Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 176
January 8, 2025
CLARA MANN shares new single "Driving Home The Long Way". Debut album 'Rift' out March 7th via state51 and UK tour announced.
CLARA MANN- Shares new single "Driving Home The Long Way"
- Debut album 'Rift' out March 7th via state51
- UK tour dates announced
Photo credit: Louise Mason
With her upcoming debut album 'Rift' out March 7th via state51, today London-based multi-disciplinary artist Clara Mann is sharing new single "Driving Home The Long Way". Mann is also set to tour later this year with headline shows in London, Bristol, Manchester & Edinburgh alongside wider performances in the UK & EU.
On the track Mann said "I’ve always been so attached to my independence, so fiercely protective of it. I’d drive thousands of miles alone to prove that I could, that I didn’t need anyone- and then one day I just realised that I wanted to be able to let go of the wheel and not feel like everything was going to fall apart. I wanted to let someone in and not feel like I was losing part of myself, because they loved me as I was: free.
In the end, when I’m really in love with someone, it’s because they feel both like freedom and like home in equal measure. These days, I know that I want to share the journey, because freedom doesn’t mean anything on its own, on MY own. I want to sit in the passenger seat and watch you drive, I want to feel limitless, alongside you."
"Driving Home The Long Way" on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlcLSqHYVGo
"Driving Home The Long Way" on streaming services: https://clara-mann.lnk.to/driving-home
There is a rift in the landscape, a rupture in the fabric of the sky. The distant silhouette of the city disintegrates as the ground begins to shudder and shake beneath your feet, splitting open to reveal a place that’s always been there—it just took your entire world collapsing for you to discover it.
Singer-songwriter Clara Mann’s evocative debut album navigates the fractured environment of the in-between—those liminal spaces exposed between light and dark, growth and remorse, loss and reclamation. It is a record that makes a strong case for hope, those luminescent silver linings in the dark.
Mann's music reflects the people and places that have shaped and held her—physically, emotionally, and creatively. Raised in the Lot Valley in rural France before moving to the UK for her teens, these formative years provided her with a deep sense of belonging, identity, and growth. Yet, it is in motion that Mann feels most at home: “Just the sun above me and my keys and my car." Her new record is a testament to this state of in-betweenness, inviting you to step into a place that has always existed within yourself.
After releasing her second EP Stay Open in 2022, the time and space between then and now has culminated in Rift, which vividly gestures toward the fractures and ruptures that define our lives. Yet, it is more than just an album; it captures the journey and strength it takes to look inward and to move forwards through the pain of it all. Its first track, "It Only Hurts", begins in a place of hopelessness, stemming from the loss of a relationship and, in turn, a future. It is a blank space that stretches out before you, where the landscape is torn apart like icebergs cracking and drifting. But hope remains a beacon of light throughout the album, a lighthouse guiding you across tumultuous waters.
Influenced by artists like Jacques Brel, Edith Piaf, Judee Sill, and Tom Waits, Mann has a deep love and care for songwriting. Her lyrics are vivid and visceral, and her approach to songwriting is not one of purging emotions but rather of composting them—digesting life’s experiences and cultivating them into something meaningful, tangible, hopeful. She is also a talented visual artist, and this often plays an integral role in her songwriting process. Using the intricate and sweeping motion of illustrating with ink, charcoal, and sometimes watercolour, she can evoke thoughts and poetry onto the page, offering a way of making sense of things and to communicate in a way that words alone cannot.
The album was primarily recorded at the 4AD Studios in London, produced and mixed by Fabian (Martha Skye Murphy, Ex:Re, Fabiana Palladino) who carefully facilitated an imaginative space for Mann to express the playful, strange and real parts of herself. Two of the tracks, "It Only Hurts", and the title track "Rift" were both recorded in the living room studio of her friend Tom Kellett’s home in just one afternoon, with this setting mirroring the raw intimacy of these tracks. She has also previously toured with the likes of Daniel Rossen (Grizzly Bear), Billie Marten, Bill Ryder-Jones and Youth Lagoon.
For Mann, the album is a tangible expression of her entire world—a snow globe raised in her palms for the world to see, in all its layers and complexities, containing all her love, relationships, memories, and experiences. It is this sheer transparency that has allowed her to relinquish and accept all parts of herself—the guilt, pain, and beauty of it all—like “swallows in the morning air, circling the dam.” Its truthfulness is its strength, not shying away from the painful experiences of life but embracing them as essential to the human experience and as part of our tapestry.
With Rift, Clara Mann acknowledges the cracks through which both despair and hope can seep. It is a deeply personal record, yet it is universally resonant, holding the mirror up to herself and to the world around her. It is a record that reflects on embracing our fault lines, navigating the ruptures that can erupt from them and moving forwards, in motion, with a renewed sense of self and aliveness. Mann’s debut album, Rift is all of her—her past, her present, her emotions, her experiences—and now, it is for you.
Pre-order 'Rift': https://state51.greedbag.com/buy/rift-14/
Pre-order 'Rift' Dinked Edition: https://ffm.bio/rift
25th January, Dublin, Ireland, Gate Theatre - w/ Sam Amidon
1st February, Leeds, UK, Brudenell Social Club - Back To Back Festival
8th Febuary, Dunkirk, France – Hall de l'Hôtel de Ville de Bergues - w/ Skydaddy
22nd April - Bristol, UK - Beacon Cellars - headline
23rd April - London, UK - Stoke Newington Old Church - headline
30th April - Manchester, UK - Castle Hotel - headline
1st May - Edinburgh, UK - Voodoo Rooms - headline
Rift artwork:
Rift tracklist:
1. It Only Hurts
2. 'Til I Come Around (YouTube)
3. Driving Home The Long Way (YouTube)
4. Stadiums (YouTube)
5. Reasons
6. Remember Me (Train Song) (YouTube)
7. Doubled Over
8. Rift
9. Oranges
10. The Dream
Links:
X
TikTok
YouTube
Bonnaroo Announces 2025 Lineup
BONNAROO MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL UNVEILS 2025 LINEUP
THIS YEAR’S EVENT SET FOR JUNE 12-15
ON THE FARM IN MANCHESTER, TN
FEATURING:
HEADLINE PERFORMANCES FROM
LUKE COMBS ON THURSDAY, TYLER, THE CREATOR ON FRIDAY,
OLIVIA RODRIGO ON SATURDAY, AND HOZIER ON SUNDAY
FURTHER HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
JOHN SUMMIT, DOM DOLLA, AVRIL LAVIGNE, GLASS ANIMALS,
VAMPIRE WEEKEND, JUSTICE, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE,
SUPERJAM CURATED BY REMI WOLF,
AND THE FIRST-EVER ROO RESIDENCY FEATURING
KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD
PERFORMING THREE SETS OVER THREE DAYS
BONNAROO 2025 TO DEBUT “THE INFINITY STAGE”
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NORTH AMERICA –
AN IMMERSIVE NEW STAGE FEATURING
WORLD’S LARGEST 360° SPATIAL AUDIO EXPERIENCE
TICKETS ON SALE TOMORROW, THURSDAY, JANUARY 9 AT 10 AM (CT)
EXCLUSIVELY VIA BONNAROO.COM
GUARANTEED LOWEST-PRICED
4-DAY GA TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM 10-11 AM (CT)
Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival is proud to share the lineup for this year’s edition of the internationally acclaimed camping festival, taking place June 12-15, 2025 on the Bonnaroo Farm, located just 60 miles southeast of Nashville in Manchester, TN. Bonnaroo 2025 will as always host a spectacular roster of top artists performing around the clock across more than 10 unique stages over the four-day festival, with live music and much more through the night and into early morning with special sunrise sets. This year features headline performances from Luke Combs on Thursday, Tyler, The Creator on Friday, Olivia Rodrigo on Saturday, and Hozier on Sunday. Further highlights include John Summit, Dom Dolla, Avril Lavigne, Glass Animals, Vampire Weekend, Justice, Queens of the Stone Age, and the first-ever Roo Residency with King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard performing three sets over three days. In addition, Remi Wolf will lead the “Insanely Fire 1970’s Pool Party” 2025 SuperJam, Bonnaroo’s legendary tradition. The complete Bonnaroo 2025 lineup is below.
Bonnaroo tickets go on sale tomorrow, Thursday, January 9 beginning at 10 am (CT) exclusively via bonnaroo.com. Guaranteed lowest-priced tickets are available during the first hour of sales, from 10 am - 11 am (CT). 2025 ticket options include 4-Day General Admission, 4-Day GA+, 4-Day VIP, and 4-Day Platinum, along with a variety of camping and parking options starting at just $25 down with a payment plan.
The 2025 festival will offer some exciting new features for Bonnaroovians, including the “Closer” RV and Primitive Camping accommodations that guarantee closer proximity to Centeroo, regardless of which day fans choose to enter The Farm. Among this year’s most exciting additions will be The Infinity Stage, a brand-new, one-of-a-kind venue – presented in partnership with Polygon Live – boasting spatial sound, synchronized lights, and an unprecedented three-dome, open-air design to create the world’s largest, most immersive, 360° live music experience.
Bonnaroo also offers upgraded ticket types for those who prefer an elevated experience. GA+ tickets include unlimited access to the Centeroo GA+ Lounge, with relaxed seating, dedicated food for purchase, air-conditioned restrooms, and hospitality staff to assist with all festival needs; a private bar with drinks for purchase plus complimentary soft drinks; complimentary water refill station; a dedicated premium entrance lane at both gates into Centeroo, and more. VIP and Platinum guests will enjoy the same perks plus additional exclusive upgrades, including dedicated close-in and on-field viewing areas; unlimited access to VIP and Platinum Lounges; express lanes at the Festival Store, commemorative festival gifts, and so much more. To learn more about VIP and Platinum, please see http://www.bonnaroo.com/tickets.
A wide range of Camping & Parking options will be available in Outeroo including Primitive Car Camping, Glamping, RVs, Backstage Camping, Accessible Camping, Groop Camping, Community Camping, and more. Premium Outeroo Camping Accommodations include pre-pitched Souvenir Tents, cool and comfortable Darkroom Tents, weatherproof Luxury Bell Tents, and spacious 2-person Wood Frame Safari Tents for the ultimate Bonnaroo camping experience. Cosmic Nomads On-Site Daily Parking passes will be available for ticketholders not camping. For details on all accommodation options, please visit www.bonnaroo.com/accommodations.
Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival is generously supported by Hulu, PayPal, Venmo, and Verizon.
# # #
THE COMPLETE BONNAROO 2025 LINEUP IS BELOW:
THURSDAY, JUNE 12
Luke Combs
Dom Dolla
Sammy Virji
Marcus King
Green Velvet
2hollis
Insane Clown Posse
Joey Valence & Brae
Daniel Donato's Cosmic Country
Wilderado
Max Styler
Azzecca
The Lemon Twigs
Wisp
Sofia Isella
Kitchen Dwellers
Dogs In A Pile
Die Spitz
Hey, Nothing
The Droptines
FRIDAY, JUNE 13
Tyler, the Creator
John Summit
Glass Animals
Tipper
Goose
The Red Clay Strays
Rainbow Kitten Surprise
Megadeth
Wallows
Foster the People
Slightly Stoopid
Flipturn
Of the Trees
JPEGMAFIA
Marina
Tape B
MJ Lenderman
BossMan Dlow
INZO
Levity
Mannequin Pussy
Leon Thomas
Cults
Aly & AJ
Matt Champion
Detox Unit
Rachel Chinouriri
Eater
Ginger Root
Bebe Stockwell
Effin
SATURDAY, JUNE 14
Olivia Rodrigo
Avril Lavigne
Justice
Nelly
GloRilla
Mt. Joy
RL Grime
Beabadoobee
Tyla
Jessie Murph
Modest Mouse
Gorgon City
Flatland Cavalry
Hot Mulligan
Action Bronson
Crankdat
Dope Lemon
Gigi Perez
Wave to Earth
Claptone
Jade Cicada
What So Not
Daði Freyr
Ziggy Alberts
ROSSY
Destroy Boys
The Stews
Thee Sinseers & The Altons
AHEE
SUNDAY, JUNE 15
Hozier
Vampire Weekend
Queens of the Stone Age
LSZEE
Remi Wolf
Raye
Royel Otis
Dispatch
Role Model
Barry Can't Swim
Treaty Oak Revival
Big Gigantic
Jack's Mannequin
ATLiens
Bilmuri
Saint Motel
James Arthur
Alex Warren
Zingara
Natasha Bedingfield
Alexandra Kay
Goldie Boutilier
Grace Bowers & The Hodge Podge
GorillaT
YDG
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard Roo Residency: 3 Sets, 3 Days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
Remi Wolf’s Insanely Fire 1970’s Pool Party Superjam (Saturday)
# # #
Japanese indie-pop/shoegaze favourites TAFFY share new single from first album in six years
Stream/Embed new single 'shhhhh’
Japanese indie-pop favourites taffy return with their sixth studio album ‘Lull’ on the 24th January via Club AC30. ‘Lull’ marks the band’s first release since the critically acclaimed 2019 album ‘Deep Dark Creep Love’. Forming in 2011, taffy has built a glowing reputation in Japan and the UK within the shoegaze genre pioneered by bands including Ride, Lush, and Slowdive, and has been able to incorporate those influences into their own unique sound, gaining numerous plaudits along the way including The Guardian, NME, Clash and Dork and can count The Charlatan’s Tim Burgess as a fan. ‘Lull’ marks the first material from the band with new guitarist Rio Kato, who brings his own unique, inimitable style to the taffy sound. “He’s great at playing almost any style we choose, yet he has his own approach which turned out perfectly throughout the album. We have the usual taffy gems along with Rio’s style, so it’s taffy but kind of new taffy! I feel that this album is sensitive but quietly powerful,” says vocalist and guitarist Iris. The new album is the result of the coronavirus pandemic back in 2020. “During covid, we sadly lost some great artists and I myself have lost few of my loved ones. Not being able to meet in person for a long period of time, it felt as though it would go on forever. It made me realise who and what really matters to me. All those mixed emotions and feelings went into each and every one of the songs on the album,” she adds. On the band’s first new material in six years, Iris continues, “I’ve missed the people, places, things, bands, shows, tours, just every little thing that we used to do and have, but at the same time I’ve also felt that everything and everyone was changing and what kept me going through those tough times were the people who showed love to taffy, so I really wanted to deliver the album as in a way of my appreciation.” From the sweet, beguiling sounds of album title track ‘lull’ and jangly rhythms of ‘ifonly’, to the mesmeric rumblings of dream pop anthem ‘Colour Me’, taffy display a finely-tuned sense for melody. Elsewhere, the impossibly sweet vocals of lead singer Iris glide effortlessly on the charming ‘Prism 45’ before taffy offer an ethereal mixture of distorted guitars, feedback and volume on a tender cover of R.E.M.’s ‘Hairshirt’. The album was recorded at Sound Crew Studio, Tokyo with Toshiro Kai, taffy’s “fifth” member, who they have been working with since the band’s debut album ‘Caramel Sunset’, released in 2012.
taffy is Iris (vocals and guitars), Ken (drums and chorus), Takeshi (bass and chorus) and Rio (guitar and chorus). Tracklisting: ‘Kiko’‘lull’‘shhhhh’‘ifonly’‘Colour Me’‘Five+’‘Prism 45’‘Honey Milky Way’‘Hairshirt’ WebsiteFacebookTwitterSoundcloud
Cymande release new single "How We Roll" feat. Jazzie B, from new LP 'Renascence' out Jan 31
LEGENDARY BRITISH BAND
RELEASE NEW SINGLE “HOW WE ROLL” FEATURING JAZZIE B
LISTEN HERE
TAKEN FROM THEIR HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NEW ALBUM
RENASCENCE
SET FOR RELEASE JANUARY 31 2025 VIA BMG
PRE-ORDER HERE
January 8, 2025 – Today, legendary British band Cymande release their new single “How We Roll,” featuring British DJ and music producer Jazzie B (Soul II Soul) – listen here. This is the third single from their highly anticipated new album Renascence, set for release January 31, 2025 via BMG. Pre-order HERE
“How We Roll” has all the ingredients of what makes Cymande’s music so unique: an expansive, spacious groove-filled intro, impeccable bass lines, global rhythms that echo behind guitar trills and shimmering chimes. And that’s just the foyer to the portal of “How We Roll,” a poignant message about issues that affect black people and taking control of one’s own destiny – all expressed over a building beat, tight horns, melodic solos and a true collective spirit. DJ/producer Jazzie B’s reflective rap weaves in naturally, highlighting the intergenerational legacy of Cymande.
Says original member and guitarist Patrick Patterson, “The idea of the rap originated with me. Ray [vocalist] worked a lot with Jazzie B in Soul II Soul, so he got in touch with Jazzie and asked him if he’d like to consider collaborating. Lovely man. Big fan of Cymande, and he’s also in the documentary. The track talks about us and our brethren, our people, our community...”
“…it talks about taking control of your own destiny,” continues bassist Steve Scipio. “One of the lines on the song is ‘we control the page’. A song harking back to the old Cymande - a strong vocalisation of the issues that affect black people. It’s my favourite bassline on the album.”
Cymande’s new album Renascence, set for release January 31, 2025, is a true return to form and jewel in the crown of their iconic discography. Renascence picks up where their 1974 album Promised Heights left off – a spiritual and sonic follow-up, bringing a fresh modern edge to their iconic sound, which remains foundational to early hip-hop and funk scenes in the United States and UK. Renascence tells the story of a band that never fully got its due back in the day, but are back to take the crown by remaining true to themselves – politically aware, and spiritually positive with infectious grooves.
Cymande | Photo Credit: Dean Chalkley
Jazzie B
Last month, Cymande was honored with the ‘Originator Award’ at the Artist & Manager Awards, which celebrates exceptional individuals who pioneer and forge new pathways in the music industry. 2024 and 2025 continue to mark a monumental year for Cymande, with the earlier release of their incredible documentary Getting It Back: The Story Of Cymande (directed by award winning director Tim Mackenzie-Smith). The band also recently made their UK TV debut on Later… With Jools Holland, performing their new single “Chasing An Empty Dream” and their classic song “Bra.” Catch up on BBC Two’s Later…With Jools Holland HERE.
Now, with the release of their anticipated new album Renascence, Cymande will also embark on a U.S. headline tour, hitting major markets like New York and Los Angeles in February 2025 – full dates and info below.
Renascence will be available to stream, download, on CD and on black vinyl at all major retailers. A limited edition transparent coral vinyl edition will be made available on the band’s official online store and at select indie retail accounts.
Renascence Track list:
CYMANDE TOUR DATES
FEB 13 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
FEB 14 - Philadelphia, PA - Ardmore Music Hall
FEB 15 - Washington DC - Howard Theatre
FEB 18 - Chicago, IL - Metro
FEB 19 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theatre
FEB 21 - Denver, CO – Bluebird
FEB 22 - Seattle, WA – Crocodile
FEB 23 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater
FEB 26 - San Francisco, CA - August Hall*
FEB 28 - Los Angeles, CA - The Bellwether
MAY 25 - London, UK – Cross The Tracks Festival
OCT 17 - London, UK - O2 Academy Brixton
Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek Announce Leon Michels (Clairo, Mary J Blige)-Produced Album & Share Lead Single "Hop Bico"
DERYA YILDIRIM & GRUP ŞIMŞEK
COLLECTIVE COMBINING ANATOLIAN FOLK
& MODERN PSYCHEDELIC FLAIR
ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM
YARIN YOKSA
OUT MARCH 14TH VIA BIG CROWN RECORDS
RECORDED WITH GRAMMY-NOMINATED PRODUCER
LEON MICHELS (CLAIRO, MARY J. BLIGE)
HEAR NEW SINGLE “HOP BICO”
Today, Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek – known for revitalizing Anatolian folk music and instrumentation by infusing timeless melodies with a modern psychedelic flair – announce their new album, Yarın Yoksa, out March 14th via Big Crown Records, along with the album’s lead single, “Hop Bico.” Hear the new track and pre-save / order the album here: https://lnk.to/HopBico.
Yarın Yoksa translates to “if there is no tomorrow,” and delves into deeply personal pain and collective resistance with a central thread of loss, longing and hope for change running throughout. Throughout the new album recorded with Grammy-nominated producer Leon Michels (El Michels Affair, Clairo), the show-stopping intensity of frontwoman Derya Yıldırım is on display along with the psychedelic soul of Grup Şi̇mşek.
Born in Hamburg, Germany to Turkish parents, Yıldırım grew up influenced by her family’s Anatolian background and the myriad of cultures in the city and plays the bağlama – a seven stringed Turkish lute – throughout the album (“there’s just something very magical about it”). She also sings in her parents’ native Anatolian with lyrics that are poetic with symbolic language, metaphors and storytelling. Together, Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek have created a memorable and emotional record that challenges genre while having broad appeal and a powerful message.
‘YARIN YOKSA’ TRACK LISTING
01 - Çiçek Açıyor
02 - Cool Hand
03 - Yakamoz
04 - Hop Bico
05 - Bilemedim Ki
06 - Yüz Yüze
07 - İstanbul’un Kuşları
08 - Direne Direne
09 - Ceylan
10 - Misket
11 - Güneş
“Hop Bico” is an old Anatolian folk standard that Yıldırım’s grandmother used to sing to her about a playful character named Bico who is a symbol of vitality and spirit. Lyrics “Hop Bico, hopla Bico” (“Hop Bico, jump Bico”) is a call to action, urging him to lead the group in celebration while embracing life through dance and movement. Derya’s grandmother had put her own slant on the traditional song, and Derya’s is different still — brought into the 21st century with a slow psychedelic twist and her own hypnotic vocals. Derya insists that if you’re going to play an old folk song then you have to contribute something new, “otherwise you might as well just put the old record on.” “Hop Bico” follows previous singles, “Cool Hand” and “Yakamoz” which were released as a 7” earlier this year. Listen to “Hop Bico” here: https://lnk.to/HopBico.
LISTEN & SHARE "HOP BICO"
Ten years ago, while participating in a community theater project, Derya met French musicians Graham Mushnik (keyboards) and Antonin Voyant (guitar/bass) from Catapulte Records and formed the band Grup Şimşek with Helen Wells, a drummer from Cape Town, South Africa joining in 2021. While the band is truly international, they eschew the term “world music,” preferring instead “outernational” which they say suggests a sound that’s more inclusive or “beyond borders.”
Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek embody what defines Anatolian folk music: “You need a groove and a melody, and everything around it is free,” notes Derya. It’s this ethos that guides the band’s songwriting and the way they take on Anatolian folk standards. Yıldırım adds, “I believe the melodies shouldn't be changed because we are responsible to preserve music in the correct way. Our versions respect the roots. It’s the same lyrics and melody, but it has a different soul maybe.” While it’s easy to think of folk music as a music of the past, she insists it’s just as important today. “Some of these poems were written hundreds of years ago but they’re still relevant. This music is so important because it remains the voice of the people, the minority, and the oppressed.”
After self-producing multiple albums, they signed with New York’s Big Crown Records in 2024 and teamed up with Grammy-nominated producer Leon Michels (El Michels Affair) for Yarın Yoksa. The new album embodies their balance of preservation and innovation across nine original compositions and three traditional folk songs. It is a record that will enchant any listener regardless of language barrier with Derya’s passion and authenticity front and center and music too moving to deny. Yarın Yoksa is sure to captivate the hearts and minds of all those who hear it, and just wait til you experience them play it live…
TOUR DATES
2/20 Diest, Belgium - C-Mine Festival
2/21 Dortmund, Germany - Konzerthaus Dortmund
3/13 Hamburg, Germany - Elbphilharmonie Grosser Saal
3/14 Copenhagen, Denmark - Alice
3/15 Aarhus, Denmark - Turkis
3/18 Manchester, UK - The Deaf Institute
3/19 Bristol, UK - The Jam Jar
3/20 London, UK - Scala
3/21 Norwich, UK - Norwich Arts Centre
3/25 Paris, France - Theatre Zingaro
FOLLOW DERYA YILDIRIM & GRUP ŞIMŞEK:
January 7, 2025
BeachLife Festival Returns To Redondo Beach, CA May 2-4, 2025 with Lenny Kravitz, Sublime, Alanis Morissette & Many More
BEACHLIFE FESTIVAL 2025
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S PREMIER LIVE MUSIC, ART & CULINARY EVENT
ANNOUNCES PERFORMANCE LINEUP FOR FESTIVAL TAKING PLACE
MAY 2-4, 2025 IN REDONDO BEACH
HEADLINING SETS FROM LENNY KRAVITZ, SUBLIME, ALANIS MORISSETTE,
AS WELL AS TRAIN, O.A.R., PRETENDERS, CAKE, MT. JOY, JACKSON BROWNE,
THE BEACH BOYS, ALOE BLACC AND MANY MORE
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW AT BEACHFESTIVAL.COM
BeachLife Festival, Southern California’s premier live music, art and culinary event, is back again for its sixth year taking over Redondo Beach’s picturesque waterfront May 2-4, 2025. Those that have attended previous years know the festival delivers a high-end experience and memorable performances from an eclectic group of legendary top talent and exciting inspired emerging artists spanning rock, indie, pop, jam, reggae and more. BeachLife 2025 will feature headlining sets from Lenny Kravitz, Sublime, and Alanis Morissette, as well as Train, O.A.R., Pretenders, CAKE, Mt. Joy, Jackson Browne, The Beach Boys and many more (full lineup listed below).
Since launching in 2019, the festival has quickly established a reputation for combining the best of Southern California’s idyllic culture into a one-of-a-kind immersive experience with something for everyone. Beyond the incredible live music, the festival also features wide-ranging food and drink offerings from acclaimed chefs, art installations and onsite activations highlighting various brand-led interactive experiences, fan engagements and philanthropic, sustainable initiatives.
Shares Allen Sanford, BeachLife Founder & Owner, “We are especially excited this year to announce what we believe is a truly unique lineup and experience in music festivals — curated not by genre, but by culture, vibe, and that feeling of enjoying the beachlife with friends. We have something for everyone, from world-recognized superstars to local celebrities, and every artist on this lineup has a reason and a story on how they connected with BeachLife Festival. Driven by our passion to share the BeachLife culture with the world, we hope to see all of you on the water in May for a truly special, unforgettable three days.”
“We build experiences,” shares Sam Meyers, BeachLife Festival Director. “The music makes the most noise, but every fiber of our festival plays a role in maintaining, and building, our fan’s trust.”
The music line-up for Friday, May 2:
Lenny Kravitz
Train
O.A.R.
Aloe Blacc
The Struts
Digable Planets
Shovels & Rope
Milo Aukerman (of Descendents)
Jim Lindberg (of Pennywise)
SULLVN
Mr. Midway
The Rookie5
The music line-up for Saturday, May 3:
Sublime
Pretenders
CAKE
Susanna Hoffs (of The Bangles)
Skip Marley
Sugar Ray
ALO
Long Beach Dub Allstars
Greg Graffin (of Bad Religion)
Tomorrows Bad Seeds
Too Rude
The Calamatix
Kyle Smith
Sitting On Saturn
Jesse James Pariah
The music line-up for Sunday, May 4:
Alanis Morissette
Mt. Joy
Jackson Browne
The Beach Boys
Marcus King
Big Head Todd And the Monsters
Lily Meola
Donavon Frankenreiter
Common Sense
Michael Glabicki (of Rusted Root with Dirk Miller)
Saxon Weiss
Cloakroom Announce New Album on Closed Casket - Share "Bad Larry" Video / Single
Cloakroom Announce New Album Last Leg of the Human Table
Coming February 28 via Closed Casket Activities
Release “Bad Larry” Single / Video
Announce Chicago Release Show April 12 - More Dates TBA
For Cloakroom the world of modernity is in polycrisis and America has lost its soul. Narrative fetishism is all too usual of a literary mechanism for Cloakroom. If you listen closely you can hear the concern; not just for the teetering social structure but for what it means to be human and the high cost of the human experience.
The Indiana three return next month with their next studio album, Last Leg of the Human Table – the follow up to 2022’s post-apocalyptic space western Dissolution Wave, and label debut for Closed Casket Activities. Each song showcases Cloakroom’s genre-bending capabilities and seemingly vast array of influences; whether it be the sampling of the post-disco Detroit group Was (Not Was) or the lifted NASA recording of the humming of Saturn’s rings. Recorded in December of 2023 at Electrical Audio in Chicago and Rec Room Recording in Des Plaines, Illinois, engineer Zac Montez (Whirr, Turnover) aided in smoothing out the rough and turning up the quiet.
Pop, shoegaze, doom, post-punk, folk only scratch the surface on Cloakroom’s shortest yet most essential release to date. Its title Last Leg of the Human Table may sound sardonic in its nature, but this group has always found some wonder in the scurrying chaos of modern life. In 37 minutes, the album imbues a sense of responsibility to the listener as if one leg were to falter, the whole table will fall.
Today Cloakroom share lead single and video “Bad Larry”. Lyricist and guitarist Doyle Martin explains, “It was written about a fabled character out of folklore like ‘Diamond Joe’ composed by Baldwin ‘Butch’ Hawes.. if that’s who even wrote that song first. Bad Larry roams free and wants for nothing; living a life of experience and lives by his own rules and dying on his own terms; a life to vilify or envy.”
Last Leg of the Human Table sees its release February 28 via Closed Casket, pre-order / pre-save it here.
Listen / Share / Playlist “Bad Larry”
Watch Official Music Video Here
After wrapping an extensive North American tour with Full of Hell last month, Cloakroom have announced a special Chicago album release show happening April 12 at Empty Bottle. More dates and news to come. For updates follow Cloakroom on Instagram here.
L-R Doyle Martin (Lyrics, Guitar), Tim Remis (Drums), Bobby Markos (Bass)
Photo By Vin Romero
Last Leg of the Human Table Tracklist:
01 - The Pilot
02 - Ester Wind
03 - On Joy and Unbelieving
04 - Unbelonging
05 - The Lights Are On
06 - Bad Larry
07 - The Story of the Egg
08 - On Joy and Undeserving
09 - Cloverlooper
10 - Turbine Song
Cloakroom Live Dates:
Apr 12: Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle (Album Release Show)
More Dates TBA.
Laibach Share Their Interpretation Of "I Want To Know What Love Is" || Out Today On Mute
LAIBACH SHARE THEIR INTERPRETATION OF
“I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS”
CONTINUES IN FEB/MARCH
Photo courtesy of Laibach
Today Laibach have shared “I Want To Know What Love Is", a 3-track release featuring their interpretation of Foreigner’s track, out now on Mute.
Watch the video for “I Want To Know What Love Is” HERE.
“I Want To Know What Love Is”, which follows their recent interpretations of “Strange Fruit” and “White Christmas”, has been performed as an encore on the Slovenian provocateurs Opus Dei Revisited tour, which continues in Feb/March. Full dates are listed below. The track, well documented through countless social media posts by bewildered and enthralled attendees, has sparked the first -a Laibach-a-long- as audiences join in with the classic track.
Listeners curious as to what led this track to be plucked from middle-of-the-road radio, and placed alongside reworked versions from Laibach’s 1987 international breakthrough album Opus Dei, might look for clues in the recent trilogy of releases. “Strange Fruit”, another highlight from the current shows, was refracted to examine how tyranny, hatred and murder pervades in human history as well as today. “White Christmas” examined the vacuum that the joyous holiday can intensify within those ‘without’ and the magnification of loss that it creates.
Is there a further clue in the name of the band who originally sang “I Want To Know What Love is”? Perhaps a demand for understanding, empathy and acceptance is not what would be expected from a band known for its challenging and complex treatise. But then again, in the current world there is little that could be more challenging and complex than achieving peace and love.
Irony is a word often used by people clamoring to understand and explain Laibach, but across the three versions on the single you get a sense of a simplicity and pleasure pervading through these new interpretations. The arrangement by Laibach and their Slovenian collaborators, Silence, and the mix by famed Grammy-winning US producer Marc Urselli (Nick Cave, Foo Fighters, Lou Reed, U2), don’t waver, but instead play things straight and true throughout.
After stating “Love Is Still Alive” on the EP of the same name in 2023, Laibach proves it now with this song. They ask their audience to show them love and you can hear for yourselves, on the Extended Mix included on the single, the heartfelt response they receive back.
“I Want To Know What Love Is” is out today on Mute across all digital platforms. Purchase or stream it HERE.
LAIBACH – OPUS DEI TOUR:
2025:2/7/2025 - Ljubljana, Kino Šiška, SI
2/8/2025 - Ljubljana, Kino Šiška, SI
2/16/2025 - Krakow, Kwadrat, PL
2/18/2025- Ostrava, Barrak, CZ
2/19/2025 - Vienna, Arena, AT
2/20/2025 - Jena, F-Haus, DE
2/21/2025 - Sittard, Poppodium Volt, NL
2/22/2025 - London, Islington Assembly Hall, UK
2/23/2025 - Manchester, Ritz, UK
2/24/2025 - Southampton, The 1865, UK
2/25/2025 - Bristol, Trinity Centre, UK
2/27/2025 - Lausanne, Les Docks, CH
2/28/2025 – Bologna, Link, IT
3/1/2025 - Nova Gorica, SNG Nova Gorica, SI
3/4/2025 - Skopje, Macedonian Philharmonic, MK
3/5/2025 - Athens, Gazarte, GR
3/6/2025 - Sofia, Pirotska 5, BG
3/7/2025 - Bucharest, Quantic Club, RO
3/8/2025 - Beograd, Dom Omladine, RS
3/21/2025 - Maribor, Narodni dom, SI
Tickets and further information: https://www.laibach.org/future-events/
“I Want To Know What Love Is” single art:
Track listing:
1. I Want To Know What Love Is
2. I Want To Know What Love Is (Extended Mix)
3. I Want To Know What Love Is (Distorted Love Mix)
Purchase or stream HERE.
RECENT RELEASES:
Opus Dei Revisited: https://mute.ffm.to/laibach-odr
“White Christmas”: https://mute.ffm.to/laibach-silence-wc
“Strange Fruit”: https://mute.ffm.to/laibach-sf
Opus Dei (Remastered): https://mute.ffm.to/laibach-od24
The Engine of Survival: https://mute.ffm.to/laibach_teos
Love is Still Alive EP: https://mute.ffm.to/lb-lisa
The Future: https://mute.ffm.to/laibach-tf
Love Is Still Alive I (Moon, Euphoria): https://youtu.be/lQSqCvpAVQQ
CONNECT WITH MUTE:
FACEBOOK | BLUESKY | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | WEB
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | WEB
Deep Sea Diver’s New Album Billboard Heart Will Be Available February 28th, 2025
Seattle’s Deep Sea Diver will release Billboard Heart, their fourth album, and wide-screened Sub Pop debut worldwide on Friday, February 28th, 2025. The new long-player includes the previously released title track, along with highlights “What Do I Know,” “Emergency,” “Let Me Go,” her collaboration with Grammy-winner Madison Cunningham, and today’s offering, the guttural new single “Shovel.”
Billboard Heart immediately puts Deep Sea Diver in the company of St. Vincent, TV on the Radio, and Flock of Dimes, bands that have found newly ornate and magnetic ways to make indie rock by discarding notions of how it must sound or what it must say. Dobson punches through her past here. As she howls during Billboard Heart’s rapturous title track, she is “welcoming the future by letting go of it.”
It is a coup, a triumph over self-doubt in which what first felt like failure became an opportunity to find new freedom, belief, and strength. You can hear it in each of these eleven songs, the beating heart that makes everything here feel like a new anthem for finding your own way forward.
Billboard Heart was written and performed by primary songwriter and guitar player Jessica Dobson, and her partner, drummer and band co-writer Peter Mansen, and synth player Elliot Jackson. Additional contributions include former The Shins’ bandmate Yuuki Matthews, Caroline Rose, and Greg Leisz. Billboard Heart was produced by Jessica Dobson and Andy D. Park, with additional production from Adam Schatz, mixed by Park, and mastered by Greg Calbi and Steve Fallone.
You can now watch the single-take official video for “Shovel,” directed by Tyler Kalberg and Deep Sea Diver. Dobson says of the track and visual, “‘Shovel’ is one of the most angular and dualistic songs I’ve written, and I wanted to do a one-shot video that captured the grit, rawness, and intensity of the song. Simply put, it is me digging and dancing with a shovel in the middle of the night, desperately looking for beauty in dark places. Influenced by Lynch, the Cohen brothers, Nick Cave, and the sweet dance moves of Kate Bush.”
Deep Sea Diver has also announced a headlining North American tour in support of Billboard Heart, which begins Saturday, March 29th in Walla Walla, WA at The Motor Co. and runs through Saturday, May 17th with a hometown show in Seattle at the Showbox at the Market. Fan presales begin Wednesday, January 8th at 10 am ET, with tickets for these shows on sale to the general public on Friday, January 10th at 10 am (local). For more information on tickets, visit Deep Sea Diver’s tour dates page. Please find a complete list of dates below.
Sun. Mar. 30 - Boise, ID - Treefort Music Fest
Tue. Apr. 01 - Sacramento, CA - Harlow’s
Thu. Apr. 03 - Los Angeles, CA - Teragram Ballroom
Sat. Apr. 05 - Pioneertown, CA - Pappy & Harriets Indoors
Sun. Apr. 06 - San Diego, CA - Belly Up
Tue. Apr. 08 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent
Fri. Apr.11 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
Sat. Apr. 12 - Vancouver, BC - Biltmore Club
Thu. Apr. 24 - St. Paul, MN - Turf Club
Fri. Apr. 25 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
Mon. Apr. 28 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern
Wed. Apr. 30 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Lounge
Thu. May 01 - Allston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
Fri. May 02 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
Sat. May 03 - Washington, DC - The Atlantis
Sun. May 04 - Pittsburgh, PA - Thunderbird Music Hall
Tue. May 06 - Indianapolis, IN - Hi-Fi
Wed. May 07 - St. Louis, MO - Off-Broadway
Fri. May 09 - Denver, CO - Globe Hall
Mon. May 12 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Urban Lounge
Sat. May 17 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox at the Market
Billboard Heart will be available on CD/LP/DSPs from Sub Pop. LP preorders from megamart.subpop.com (US), Mega Mart 2 (UK/EU), Deep Sea Diver’s Official Website, Bandcamp, and your local record store will receive the limited Loser edition vinyl on Transparent Pink (North America), Glacial Blue (Bandcamp North America), and Opaque Pink (UK/Europe) (All limited edition vinyl colors available while stock lasts!). The Billboard Heart cover image is shot by photographer Neil Krug and from his “Spirit II” photo series.
Skeleten shares "Let It Grow" single. New album 'Mentalized' on 2MR out Feb 7th
SKELETEN RELEASES "LET IT GROW"
LATEST SINGLE FROM NEW ALBUM MENTALIZED
COMING FEBRUARY 7 VIA 2MR / ASTRAL PEOPLE
Photo By Rudolf Zverina @rvsf
Today, Eora/Sydney-based artist Skeleten (aka Russell Fitzgibbon) unveils his final single "Let It Grow" from his forthcoming second album, Mentalized, out in one month via 2MR / Astral People Recordings.
Amidst a record absorbed in the ways we’re disconnected from ourselves every day - “mentalized for better or worse” - "Let It Grow" immerses in a dissociative surrender. Over a sensual synth line, Skeleten breathes life into the inexplicable weight of intimate connection. It’s a submission to that feeling of an "it" that cannot be denied. The song hangs heavy in the air, unmoving like the heat of an overpacked club, and the only way out is up.
Skeleten concludes, “‘Let It Grow’ was so natural it just kinda started existing without me even realising it. Which I guess is the whole vibe of the song. Surrender and acceptance??”
Listen / Share / Playlist “Let It Grow”
"Let It Grow" completes a lineup of adored singles "Deep Scene", "Love Enemy", "Viagra" and "Bodys Chorus" alongside respective remixes by Axel Boman and Spray, in laying the foundations for Mentalized. The releases have earned tastemaker nods from Pitchfork, Stereogum, Paste, Brooklyn Vegan, KEXP, KCRW, BBC 6Music, FBi Radio, Apple Music’s ‘Best of 2024’ playlists and more.
This month Skeleten will complete a 3-month residency at Sydney’s Pleasure Club, spotlighting local talent across the city’s different scenes, alongside Skeleten and his full live band. Having already united acts like Hugh B and the Modern Pop Ensemble, Dylan Atlantis, Scruffs and Killian, stay tuned via Skeleten’s socials for the final surprise announcement. Skeleten will also perform at Golden Plains Festival in March, alongside esteemed artists PJ Harvey, Fontaines D.C, Kneecap and more.
Pre-Order / Pre-Save / Playlist Mentalized
Mentalized Tracklist:
1 - These People
2 - Love Enemy
3 - Bodys Chorus
4 - Crack In The Shell
5 - Deep Scene
6 - Raw
7 - Let It Grow
8 - Viagra
9 - Ravers Dream
10 - Mindreader
Skeleten Live Dates:
Mar 8 - 10, 2025: Golden Plains Festival, Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, VIC
