Belle & Sebastian @ United Artists Theatre May 15th 2024

All photos by BRADLEY DUPRAY

 

SWANS @ LODGE ROOM Sunday April 28th 2024

All photos by BRADLEY DUPRAY

Billie Eilish Releases New Album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT .

BILLIE EILISH RELEASES THIRD STUDIO ALBUM  HIT ME HARD AND SOFT  [DARKROOM/INTERSCOPE RECORDS]    HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR ANNOUNCED TOUR STARTS IN NORTH AMERICA IN SEPTEMBER AND CONTINUES IN EUROPE, UNITED KINGDOM, IRELAND, AND AUSTRALIA IN 2025

LISTEN HIT ME HARD AND SOFT [ALBUM] SKINNY LUNCH CHIHIRO BIRDS OF A FEATHER WILDFLOWER THE GREATEST L’AMOUR DE MA VIE THE DINER BITTERSUITE BLUE     “Eilish’s Best Album Yet.” – Rolling Stone Magazine   “Billie Eilish keeps up her winning streak with the surprising and intimate ‘HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” – Variety   “The 10-track release sees a once-in-a-generation pop performer once again rewriting the rules.” - Associated Press   “Eilish specialties bundled in a perfect package.” – USA Today   "[Eilish's] musical growth bursts through." – Los Angeles Times Billie Eilish has released her highly anticipated third studio album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT via Darkroom/Interscope Records. Listen HERE.   The album does exactly as the title suggests. Featuring 10 original and genre-defying tracks, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT journeys through a vast and expansive audio landscape, immersing listeners through a full spectrum of emotions. A truly cinematic, diverse, and cohesive body of work, that Eilish considers a “family of songs,” ideally intended to be listened to from beginning to end. HIT ME HARD AND SOFT is her boldest and most daring work yet, and what Rolling Stone hails as her “best album yet.”   The release follows two free album listening events in New York and LA, with all 16,000 seats filled at Brooklyn’s Barclay Center and 13,500 at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum. Fans also came out to AMC Theaters across North America, where they had the opportunity to celebrate the album and hear HIT ME HARD AND SOFT from beginning to end ahead of its official release   HIT ME HARD AND SOFT was written by Billie Eilish and FINNEAS, her brother and long-time collaborator, who also produced the album. The album is available today on all digital platforms, and in a continued effort to minimize waste and combat climate change; across all physical formats in limited variants, with the same track-listing and using 100% recyclable materials. For more information on all sustainable practices for this album release, go to: https://store.billieeilish.com/pages/sustainability   Earlier this month, Billie Eilish announced her HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR. Produced by Live Nation and starting in September 2024, Eilish will embark on her North American leg of the tour which runs through to the end of December 2024. The tour will continue in Australia starting February 2025 ahead of her European, U.K., and Ireland arena dates starting in April until late July. For a full list of tour dates, see below or visit billieeilish.com   HIT ME HARD AND SOFT is out everywhere now.

HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR - NORTH AMERICA* Sun Sep 29 – Québec, QC – Centre Videotron Tue Oct 01 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena Wed Oct 02 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena Fri Oct 04 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena Sat Oct 05 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center Mon Oct 07 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena Wed Oct 09 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center Fri Oct 11 – Boston, MA – TD Garden Sun Oct 13 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena Wed Oct 16 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden Thu Oct 17 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden Fri Oct 18 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden Sat Nov 02 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena Sun Nov 03 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena Wed Nov 06 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena Fri Nov 08 – Cincinnati, OH – Heritage Bank Center Sun Nov 10 – Saint Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center Mon Nov 11 – Saint Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center Wed Nov 13 – Chicago, IL – United Center Thu Nov 14 – Chicago, IL – United Center Sat Nov 16 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center Sun Nov 17 – Omaha, NE – CHI Health Center Omaha Tue Nov 19 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena Wed Nov 20 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena Tue Dec 03 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena Thu Dec 05 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena Fri Dec 06 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena Sun Dec 08 – Portland, OR – Moda Center Tue Dec 10 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center at San Jose Wed Dec 11 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center at San Jose Fri Dec 13 – Glendale, AZ – Desert Diamond Arena Sun Dec 15 – Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum Mon Dec 16 – Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum Tue Dec 17 – Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum   HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR - AUSTRALIA Tue Feb 18, 2025 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Centre Wed Feb 19, 2025 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Centre Fri Feb 21, 2025 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Centre Sat Feb 22, 2025 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Centre Mon Feb 24, 2025 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena Tue Feb 25, 2025 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena Thu Feb 27, 2025 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena Fri Feb 28, 2025 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena Tue Mar 4, 2025 –Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena Wed Mar 5, 2025 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena Fri Mar 7, 2025 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena Sat Mar 8, 2025 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena   HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR – EUROPE/U.K./IRELAND Wed Apr 23, 2025 – Stockholm, Sweden – Avicii Arena Thu Apr 24, 2025 – Stockholm, Sweden – Avicii Arena Sat Apr 26, 2025 – Oslo, Norway – Telenor Arena Mon Apr 28, 2025 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Arena Tue Apr 29, 2025 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Arena Fri May 2, 2025 – Hannover, Germany – ZAG Arena Sun May 4, 2025 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome Mon May 5, 2025 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome Wed May 7, 2025 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome Fri May 9, 2025 – Berlin, Germany – Uber Arena Thu May 29, 2025 – Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena Fri May 30, 2025 – Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena Sun June 1, 2025 – Prague, Czech Republic – O2 Arena Tue June 3, 2025 – Kraków, Poland – Tauron Arena Wed June 4, 2025 – Kraków, Poland – Tauron Arena Fri June 6, 2025 – Vienna, Austria – Stadthalle Sun June 8, 2025 – Bologna, Italy – Unipol Arena Tue June 10, 2025 – Paris, France – Accor Arena Wed June 11, 2025 – Paris, France – Accor Arena Sat June 14, 2025 – Barcelona, Spain – Palau Sant Jordi Sun June 15, 2025 –Barcelona, Spain – Palau Sant Jordi Mon Jul 7, 2025 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro Tue Jul 8, 2025 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro Thu Jul 10, 2025 – London, UK – The O2 Fri Jul 11, 2025 –London, UK – The O2 Sun Jul 13, 2025 – London, UK – The O2 Mon Jul 14, 2025 – London, UK – The O2 Wed Jul 16, 2025 – London, UK – The O2 Thu Jul 17, 2025 – London, UK – The O2 Sat Jul 19, 2025 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live Sun Jul 20, 2025 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live Tue Jul 22, 2025 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live Wed Jul 23, 2025 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live Sat Jul 26, 2025 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena Sun Jul 27, 2025 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena   *The tour wants to give fans, not scalpers, the best chance to buy tickets at face value. To make this possible they have chosen to use Ticketmaster’s Face Value Exchange. If fans purchase tickets for a show in the U.S. or Canada and can't attend, they'll have the option to resell them to other fans at the original price paid. To help protect the Exchange, the tour has requested all tickets be mobile only and restricted from transfer. This applies to all shows except those in Colorado, Illinois, and New York where Face Value Exchange cannot be mandated. Please note, a valid bank account or debit card within the country of your event is required to sell on the Face Value Exchange. More information on how the Ticketmaster Exchange works is available here.

EMPIRE OF THE SUN ANNOUNCE 'ASK THAT GOD,' THE LONG-AWAITED 4TH ALBUM FROM THE ASTRAL WIZARDS OF ELECTRO-POP SET FOR RELEASE JULY 26, 2024, VIA CAPITOL RECORDS

EMPIRE OF THE SUN ANNOUNCE ASK THAT GOD THE LONG-AWAITED 4TH ALBUM FROM THE ASTRAL WIZARDS OF ELECTRO-POP SET FOR RELEASE JULY 26, 2024, VIA CAPITOL RECORDS PRE-ORDER HERE   Second Single “Music On The Radio” Out Now Listen Here & Watch The Official Video Here

Download Ask That God album artwork here   For eight years Empyreans have waited patiently for word from visionary duo Emperor Steele and Lord Littlemore as they traversed the world on their sonic pilgrimage… that wait ends here with their new album Ask That God which will be released on July 26 via Capitol Records and is available for pre-order HERE now.   In a kaleidoscopic universe where reality merges seamlessly with fantasy, the fourth age of Empire of the Sun unveils itself as a holistic musical adventure where imagination and reality blur and the surreal reigns supreme. “It has been a journey unlike any other that Empire Of The Sun has undertaken. We always ‘go there’ when it comes to exploration of both the self and the outside world,” says Littlemore. “This body of work represents the greatest shift in consciousness our world has ever seen and that’s reflected in the music.” “Ask That God is an album we searched for and were thankfully blessed with. We are nothing more than conduits, gathering experience and finding what is meant for the Empire to find,” explains Steele.   The propulsive first single “Changes” heralded the new era as a moment to reflect on what was happening to the band itself - a second coming, the new era and a sense of rebirth. The idea goes to the heart of the Empire’s purpose, to nurture and amplify bliss and beauty through finely crafted manifestations of sound and vision.   All that is underpinned by the band’s infectious ability to build musical worlds that no one wants to leave as demonstrated through the hypnotic disco laced groove of the addictive second single “Music On The Radio” which is released today – LISTEN HERE. “To me this song is like a teenager rebelling against his imaginary emotions. It’s penned in only that unique way Lord Littlemore can bring words to life. The bass wraps it’s arms around you in some kind of hypnotic groove and you're powerless to its charms” says Steele.   Emperor Steele and Lord Littlemore continue their musical journey as kingdom builders not shying away from their indelible ability to weave their music with their unmistakable visual aesthetic and storytelling.   In the second video instalment filmmaker Michael Maxxis takes us on a visual trip with the portal-jumping Emperor and Lord arriving in a parallel universe for a surreal pool-party. With its bold neon feel and odd squad of characters, the video puts the song at its centre capitalising on its infectious hypnotic pulse. Watch the official video for “Music On The Radio” HERE.

“Music On The Radio” official video thumbnail here   Empire of the Sun have left an indelible mark on the global music scene, boasting a remarkable career that has seen them sell over 5.5 million albums worldwide and accumulate a staggering 7.6 billion streams. The band’s illustrious three albums have seen multi-generational and far-reaching global success for iconic anthems including “Walking On A Dream,” “We Are The People,” “Alive” and “High And Low.” Enjoying multi-platinum success in the US, Canada, UK, across Europe and Australia plus eight ARIA Awards & two APRA Awards, the band continue to solidify their status as musical pioneers.

Empire of the Sun  Photo Credit: William Barrington-Binns Download image here   ABOUT EMPIRE OF THE SUN Empire of the Sun, the visionary Australian electronic duo comprising Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore, have been making waves across the world with phenomenal live shows and anthemic smash hits for the last decade as one of Australia’s most successful musical exports.   With Steele's background in The Sleepy Jackson and Littlemore's founding role in PNAU, the duo embarked on a sonic odyssey that has captivated audiences worldwide. Since their emergence, Empire of the Sun has transcended boundaries, blending alternative electronica with mesmerizing visuals to create an immersive musical experience unlike any other.   Their seminal debut album, Walking On A Dream, which the musicians described as "a spiritual road movie" spawned iconic singles “Walking On A Dream” and “We Are The People”. The critically acclaimed second LP, disco-pop Ice On The Dune featured “Alive” and “DNA” and saw the band tour the world. Third LP "Two Vines," saw the band welcoming guests like Lindsey Buckingham, members of David Bowie's band from the Blackstar sessions, and Wendy Melvoin from Prince & the Revolution and featured singles “High And Low” and “Way To Go”.   Their chart success extends far beyond their native Australia, with their albums achieving multi-platinum certifications across the globe. In addition to their commercial triumphs, the duo has garnered an impressive array of accolades, including eight ARIA Awards, two APRA Awards, and an APRA Billions Award. With over 5.5 million albums sold globally and a staggering 7.6 billion streams, Empire of the Sun's impact on the music industry is undeniable, solidifying their status as icons of the electronic music genre.  “Everything about Empire of the Sun is larger than life.” – Rolling Stone   “Out of this world.” – SPIN   “If this is what the future sounds like, then it’s going to be beautiful.” – BBC   To pre-order Ask That God: https://empireofthesun.lnk.to/AskThatGod   To listen to “Music On The Radio”: https://empireofthesun.lnk.to/MusicOnTheRadio   To watch official video for “Music On The Radio”: https://empireofthesun.lnk.to/MusicOnTheRadioVideo   Connect with Empire of the Sun: Website | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

Crumb releases new album 'AMAMA' + headline North American tour kicks off this summer

CRUMB RELEASES NEW ALBUM AMAMA OUT NOW VIA CRUMB RECORDS HEADLINE NORTH AMERICAN TOUR KICKS OFF THIS SUMMER WITH SUPPORT FROM L’RAIN, VAGABON, AND DISCOVERY ZONE

Crumb by Melissa Lunar @mmmlunar AMAMA https://Crumb.lnk.to/AMAMA What the press is saying about AMAMA so far: “biggest and best album to date” Pitchfork “a hazy resin of jazz and psychedelia” Boston Globe “a continuation of their playful experimentation with genre and the possibilities of sound” Under The Radar (May 17, 2024) - New York City’s Crumb releases their album AMAMA via Crumb Records today. AMAMA includes the previously shared singles “AMAMA,” which arrived with a nostalgia-laced video directed by longtime collaborator and creative director Abraham El-Makawy with artistic contributions from over 700 fans and “The Bug,” which arrived with a playful Haoyan of America-directed video. The album also features the fan-favorites “Crushxd” and “Dust Bunny.” To celebrate AMAMA, Crumb will embark on their headline North American tour this summer, which sees the band hit 30 cities across the country including Chicago, Austin, Boston, Los Angeles, and a hometown show in Brooklyn. Crumb will be accompanied by L’Rain, Vagabon, and Discovery Zone on select dates. Ahead of the North American tour, Crumb will perform headline shows across Europe along with festival performances at Wide Awake in London, Primavera Sound in Spain and Portugal. Additionally, Crumb will be performing at Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago on July 21st. Full tour routing can be found below and tickets available HERE.  Produced in Los Angeles with Johnscott Sanford and Jonathan Rado, AMAMA is an illuminating reflection on finding stability, connection, and clarity amid a nomadic lifestyle. The new album is also Crumb’s most carefree and heartfelt project yet with a blend of poetic abstraction, introspective honesty, and tasteful sonic experimentation. Crumb is in their most animated and dynamic form across AMAMA, creating their own reality voiced by the use of glitchy pitch-shifted vocals, cell phone recordings, nautical blips, sax mouthpiece solos, blasted drum samples, and piano strings dampened with Silly Putty. Blending psychedelia, pop, jazz, and rock, this full-length solidifies Crumb's unique musical identity.  In 2023, Crumb released their single “Le Temple Volant” with Melody’s Echo Chamber, which received acclaim from Pitchfork, The FADER, Stereogum, and more. AMAMA follows a cohesive line back through breakout EPs, the self-titled Crumb and Locket, along with 2019’s Jinx and 2021’s Ice Melt, which Rolling Stone called "a captivating trek to the metaphysical and back down to Earth.” Check out AMAMA above and see full tour routing and album details below. Upcoming Tour Dates: * with L'Rain and Discovery Zone ^ with Vagabon 5/24 - Manchester, UK @ Bad Dreams 5/25 - London, UK @ Wide Awake Festival 5/26 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso 5/28 - Brussels, Belgium @ Le Botanique 5/29 - Paris, FR @ La Bellevilloise 5/30 - Düdingen, Switzerland @ Bad Bonn Kilbi 6/01 - Barcelona, Spain @ Primavera Sound 6/07 - Porto, Portugal @ NOS Primavera Sound 7/18 - Des Moines, IA @ Wooly's  7/19 - Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater  7/21 - Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival 8/20 - Philadelphia, PA @ Brooklyn Bowl * 8/21 - Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore Silver Spring * 8/23 - Richmond, Virginia @ The National * 8/24 - Charlotte, NC @ The Underground * 8/25 - Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre * 8/27 - Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl * 8/28 - Indianapolis, IN @ Deluxe * 8/30 - Detroit, MI @ Saint Andrew's Hall * 8/31 - Toronto, ON @ The Concert Hall * 9/01 - Montreal, QC @ Théâtre Beanfield * 9/04 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount * 9/05 - New Haven, CT @ Toad's Place * 9/06 - Boston, MA @ Roadrunner * 10/03 - Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst ^ 10/04 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater ^ 10/05 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades ^ 10/07 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot ^ 10/09 - Denver, CO @ The Mission Ballroom ^ 10/11 - Dallas, TX @ Ferris Wheelers ^ 10/12 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall ^ 10/13 - San Antonio, TX @ Aztec Theatre ^ 10/15 - Austin, TX @ Emo's ^ 10/17 - Albuquerque, NM @ El Rey Theater ^ 10/18 - El Paso, TX @ Lowbrow Palace ^ 10/21 - Santa Ana, CA @ Observatory OC ^ 10/22 - San Diego, CA @ Observatory North Park ^ 10/23 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern ^

AMAMA album artwork by Abraham El Makawy Crumb  AMAMA May 17th, 2024 Crumb Records 1. From Outside a Window Sill 2. Side By Side  3. The Bug  4. AMAMA  5. Genie  6. Crushxd  7. Nightly News  8. (Alone in) Brussels 9. Sleep Talk  10. Dust Bunny  11. Swarmed  12. XXX

Connect with Crumb: Instagram | Twitter | YouTube