronic and pop influences through hits like Rise Up. They’ve skyrocketed to the top of the music world since their full-length album debut album in 2012 in large part because of a demanding live tour schedule. They’re known for putting on emotional, high octane shows that don’t disappoint, and on June 2nd, they’re bringing their one of a kind energy to the Ippodromo del Visarno in Florence. If you’ve always wanted to see what the big deal is about Michelangelo’s “David,” plan the pasta portion of your Eat-Pray-Love adventure around June’s Imagine Dragons concert. Learn to ask for that pasta with extra cheese using Babbel.
4. Ariana Grande in Berlin, Germany
Berlin is known for architectural mastery, culinary creations, and … just kidding. It’s the clubs. Berlin is literally all about the club scene. Nowhere in the world has a longer list of ideal places to let your freak flag fly, get dancy, and stand in a two-hour-long line in high heels just to get rejected at the door. But if you grab tickets to Ariana Grande’s concert at the Mercedes-Benz-Arena on October 15th, you’re guaranteed not to be turned away for some confectionary pop fun with the number one trending pop star in the world. Plus, you’ll be just in time to partake in Oktoberfest the way it’s meant to be done. Get Babbel and learn how to say “Thank U, Next” in German (so you’ll know what the doorman is saying when he shoos you mere mortals away from his club).
Music and travel are like peanut butter and jelly: life and bread (and life is bread) are pretty boring without them. Also, they go together pretty swell. Grab tickets to these concerts, download Babbel, and prepare to plan the most radical trip abroad of all time.
