This week’s list of Hot Tickets looks at groundbreaking acts, from Neil Young, who continues to develop musically well into his 60s, to Mount Kimbie, who are trying to reinvigorate the reputation of the British electronic scene. Some, like Hurts, are only just stepping out blinking into the fame spotlight, while Amanda Palmer and Fat Freddy’s Drop remain innovative, retaining their inimitable sound. 

The long-enduring, Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young and his compatriots in rock ‘n’ roll, Crazy Horse, will be appearing in Denmark for the first time since Roskilde 2001. Both a well-established acoustic folk musician and stadium rocker, Young’s music has always reflected his own musical development,  rather than the passing fads of the charts. The two collaborative albums he released in 2012 with Crazy Horse, Americana and Psychedelic Pill, exemplify this approach. In Americana, American folk tunes such as ‘Clementine’ and ‘This land is your  land’ are rediscovered, restoring their dark and revolutionary roots, while Psychedelic Pill rambles through extended jam sessions, psychedelic synths and a deep, complex self-reflexivity that holds testimony to Young’s veteran status. “It has the roiling honesty and brutal exuberance of their best records,” said Rolling Stone. His performance on August 12 at Forum promises a journey through the old and the new in the safe hands of a consummate professional who, if his recent work is anything to go by, is still aflame with inspiration at the age of 67. Tickets are available at billetnet.dk for 765kr. 

For something a little less safe, Russell Brand will be at Falconer Salen for his Messiah Complex tour on December 3. Forever articulately irreverent, Brand’s list of featured guests for the tour include Jesus, Malcolm X, Gandhi, Che Guevara and Hitler. His mixed reception across the Atlantic says more about the provocative nature of his comedy than the quality.  As Brand told Sabotage Times this year: “I’m a performer and I think I should do things to shock and inspire and confuse people.” It’s a style that many take for cheap shock tactics. Yet his political commentary, although often delivered with crass, sexual imagery, is intelligent and well-argued; the article he wrote for the Guardian earlier this year ahead of Margaret Thatcher’s funeral was one of the most balanced and engaging reactions to the event. Tickets are available at billetnet.dk for  375-415kr. 

Reminding us of the sunshine as we dip down into another Scandinavian winter are New-Zealanders Fat Freddy’s Drop. The band have toured Europe almost every year since 2003 with their feel-good reggae jams that weave soul, blues, dub and jazz to create a warm and unforgettable sound. As trumpeter Toby Laing explains: “Live performance is the most natural state for music.”  As they are bringing out a new album this year, Blackbird, various band-members have suggested a renewed commitment to the band that should be reflected at Store Vega on October 8. Tickets can be found for 265kr at vega.dk. 

Amanda Palmer stirred up controversy this year by financing her new album, Theatre is Evil, and tour via the public funding website Kickstarter.  Her requests for free performances from local musicians lit up the blogosphere with protestations of unfair treatment by the high-earning artist. Yet the project is just another aspect of Palmer’s dedication to fan interaction. Often described as ‘theatrical’, her live performances frequently evolve spontaneously, but whether the audience are painting her naked body or popping the home-made balloon dress given to her by a fan, Palmer’s cacophonous vibrancy maintains command of the havoc. It is hard to peg the Bostonian; from the steampunk sexuality of the Dresden Dolls, to punk rock cabaret and ska, her lyrics are permeated with the anachronistic and the disturbed. Her performance with the Grand Theft Orchestra at Pumpehuset on October 31 should be an experience that only this fiesty woman can produce. Tickets can be found at billetlugen.dk and cost 200kr. 

For those with a taste for the electric, British act Hurts will be playing this autumn. Although they only formed as Hurts in 2009, the synth-pop duo, Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson, are well on their way to stardom. On January 7, radio disc jockey Zane Lowe premiered their track ‘Blood, Tears & Gold’ as his ‘Hottest Record in the World’, and by October they were already on their first headline tour. Their new-wave sound, sharp suits and slicked back hair give them an authentic ‘80s feel that echoes bands like New Order and Depeche Mode. They will be playing at Pumpehuset on October 28. Tickets cost 240kr and can be purchased at billetlugen.dk. 

Mount Kimbie, another electric duo, are one of the most instrumental acts in developing modern dubstep. Moving away from the heavy ‘club-bangers’ that use predictable drops for an effect that imitates the violent thrill of the twister at Tivoli, Mount Kimbie’s music feels more like being enveloped in a warm fog, watching the sun rise over a glittering, futuristic hyper-city. Their first full album, Crooks and Lovers (2010), has been called “beautiful, small and clever” by Pitchfork Media, while Vice magazine gave it a full 10/10, calling it “genuinely special”. Their second full album, Cold Spring Fault Less Youth, released in May of this year, maintains this precise, jewel-like quality while branching out, mot notably through collaborations with the likes of James Blake and King Krulle. Performing in Store Vega on November 22, this will be a treat for both converts and nay-sayers of modern electric music. Tickets cost 120kr at vega.dk.

Elsewhere, here’s a quick reminder of other tickets at risk of selling out soon.  Macklemore and Ryan Lewis of thrift-shop fame will be performing at Tap1 on October 1 for 370kr and, as performances on many other stops of the tour have already sold out, you would be advised to snap these up quick. Home-grown popstar Medina will be performing at Koncerthuset on December 10, as the performance on November 13 has already sold out. Tickets cost 195-295kr. Robbie Williams is playing at Parken on July 23, but hurry! It’s almost sold out and the standing space is already full. Tickets cost between 515 and 1,115kr. You can find all of these tickets at billetnet.dk 

Finally, for fans of silly outfits, hit-or-miss songs and European politics, you can already pre-book tickets for next year’s Eurovision. They may not yet be able to promise a venue or a date, but if you would like to get in there early, you can find them at ticket.org and the prices range from between 390 and 690 euros.