LOST SOCIETY – A Little Tickle

6th August 2022

LOST SOCIETY are known for being a killer live band – their energetic, neck-breaking shows tickle even the crankiest people into becoming moshpit berserkers.

With their third single from upcoming album If The Sky Came Down (out September 30th via Nuclear Blast), they deliver the ultimate banger for festival crowds.

Frontman Samy Elbanna states:
“With festivals finally back in action, we’ve had the pleasure of playing some of the biggest ones this summer, and we wanted to honour this by filming our biggest show to date and making an absolute monster of a music video out of it! Sam Jamsen, the mastermind behind the video, really captured the intensity of an LxSx live show, and the video is a perfect way of continuing the story of the new album.”

Dealing with mental health issues in the lyrics throughout the album, this song addresses addiction.

Samy Elbanna explains:
“The human mind is one of the most complex things we know, and our curiosity towards the unknown is powerful. ‘What Have I Done’ is a story of what can happen when you push that curiosity to an absolute extreme, and you realise you’ve become addicted to something you know is not right.”

Listen to ‘What Have I Done’ here: https://bfan.link/what-have-i-done
Pre-save If The Sky Came Down here: https://bfan.link/LS-Album

Line up:
Samy Elbanna | Vocals, Guitar
Arttu Lesonen | Guitar
Mirko Lehtinen | Bass
Taz Fagerström | Drums

Catch Lost Society live at the following dates:

2022 Festivals
05 Aug – DE Wacken Open Air
09-13 Aug – CZ Brutal Assault, Jaromer
13 Aug – UK Bloodstock Festival, Derbyshire

Blind Channel tour
Aug 31 GER Hamburg – Knust
Sept 01 GER Berlin – Lido
Sept 03 GER Dresden – Strasse E
Sept 04 GER Nürnberg – Hirsch
Sept 05 GER Munich – Backstage Halle
Sept 06 GER Stuttgart – Wizemann Club
Sept 07 GER Saarbrucken – Garage
Sept 08 GER Frankfurt – Zoom
Sept 09 GER Bochum – Zeche
Sept 11 GER Cologne – Kantine
Sept 12 UK Bristol – Thekla
Sept 13 UK Glasgow – Cathouse
Sept 14 UK Manchester – Rebellion
Sept 15 UK London – O2 Academy Islington
Sept 16 UK Nottingham – Rescue Rooms
Sept 17 UK Birmingham – O2 Academy 3
Sept 19 BE Antwerp – Kavka
Sept 20 NL Tilburg – 013
Sept 21 FR Paris – Backstage By The Mill
Sept 23 ES Madrid – Sala Caracol
Sept 24 ES Barcelona – Sala Boveda
Sept 26 CH Zurich – Plaza
Sept 27 IT Milan – Legend Club
Sept 28 AU Vienna – Chelsea
Sept 29 CZ Prague – Rock Cafe
Sept 30 PL Krakow – Klub Zascianek
Oct 01 PL Warsaw – Hydrozagadka

https://www.facebook.com/lostsocietyfinland/

Band Of Silver – Set To Energise

6th August 2022

Music News

Nashville’s Band Of Silver (made up of siblings Avery Silvernagel and her younger brothers Alex and Evan) has released a new single “Machine.”

Band Of Silver will be direct support on Echosmith’s upcoming fall tour (Oct 13-Nov 18).

Avery Silvernagel says, “Machine” is about the feeling of losing your autonomy and your body and mind becoming disconnected. I wrote the song after being diagnosed with pituitary failure. I was told I would be dependent on hormones and drugs for the rest of my life. The experience made me realize how many tasks my body performed subconsciously that I took for granted. The thought that I would never have control over these functions again made me feel powerless, like I had lost a part of myself I never knew existed or could be taken away. I felt like my soul was trapped in a machine that constantly needed fuel and repairs in order to function.”

Stream “Machine” Here:

https://ffm.to/bandofsilver_machine

They may be a sibling trio out of Nashville, but there’s nothing country about Band of Silver. Specializing in addictive, arena-ready anthems that blur the lines between vintage rock, 80’s new wave, and modern pop, the breakout three-piece has built a reputation for explosive, electrifying performances that hint at everything from Def Leppard and Madonna to Weezer and Panic! At The Disco. It makes sense, then, that the band traded Music City for LA when it came time to record their upcoming singles, teaming with celebrated producer Mike Green (Paramore, All Time Low) to create a bold, brash sound that’s all their own.

“We’ve soft released stuff to our fans before, but this will be the first time anyone’s heard what we’re really capable of in the studio,” says singer Avery Silvernagel, who launched the project with her younger brothers (guitarist/singer Alex and drummer Evan) when she was just 19. “These songs are an introduction to who we really are as a band.”

Confident and self-assured, the new music showcases Band of Silver’s youthful exuberance, while at the same time reflecting the trio’s remarkable maturity and restraint. The songs tackle heartbreak and disappointment with hope and perseverance, offering up timely testaments to the power of faith and the unbreakable bonds of family. Avery’s voice is defiantly optimistic on the tunes, balancing beauty and strength in equal measure, and her brothers perform with similar nuance, mixing hard rock grit with glossy pop shine. The results are songs that refuse to give up, even when the going gets tough, gutsy, heartfelt music that insists on better days still to come.

“When you’re going through hard times, you’ve got to keep fighting,” says Avery. “We wrote these songs to remind ourselves of that as much as anyone else.”

While the Silvernagel siblings officially started Band of Silver in high school, their musical roots stretch back far deeper. As a youngster, Evan picked up the drums, while his brother Alex played any instrument he could get his hands on. Avery joined a little later, when she discovered a passion for singing during her teenage years, and the three quickly began writing original material and performing across the country.

“In the beginning, we’d write in the traditional Nashville way, where Alex would bring a guitar and I’d bring lyrics and we’d figure out how to put them together,” says Avery. “With these songs, we wanted to try something different, so we decided to travel to LA to work with some amazing writers like Mike Green and Mitch Marlow, and they really broadened our horizons.”

That ambitious sonic evolution is on full display with the band’s new music, which faces down darkness with light at every turn. The relentless “Always” pairs driving guitars with cinematic synthesizers in an ode to perseverance, while the effervescent “Hello Sunshine” celebrates the joy in silver linings, and the dreamy “Starry Eyed” promises that hope is out there if you’re willing to look for it. Even on more brooding tracks like the ominous “Undertow” and dance-floor ready “Closure,” the band always manages to locate a sense of freedom or escape, reaching out with comfort and companionship for anyone in need.

“At the end of the day, we just want to energize people,” says Avery. “We want to inspire them to be hopeful, to believe in themselves and each other, because that’s what music has done for us.”

Band Of Silver

Opening for Echosmith

10/13/2022 Basement East Nashville, TN

10/14/2022 Center Stage The Loft Atlanta, GA

10/16/2022 9:30 Club Washington, DC

10/17/2022 The Gramercy Theatre New York, NY

10/20/2022 Space Ballroom Hamden, CT

10/21/2022 Paradise Rock Club Boston, MA

10/22/2022 World Cafe Live – Downstairs Philadelphia, PA

10/24/2022 The Great Hall Toronto, Ontario

10/25/2022 Beachland Ballroom Cleveland, OH

10/26/2022 Thunderbird Music Hall & Cafe Pittsburgh, PA

10/28/202 Bottom Lounge Chicago, IL

10/29/2022 Amsterdam Bar & Hall St. Paul, MN

10/31/2022 Delmar Hall St. Louis, MO

11/03/2022 The Parish Austin, TX

11/04/2022 The Bronze Peacock House of Blues- Houston, TX

11/05/2022 Trees Dallas, TX

11/08/2022 Marquis Theater Denver, CO

11/09/2022 Soundwell Salt Lake City, UT

11/11/2022 The Olympic Boise, ID

11/12/2022 Hawthorne Theater Portland, OR

11/13/2022 Neumos Seattle, WA

11/16/2022 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA

11/17/2022 El Rey Theatre Los Angeles, CA

11/18/2022 Crescent Ballroom Phoenix, AZ

https://www.facebook.com/BandOfSilver/

Matt Owens – Smashing It

5th August 2022

Music News

Matt Owens shares another new track – ‘Drinking By The River’

“I wanted to have a load of songs on Beer for the Horses that were more than capable of opening or close a really killer love set. The groove on this always helps me imagine I’m Steve Earle, and I love how it introduces the band and just keeps building and building,” shares Owens.

“The song was written for a young guy I help out with his guitar playing, and when lockdown hit I was hearing on Zoom how he’d just started going out with his mates, drinking horrendous alcoholic concoctions, smoking, meeting girls… all the standard stuff I used to do when I was his age. In a park, drinking by the river. I noticed he was handling house arrest a hell of a lot better than I imagine I would have done. At that part of my life every night, or meet up, it all seemed so crucial. To miss years…

“Anyway, Hannah Johns from The Leylines plays some great anarchic fiddle, and James Jack had a great time shredding. I smashed it out on my Eko 60’s 12 string, we had a blast and cut live. First song of mine, with a seismic Hollywood key change too, so there you go.”

The follow up to his celebrated 2019 solo debut Whiskey and Orchids, and 2020’s acclaimed Scorched Earth - recorded under strict Covid restrictions, meaning the majority of the parts had to be multi-tracked separately - new album Beer For The Horses finds Owens back in the live room surrounded by The Delusional Vanity Project, a seven-strong band of noteworthy musicians he’s crossed paths with throughout his twenty-year career. From album co-producer Robert Vincent to long-time friends and fellow Little Mammoths members Olly Cox and Jimmy Besley, the full band sound was rounded out by Geoff Widdowson (Danny and the Champs, Treetop Flyers), Hannah Johns (The Leylines), Samuel Taylor, and James Jack, with Norwegian singer Camilla Sky brought in later to add a layer of vocals.
Known for his work as a founder member of indie-folk band Noah and The Whale, who he toured the world with for almost ten years, Matt’s solo music has drawn attention to his own songwriting, allowing him to explore an edgier side, telling stories laced with dark humour and wit that will appeal both to fans who have followed his career to date, and those looking for something more gritty, and less polished. Never afraid to put in the time and miles, he’s also spent recent years developing his skills as a producer and co-writer - notable credits include Elles Bailey’s radio hit ‘Sunshine City’ - while appearing (both as a collaborator and support artist) with the likes of Thea Gilmore, and performing his solo music at festivals across the UK.

Upcoming tour dates include:

6th Aug – Thornton Hough, Liverpool (w/ Robert Vincent)

27th Aug – Folk in the Park, London

27th Aug – Watchet Festival

11th Sept – Swindon Shuffle – The Tuppenny

3rd Nov – The Sound Lounge, London

25th Nov – Chapel Arts, Bath (Album launch)

MattOwensMusic.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Malevolence – Heavy Metal Kings

5th August 2022

Mainly Metal

With their critically acclaimed new studio album Malicious Intent, Malevolence have staked out their place as one of contemporary metal’s heavyweight acts.

These rising UK stars are now out to conquer the world, undertaking a huge run of major live dates this summer and into 2023. After blowing away audiences at the likes of Download Festival UK, Knotfest Germany and the Bring Me The Horizon Malta Weekender, following on from a UK arena tour with Architects and Sleep Token, the British bruisers are pleased to announce more shows.

Malevolence have revealed two new headline shows this August, in Colchester (UK) and Paris (FR), before they launch into two German shows supporting Lamb Of God, followed by an Australian run in September with Thy Art Is Murder, Carnifex and I AM. The band will also be accompanying Trivium on their extensive EU tour leg, with Heaven Shall Burn and Obituary, following on from the UK shows.

To support these dates, the band have today released a brand new video to accompany album highlight ‘Higher Place‘. Showing off their creative breadth, the single breaks with their usual aggressive metal swagger. ‘Higher Place‘ is a show stopping, southern groove flavoured ballad.

Front-man Alex Taylor commented,
“Higher Place focuses on a subject which everyone will deal with at some point in loss; death/bereavement. This is one most heartfelt songs we have written as a band, however once we began writing this song, it came together very naturally. This song is a huge step outside our comfort zone, we hope you enjoy it!
The visuals for this song was our first venture into a narrative driven video, filmed in our hometown of Sheffield. We worked closely with Enon Films to bring the concept to life.

Video Director Gabriel Fernández-Gil commented,
“The song inspired sorrow, drama, and a dark epicness, which is what guided us in the making of this video.
In the story you’ll be able to identify themes of loss, revenge, and UK’s knife-crime epidemic.
As the lyrics and instrumentation, our characters “ascend” to different metaphorical planes of existence, or lack thereof.”

To accompany the video, the band have released an alternative acoustic version of ‘Higher Place‘ digitally, giving fans yet another glimpse into Malevolence‘s bottomless artistic flair.

Download/stream the ‘Higher Place‘ acoustic version: https://bfan.link/Malevolence-higher-place.ema
Order Malicious Intent: https://bfan.link/Malevolence-malicious-intent.ema

With an impressive set of tour dates on the horizon alongside the record of their career, this is inevitably Malevolence‘s time. Catch them live at the following show dates:

2022 Summer Festival dates

05 Aug 2022 CH, Open Air Gränichen, Gränichen
13 Aug 2022 UK, Walton-on-Trent, Bloodstock Festival *Sophie Stage headliners*
2022 Summer Headline shows
15 Aug 2022 UK, Colchester, Arts Centre
17 Aug 2022 FR, Paris, La Bellevilloise
Lamb Of God DE shows
18 Aug 2022 DE, Nuremberg, Z-Bau
19 Aug 2022 DE, Koln, Live Music Hall
Thy Art Is Murder Australia dates w/ Carnifex and I AM
07 Sep 2022 AU, Perth, Magnet House
08 Sep 2022 AU, Adelaide, Lion Arts Factory
09 Sep 2022 AU, Melbourne, Northcote Theatre
10 Sep 2022 AU, Sydney, Manning Bar
11 Sep 2022 AU, Brisbane, Princess Theatre
2023 Trivium UK dates w/ Heaven Shall Burn
12 Jan 2023 UK, Glasgow, O2 Academy
13 Jan 2023 UK, Birmingham, O2 Academy
14 Jan 2023 UK, Manchester, O2 Victoria Warehouse
15 Jan 2023 UK, London, O2 Academy Brixton
2023 Trivium EU dates w/ Heaven Shall Burn and Obituary
17 Jan 2023 NL, Tilburg, Poppodium 013
18 Jan 2023 DE, Saarbrücken, Saarlandhalle
20 Jan 2023 DE, Dusseldorf, Mitsubishi Electric Halle
21 Jan 2023 DE, Erfurt, Messe Erfurt
22 Jan 2023 CZ, Prague, Forum Karlín
23 Jan 2023 PL, Warsaw, Klub Stodoła
25 Jan 2022 FI, Helisinki, Kulttuuritalo
27 Jan 2023 SE, Stockholm, Fållan
28 Jan 2023 DK, Copenhagen, Amager Bio
29 Jan 2023 DE, Leipzig, Haus Auensee
31 Jan 2023 BE, Brussels, Ancienne Belgique
01 Feb 2023 FR, Paris, L’Olympia Bruno Coquatrix
03 Feb 2023 ES, Bilbao, Santana 27
04 Feb 2023 PT, Lisbon, Sala Tejo
05 Feb 2023 ES, Madrid, Sala Riviera
07 Feb 2023 ES, Barcelona, Razzmatazz
08 Feb 2023 FR, Lyon, Transbordeur
10 Feb 2023 DE, Ludwigsburg, Mhp Arena
11 Feb 2023 DE, Hamburg, Sporthalle
12 Feb 2023 DE, Berlin, Verti Music Hall
14 Feb 2023 HU, Budapest, Barba Negra
15 Feb 2023 AT, Vienna, Gasometer
17 Feb 2023 DE, Munich, Zenith
18 Feb 2023, CH, Zürich, Samsung Hall
19 Feb 2023, IT, Milan, Alcatraz
20 Feb 2023, DE, Frankfurt, Jahrhunderthalle

Malicious Intent was recorded at Tree House Studios, UK. The record was produced by Jim Pinder and co-mixed by Jim Pinder and Carl Bown. The Malicious Intent artwork was created by renowned artist Eliran Kantor.

The undisputed Heavy Metal Kings of the UK.

In early 2020 came the highly anticipated EP release, The Other Side, introducing a brand-new side of Malevolence. Although only 3 tracks, each song showcased a depth and diversity that is uncommon in modern metal. Heart-wrenching ballads are blended perfectly with technical shredding and crushing breakdowns, effortlessly showcasing the band’s talent as genuine songwriters. Despite the hard-fought success, Malevolence remains an autonomous crew. Operating from their Sheffield-based HQ, a previously derelict warehouse the band transformed themselves, Malevolence handles as much of their in-house operations as they possibly can. Including the formation and operation of Malevolence’s own label, MLVLTD Music. It was through this label that the band self-released The Other Side and although it was a first for the band, the release was a resounding success – racking up close to half a million streams on Spotify and Apple Music in its first few weeks of release.

Malevolence fans will know that their records come few and far between. Emerging onto the scene in 2013 with their debut album Reign of Suffering, which is currently climbing above 2.15 million streams on Spotify. Released as teenagers, the level of song crafting skill stands the test of time and remains a defining moment in the band’s career. The next four years had Malevolence grinding their way through the European continent, gaining recognition as one of the hottest prospects in this new wave of international heavy metal. 2017’s Self Supremacy saw the Sheffield quintet selling out club shows all over Europe, the USA, and even south-east Asia/Japan. This in turn has earned them a cult-like following of die-hard fans, who wear the Malevolence logo on their clothing like a medal of honour.

Now waiting with brand-new album Malicious Intent and plans to tour amongst some of the biggest names in heavy music, Malevolence are poised to become the next legacy name in all of heavy music.

www.facebook.com

LE CYGNE NOIR – A Bombastic Return

5th August 2022

Music News

LE CYGNE NOIR RELEASES THREE BRAND-NEW, STAR-STUDDED TRACKS.

Releasing two previously unheard original tracks “Andrew” and “Skylights”, the trio of tracks also include an energising rework of the 1984 Thompson Twins classic “Doctor! Doctor!”, featuring remarkable guest vocals from gothic rock royalty Julianne Regan (All About Eve) and Ashton Nyte (The Awakening).

Though little is known about the identity of Le Cygne Noir, in 2019 the enigmatic songwriter stepped-up to the spotlight with his acclaimed debut album ‘Shadow of a Wrecking Ball’, an album about global contagion and the end of the world way before it became the new normal…

Returning in 2022, Le Cygne Noir now presents three never before released tracks recorded around the same time as his debut, that didn’t quite fit the “zombie apocalypse” briefing.

Finding the artist in no less exuberant form, the revengeful rock acrobatics of “Andrew” snake and writhe with Moroder-esque synth oscillations and flaming guitar breaks from Tears For Fears’ own Neil Taylor. Elsewhere, “Skylights” takes a distinctly more introspective tack; a hushed, haunting and multi-harmony piano-ballad with a seventies-hue that finds a songwriter in free-fall between darkness and light, dreams and reality.

LE CYGNE NOIR – A TRIO OF NEW SINGLES: “ANDREW”, “SKYLIGHTS” AND “DOCTOR! DOCTOR!”

– OUT NOW, VIA ANGER MANAGEMENT RECORDS

But perhaps the most extraordinary of the three is a powered-up cover of the Thompson Twins’ new wave classic “Doctor! Doctor!”, a song which originally charted at No.3 in the Official UK Singles Chart upon its release in 1984. Offering a revamped revision nearly 40 years later, Le Cygne Noir invites two Goth Rock trailblazers, Ashton Nyte of cult South African band The Awakening, and Julianne Regan lead-singer of the critically acclaimed UK goth scene staples All About Eve, to perform in a beguiling duet. Adding to the cast of greats behind the cover, its formidable musicianship comes courtesy of Michele Stodart (The Magic Numbers) on bass and Cal Campbell (Beck) on drums, with its searing guitar licks added by Tom White (Mystery Jets / Electric Soft Parade).

Recorded at BR Studios UK, all tracks were produced, arranged and written Le Cygne Noir (with the exception of “Doctor Doctor”), with additional mastering by James Bacon @ Piano Recordings.

Enrapturing listeners with songs of an epic scale and bombast, Le Cygne Noir’s music has been praised by CLASSIC POP as a “preposterously entertaining”.

With a palette that covers the cerebral to the cinematic, the bombastic to the brilliant, Le Cygne Noir returns in 2022 with three new songs that cover the full spectrum of his abilities. “Andrew”, “Skylights”, and “Doctor! Doctor!” are out now.

https://www.lecygnenoir.co.uk

Ocean Grove – Swaggering Pop Savvy

5th August 2022

Music News

OCEAN GROVE ANNOUNCE OCTOBER HEADLINE UK DATES.

Ocean Grove have announced their long-awaited return to the UK, their first appearances outside of Australia since March 2020. The new dates, their biggest ever in the UK promise to be an epic 2 for the price of 1 type event – to celebrate two of their career-defining albums.

Fans will bear witness to Ocean Grove’s critically acclaimed live performances which will see them showcase the hits and deeper cuts from not only their second LP Flip Phone Fantasy, but also from their third album Up In The Air Forever.

Ocean Grove’s Up In The Air Forever is a full-hearted mix of big-sky melodies and some of the most unique storytelling ever to come from a three-piece rock band. The band’s third LP expands on many of the things that made 2020 breakout Flip Phone Fantasy such a hit – huge choruses, irresistible riffs and catchy sloganeering lyrics – but now rendered with a new sense of scope and scale. Hazy, nostalgic guitars wrap themselves around swaggering pop savvy, the trio’s ambition evident on every layer, from meticulous song crafting to head-spinning concepts. A record that looks as far forward into an alternate future as it does take heed from the classics of the past, Up In The Air Forever traverses from genre to genre, taking in guest appearances from international chart-toppers Dune Rats and Lizzo / Travis Barker collaborator Lil Aaron.

OCEAN GROVE LIVE

THU 13 OCT 2022 MANCHESTER DEAF INSTITUTE
FRI 21 OCT 2022 LONDON THE CAMDEN ASSEMBLY

Ocean Grove tour their native Australia before heading to the UK this October. Tickets for their Manchester and London dates go on sale Friday 05 August at 10am via www.gigsandtours.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk.

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Shy Carter – Bringing Some Good Love

5th August 2022

Country News

MULTI-PLATINUM, GENRE-DEFYING ARTIST & SONGWRITER SHY CARTER TO RETURN TO THE UK THIS MONTH TO PLAY TWO FESTIVAL SHOWS.

Critically acclaimed Warner Music Nashville artist, songwriter and producer Shy Carter will return to the UK this month to play two festival shows: Nashville Meets London on 24 August and The Long Road Festival on 27 August, which follow his breakthrough appearance as a standout artist at the C2C: Country to Country festival in March, with Maverick Magazine remarking that Shy “knew how to work the stage and his energy was infectious.”

Carter, who recently celebrated a personal career milestone with his debut at the Grand Ole Opry, released the grand piano version of ‘Hard’ in May, recorded live at his home studio in Nashville. Written by Shy with Nathan Chapman and Bryan Simpson, the track was originally released as an Amazon Original for the groundbreaking Amazon Music documentary For Love & Country which he was also featured in, examining country music through the personal stories of a new generation of Black artists .

The song is taken from Shy’s debut EP as a recording artist, The Rest Of Us, released in November 2021, which features ‘Good Love’ (12m+ global streams to date) - a statement of “broad, breezy optimism” according to NPR, as well as his latest music video, ‘Hurry’, and the MusicRow-described “barroom banger” called ‘Beer With My Friends’ (feat. Cole Swindell and David Lee Murphy).

Speaking on his return to the UK, Carter commented: “I’m so excited to go back to Europe! They showed me so much love last time I was in the UK. They really appreciate the music over there. We’re also going to Germany with the great Lindsey Ell, and we are going to tear the stage up – y’all get ready! I’ve never been to Germany before, but I can’t wait bring that ‘Good Love.’ I know it’s going to be so much fun, and I’m looking forward to meeting some great new friends. Let’s go!”

A sought-after and in-demand songwriter and producer, Shy’s credits include Charlie Puth’s ‘One Call Away,’ Meghan Trainor’s ‘Mr Almost’, Keith Urban’s ‘Never Comin’ Down’, ‘My Wave’ and ‘God Whispered Your Name’, Sugarland’s ‘Stuck Like Glue’, and several songs for Kane Brown, including the multi-week US #1 hit ‘Heaven’. Ahead of his appearances in the UK, Carter will join Lindsay Ell for three shows in Germany, playing in Munich, Cologne and Isernhagen.

2022 UK/EUROPEAN TOUR DATES

Sunday, 21 August – Isernhagen, Germany* – Motel California

Monday, 22 August – Munich, Germany* – Backstage Club

Tuesday, 23 August – Cologne, Germany* – Helios 37

Wednesday, 24 August – London, UK – Nashville Meets London Festival

Saturday, 27 August – Lutterworth, UK – The Long Road Festival
(* – w/ Lindsay Ell)

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The Dears – A Twist Of The Knife

4th August 2022

Music News

Montreal stalwarts The Dears are returning to the UK this September for a long-awaited run of live dates.

Marking a triumphant return for the band, The Dears are guaranteed to deliver a cathartic set packed with classics alongside material from their latest release ‘Lovers Rock’, performed live for UK audiences for the first time.

Natalia Yanchak says:

“After all this time, the re-re-scheduling of tour dates and the re-re-re-anticipation of playing shows — it’s a little hard to believe these shows are finally going to happen.”

After releasing ‘Lovers Rock’ over two years ago, repeated lockdowns and cancellations of live touring meant the band had been unable to play the record live until this Spring.

Natalia adds:

“We originally released ‘Lovers Rock’ in 2020. It was an album we were, and are still, very proud of. So it was hard to put out a record and then not play a single one of those songs live. We did a streaming show, but it’s just not the same as being in the same sweaty club, all together.”

The record saw Murray Lightburn (vocals, guitar, “other”) and Natalia Yanchak (vocals, piano) joined by longtime drummer Jeff “Looch” Luciani as well as Steve Raegele(guitar) and Rémi-Jean LeBlanc (bass), and also featured a string section, a cameo from fellow Montrealer Sam Roberts and saxophone from both Alex Francoeur and the E Street Band’s Jake Clemons.

Just by being at it for so long, The Dears were able to work faster and more efficiently than most ensembles — which is especially important when you have two kids and when the business is less remunerative than ever.

“The Dears aren’t fucking around,” says Lightburn. “We don’t have time to waste. We’ve got a job to do. And we’re going to do it. 20 years ago, I knew I had a sound in my head, but I didn’t know how to get that down. Now I know how to get that sound.”

“The question we’re asking in the music is, ‘how do we navigate so much bullshit in this world?’”, he adds. “We’re still playing this dumb rock music. But there’s always gonna be a little twist of the knife, cutting into something deep to make you feel like you’re alive. To say, ‘I know what you’re going through. And I’m hearing you, and I’m with you.’ That’s what the music is supposed to do.”

Now finally able to bring ‘Lovers Rock’ to UK audiences, full dates and details are below.

THE DEARS UK TOUR 2022

SEPTEMBER
30 – Cambridge @ Portland Arms

OCTOBER
01 – Liverpool @ Zanzibar

02 – Glasgow @ Hug & Pint

04 – Manchester @ Deaf Institute

05 – London @ The Garage

06 – Bristol @ Exchange

Tickets available here.

w/ http://www.thedears.org
i/ https://www.instagram.com/thedears/
t/ http://www.twitter.com/thedears
f/ http://www.facebook.com/thedears

Crow Follow – Growth Amidst Decay

2nd August 2022

Music News

Crow Follow – Massachusetts urban cabaret and velvet shaman swamp rock project releases striking new visual on Wednesday, August 3.

America’s roadsides and highways are littered with reflections. Their soundtrack is constructed out of the force and mechanical purr of a revved engine, and inspired by the tender nature of a beating heart powered by yearning and desire. A labyrinth of corridors emphasizes the journey over the destination. An asphalt maze of heavy trucking and weightier longing reveal a quest to reclaim love and new growth amidst decay.

“‘Indiana Line’ has a few layers,” muses Crow Follow ringleader Tim Sprague. “On one level, it’s a road trip song made of little scenes seen out the window as you drive through the wreckage of American family farming and the post-apocalyptic shell of American industrial culture. ‘Indiana Line’ is also, more deeply, a song about the immortality of love in the face of death and wrecked dreams.”

“Indiana Line,” which first hit the streams earlier this year, will be featured on Crow Follow’s forthcoming debut album Red Velvet Radio, set for release on September 30, with a celebratory party later that night at The Burren in Somerville. The LP features a handful of prior singles cultivated and crafted from the pre-pandemic age to now, with three new tracks that cement Crow Follow as one of Boston’s most eclectic musical projects, a group hellbent on bringing a glowing brightness to some otherwise dark tunes. That quality shines bright in a kaleidoscopic grayscale on “Indiana Line” and its new visual, directed by Sprague with a guest turn from collaborative vocalist Ruby Viens.

“Rather than vamp majorly off of a performance video vibe, ‘Indiana Line’ sketches the dream vibe of a mystic road, desperate farmland, and eternal love using lo fi animations, black light lip sync, and slow motion dance moves,” says Sprague. “While arty in the brain, it stays gritty in the execution.”

Crow Follow vocalist, percussionist, and co-conspirator Agent Judy describes the visual storyline as “the pursuit of love never ending,” adding: “Things may decay, but we stay loving, we stay fierce, we make art and life from whatever surrounds us. There is always a way. We run down the trail by the marsh and we glow in the dark. We are still alive. Barreling down the highway past torn up farmland in flames, wandering coyotes, and dusty skeletons with red hot hearts. Dystopia may dominate the landscape but we are headed home, we are still in love. We are making the future.”

That future, at least on the immediate horizon, includes the “Indiana Line” video, followed by a new single just after Labor Day, and the album surfacing as September turns to October, a traditional transitional period linking summer to autumn. The transitional nature of the season is not lost on Crow Follow. They view “Indiana Line,” the lead track off the LP – which also includes tracks like “Cadillac,” “The Wrong Devil,” and a Linnea’s Garden collab called “Doom Buggy!” that has independently racked up tens of thousands of plays on Spotify – as a true turning point for their creative endeavors. And a new path forward.

“Indiana Line” sets a tone for Crow Follow’s “take no prisoners,” shaman vision vibe; a loose, propulsive track that barrels down the musical highway with carefully reckless abandon, taking inspiration from the angular style of John Hovorka (Turbines, 2×4’s), Lou Reed, the tail of Robin Trower’s “Bridge of Sighs” and the “Big Boys Don’t Cry” earworm lyric in the 10cc song “I’m Not In Love.” Toss in some Stones and what comes out of the cauldron is unmistakably Crow Follow – pop music with a seductively sinister coating wrapped tightly around a heart of gold and a tireless pursuit of love.

“Crow Follow was founded on the idea of performing songs that come from a deep place that feels a little dangerous to articulate from,” Sprague says. “‘Indiana Line’ sits on that map with a red pin holding the cliff notes for stories of both love and fear. It wrote itself really fast, in pieces. I was looking to write a super simple song so I took that pulse and dropped it into an Em vamp that just hung in like a diesel on a long upgrade. Once the truck vibed in for the first verse, I knew we were on a ‘Radar Love’ vein. I ad-libbed the front end poem – kind of inspired by Lou Reed’s “Street Hassle” to set up the vibe – and after that it was all trucks on the night road, Zombie passions, and oil drum fires. I wanted to quote the Stones’ song ‘Can You Hear Me Knocking’ because it’s so cool, and the gender twist of putting that toughness to a female voice just makes it better all around. As the song came together with Crow Follow in practice all the wails and sleep talk phrases grew in organically. Agent Judy’s double rattle take on the zombie drag race vibe was pure inspiration on her part.”

That led to some pure inspiration for the visual, which takes the band out across New England beaches, woods, marshes, bridges, rivers, and graveyards, and across the local stages of The Midway Cafe and O’Brien’s Pub. As Agent Judy calls it, the song is “a train roaring down a track at full speed. Relentlessness. Determination. The fever of love at any cost. Reflecting the imagery.” And the video follows suit, elevated with a star turn by Viens, the daughter of longtime Boston music scene luminaries Wayne Valdez and Linda S. Viens.

“When Ruby Viens came into the studio, I was struck by her intensity and unique sense of style and visual power,” says Sprague. “I knew I wanted to use that intensity as the skeleton to hang the video for what was turning out to be a freaking wild song! I invited her to come do greenscreen lip syncs, and we went out on location to get some motion/emotion dance footage. This inspired me to bring in the rest of the band out for slo mo spins and jumps. Finally Agent Judy and I collaborated on getting her black light lip sync shots while we were up in a motel on the Cape, and some shaman dance footage down in East Boston. I had been drawing little lo-fi animation bits to illustrate the song. I glued it all together to make a mosaic rocket to ride this crazy song into orbit. Each piece was crafted with a faith that it would lock together in post.”

All told, the “Indiana Line” video illustrates elements mentioned in the lyrics; the burning hearts, the skeletons, coyotes, the truck on the highway, the girl running under the bridge. The glow of love. “It also echoes the relentlessness of the music with cycling imagery cut to a tight beat,” adds Agent Judy. “Color, light, and action packed with rugged suburban landscapes that are easy to imagine in a not too distant dystopian life woven with frequent reminders of devotion and, of course, love.”

As we barrel down the highway, through Indiana or Anywhere USA, what we see is up to us. What we’re hearing as we see it, as we look into the immediate distance, that’s now up to Crow Follow.

HOMEPAGE . SPOTIFY . BANDCAMP . APPLE . INSTAGRAM . FACEBOOK . TWITTER

Rocky Votolato – Keep Believing

2nd August 2022

Country News, Music News

Seattle-Based Indie-Folk Hero Rocky Votolato Unveils New Single “Little Black Diamond” Off ‘Wild Roots’ (1st Album In Over 7 years) Out September 9th.

An intimate concept album inspired by and written for his family, each song is a letter dedicated to a specific family member and focused on a special memory or moment in time.

After losing his child in December of 2021 in a tragic car accident, the entire album, and especially the song “Becoming Human,” now a posthumous love letter, takes on an even deeper while devastatingly bittersweet meaning.

keep believing in ourselves and in the magic of this life, no matter how harsh and difficult it can be"

Stream “Little Black Diamond” here: https://orcd.co/littleblackdiamond

Pre-order ‘Wild Roots’ here: https://spr.tn/wildroots.

Pre-save ‘Wild Roots’ here: https://orcd.co/wildroots.

Upcoming shows:

11/3 – Tacoma, WA @ ALMA

11/4 – Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall

11/5 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern

‘Wild Roots’ was produced, engineered, and mixed by Votolato himself and features a stellar lineup of musicians whose contributions perfectly compliment the delicate nature of these songs — Abby Gundersen (William Fitzsimmons) on piano, string arrangements, and vocal harmonies, James McAllister (Sufjan Stevens, The National) on drums and percussion, Phil Wandscher (Whiskeytown, Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter) on electric guitar, and Marcel Gein (Perry O’Parson) on electric guitar.

The production on ‘Wild Roots’ is hushed, handcrafted, and warm — an intimate and personal experience that brings the nature of Votolato’s storytelling to life in very authentic and genuine ways. The record is a deliberate construction of his conceptual vision and new phase of his recording career.

In many ways, ‘Wild Roots’ is not only a break in silence for Votolato, but the opening of a new chapter — one that feels laser-focused on what really matters in life. Whether discovering Votolato for the first time or adding another record to your collection, Wild Roots resonates on the most simple and important human levels — a sharing of experience that encourages us to keep believing in ourselves and in the magic of this life, no matter how harsh and difficult it can be.

www.rockyvotolato.com

www.facebook.com/rockyvotolato

www.instagram.com/rockyvotolato

https://twitter.com/rockyvotolato

www.youtube.com/user/RockyVotolatoMusic

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Monthly Archives: August 2022

LOST SOCIETY – A Little Tickle

LOST SOCIETY are known for being a killer live band – their energetic, neck-breaking shows tickle even the crankiest people into becoming moshpit berserkers.

Band Of Silver – Set To Energise

Nashville’s Band Of Silver (made up of siblings Avery Silvernagel and her younger brothers Alex and Evan) has released a new single “Machine.”

Stream “Machine” Here:

Matt Owens – Smashing It

Matt Owens shares another new track – ‘Drinking By The River’

Malevolence – Heavy Metal Kings

With their critically acclaimed new studio album Malicious Intent, Malevolence have staked out their place as one of contemporary metal’s heavyweight acts.

2022 Summer Festival dates

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LE CYGNE NOIR – A Bombastic Return

LE CYGNE NOIR RELEASES THREE BRAND-NEW, STAR-STUDDED TRACKS.

https://www.lecygnenoir.co.uk

Ocean Grove – Swaggering Pop Savvy

OCEAN GROVE ANNOUNCE OCTOBER HEADLINE UK DATES.

Shy Carter – Bringing Some Good Love

MULTI-PLATINUM, GENRE-DEFYING ARTIST & SONGWRITER SHY CARTER TO RETURN TO THE UK THIS MONTH TO PLAY TWO FESTIVAL SHOWS.

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The Dears – A Twist Of The Knife

Montreal stalwarts The Dears are returning to the UK this September for a long-awaited run of live dates.

Crow Follow – Growth Amidst Decay

Crow Follow – Massachusetts urban cabaret and velvet shaman swamp rock project releases striking new visual on Wednesday, August 3.

Rocky Votolato – Keep Believing

Seattle-Based Indie-Folk Hero Rocky Votolato Unveils New Single “Little Black Diamond” Off ‘Wild Roots’ (1st Album In Over 7 years) Out September 9th.

Upcoming shows:

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