Kenny Chesney Maxes Charlotte at 53,460 + Surprises w/ Kelsea Ballerini

First, they moved the stage all the way back. Then they called the fire marshal. Finally, all of the front of house lighting and structures were adjusted to open greater sightlines. Like Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium, Kenny Chesney’s Sun Goes Down 2024 Tour sold out more than once at Charlotte, NC’s Bank of America Stadium; but because Chesney is so fan-forward, he kept asking his people to find more seats.
 
And the energy was palpable. From the moment Chesney came down the drum riser, charging into the lifestyle defining “Living in Fast Forward,” it was a night of massive energy, audience shout alongs that wrested the songs away from the man the Los Angeles Times called, “The People’s Superstar” and enough major songs to sustain three careers. Under a clear sky with myriad stars, the East Tennessee songwriter/superstar blazed through a 29-song set that included the high energy “Here And Now,” buoyantly percussive “Summertime,” erotically-charged “Somewhere with You” and femme empowering “Big Star.”
 
“Some nights, you can feel it before you ever start singing,” Chesney said. “Charlotte, North Carolina made their presence known from the moment they saw us. It was pandemonium, and they were not afraid to sing so loud we couldn’t hear ourselves at times.”
 
As crazed as fans were, nothing prepared No Shoes Nation for Kelsea Ballerini, clad in a backless brown leather jumpsuit. She cruised out of the wings for “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy,” laughing and working the T during the Chesney breakthrough smash like a couture model on the catwalk. But the yearning can’t leave/can’t stay “half of my hometown” melted the capacity-plus crowd, who sang along softly, before the pair revisited “You & Tequila,” the Grace Potter duet that’s one of Chesney’s most enduring hits.
 
“People love a surprise,” says the man deemed “country’s king of stadium concerts” by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “But even more they love great songs sung by people who really love each other and are great friends. Last week with Uncle Kracker, we felt it. Tonight, it was the same with Kelsea. Both guests tonight really seemed to hit No Shoes Nation in the heart.”
 
Indeed, when Chesney and his white-hot band returned for the encore, even the hushed “Anything But Mine” couldn’t slow down the audience. Raising their cell phones aloft with the flashlight on, the bowl of the stadium looked like the night sky turned upside down; by song’s end, the gentle sing along had turned into a yearning performance by the crowd.
 
“You can tell how much people love these songs when you hear them sing, or feel the energy when they realize what they’re hearing,” Chesney explained. “Last week, we didn’t do ‘Tractor’ or ‘Anything But Mine,’ and it’s in trading songs that we’re going to keep this tour fresh. The more people hear what they don’t expect, the more engaged and excited they become.”
 
Once again, presented by Blue Chair Bay® Rum, Sun Goes Down 2024 brings all the high velocity energy and songs people know by heart back to America’s favorite football stadiums.

Photo Credit Jill Trunnell.

Kenny Chesney
SUN GOES DOWN 2024 Stadium Tour
with Zac Brown Band, Megan Moroney & Uncle Kracker
 

Saturday, April 20, 2024           Tampa, Fla.                       Raymond James Stadium
Saturday, April 27, 2024           Charlotte, N.C.                  Bank of America Stadium
Saturday, May 4, 2024              Minneapolis, Minn.          U.S. Bank Stadium
Saturday, May 11, 2024            Arlington, Texas               AT&T Stadium
Saturday, May 18, 2024            Atlanta, Ga.                       Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Saturday, May 25, 2024            Landover, Md.                  FedEx Field
Saturday, June 1, 2024              Pittsburgh, Pa.                   Acrisure Stadium
Saturday, June 8, 2024              Philadelphia, Pa.               Lincoln Financial Field
Saturday, June 15, 2024            Chicago, Ill.                      Soldier Field
Saturday, June 22, 2024            Milwaukee, Wisc.             American Family Field
Saturday, June 29, 2024            Cincinnati, Ohio               TQL Stadium
Saturday, July 6, 2024               Kansas City, Mo.              GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
Saturday, July 13, 2024             Seattle, Wash.                   Lumen Field
Tuesday, July 16, 2024              Salt Lake City, Utah         America First Field
Saturday, July 20, 2024             Los Angeles, Calif.           SoFi Stadium
Saturday, July 27, 2024             Denver, Colo.                   Empower Field at Mile High
Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024              Nashville, Tenn.               Nissan Stadium
Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024             Columbus, Ohio                Historic Crew Stadium
Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024            Detroit, Mich.                   Ford Field
Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024            East Rutherford, N.J.        MetLife Stadium
Friday, Aug. 23, 2024                Foxborough, Mass.           Gillette Stadium 
Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024            Foxborough, Mass.           Gillette Stadium
Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024              Foxborough, Mass.           Gillette Stadium
 

“...because everything gets hotter when the sun goes down...”

Brantley Gilbert Extends Off The Rails Tour Through the Fall

Multi-Platinum country rocker Brantley Gilbert extends his Off The Rails Tour into the fall, announcing 15+ additional dates where he will be joined by special guests Adam Calhoun and Demun Jones. Pre-sales begin Tuesday, April 30 at 10am local time and general on sale will begin next Friday, May 3 at 10am local time. To purchase tickets and for additional information, visit BrantleyGilbert.com.
 
Since embarking on the Off The Rails Tour last month, Gilbert has delivered an unforgettable experience at each stop, packing as many songs as possible into the setlist and incorporating elevated production elements with pyrotechnics and CO2 cannons.
 
“We’ve had such an amazing time on the Off The Rails Tour, we couldn’t help but decide to keep the party rollin’,” shares Gilbert. “This is my favorite show that we’ve put together, thanks to a talented lineup both in the band and behind the scenes. It’s been incredible seeing BG Nation match that energy every single night, and it only makes us more excited to get to the next city.”
 
Over the last two years, Gilbert has been writing and recording for his seventh studio album and recently delivered a preview with the revelry inducing anthem “Off The Rails” via The Valory Music Co. Listen to “Off The Rails” HERE.
 
The Georgia native will appear on CMT Hot 20 this Saturday and Sunday at 9am ET/8am CT. Chatting with host Cody Alan at his recent tour stop in Clarksville, Tenn., Gilbert will discuss his forthcoming album and give fans a peek at what they should expect on this run of shows.

Brantley Gilbert’s Off The Rails Tour Dates
New dates in bold, tickets on sale Friday May 3
* Festival Date
 
April 26 // Scheels Arena // Fargo, ND
April 27 // Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center // Mankato, MN
May 4 // Firekeepers Casino // Battle Creek, MI
May 9 // River Spirit Casino Resort – The Cove // Tulsa, OK
May 10 // Riverwind Casino // Norman, OK
May 11 // Billy Bob’s Texas // Fort Worth, TX
May 16 // Yaamava’ Resort & Casino // Highland, CA
May 17 // KNCI Country in the Park // Sacramento, CA*
May 18 // Rio Vista Outdoor Amphitheater at Harrah’s Laughlin // Laughlin, NV
May 31 // Summer Stage at Tags // Big Flats, NY
June 1 // Finger Lakes Country Music Festival // Palmyra, NY*
June 2 // Cape Cod Melody Tent // Hyannis, MA
June 8 // Rock the Country // Reddick, FL*
June 14 // KIZN Country Stomp // Nampa, ID*
June 15 // Shoshone Bannock Casino Hotel // Fort Hall, ID
June 22 // Rock the Country // Mobile, AL*
June 28 // Buckeye Motorcycle & Music Rally // Columbus, OH*
June 29 // After Hours Concert Series at the SERVPRO Pavilion // Doswell, VA
June 30 // Elmwood Park Amphitheater // Roanoke, VA
July 11 // Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park // Des Moines, IA
July 12 // Delaware County Fair // Manchester, IA*
July 13 // Morgan County Fair // Jacksonville, IL*
July 18 // Bayfront Festival Park // Duluth, MN
July 19 // Harrah’s Stir Cove  // Council Bluffs, IA
July 20 // Dam Jam Music Festival // Goddard, KS*
July 22 // Elkhart County 4-H Fair // Goshen, IN*
July 24 // Delaware State Fair // Harrington, DE*
July 26 // Rock the Country // Anderson, SC*
July 27 // Carowinds Summer Festival Series // Charlotte, NC
Aug. 3 // Nugget Event Center // Sparks, NV
Aug. 30 // Fraze Pavilion // Kettering, OH
Aug. 31 // Walworth County Fair // Elkhorn, WI*
Sept. 1 // Canfield Fair // Canfield, OH*
Sept. 19 // Mountain Health Network Arena // Huntington, WV
Sept. 20 // Santander Arena // Reading, PA
Sept. 21 // DCU Center // Worcester, MA
Sept. 26 // LJVM Coliseum // Winston-Salem, NC
Sept. 27 // The Corbin Arena // Corbin, KY
Sept. 28 // Florence Center // Florence, SC
Oct. 3 // Knoxville Civic Coliseum // Knoxville, TN
Oct. 4 // First National Bank Arena // Jonesboro, AR
Oct. 5 // Ozarks Amphitheater // Camdenton, MO
Oct. 10 // Raising Cane’s River Center Arena // Baton Rouge, LA
Oct. 11 // Cadence Bank Arena // Tupelo, MS
Oct. 17 // Enmarket Arena // Savannah, GA
Oct. 18 // McKenzie Arena // Chattanooga, TN
Oct. 19 // Atrium Health Amphitheater // Macon, GA

About Brantley Gilbert
With a grassroots following millions strong, multi-Platinum country rocker Brantley Gilbert has mined a rich vein of conflict between the party and the pew on all his albums, with his music being adopted as the soundtrack to both Saturday night and Sunday morning by audiences around the world. Instead of toiling in limbo, unable to enjoy good times for fear of Judgment Day, Gilbert fully lives––rowdy friend, man of faith, devoted husband, smitten father––just as he is. Following his sixth studio album So Help Me God, Gilbert readies a forthcoming project, giving BG Nation the first taste with “Off The Rails,” a revelry inducing anthem that embodies the kind of high energy live show the Georgia native will bring to the Off The Rails Tour this year. Along with the new track, he’ll perform songs across his discography, which includes back-to-back Platinum albums and seven No. 1 hits: RIAA 7x Platinum-certified “Bottoms Up,” 2x Platinum “Country Must Be Country Wide,” 2x Platinum “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do,” 2x Platinum “One Hell of An Amen,” Platinum-certified collaboration with Lindsay Ell “What Happens In A Small Town,” and two chart-toppers as a songwriter with CMA Song of the Year nominee “Dirt Road Anthem” and “My Kinda Party.” For additional information, visit BrantleyGilbert.com  or follow him on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter/X @BrantleyGilbert and Facebook.com/BrantleyGilbertMusic.

Elle King Kicks Off "Baby Daddy's Weekend" w/ Stagecoach Performance

Elle King lit the fuse to the weekend by releasing her new song “Baby Daddy’s Weekend” and performing on day one of the Stagecoach Music Festival, both of which are getting high praise.
 
Landing atop the biggest playlists of the week across the streaming servies, King is getting high marks for her new song “Baby Daddy’s Weekend.” In their headline, Rolling Stone said, “Elle King Cuts Loose on Her ‘Baby Daddy’s Weekend’ in New Song.” 
 
iHeart Media proclaimed “Elle King unleashes Summer Drinking Anthem 'Baby Daddy’s Weekend,'" while Country Nowcall it…“Her Newest Summertime Anthem.” They went on to say, “The multi-genre chart-topping artist has made it clear that she’s not afraid to speak her mind or be her most authentic self and in this new track, she does just that with an extra dose of sass. Her reign of irresistible hooks continues as she focuses on the rowdy weekend that’s about to unfold when the child is left in the care of their father.”

King followed the release of the song with an encore performance at Stagecoach on Friday night. Of her show, The Desert Sun said, “Almost a year to the day after Elle King performed on the Mane Stage at Stagecoach 2023, she returned to the festival and delivered a tighter and more sophisticated set. King maintained a reserved demeanor and focused solely on the music."
 
In their headline, the Orange Country Register proclaimed, "Stagecoach 2024: Jelly Roll, Elle King wow during Day 1 of country music festival." They said, “Country rocker Elle King brought her signature sass and grooves to her sunset set, treating the audience to a mix of new music and covers."

Of her “Baby Daddy’s Weekend,” King said, “I’ve been lucky enough to have lived, loved, and partied with the best of them. I’ve written songs for every era of my good times. My new song is for the people who deserve a good summer. It’s for people who need a break from their kids but miss them when they aren’t around. It’s for the people working two jobs, the people who never get to put themselves first! It’s a song for all the people who make this world go round. Life isn’t always fun and games, but when it is, it’s my 'Baby Daddy’s Weekend.'”
 
She wrote the song with her friend Pillbox Patti, and co-produced the track with Dave Cohen. Listen to the song HERE.

Elle King performed on the Mane Stage at Stagecoach Friday, April 26 | Photo Credit: Corey Bost

Nikitaa Takes Fans to New Heights with Electrifying Single “Elevator” Queer Empowerment Takes Center Stage in Nikitaa's Latest Release

R&B Pop Singer-Songwriter, Nikitaa, is set to captivate audiences once again with the release of their latest single, "Elevator." Co-written by Nikitaa, this dynamic track showcases a seamless fusion of dance-pop and R&B that promises to ignite the senses and propel listeners to new heights.

With "Elevator," Nikitaa doesn't just deliver music; they craft a sonic journey designed to uplift and inspire. Drawing inspiration from powerhouses like Janelle Monáe and The Carters, Nikitaa's captivating vocals soar over a production

reminiscent of their breakout anthem "Throne." Bold, campy, and unapologetically queer, "Elevator" pulses with eclectic synth sounds and innovative samples, creating a wholly unique sonic landscape. But "Elevator" is more than just a catchy tune; it's a celebration of identity and empowerment. The bridge serves as an ode to Nikitaa's journey as a demi and genderfluid individual, with lyrics reflecting the vibrant colors of the demi and genderfluid flags. Nikitaa invites listeners to seize control of their destiny, embracing the freedom to ascend to greatness on their own terms.

"This song is a manifestation tool," says Nikitaa. "It's about harnessing your inner power and manifesting your dreams into reality. Whether you're chasing success, love, or self-discovery, 'Elevator' is your ticket to the top – because the power to build your dreams lies within you." "Elevator" marks Nikitaa's third release of 2024, following “Heaven” in February and "Godless” in March, which Rolling Stone included in their "Songs You Need To Know" roundup. With their infectious energy and boundary-pushing sound, Nikitaa continues to solidify their status as one of the most exciting voices in contemporary music.

MORE INFO:
Nikitaa, an LA-based artist born and raised in India, infuses their music with ethereal Pop/R&B influences and their South Asian heritage, creating what they call Goddess Pop - music that emphasizes the fluidity of gender and emotional expression. As a genderfluid demisexual person, who predominantly uses they/them pronouns, Nikitaa is always emphasizing the importance of representation and inclusivity in the music industry. With almost 6 million YouTube views/Spotify streams combined, Nikitaa’s music has captured the attention of listeners instantly. Their third single “Majesty'' landed placement on NMF playlists across the world, and their singles through 2020 were released during lockdown with self-directed and produced videos that soared on Spotify and YouTube.

Throughout 2023, Nikitaa explored themes of vulnerability and strength in singles like “Scheming,” “On My Own,” “Peter Pan,” “Throne,” “Daddy Era,” and “Truman Show,” receiving recognition from Rolling Stone India, Radio One India, and Ones To Watch playlist Now Watching. Additionally, Nikitaa's keen ear and exceptional lyricism have led to brand placements with Splice’s Pride Month and South Asian Heritage Month campaigns.

Nikitaa’s work as a songwriter extends beyond their own projects, with credits on tracks for artists such as Trophy Boy (Nightmare, T.O.F.U, & Trophy Boy), Srushti Tawde (Breakfast Over Bae), RIKA (Grown Up), Aastha Gill, Munawar Faruqi, and Robica.

Looking ahead, 2024 promises to be a groundbreaking year for Nikitaa, with an EP on the horizon that is sure to captivate listeners. Inspired by artists like Beyonce for her knack for genre bending, fluidity in style and vocal prowess, and Jon Bellion for his overall songwriting; Nikitaa continues to push boundaries, blending genres and incorporating Indian and Middle Eastern instrumentation into their music.

NIKITAA ON SOCIALS:

INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY | WEBSITE | TWITTER | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK

THE DEAD DAISIES ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE, NEW ALBUM AND GLOBAL TOUR

THE DEAD DAISIES are gearing up for a truly ambitious and global 2024!

The first single off the new album called “Light ‘Em Up” will be released on May 10th! You can pre-save the song here: https://orcd.co/thedeaddaisies_lightemup

“Hey Gang, we are releasing our first single “Light ‘Em Up” on May 10th, from our new record, aptly titled “Light ‘Em Up” as well! It’s a kick-ass, straight ahead rock and roll tune, just how we like it!!! Turn it up, and get ready to bang your head and break shit!!! Hope ya like it!!! Love you guys!!” – John Corabi
 

Here is a taste of the first single “Light ‘Em Up” off the upcoming album: https://thedeaddaisies.com/light-em-up-single-snippet/

The Album of the same name “Light ‘Em Up”, will be released on September 6th and distributed globally by SPV Germany & Ward Records in Japan.

Produced by Marti Frederiksen in Nashville, the album is in-your-face rock, packed with huge hooks, Doug’s giant intense guitar riffs and John’s distinctive vocals that will leave no audience in their seats when played live.

June 6th will see the band kick off their global touring for the year with a limited run of their favorite markets and venues in the US with tickets already on sale. Go to the band’s website for more info.
 

The Dead Daisies most ambitious and biggest UK Tour to date will launch on Friday September 6th, with Special Guests The Treatment and The Bites which will coincide with the release of the album “Light ‘Em Up”.

The band will then embark on a run of mainland Europe kicking off on Friday November 1st with the final show of the year in Frankfurt, Germany. Special Guests for these shows are Beasto Blanco and Mike Tramp (Performing the Songs Of White Lion).

“Our 2024 Tour has been locked and we’re gonna have some great nights of kick ass rock!!!! Can’t wait to play the new songs for you guys! See ya there!!”
– Doug Aldrich

UK Pre Sales will be available at Planet Rock from Friday, April 26th:

www.planetrocktickets.co.uk/article/the-dead-daisies/
 

Germany Pre Sales will be available through Eventim from Friday, April 26th:

https://www.lb-events.de/de/veranstaltungen/the-dead-daisies.html
 

The Dead Daisies have been doubling down on the fact that Rock Is Alive And Well - it truly feels like this is another year to cement that statement!
 

THE DEAD DAISIES:

Doug Aldrich, Tommy Clufetos, John Corabi, Michael Devin, David Lowy

LIGHT ‘EM UP - WORLD TOUR 2024

https://thedeaddaisies.com/light-em-up-world-tour-2024/

USA

JUNE

06 – Racket NYC                                               New York, NY

08 – The Landis Theater                                    Vineland, NJ

09 – Mickey’s Black Box                                    Lititz, PA

11 – The Machine Shop                                     Flint, MI

12 – The Arcada Theatre                                   St. Charles, IL

15 – Blue Note                                                   Harrison, OH

16 – The Basement East                                   Nashville, TN

19 – House Of Blues                                         San Diego, CA

20 – Whisky A Go Go                                        Los Angeles, CA

22 – Goldfield Trading Post                               Roseville, CA

www.thedeaddaisies.com

Capulet Fest 2024 Full Lineup Announced!

keep up to date at capuletfest.com

TIER 2 PRICING ENDS TUESDAY AT MIDNIGHT!
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BUY BEFORE 5/1/2024 FOR THE BEST PRICE!

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**BEST DEAL** with added Value!
save $$$, access to 24 meet & greets over the entire weekend,
plus access to the Royal Pass Lounge!
Limited available. Get them before they sell out!
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• 1 Weekend Entry Ticket & VIP Parking Pass

• Early entry

• Meet & Greet all 3 days

• Royal Pass Lounge indoors with air conditioned bathrooms (complementary waters)

• Ear Plugs and Festival Merch (Lanyard/badge, shirt, event poster, bag, bumper sticker, temp tattoo)

GET THE ROYAL PASS

Get Pumped! Our Headliners are Ready to Rock!

FULL LINEUP HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED!

Hold onto your seats! The final 4 in the lineup are here and they're all set for the meet & greet! Time for some fun!

Lacey Sturm of Flyleaf

Zero 9:36

Islander

Letter Kills

full album play of “The Bridge”

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Parking & Camping

Don’t forget to purchase your GA or VIP parking spots. RV and Regular Camping Spots Available.

Exciting news! We've teamed up with the incredible Wellsworth Hotel.

Hotel Information coming in the next couple of days!

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Darkest Hour To Join Fit For An Autopsy & Sylosis on EU & UK Tour This Fall

Darkest Hour continues to celebrate the release of their blistering new album, Perpetual | Terminal, and announce a new UK and EU tour, supporting Fit For An Autopsy and Sylosis on 25 dates this fall. The tour kicks off on November 22, 2024, in London at the Electric Brixton and wraps on December 21, 2024, in Köln, Germany, at Essigfabrik. See full dates below.

Darkest Hour’s Mike Schleibaum says, "We are so absolutely excited to announce that we will return to the EU and UK this year with new music and old friends! All in the spirit of celebrating the release of our new album, Perpetual | Terminal. This tour covers a lot of ground and we are honored to team up with good friends  FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY  and incredible bands SYLOSIS & HERIOT! Joining forces with them allows us to bring our special style of Melodic Death Metal to some places that we haven’t played in over a decade. Looking forward to closing out 2024 on this tour, if you live near or in any of these cities do not miss this massive metal party!” 

General on-sale tickets will be available beginning Monday, April 29th. For more information and ticket links, click here.

The band released their new album, Perpetual | Terminal, earlier this year. Kerrang gave the album 4 / 5, saying, “The mighty Darkest Hour deliver yet another slice of pure melodic death nirvana,” while Blabbermouth wrote, “As great as diehard fans will be expecting, and maybe even greater than that, Perpetual | Terminal adds yet more weight to DARKEST HOUR's unassailable reputation. Listen and learn, half-assed infidels: The experts are back.”

Darkest Hour tune into the cycle of death and rebirth, absorbing its intensity and spitting it back at the world in the form of a signature hybrid anchored by death metal exorcisms, thrash recklessness, hardcore punk attitude, and melodic catharsis at the speed of a circle pit. The Washington, D.C. quintet—Mike Schleibaum [guitar], John Henry [vocals], Aaron Deal [bass], Travis Orbin [drums], and Nico Santora [guitar]—have weathered time, trends, and tides of change and stand stronger nearly three decades since their formation.

The band, as a whole, have weathered time, trends, and tides of change and stand stronger nearly three decades since their formation. Their unique sonic style incorporates death metal exorcisms, thrash recklessness, hardcore punk attitude, and melodic catharsis at the speed of a circle pit.

Perpetual | Terminal is the band’s tenth full-length offering, available now on MNRK Heavy.

Stream/get Perpetual | Terminal here.

Connect with Darkest Hour:
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My Epic Sign to Tooth & Nail + Announce "Loriella" Album + Share "Northstar" Video

Tooth & Nail Records is pleased to add My Epic to its global roster. The band — Aaron Stone [guitar, vocals], Tanner Morita [guitar], and Nate Washburn[guitar, bass] — was formerly signed to Facedown Records. They've shifted and grown, and their sound accounts for lots of lived experience.

The band will release its label debut (and fourth album overall) Loriella on June 28. Pre-order it here.

"Loriella is a record about progression, joy, and the confidence that can only grow after the loss of innocence," the band states. "It's the soundtrack to a hard-won optimism that comes from a commitment to living with 'open hearts and calloused hands.' Massive in dynamic, with intention in every detail, we've never worked harder and can't wait to share these songs."

The time to share these songs has arrived, as the band has dropped the video for the expansive, room-filling, and darkly atmospheric first single "Northstar." Watch it below. 

"We don't keep the peace, we make it,'" the band says, referencing a key lyric in the track. "'Northstar' is a future forward production of a classic My Epic formula: Powerful melodic hooks, interspersed with moody dynamic shifts, all culminating in a massive ending. It's a song about how making peace with the past is the most powerful way forward."

ABOUT MY EPIC:
My Epic tune into this moment of reawakening on their fourth full-length offering and Tooth & Nail Records debut Loriella. Balancing waves of warm distorted fuzz with lush melodies and cinematic production, the group make the kind of music that rouses the senses and might just encourage you to open your eyes, mind, and heart a little wider.
 
"The record is about having lived long enough to lose your innocence and still being able to find joy, hope, peace, and faith," explains Aaron. "I can be a critical person, but there's a difference between being critical and cynical. I understand why people end up choosing cynicism, because sometimes it can seem like the best way to make sense of all the data in the world–but I think cynicism is death. It's part of my aim to fight cynicism at every turn. The album is about discovery and re-engaging life with purpose on new terms of your own."
 
Throughout the past two decades, the band have quietly, yet consistently engaged a devout fanbase with a simultaneously anthemic and intricate approach to alternative rock. They've progressed across the likes of I Am Undone [2008], Yet [2010], and Behold [2013]. The latter notably catapulted onto the Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart. Generating millions of streams, their catalog expanded with fan favorite EPs such as Viscera [2016], Ultraviolet [2018], and Violence [2019]—which HM Magazine hailed as "a blend of indie-alternative enchantments." Meanwhile, Cory Brandan of Norma Jean lent his voice to "White Noises.” During 2020, the band signed to Tooth & Nail, turning the page on another chapter as they set their sights on their first full-length since 2013. In between, life happened as band members became dads and moved around personally and professionally. 
 
For the first time, Nate assumed the role of primary producer, and Loriella materialized over the course of two years in three different studios. Along the way, they nodded to early inspirations such as The Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters, and Third Eye Blind. 

PHOTO: Grant A. Nicholls

Black Veil Brides Sign With Spinefarm, Announce "Bleeders" EP + Share Video

BLACK VEIL BRIDES kick off a new season of redemption and revenge with "Bleeders," a cinematic music video, battle cry, and tour conceived by band leader Andy Biersack. The "Bleeders" single and enchanting music video (directed by Jensen Noen) coincide with a forthcoming EP of the same name. 

Watch the video below.
 
The Bleeders EP is both a soundtrack and a signpost of everything BVB past, present, and future. The band's inaugural release in a new partnership with Spinefarm boasts the title track, a loving rendition of Sweeney Todd’s "My Friends," and a faithful cover of U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday."
 
The Bleeders Tour transforms the band's theatrical and allegorical tales of vengeance into real-world philanthropy, incorporating a virtual blood drive with the American Red Cross. "As Bleeders, it's our mission to effect positive change. Help us to help others in this time of need," reads a statement from the band, comprised of Biersack, Jake Pitts, Jinxx, Christian "C.C." Coma, and Lonny Eagleton. 
 
One pint of blood can save as many as three lives. As of April 22, fans have pledged 1577 pints. 

Before the birth of the BVB Army, the thousands of lyric tattoos, and the gold and platinum records that followed, Black Veil Brides was simply a dark vision dreamt up by an only child in Ohio. 
 
He already loved Batman and KISS. Then, the striking visage of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, on the cover of his dad's dusty CD (released a dozen years before he was born) kicked open the door for Biersack. Sweeney Todd cleared the way for The Phantom of the Opera, Misfits, and all that followed, culminating in the birth of Andy Black and the ascension of Black Veil Brides.  
 
The group's cinematic scope and unwavering commitment to self-expression strikes a familiar chord with their fellow "bleeders" who seek refuge (and revenge) in the power of the dark and imagination. 
 
There are over 160 million views of "Knives and Pens," an early demo committed to music video before Andy (who moved to Hollywood at 18 and lived in his car) met his band of brothers. The RIAA-certified platinum single "In the End," itself close to 170 million views, proved the group whose merch dominated Hot Topic before they’d even made their debut album was built to last. In 2021, "Scarlet Cross" became their highest-charting, Top 10 single. "Fallen Angels" went gold in 2023.  
 
They combine a unique identity with an unquenchable creative thirst. They're an object of devotion for those who sing their anthems in unison, a diverse BVB Army who never surrenders. Bleeders offers a taste of what will become Black Veil Brides' most visceral, cinematic, and unrelenting era yet.
 
Black Veil Brides and their audience slash away at the darkness together, bleeders one and all. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Joshua Shultz

BLACK VEIL BRIDES ON TOUR:
WITH DARK DIVINE, CREEPER + GHOSTKID:
4/25 — San Francisco, CA — Fillmore
4/27 — Las Vegas, NV — Sick New World*
4/28 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Depot
4/29 — Denver, CO — Ogden Theater
4/30 — Kansas City, MO — The Truman
5/2 — Minneapolis, MN — Fillmore
5/3 — Chicago, IL — Concord Music Hall
5/4 — Green Bay, WI — Epic
5/5 — Detroit, MI — Royal Oak Theater
5/7 — Albany, NY — Empire Live
5/8 — Boston, MA — House of Blues Boston
5/9 — Richmond, VA — The National
5/10 — Raleigh, NC — The Ritz
5/12 — Daytona Beach, FL — Welcome to Rockville*
5/13 — Atlanta, GA — Buckhead Theater
5/15 — New York, NY — Palladium Times Square
5/16 — Philadelphia, PA — Fillmore
5/17 — Columbus, OH — Sonic Temple*
5/18 — Nashville, TN — Marathon Music Works
5/20 — San Antonio, TX — The Aztec Theatre
5/21 — Houston, TX — RISE
5/22 — Dallas, TX — The Factory
5/24 — Tempe, AZ — The Marquee
5/25 — Los Angeles, CA — The Belasco
*Festival Date

ABOUT SPINEFARM:
Spinefarm represents some of the biggest and most important rock acts in the world. Founded in Finland in 1990, the label established itself as an independent powerhouse for successful European metal acts from Nightwish to Children Of Bodom. Acquired by UMG in 2002, Spinefarm Music Group is now home to a host of artists that reach millions of fans across the globe and showcases the very best in rock, punk and metal. From massive metal names such as Bullet For My Valentine (with over 3 billion streams to their name) to alt-rock legends Killing Joke and genre-benders Sleep Token, Spinefarm's artists are — and always have been —true leaders in their chosen field. The roster also includes renowned names like Atreyu, Airbourne, Saint Asonia, and While She Sleeps, as well as fast-rising young artists like Dayseeker, Dead Poet Society, Kid Kapichi, BRKN LOVE, and Creeper. Spinefarm, now flanked by associated SMG labels Candlelight (Emperor, Ihsahn, Urne) and Snakefarm (Marty Stuart, Austin Meade, The White Buffalo), has grown from its independent origins into a true global rock powerhouse.

New music from Take Offense

Take Offense ’s new single 'S.W.O' (Split Wide Open) plunges into Slayer-like fury, chugging ahead at near impossible speeds while taking time out to throw in impressive fretboard gymnastics and a few dive bombs.

The track isn’t just senseless savagery though, as vocalist Anthony Herrera explains that the underlying inspiration stems from emotional vulnerability. “‘Split Wide Open’ is about being a writer and putting yourself out there. These things can be very personal, but they also mean a lot to others too.” 

Cali thrashers Take Offense forge ahead towards new frontiers on their forthcoming album T.O.tality. After nearly two decades of grinding and the accompanying blood/sweat, Take Offense have mastered their craft, reaching the pinnacle of their expansive sound. T.O.tality, their fourth overall album and label debut for MNRK Heavy, is marked with a sense of modernity– incorporating the hard-driving ethos of thrash, the finesse of speed metal, the sneering tenacity of hardcore all while nodding to their home of Southern California.

Take Offense look toward the tone and attitude of their California counterparts– bands like EXCEL and Suicidal Tendencies who also leaned heavily into skate aesthetics but worshipped Sunset Strip-and-adjacent guitar dieties like Warren Di Martini and Eddie Van Halen. T.O.tality is a love letter to that scene and those times, delivered in the form of an armada of fourteen nitro-equipped tracks that explode through barricades of genre convention and emptying the clip with fresh ideas. It’s a tribute to local heroes with familiar approaches that are wholly and undoubtedly Take Offense.

Take Offense - T.O.tality CD

PRE-ORDER

Annie Bosko Releases “Neon Baby (Last Call)” - Acoustic Version

When Annie Bosko released her sultry “Neon Baby” to country radio in November 2023, it arrived as the third-most-added single. The song’s contagiously flirty lyrics and budding popularity led to Bosko making her late night debut on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Now, Bosko is providing an acoustic twist to the single currently at Country radio with the release of “Neon Baby (Last Call),” available now. 
 
“This version really allows the vocal and romantic sentiment to shine through,” shares Bosko. “The warmth of the track matches the turn of the season and warmer weather. I envisioned myself on a stool serenading late-night lovers dancing in a divebar.”
 
Written by Bosko with Jeffrey Steele (Rascal Flatts’ “What Hurts The Most,” Tim McGraw’s “The Cowboy In Me”) and Bridgette Tatum (Jason Aldean’s “She’s Country”), and working with producers Derek George and Mickey Jack Cones, “Neon Baby” entices listeners with the California native’s flare for neo-traditional twang, a fitting conduit for its playful lyrics.
 
“Neon Baby (Last Call)” comes on the heels of Bosko’s recently released duet with Vince Gill, “Higher Ground” – and follows the release of her self-titled EP earlier this year, featuring five songs including the original rendition of “Neon Baby.”
 
Bosko is set to take the stage at Stagecoach tomorrow, Saturday, April 27 at the Toyota Music Den following a performance at Ryman Auditorium earlier this week for the Walkin’ After Midnight: The Music of Patsy Cline tribute show, with ABC News/“Good Morning America” praising, “Annie Bosko wowed with ‘You’re Stronger Than Me.’”
 
Having recently made her international debut at C2C: Country to Country in Glasgow with a solo acoustic set to a sold-out arena, Bosko will perform on additional festival stages across the U.S. this spring and summer, including CMA Fest, Country Jam, Faster Horses and Watershed Festival.
 
For a full list of tour dates, visit AnnieBosko.com or follow on Instagram, TikTok Twitter/X @AnnieBosko and Facebook.com/AnnieBoskoMusic.

About Annie Bosko
With a voice that beams like a ray of California sunshine, Stone Country Records/Brown Sellers Brown Management singer-songwriter Annie Bosko pairs a sound anchored deep in the organic twang of ‘90s country with simple songs told from the heart, preaching equal parts healing and honky-tonk hope. A student of legendary crooners like Patsy Cline with added inspiration from Shania Twain, George Strait, Dwight Yoakam, The Beatles and more, the Golden State native broke out in 2014 with the SiriusXM/CMT hit “Crooked Halo,” bucking the bro-country trend for a traditionally flavored anthem that has now amassed more than 3 million streams. She went on to write songs recorded by Willie Nelson and Jessica Simpson, tour alongside Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley and Blake Shelton, sell out the famed Troubadour and perform on the Grand Ole Opry and at Ryman Auditorium–the fabled Mother Church of Country Music–while also becoming an in-demand studio vocalist and earning the title Artist to Watch from rolling Stone Country. After a series of standout collaborations with country icons Vince Gill, Dwight Yoakam and Raul Malo, she is now embracing her true nature for creative rejuvenation. Working with producers Derek George and Mickey Jack Cones, a new batch of music pairs unapologetic twang, clever wordplay, and deep compassion with her long standing downhome-diva vocal, capturing the full range of timeless American art in its purest form. In 2023, Bosko released the powerful-yet-tender ballad “Dandelions” in memory of the victims of Nashville’s Covenant School shooting–a track written alongside Danny Myrick which has now become a beacon of community remembrance and faith. Lost in grief and capturing the reverberating shock of that day’s unfathomable loss, the track has been embraced by the Covenant School families themselves, with all proceeds being donated for their benefit through ACM Lifting Lives. Her five-song EP Annie Bosko is available now, featuring sharp-yet-simple, pure-country songs written or co-written with hitmakers like Jeffrey Steele, Bridgette Tatum and more, all aimed at uplifting, inspiring or just singing along with women and country-music lovers everywhere.

Eric Church’s Soulful Set at Stagecoach

In what he calls “the most ambitious set of his career,” Eric Church surprised Stagecoach’s Friday night crowd with a disruptive, unexpected performance.

His seventh time playing the festival – and fifth time headlining – he took the sold-out crowd back to the foundation of where it all started for him musically. With an acoustic guitar and a 16-person choir that included longtime collaborator Joanna Cotten, the 75-minute non-stop Gospel-influenced set opened with "Hallelujah” and included covers “Take Me To The River,” “Stand By Me,” “Danny’s Song” and “Gin and Juice” threaded with tones of Mr. Misunderstood’s “Mistress Named Music” and Heart & Soul’s “Heart On Fire” throughout creating a full-fledged Outsiders revival, only to be concluded by his band rising from beneath the stage to join on the final few songs.

“This was the most difficult set I have ever attempted,” Church admits. “I've always found that taking it back to where it started, back to chasing who Bob Seger loves, who Springsteen loves, who Willie Nelson loves, you chase it back to the origin. The origin of all that is still the purest form of it. And we don't do that as much anymore. It felt good at this moment to go back, take a choir and do that.”

On the boundary-pushing set, Church adds, “For me, it's always been something with records, with performances, I've always been the one that's like, ‘let's do something really, really strange and weird and take a chance.’ Sometimes it doesn't work, but it's okay if you're living on that edge, because that edge, that cutting edge, is where all the new guys are going to gravitate to anyway. So if you can always challenge yourself that way, it always cuts sharper than any other edge.”

Eric Church performs at Stagecoach in Indio, California on Friday, April 26, 2024. ⎸ Photo Credit: Getty Images for Stagecoach 

About Eric Church
A seven-time ACM Award winner, four-time CMA Award winner (including the 2020 award for Entertainer of the Year) and 10-time GRAMMY nominee, Church has amassed a passionate fan base around the globe known as the Church Choir, plus a critically acclaimed catalog of music. Church is currently working on new music as the follow up to his most recent chart-topping project, the Heart & Soul triple album, which featured the results of a marathon session during which he spent nearly a month writing and recording a song per day while sequestered in rural North Carolina. This followed his Gold-certified Desperate Man, which earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Album (his third nod in the category) and prior releases including the Platinum-certified Sinners Like Me (“How ’Bout You,” “Guys Like Me”), Carolina (“Smoke a Little Smoke,” “Love Your Love the Most”) and Mr. Misunderstood (“Record Year,” “Round Here Buzz”), the Double-Platinum certified The Outsiders (“Like a Wrecking Ball,” “Talladega”) and the 3x Platinum-certified Chief (“Springsteen,” “Drink In My Hand”), as well as 30 Gold, Platinum and multi-Platinum certified songs. Church is also a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets, a co-owner of the iconic Field & Stream brand, has his own SiriusXM music channel, “Eric Church Outsiders Radio,” his own liquor offering, Whiskey JYPSI, and Chief’s, a six-story venue on Nashville’s famed lower Broadway.

For more information, visit www.ericchurch.com and follow on Facebook and Twitter/X @ericchurch and Instagram @ericchurchmusic.

Scotty McCreery Releases "Lonely" from 'Rise and Fall' Arriving May 10

Triple Tigers recording artist Scotty McCreery may be a happily married father, but that is not stopping him from tapping into a bit of sorrow for his latest release out today, “Lonely,” from his upcoming album Rise and Fall. This will be the final song released from Rise and Fall before the album comes out on May 10. Listen to “Lonely” Below.
 
“I love a good heartbreak, honky-tonk country song, and ‘Lonely’ is definitely that,” said McCreery. “Brent, Derek, Frank, Bobby, Jeremy, Monty and I had such a good time writing this song on my back porch in the mountains of North Carolina. This song is so much fun to perform live and have the audience sing along with us. I’ve had a lot of requests from fans who’ve heard this song on the road to put it out on streaming. Here you go!” 
 
Written by McCreery with Brent Anderson, Derek George, Frank Rogers, Bobby Hamrick, Jeremy Bussey and Monty Criswell, “Lonely” is a dark-and-dusky two-stepper drenched in heartbreak. Set in a late-night local hole-in-the-wall and narrated by a guy looking to forget why he came in the bar to begin with, friends join him in his effort to drown out the pain turning the barroom into a sing along.
 
      Friends on the jukebox and friends wall to wall 
      Dimes on the dance floor and cheap alcohol 
      Round after round, we're all having a ball 
      I guess lonely ain't lonely after all 
      No lonely ain't lonely after all
  
The newest member of the legendary Grand Ole Opry will also return to the stage where he won hearts across the nation over 13 years ago. McCreery is set to perform his chart-topping hit “Cab in a Solo” on “American Idol” this Sunday, April 28. Catch his guest performance live coast-to-coast on ABC at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT and stream on Hulu.
 
McCreery is also set to return to “The Kelly Clarkson Show” on Wednesday, May 1 with a special performance from the Grand Ole Opry stage. Check local listings for time.
 
McCreery will return to the Grand Ole Opry stage on May 11, just one day after he releases his new album Rise and Fall. The first 400 ticketholders who also purchase the album onsite in the Opry Shop that evening will gain access to an exclusive album release celebration and acoustic performance with Scotty directly following the show in the Opry House’s Studio A. For Opry tickets and information, visit Opry.com.
 
Rise and Fall will feature 13 tracks that find him exploring not only heartbreak but rowdy nights, nostalgia, faith, newfound joy, fatherhood and enduring love, resulting in a project full of insightful storytelling. The album was produced by McCreery’s longtime production team of Frank Rogers, Derek Wells and Aaron Eshuis.
 
McCreery co-wrote 12 of the 13 songs on the album, which will be released digitally as well as on CD and vinyl. In addition, Amazon will release a limited edition, forest green vinyl version of the album.

• Pre-order/pre-save Rise and Fall HERE

• Pre-order autographed vinyl and CDs of Rise and Fall HERE

“I know every artist says it, but this is truly my favorite album I’ve made so far,” shares McCreery. “I wanted to create an album that reflected the music I grew up on and wasn’t chasing trends. So, I brought several of my songwriting buddies to the mountains of North Carolina to sit down and write a full-on country album that told a story, start to finish, and spoke to my soul. We’ve been performing most of the album live on the road and the response from the audiences has been overwhelming. I can’t wait for everyone to hear Rise and Fall when it comes out May 10th.”
 
The North Carolina native knows all too well there’s a rhythm to life and a cycle of ups and downs. And right now, he’s on the upswing.

Now 30 years old and a seasoned country music veteran selling out concerts across the globe with five consecutive No. 1 hits under his belt, McCreery is also a dedicated husband and father, welcoming a son named Avery in 2022, whose impact on the singer is highlighted in several songs on the album. Recently, he even celebrated the milestone of all milestones for a guy who grew up on Randy Travis, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Ronnie Milsap; he was invited by his musical hero Garth Brooks to become the newest member of the iconic Grand Ole Opry. McCreery was just welcomed into the Opry family on April 20 by two more of his heroes, Josh Turner and Randy Travis.
 
But folks like McCreery know it means more when you’ve seen the other side. For him, each highlight has come in contrast to a challenge – things like the loss of his first record deal and the year of naysaying uncertainty that followed before he built himself up again, brick by brick. As a result, Rise and Fall comes from an artist who knows to appreciate the ride – no matter where it leads.
 
“I feel like we’re on the rise now, but I’ve fallen pretty low as well,” McCreery admits. “I learned from every little part of that, and it helped me to know who I was as a person – let alone an artist. The rises and the falls helped craft these songs. They made this album what it is.”
 
“Lonely” is the sixth song released from the album, following lead single “Cab in a Solo” and tracks “Red Letter Blueprint,” “Slow Dance,” “Can’t Pass the Bar” and “Love Like This.” A full listing of the album’s songs follows.

Photo Credit: Jeff Ray

Tickets for upcoming tour dates are on sale now at ScottyMcCreery.com.
   
About Scotty McCreery
Scotty McCreery has been a household name for nearly half his life, ever since making history in 2011 as both the first country artist and the youngest male artist of any genre to debut his first studio album, the Platinum-certified Clear as Day, at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. With his forthcoming album Rise and Fall set for release May 10, featuring current single “Cab in a Solo” along with 12 additional tracks, McCreery explores classic themes of heartbreak, rowdy nights, nostalgia, faith, newfound joy, fatherhood, and enduring love, and through it all, felt comfortable being himself, resulting in a project full of electrified twang, rich baritone vocals and insightful storytelling. The 30-year-old has sold more than 4 million albums and achieved 5 consecutive No.1 hits: the RIAA Platinum-certified “Damn Strait,” the RIAA Gold certified “You Time,” the RIAA Gold certified “In Between,” the RIAA Platinum certified “This is It,” and the RIAA Triple Platinum certified ‘Five More Minutes.” The North Carolina native has earned one Triple Platinum, five Platinum and four Gold singles; one Platinum and two Gold albums; won the 10th season of “American Idol” in 2011 at age 17; was named the ACM New Artist of the Year in 2011; won two CMT Music Awards for Breakthrough Video of the Year (“The Trouble with Girls”) in 2012 and Digital-First Performance of the Year (“It Matters to Her” on “CMT Stages”) in 2024; and BMI Awards for writing One of the Top 50 Country Songs of the Year five times (in 2015 for “See You Tonight,” in 2018 for “Five More Minutes,” in 2019 for “This is It,” in 2021 for “In Between,” and in 2022 for “You Time”). He was awarded Pandora Billionaire status in 2021 in recognition of his music achieving more than one billion streams on Pandora. His song “Five More Minutes” inspired two popular holiday movies which aired on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Network: “Five More Minutes” in 2021 and “Five More Minutes: Moments Like These” in 2022. He released his first book Go Big or Go Home: The Journey Toward the Dream in 2016. His most recent album is Same Truck: The Deluxe Album. This fall McCreery was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame and last year was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry by Garth Brooks. McCreery was just welcomed into the Opry family on April 20 by his heroes, Josh Turner and Randy Travis. The singer/songwriter married his high school sweetheart Gabi in 2018, and the couple had their first son Avery in October 2022. For more information, visit ScottyMcCreery.com.

Darius Rucker Reimagines "Never Been Over" with Jennifer Nettles, Out Now

Already an emotional cornerstone of recent album Carolyn’s Boy from three-time GRAMMY Award-winner Darius Rucker, standout song “Never Been Over” now arrives as a duet with the captivating vocals of GRAMMY Award-winning entertainment powerhouse Jennifer Nettles adding a new dimension to the emotional ballad. Listen HERE.
 
Penned by Rucker alongside Lee Thomas Miller and Brothers Osborne’s John Osborne, the original release of “Never Been Over” was celebrated by Billboard as a flipped perspective to Rucker’s chart-topping “It Won’t Be Like This For Long,” with the reflective song “looking back on a couple’s love nearly two decades later, chronicling years of emotional zeniths and low points, a duration spent raising kids and building a life together one day at a time”:
 
        We’ve been good and bad, hot and cold
        And fightin’ mad, solid gold
        Been sunny days, straight-line winds
        Been drivin’ slow and guilty as sin
        Been back roads lost and blue lights found
        Dead of quiet, rockstar loud
        Been up and down like we’re built on springs
        We’ve been a lot of things 
 
        But we’ve never been 
        Splittin’ up friends, splittin’ up records
        Puttin’ up walls, burnin’ down letters
        Grass is greener ‘cause there’s something better
        Waitin’ down the line
        We’ve never been a headlights weaving, taillights fadin’
        So long, move on, goodbye waitin’
        Never been one last long look across your shoulder
        We’ve been a lot of things, but we’ve never been over
 
“Writing that was very cathartic,” Rucker shared with Garden & Gun of the song. “It was almost like therapy for me. It’s so honest and one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written.”
 
“Now, to have Jennifer add her incredible voice to such an emotional song, you feel even more of what this couple is facing; unravelling the life they’ve built together,” reflects Rucker. “I’m so grateful she agreed to sing on it with me.”
 
“I’ve wanted to collaborate with Darius for such a long time! And when I heard the song, I loved its story,” adds Nettles. “But in addition to its theme of lifelong love, it feels so perfect for Darius and I to sing it together. Both of our careers have grown and changed so dramatically since we each started out. And, as the hook sings, ‘We’ve been a lot of things, but we’ve never been over.’ This song is a beautiful example and extension of that constant evolution.” 

Currently on the road in Europe for a run of solo shows ahead of this summer’s Hootie & the Blowfish Summer Camp with Trucks Tour, Rucker is also preparing to share his first book with fans, a memoir titled “Life’s Too Short.” Set for release May 28, the memoir sees Rucker share the story of his life through the music that has defined it, offering readers an intimate glimpse into his journey from music enthusiast to music icon. Pre-order HERE.
 
For more information, visit DariusRucker.com and follow on social media @DariusRucker.

Courtesy of Capitol Records Nashville

About Darius Rucker
Rucker first achieved multi-Platinum status in the music industry as lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the GRAMMY Award-winning band Hootie & the Blowfish, who have sold more than 25 million albums worldwide including their Double Diamond-certified (21x Platinum) debut Cracked Rear View, which remains among the top 10 best-selling studio albums of all time. Since releasing his first Country album in 2008, Rucker has earned a whole new legion of fans with four No. 1 albums on the Billboard Country chart plus 10 No. 1 singles at Country radio and 11 Gold, Platinum or multi-Platinum certified hits. Rucker was inducted as a Grand Ole Opry member in 2012 and in 2014 he won his third career GRAMMY Award for Best Solo Country Performance with his Diamond-certified (11x Platinum) version of “Wagon Wheel,” one of the top five best-selling Country songs of all time. His brand-new album Carolyn’s Boy is available everywhere now and his first book, a memoir titled “Learn to Live” is set for release via Dey Street Books on May 28.
 
As a lifelong philanthropist, Rucker co-chaired the capital campaign that generated $150 million to help build the new MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital in his hometown of Charleston, S.C. and has raised over $3.6 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through his annual Darius & Friends benefit concert and golf tournament. In addition, Rucker has advocated for over 200 charitable causes supporting public education and junior golf programs in South Carolina through the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation and serves as a National Chair for the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville, Tenn. Rucker is also an avid sports fan, with his Darius Rucker Collection by Fanatics line of NFL, MLB and NCAA apparel available at Fanatics.com, and he is part of the Music City Baseball investment group working to bring an MLB team to Tennessee in addition to serving as a partner at the MGC Sports & Entertainment agency.  

About Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Nettles is a GRAMMY-winning, Emmy-winning superstar entertainer on multiple platforms. She most recently appeared in Blumhouse’s new take of “The Exorcist” and returns seasonally in the HBO hit series “The Righteous Gemstones” as series favorite Aimee-Leigh. She also delivered a powerful and provocative performance in Focus Features’ Harriet Tubman biopic. Musically she recently earned an Emmy for Best Original Song for “Life is Sweet" featured in PBS’s “American Anthems.” Her latest solo album release was a genre-defying collection of American songbook classics entitled Always Like New. 

As half of the multi-Platinum Country duo Sugarland, she most recently announced a new tour upcoming this fall together with the band Little Big Town, along with the release of a new single cover of Phil Collins’ hit “Take Me Home.” Sugarland’s song “Stay,” written solely by Jennifer, was a Platinum No. 1 hit which earned her two GRAMMY Awards for Best Country Song as writer and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group. Nettles also earned a third GRAMMY for her collaboration with Bon Jovi on “Who Says You Can't Go Home.” Her other achievements in music include five ASCAP awards, six ACM Awards, five CMA Awards, the Human Rights Campaign’s Ally for Equality Award and the Artist Impact Award from Lincoln Center. Nettles made her Broadway debut in 2015 as Roxy Hart in the Tony Award-winning, record-breaking musical “Chicago,” and starred as Donna in the Hollywood Bowl’s summer production of “Mamma Mia!” as well as most recently starring as Jenna in the smash hit musical “Waitress.” She is also the host of Fox’s unscripted series “Farmer Wants a Wife.” She is currently developing a Broadway musical about 17th century crusading poisoner Giulia Tofana.

DYLAN SCHNEIDER IS GOOD AT MAKING BAD DECISIONS WITH NEW EP AVAILABLE NOW

“Country Music’s Next Rising Star” (Billboard), Dylan Schneider “is proving to be all gas, no brakes in 2024” (Taste of Country) today releasing his latest EP, Bad Decisions, ahead of his Stagecoach Festival debut performance this Sunday, April 28. Finding “storylines that make country music listeners go wild is his superpower,” and the BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville singer-songwriter “not only lives up to his hitmaker status, but he exceeds it” (All Country News). Listen now Below.

“This is my favorite batch of songs that I have ever released,” says Schneider. “Bad Decisions shares my vision of where I’m heading creatively and sonically. I have a lot of different influences ranging from hip-hop to R&B to country, and with this EP, I’m able to explore all of that. This is also my first project where I co-wrote every single song, so I’m excited to play these out on the road for y’all and see what you think!

Featuring his viral songs “Ain’t Missin’ You” and title track “Bad Decisions” that PopCulture demanded to “PLAY IT LOUD,” the six-track project includes new songs “Carhartt,” “Ruin This Town” and “Buy That Girl A Beer” that are sure to catapult his already viral resume. 

After posting a snippet of a sharp-witted chorus on TikTok, the sound went viral, racking up over 156M TikTok views, 182k user-generated TikTok videos, 55M on-demand streams and 1M YouTube views, climbing to #3 on TikTok’s Country playlist and securing placement on viral-song charts. Seeing the incredible response, Schneider immediately went back to the writing room to finish the spit-fire track – “Ain’t Missin’ You.” Boasting wily lyrics and an electric hook, the feisty song finds the “Artist to Watch” (Amazon Music, Pandora, Taste of Country) continuing to “expand the bounds of his artistry” (American Songwriter) and lean into MusicRow’s “Next Big Thing” prediction.

Continuing to strongly connect, having already amassed over 3.8M TikTok views, 26,000 filter creates, 5,000 user-generated TikTok videos and 7.3M streams, Schneider gave into fan-demand again with the sultry track “Bad Decisions.” Seduced by a magnetic connection with an ex, the seductive song follows a couple who just can’t help but give into temptation.

Filling out the rest of the project, Schneider delivers his most-vulnerable song to date with the autobiographical “Daddy Drinks Whiskey” that “takes one of country music’s drinks of choice and turns it into a personal story he’s finally ready to share” (American Songwriter). While the stadium-ready, supercharged anthem "Ruin This Town” showcases his “rapid-fire singing style” (Billboard), the  live-in-the-moment reminder of ballad “Buy That Girl A Beer” puts his eclectic vocals and lyrical growth on full display. Finally, the insanely catchy, witty and vibrant groove of “Carhartt” flows with an unforgettable, anthemic beat about a girl who got away that's sure to be his next viral song of summer.

At only 24-years-old, Schneider has amassed a social-media following of 1.8M + fans, banked over 350M on-demand streams, and has toured alongside superstars like Florida Georgia Line, Morgan Wallen, Scotty McCreery, Nate Smith and more. Next up, Schneider joins Kane Brown on his “In The Air” Tour.

UPCOMING TOUR DATES:

April 28 - Indio, CA - Stagecoach

May 18 - Albuquerque, NM - Boots In The Park

May 19 - Tempe, AZ - Boots In The Park

June 1 - Danville, VA - Carrington Pavilion

June 8 - Nashville, TN - CMA Fest - Chevy Vibes Stage

June 9 - Myrtle Beach, SC - Carolina Country Music Fest

June 14 - Clearlake, CA - Austin Park

June 15 - Santa Rosa, CA - Country Summer Music Festival

June 20 - Mack, CO - Country Jam

June 27 - Cadott, WI - Country Fest

June 28 - Arnolds Park, IA - Arnolds Park Amusement Park

July 10 - Fort Loramie, OH - Country Concert 

July 12 - Knoxville, IA - Marion County Fair

July 13 - Beaver Dam, KY - Beaver Dam Amphitheater

July 19 - York, PA - York State Fair*

August 2 - Orange Beach, AL - The Wharf Amphitheater*

August 4 - Hollywood, FL - Hard Rock Live*

August 21 - Fort Hall, ID - Shoshone-Bannock Hotel Casino*

*with Kane Brown

About Dylan Schneider:

Drawn to the storytelling aspects of country music, Dylan Schneider started performing and writing songs at the age of 14, after meeting Brett Eldredge and singing with him on-stage during a concert. After that, he began posting videos to his Facebook page, where he’d cover popular Country songs, gaining a devoted online following. Since then, Schneider has made a name for himself in the Country music community, forging a sound that merges modern pop sensibilities with a down-home feel. He’s been named a “Breakthrough Artist to Watch” by Amazon Music, an “Artist to Watch” by Pandora, Taste of Country and Sounds Like Nashville and declared “Country Music’s Next Rising Star” by Billboard. He’s toured with Florida Georgia Line, Morgan Wallen, Kane Brown, Scotty McCreery, Dan + Shay and more, co-wrote Dustin Lynch’s Top 5 hit song “Momma’s House,” scored two RIAA-certified Gold records, accumulated over 1.8M social media followers and banked an upwards of 350M on-demand streams (and counting). Signed to BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville, the MusicRow-praised “Next Big Thing” just released his latest EP, Bad Decisions, April 26, before making his Stagecoach Festival debut performance. Embracing his irresistible rock-n-roll edge and unrestrained pop-country swagger that gained him over 500,000 social media followers in just a few months, the upcoming six-track EP features his viral hits “Ain’t Missin’ You” and “Bad Decisions.” Kicking off 2024 on Nate Smith’s “World On Fire” Tour, next up, Schneider will join Kane Brown on his “In The Air” Tour this fall. 

KEEP UP WITH DYLAN SCHNEIDER

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK | X 

The Callous Daoboys touring with SeeYouSpaceCowboy this summer

It's shaping up to be a wild summer for The Callous Daoboys, as they just announced they'll be supporting SeeYouSpaceCowboy  starting in mid July all the way through mid August. And this is after two shows opening up for The Dillinger Escape Plan in June. Buckle up and get your tickets soon!

CLICK FOR MORE INFO

Extortionist Release New Single + Music Video "When It All Goes Dark" via Unique Leader Records

Extortionist have today released their latest single "When It All Goes Dark" and the official video (via Unique Leader Records). The track can be found on the band's upcoming new album 'Devoid of Love & Light' set for release on Friday, May 17. Speaking about the inspiration behind today's release, the band shared:

“'When It All Goes Dark' is the conclusion of the upcoming full-length “Devoid of Love & Light”. 

The track is a middle finger pointed towards crooked practices, cliques, and individuals within the music industry and a metaphorical presentation of enduring & navigating a “hive-mind” mentality." 

Prior to today, Extortionist dropped the album title track "Devoid of Love & Light" along with the visual accompaniment. Stream "When It All Goes Dark" here and watch the music video below.

Band names go a long way in helping paint a figurative picture in the listener's mind of what to expect before one ever hits “play.” When it comes to Extortionist, you think crime—you think gritty, raw, merciless and unsavory and maybe, just maybe, a little sprinkling of suaveness. When it comes to the Pacific Northwest’s resident moshslingers, those premonitions from their name are exactly what you get. As a band who have proven themselves exemplary at styles of heavy music ranging from downtempo deathcore to grunge-tinted metal, Extortionist are more than just a jack-of-all-trades; they’re masters. Utilizing bold, roaring guitars overtop crushing, steamrolling percussion and vocals that run the gamut from guttural to grating, pitched singing and topped off with—you guessed it—a now-infamous dodgeball-smack snare, Extortionist have proven that not only are they incredible at what they do, they’re a band that the heavy scene just can’t go without.

Emerging from the relatively understated pastures and prairies of Coeur d’Alene in early 2013, to say Extortionist have been on a journey since their inception would be an understatement. With "The Black Sheep" instantly earning them notoriety with its combination of feral grooves and eviscerating breakdowns, Extortionist proved themselves early on as prodigal masters of all things punishingly heavy. As the band grew and gained more experience on the road in light of the success of their debut EP, their style and dynamic grew as well. After nearly four years of touring and writing, Extortionist would unleash 'The Decline' in 2017, a band that saw their breed of brutalizing deathcore hybridized with riff-heavy metalcore and more introspective lyrics that tackled suicidal ideation and substance abuse. 'The Decline' was met with immense critical praise and continued to open up larger opportunities for the Northwestern act, ultimately earning them multiple co-headlining tours from coast to coast, and a spot on Stay Sick Records, alongside other up-and-coming heavyweights like SPITE and Bodysnatcher. Barely a year and a half after their signing, the band announced their sophomore full-length release, 'Sever the Cord', which saw them experimenting with the inclusion of grunge and alternative influences, adding even more depth and grit to their dynamic. Their sophomore album earned them not only critical acclaim, but nationwide tours alongside The Browning, Betraying the Martyrs, Lorna Shore and First Blood. 'Sever the Cord' was followed shortly thereafter by an eponymous EP which saw them diving deeper into a more exploratory realm of metalcore, colliding ferocious riffs into moments of warm, nostalgic melody. While their self-titled release was widely heralded as the band’s strongest work to date, was declared their Swan Song, as in the weeks that followed towards the back-end of Summer 2019, Extortionist announced their dissolution.

That isn’t the end of Extortionist’s story, however. As 2019 gave way into 2020 and the chaotic months that followed, the heavy music community felt the band’s absence all too strongly. In the early months of 2021, Extortionist announced their return with a series of shows in Spokane, Washington alongside AVOID and Seconds Ago as well as a new single, “Once More in Torment”. Once more highlighting the seamless blend of raunchy aggression and groove-heavy catchiness that only Extortionist can provide, the band’s comeback track is a strong reminder of just how missed they were throughout their nearly two-year absence. Frontman and founding member Benjamin Hoagland states “This is the best place we’ve ever been in as a band...Extortionist lives, and we’re here to stay.” Indeed, with a full-length record in the works and a ferocious return to live performance already underway, it would seem that Exortionist’s relative break was only a brief moment with which to collect themselves before reasserting their dominance over the contemporary metalcore scene. - Connor Welsh

See the band across North America on the Angels & Villains Tour with Born of Osiris, Attila, Traitors, and Not Enough Space. For ticket information, please click here.

The Angels & Villains Tour USA 2024:

4/25 - Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl

4/26 - Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse

4/27 - Tampa, FL @ The Ritz

4/29 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Varsity Theater

5/01 - Corpus Christi, TX @ House of Rock

5/03 - Oklahoma City, OK @ 89th St. Collective

5/04 - Austin, TX @ Come and Take It Live

5/05 - San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger

5/07 - Albuquerque, NM @ El Rey Theater

5/08 - Mesa, AZ @ Nile Theater

5/09 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues

5/10 - Pomona, CA @ The Glass House

5/11 - Los Angeles, CA @ 1720

5/12 - San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom

5/14 - Portland, OR @ Bossanova Ballroom

5/15 - Seattle, WA @ The Showbox

5/17 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot

5/18 - Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre

5/20 - St. Lous, MO @ Red Flag

5/21 - Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre

5/22 - Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater

5/23 - Davenport, IA @ Capitol Theater

5/24 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave II

5/25 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge

5/26 - Pontiac, MI @ Crofoot Ballroom

Black Tusk Streaming New Album

Early praise for The Way Forward

"They are harder and heavier than ever on this record...Nearly twenty years into their career, Black Tusk show no sign of stopping or slowing down" - Metal Sucks (4/5)

"Powerful, defiant music... a record that fills you with the urge to fight for the future, windmilling like a maniac" - Distorted Sound (8/10)

"A record that just rocks, and rocks hard" - Wonderbox Metal

"The Way Forward is Black Tusk doing what they do best and that's playing a ton of fucked up and fast-paced grooves that destroy everything within its wake". - Outlaws of the Sun

"A raucous style of punky, hard rocking sludge, with minimum fuss and ample bursts of energy and ballsy aggression" - Angry Metal Guy

"Chaotic and raw, but also extremely catchy and memorable" - Metal Injection

"A no frills band that goes full throttle. Black Tusk are here to stay" - Heavy Music HQ

"An engine-wrecking riff-fest from the Savannah badlands" - Metal Hammer

"Black Tusk are pretty much the only Georgia metal act who still sound like they hail from the home state of Sandra Dee and Uga" - Invisible Oranges

"Alive, raw, furious, loud...they almost make your face vibrate" - Heavy Blog is Heavy

"Black Tusk's combination of sludge, rock, hardcore and death metal remains fluid, fertile and most importantly, full of life" - PitchforkBlack Tusk came roaring out of the Savannah swamplands nearly twenty years ago, but the sludge metal veterans aren't looking back anytime soon. On their seventh album, The Way Forward, the band blaze full steam into the future behind the force of their new yet familiar lineup.

"This record represents our steadfast resolve to keep making music together as a band and evolve our sound", says Andrew Fidler, Black Tusk's longtime guitarist and co-vocalist.

The Way Forward comes out tomorrow, Friday, April 26, but you can hear all 11 hard-hitting tracks today on the Season of Mist YouTube channel.

Listen to the full album stream below.

Pre-order: https://shop.season-of-mist.com/list/black-tusk-the-way-forward

Pre-save: https://orcd.co/thewayforwardpresave

The Way Forward pulls no punches. Right from the rip, album opener "Out of Grasp" charges head-on to the relentless chop of James May's snare drum. Lead single "Brush Fire" quickly grabs the baton and lights it up like a Molotov cocktail. New bassist Derek Lynch makes one hell of a first impression. "I watch you burn!" he spits, already spewing with righteous fury.

"Derek said he’d never done heavy vocals before, so I was like, ‘Well, here’s the mic. Here’s some words. Yell at it and see if you like it.’", says Fidler. "I was blown away the first time he did it. It sounded good as fuck.” 

Black Tusk recorded The Way Forward at Hidden Audio, a studio run by frequent collaborator and now official member Chris "Scary" Adams. Not only did Scary handle the production, but he locks horns with Fidler, making this the band's first album to feature a two guitar attack. On "Dance on Your Grave", Fidler lays down a boot-stomping riff so Scary can rip into a solo that never stops climbing.

Of course, no band makes it 19 years without having to shovel their share of shit. "The big theme of this record is putting your life back together", Fidler says. Black Tusk have switched labels and lost members, all while navigating the bumps in the road that come with being tour musicians. But The Way Forward leaves those past misgivings in the rear view. "Sometimes the worst things you've ever seen or done end up being the best thing that's ever happened to you", May says.

"Breath of Life" opens with murky synths that swirl like a depressive fog, but that's just the quiet before the storm. Over fuming distortion, together, Black Tusk reach for something that sounds close to a silver lining. "Mercy in suffering, all I see", they scream in unison.          

“The title is kind of a double play,” Fidler says. “It’s the first record with the new lineup, and this is the direction we’re taking the band in. We’ve been doing Black Tusk for 19 years now, and we still love it. That’s why we called it The Way Forward.” 

Black Tusk will then hit the road in May for more shows with fans down south.  
 

Black Tusk The Way Forward Tour Dates
April 26 Savannah, GA @ Congress St. Social Club [FREE SHOW]

May 23 Atlanta, GA @ Boggs Social & Supply [TICKETS]

May 24 Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub [TICKETS]

May 25 Stuart, FL @ East Ocean Pub  [TICKETS]

May 26 Jacksonville, FL @ Rain Dogs  [TICKETS]

“The big theme of this record is putting your life back together.” That’s Black Tusk guitarist/vocalist Andrew Fidler talking about the band’s new album, The Way Forward. “When everything seems like it’s against you, put your head down and push through. Take those bad things that are happening and use them to help create.” 

The Way Forward might be the Savannah swamp metal crew’s seventh album, but it marks many firsts for Black Tusk. It’s their first with their new lineup, which sees guitarist Chris “Scary” Adams and bassist Derek Lynch joining Fidler and drummer James May. Which also makes it Black Tusk’s first record with a two-guitar lineup. “We were able to add leads and harmonies and all kinds of stuff on the new record that we haven’t done in the past,” Fidler says. “As far as our records go, this one has the most guitar work.”  

You can hear it in the squealing solo of “Dance on Your Grave,” the killer harmonies on ripper “Harness (The Alchemist),” and the glorious dual guitar interplay of the powerful title track.  

“‘The Way Forward’ is my favorite song on the record,” Fidler says. “It’s based on a personal experience that everyone can probably relate to. I got divorced in 2020, and I kinda felt like my entire world was collapsing when that happened. But I pulled myself out of it. I realized that this one thing ending in my life isn’t the end of everything. I’m gonna find a way forward. I’m gonna figure out how to live my life and create and be happy and make new relationships. Which is what I’ve done.”  

In true Black Tusk fashion, the new lineup has expanded their triple-vocal approach to quadruple. “Everyone is doing vocals,” Fidler says. “That’s always been a thing in Black Tusk. Derek said he’d never done heavy vocals before, so I was like, ‘Well, here’s the mic. Here’s some words. Yell at it and see if you like it.’ I was blown away the first time he did it. It sounded good as fuck.”   

That’s Lynch on lead single “Brushfire,” a song for which he wrote the main riffs and lyrical concept. “That was my first real contribution to the band,” the bassist says. “Thematically, I wanted the aggressiveness of the lyrics to keep with the idea of pushing forward even when the world is trying to drag you down. The mood of the lyrics needed to match the pulverizing tempo of the song.”  

The lyrics for second single “Dance on Your Grave” were written by May, who moved from Savannah to Athens, GA, in the time since Black Tusk’s last album. “It’s about his struggles through Covid and what this lifestyle can do to people,” Fidler says. “It’s about getting past the party lifestyle and continuing to do things that are creative.”  

Meanwhile, “Breath of Life” distills Black Tusk’s lyrical philosophy into a righteous five-minute pummeling. “Scary came up with the main riff of this song, and it’s one of my favorite riffs on the record,” Fidler says. “I wrote the lyrics, and it’s just about darkness crushing everything. The world is a fucked-up place that we have to navigate through. That’s what a lot of Black Tusk songs are about.”  

Black Tusk recorded The Way Forward at Adams’ own Hidden Audio studio just outside of Savannah. Adams engineered the album and the whole band produced. “I actually helped him build the studio in the detached garage next to his house,” Fidler explains. “Me and my carpentry company went out there to do it, and Scary helped.”  

“We had about 90% of the riffs and song structures going into the studio, while still experimenting with ideas and inspirations,” Adams explains. “Sometimes we completely reworked parts, which made all the difference. For example, early versions of ‘Breath of Life’ and ‘The Way Forward’ are quite different than the record, and I love where they ended up. Though we did use a few effects and synths here and there for texture and space, to me this record still feels raw and powerful. It captures the feeling of being at a Black Tusk show.”  

The cover art for The Way Forward was done by Brian Mercer, who also created the sleeve for Black Tusk’s 2018 album, T.C.B.T. “T.C.B.T. had a dark cover because it was a dark time for the band,” Fidler says, referring to the period immediately after the passing of their longtime friend and bassist Jonathan Athon. “This time, it’s full blown, full-color Black Tusk. Brian Mercer and James collaborated on the concept, and Brian really knocked it out of the park.”  

“The title is kind of a double play,” Fidler says. “It’s the first record with the new lineup, and this is the direction we’re taking the band in. We’ve been doing Black Tusk for 19 years now, and we still love it. That’s why we called it The Way Forward.”  

Line-up:

Andrew Fidler: guitar, vocals
James May: drums, vocals
Derek Lynch: bass, vocals
Chris "Scary" Adams: guitar, vocals

Recording Studio
Hidden Audio

Producer/sound engineer
Chris "Scary" Adams

Mixing studio and engineer
Chris "Scary" Adams

Mastering studio and engineer
Brad Boatright at Audiosiege

Cover artwork
Brian Mercer

Pre-order: https://shop.season-of-mist.com/list/black-tusk-the-way-forward
Pre-save: https://orcd.co/thewayforwardpresave
 

Follow Black Tusk:
https://blacktusk.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/tcbt/
https://www.facebook.com/BlackTusk
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7iontmL8hXqoJcSA5oTZqa
https://twitter.com/BlackTusk
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/black-tusk/292231967

GRAMERCY ARMS releases sophisticated & endearing fourth album 'The Making Of The Making Of' via Magic Door Records

"A fabulous and fresh slice of positivity, wrapped up in a finely-tuned package of upbeat and harmonious pop-rock that will leave you wanting more and checking local concert listings to see if the band is heading your way. Impeccably performed; superbly arranged and produced" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Perfectly straddles popularity and poise, chart potential and also satisfies more discerning tastes... Gramercy Arms is that rare thing. It is a band that makes great albums AND writes killer singles" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Wistful, bittersweet and soaring power pop... With echoes of the likes of Teenage Fanclub and Dinosaur Junior, as well as the classicism of 80s indie-pop, it’s yearning and hooky in all the right places, a gleaming melodic pick me up" ~ God is in the TV Zine

Bringing a little light into our lives, NYC-based collective Gramercy Arms has released their fourth album 'The Making Of The Making Of' via Montclair, NJ-based Magic Door Record Label. With nine tracks on offer, this album presents a varied smorgasbord of superb radio-friendly indie pop-rock gems and more intimate acoustic offerings. The band also present a new video for 'Never Say Anything (Magic Door Session)'.

A loose treasure-trove of musicians and artists, masterminded by Dave Derby (The Dambuilders, Lloyd Cole) and producer Ray Ketchem (Guided by Voices, Luna, Elk City), Gramercy Arms is inspired by the artistic heyday of ‘70s and ‘80s New York, creating addictive indie pop with exquisite hook-laden melodies and lyrics that will have you floating back in time and remembering your favorite mistake.

With many of the songs recorded during the same sessions for the band’s 2023 'Deleted Scenes' album, 'The Making Of …' is decidedly more of a band album with a looser and more raucous approach featuring live in-studio performances and an even wider array of contributors.

Produced, recorded and mixed by Ray Ketchem at Magic Door Recording in Montclair, NJ, it was mastered by Ketchem and award-winning engineer Greg Calbi (John Lennon, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Talking Heads, Patti Smith, Tom Petty).

Earlier, Gramercy Arms released 'Never Say Anything', a gorgeously performed paean to paranoid times featuring Lysa Opfer (Aeon Station) and Mark Lizotte (Diesel), and 'After the After Party', a rueful power pop gem about chances missed and taken, featuring longtime collaborators Kevin March (Guided by Voices, The Dambuilders, Shudder to Think), Hilken Mancini (Fuzzy, the Monsieurs), Rainy Orteca (Joan As Police Woman, Dead Air) and Mike Errico.

Both albums are loaded with talent, involving Doug Gillard (Guided by Voices, Nada Surf, Cobra Verde, Death of Samantha), Sean Eden (Luna), Phoebe Summersquash (Small Factory), Renée LoBue (Elk City, Flowers of America), Kendall Meade (Mascott), Verena Wiesendanger (Semi Gloss), Claudia Chopek (Bright Eyes, The Little River Band, Echo of the Ghost), John Leon (Roky Erickson, Royal Arctic Institute), Rafa Maciejak (Lloyd Cole and the Negatives, Ivy), Jules Verdone, Richard Alwyn-Fisher (King Canutes, The Winter Drinks), Steve Hurley (Gigolo Aunts), Carl Baggaley (Elk City, Royal Arctic Institute), Peter Hess (Phillip Glass Ensemble, Slavic Soul Party) and Gary Burton (Dovedale). 'Deleted Scenes' also involves the legendary Lloyd Cole.

"I initially thought about doing a double album and then decided against it. To me 'Deleted Scenes' and 'The Making Of The Making Of' are companion pieces and part of a larger work. I think of them as two sides of a double album and may release them as a double vinyl album in the future. To me, there is an understated, almost dark horse element to “The Making Of …”  that gives it a special charm. In many ways 'Deleted Scenes' was more of the ‘obvious’ A-tracks, whereas 'The Making Of …' is just more fun. Songs like 'Lux', 'Susan' and 'The Long Game' capture that for me. The fact that the album has 4 different drummers with different feels and approaches has a lot to do with that because it still hangs together," says Dave Derby.

"Even though these songs came from the same sessions, this album was much more of a band record whereas “Deleted Scenes” was more about me and Kevin March building the tracks up together. Many of these songs were live full-band takes. I think that approach shows up in the final versions."

'The Making Of the Making Of' album is out now, available from fine music platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp. Their record release party takes place on April 26 at Berlin NYC with support from The Gershwin Brothers and the Hilken Mancini Band.

CREDITS
Written by Dave Derby (Passive Aggressive Music BMI)
Recorded at the Magic Door Studio, Montclair, NJ
Engineered, Mixed and Produced by Ray Ketchem
Mastered by Greg Calbi and Ray Ketchem
'After The After Party' video by Max Skaff
'Never Say Anything' video by Debora Francis
Dave Derby photos by Debora Francis

Keep up with Gramercy Arms
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Soundcloud  | Apple Music | Spotify | Press contact

Keep up with Magic Door Record Label
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Manchester’s THE SPEED OF SOUND celebrates 35th anniversary by releasing ‘A Cornucopia: Minerva’ album & video for ‘The Great Acceleration’

"Buzzing fuzz guitar lines emerge from a delicate acoustic introduction to intersect with the crashing chords and the ‘bulbous pulsing’ rhythm section" ~ Record Collector Magazine

"Raw and edgy sound with guiding and invigorating sense of melody" ~ The Spill Magazine

“Unmistakeable sound a winning formula” ~ The Big Takeover

“A triumph of industry, imagination and talent, coolly novel and damned addictive” ~ Louder Than War

‘Unique and other worldly” ~ Vive Le Rock

“A form of Art-Pop that is wry, incisive, yet a deeply listenable examination of post industrial culture” ~ Rock At Night

"A riotous maelstrom of musical mayhem” ~ The Manc Review

Manchester indie rock psychonauts The Speed Of Sound presents their new album 'A Cornucopia: Minerva', their second album issued via Big Stir Records, along with the video for 'The Great Acceleration' - the second single from the album, following up 'West Wind'.

Hailing from Manchester, The Speed Of Sound is made up of father and son John Armstrong (guitars and vocals) and Henry Armstrong (keyboards), Ann-Marie Crowley (vocals and guitar), Kevin Roache (bass guitar) and John Broadhurst(drums).

Full of ambition, energy, and eccentric melodic brilliance, this is the first record of the three-album set 'A Cornucopia: Minerva, Victory, Bounty' from these future-retro-modernist garage-psych stalwarts. While these albums will see digital editions over the next year, the Vinyl and CD versions are 3-disc sets carrying the umbrella title 'A Cornucopia'. Released as deluxe editions, each set includes two full-length bonus albums 'Victory' and 'Bounty'. But it all begins with 'Minerva'.

With 'A Cornucopia: Minerva' coinciding with the band’s 35th anniversary, The Speed Of Sound returns triumphant, defiant and redemptive, following up their 2021 critically acclaimed album 'Museum Of Tomorrow'. Named for the goddess associated with wisdom, the arts and strategic warfare, this album explores themes of resistance to mainstream cultural dominance, championing individual identity and artistic creativity whilst being a vigorous musical celebration of subcultural existence in the face of predominantly bland pop culture.

'Minerva' presents 14 fresh and variegated tracks, each one a burst of differently-hued radio friendly sonic technicolor. These new pieces range from the recklessly fast Bo Diddley rhythm successfully merged with a Wagnerian horn section of lead single 'West Wind' to the haunting and spacious ballad critiquing Economic Theory that is 'Trickledown' to the stripped back mediaeval folk-tinged starkness of 'The Harvest' to the stratospheric vastness of 'The Great Acceleration'.

The album passes seamlessly through the acoustic guitar-driven groove of 'SS-100-X',the spacious iridescence of 'Eight Fourteen Monday', the lively ascendence of 'The Party Sniper', the glowing radioactivity metaphor of 'Half Life' to the bright uplifting dementia and identity-loss focused 'Mind Palace'. While the bouncing vibe of 'Bodysnatchers' reminds us to stay awake and not slip into the drabness of normalcy, the crunching melodic punch of 'Clickbait' zings into the typewriter introduction of 'Yet Another Tuesday', onwards to the punkifed rhythm and blues of 'So Faux' and the closing acoustic riot of 'Question Time'.

With their inbuilt eclectic and genre-defying style, The Speed Of Sound expand from their base-camp foundation of multiple 1960s, punk and new wave influences, encompassing wide dynamic and stylistic variation, crossing borders and pushing boundaries at every opportunity while retaining continuity. The music bursts with experimentation whilst retaining hooks and melodic sensibility, plus the sharp barbed wit, lyrical depth and all-pervading sense of joy that form the irrepressible, uplifting hallmarks of this band.

Throughout their 35-year history, The Speed Of Sound have continuously produced music laced with optimism and lyrical bite, tapping the DIY ethos of punk and the restless lust for experimentation of psychedelia. Formed in 1989 with a pre-history dating back to the day Andy Warhol died in 1987, their music has always been idiosyncratic, counter-intuitive and perpetually looking for something new.

As of April 26, 'Minerva' is available in both formats from Big Stir Records via Bandcamp. Even better - dive into the jam-packed triple LP and CD editions of 'A Cornucopia'.

CREDITS
All songs written by John Armstrong
John Armstrong - guitars and vocals
Ann-Marie Crowley - vocals and guitars
Kevin Roache - bass guitar
John Broadhurst - drums
Henry Armstrong - keyboards
Bob Dinn - trumpet and flugelhorn
Chris Guest - harmonium, vibraphone, organ, shakers, tambourine
Alex Armstrong - typewriter on 'Yet Another Tuesday'
Voices on 'Mind Palace' by Janet Stacey Dando, Henry Armstrong, Nick Frater, Jason Edge (courtesy of The Electric Stars), John Broadhurst, Mark Britton (courtesy of Amoeba Teen), Janet Armstrong, Louise Turner, Peter Watts & Ruth Rogers (courtesy of Spygenius) and Kevin Roache, plus Ivy Frater (heartbeat)
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered at Vibratone Sound Studio in Manchester by Chris Guest, Adam Crossley and The Speed Of Sound.
Main sleeve image: Purple Spaceman © Lina Landers 2022
Artist photographs by Shay Rowan
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR


Keep up with The Speed of Sound
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