Hip hop star Akon will be performing in Belfast this month to promote his newly released third album — Freedom.

The multi-platinum selling artist, who had a huge hit with the song Lonely, will be playing at the Odyssey Arena on Wednesday, January 28.

Akon is the only artist to ever accomplish the feat of holding both the number one and two spots simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 charts twice.

The Belfast show is part of his forthcoming World tour.

Tickets are £39.50 seated & £37.50 standing.

Tickets are still available for American rock band Counting Crows’ Belfast gig.

The Californian band, who have sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, play the Odyssey Arena on Thursday, May 7.

The rockers, whose singles include Mr Jones and the Oscar-nominated Accidentally In Love, which features in Shrek 2, already have a Belfast connection.

Tickets cost from £35.50.

Hard rock/garage punk act The Datsuns are set to play a gig in Belfast next month.

The New Zealand band, formed in 2000, is to perform at the Spring and Airbrake on February 6.

The Datsuns have won awards including NMEs Best Live Band and New Zealand Music Awards for Best Album, Best Group and Breakthrough Artist.

Their new single So Long will be released on February 16, while their latest album Head Stunts is currently available.

Tickets cost £10.

American punk rockers NOFX are playing in Belfast this year.

The band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983 and now based in San Francisco, will be at the Spring and Airbrake on April 26.

NOFX, who have independently sold over six million records worldwide, rose to popularity in 1994 with their album Punk in Drublic.

In 2003, NOFX released The War on Errorism, an album of political songs. It became the start of their anti-George W. Bush campaign, and a rallying point for leftist punks.

Tickets are £19.

Heavy metal band Saxon are to play in Belfast in April.

The British band, who debuted in 1979, will be performing at the Mandela Hall on Sunday, April 26.

Their new album Lionheart includes lyrics about witch hunters, King Richard Lionheart and the attitude of British soldiers towards war.

They will be supported by Sweet Savage.

Tickets are £17.

Tickets are still available to see rockers The Enemy, who are playing in Belfast in April.The English band’s gig is set for The Spring and Airbrake on April 22.

Formed in Coventry in 2006, their debut album We'll Live and Die in These Towns went straight to number one in the UK Albums chart on release.

They band first gained acclaim when they were mentioned in NME as the act most likely to “break your windows” for 2007.

They have supported The Fratellis, Kasabian, Manic Street Preachers and The Stereophonics on their UK tours.

Tickets are £20.

Northern Ireland’s own Fighting With Wire are set to play a gig in Belfast this month.

The three-piece band, who are touring with their new album Man Vs Monster, will be playing at Auntie Annies Porterhouse on Thursday, January 22.

They emerged from the Northern Ireland music scene in 2003, the brainchild of guitarist Cahir O’Doherty (Jetplane Landing / Clearshot) and drummer Craig McKean (Clearshot).

Tickets are £8.

Tickets for Akon and Counting Crows are available from all Ticketmaster outlets.

For 24 hour credit card bookings 0870 2434455.

Alternatively book on line www.ticketmaster.ie.

Tickets for The Enemy, The Datsuns, NOFX, Saxon and Fighting With Wire are available from Katy Daly’s, Zaavi and all usual Ticketmaster outlets. For credit card bookings and information: 0870 2434455 or book online at www.geturticket.com.