American Aquarium
For American Aquarium VIP Add On, visit https://www.americanaquarium.com/vip. For nearly two decades, American Aquarium have pushed toward that rare form of rock-and-roll that’s revelatory in every sense. “For us the sweet spot is when you’ve got a rock band that makes you scream along to every word, and it’s not until you’re coming down at three a.m. that you realize those words are saying something real about your life,” says frontman BJ Barham. “That’s what made us fall in love with music in the first place, and that’s the goal in everything we do.” On their new album The Fear of Standing Still, the North Carolina-bred band embody that dynamic with more intensity than ever before, endlessly matching their gritty breed of country-rock with Barham’s bravest and most incisive songwriting to date. As he reflects on matters both personal and sociocultural—e.g., the complexity of Southern identity, the intersection of generational trauma and the dismantling of reproductive rights—American Aquarium instill every moment of The Fear of Standing Still with equal parts unbridled spirit and illuminating empathy. Recorded live at the legendary Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, The Fear of Standing Still marks American Aquarium’s second outing with producer Shooter Jennings—a three-time Grammy winner who also helmed production on 2020’s critically lauded Lamentations, as well as albums from the likes of Brandi Carlile and Tanya Tucker. In a departure from the stripped-down subtlety of 2022’s Chicamacomico (a largely acoustic rumination on grief), the band’s tenth studio LP piles on plenty of explosive riffs and hard-charging rhythms, bringing a visceral energy to the most nuanced and poetic of lyrics. “In our live show the band’s like a freight train that never lets up, and for this record I really wanted to showcase how big and anthemic we can be,” notes Barham, whose bandmates include guitarist Shane Boeker, pedal-steel guitarist Neil Jones, keyboardist Rhett Huffman, drummer Ryan Van Fleet, and bassist Alden Hedges. Mixed by four-time Grammy winner Trina Shoemaker (Queens of the Stone Age, Emmylou Harris), The Fear of Standing Still shares its title with one of the first songs Barham wrote for the album—a soul-baring look at how raising a family has radically altered his priorities and perspective. In the process of creating what he refers to as “a record about growing up and growing older,” Barham also found his songwriting closely informed by his ten years of sobriety, as well as his ever-deepening connection with American Aquarium’s community of fans. “Whenever someone tells me that one of our songs helped them in some way, it encourages me to be more and more open—almost like peeling a layer off an onion,” he says. “This album is a writer 18 years into his career, peeling away the next layer and seeing just how human we can make this thing.” Expanding on the raw vitality of previous albums like 2012’s Jason Isbell-produced Burn.Flicker.Die, The Fear of Standing Still kicks offs with “Crier”: a gloriously ferocious track that swiftly obliterates worn-out ideals of masculine behavior. Website | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube
School of Rock Chapel Hill’s Mid-Season Preview
$10 Suggested Donation. 12:00pm The SORCH House Band set #1!12:15pm Music from Guardians of the Galaxy!12:45pm Red Hot Chili Peppers “Californication”!1:15pm Rock 101!1:30pm The SORCH Adult Band presents “Best of the 90’s”!2:00pm Songwriting – Originals!2:30pm Pop Queens!3:00pm Rock 201!3:30pm The SORCH House Band set #2!3:45pm The Music of New Orleans!4:15pm Punk!4:45pm Staff Infection previews Fall 2025 Show Themes! This will be another incredible afternoon of amazing music! Website | Instagram | Facebook
Benches
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almost monday
Emerging from garage jams and D.I.Y. gigs, almost monday —Dawson Daugherty (vocals), Cole Clisby (guitar) and Luke Fabry (bass)—burst onto the scene in 2020 with a sound that embodies the sun-soaked essence of California. Their debut EP, don’t say you’re ordinary, produced with Mark Needham (The Killers, Fleetwood Mac) and Simon Oscroft (The Naked and Famous, DREAMERS), quickly gained traction with hits like “parking lot view” and “come on come on.” Their infectious energy and empowering anthems, notably “broken people,” along with the Sofi Tukker remix, garnered attention, propelling them into the Top 20 at Alternative Radio. In 2021, almost monday continued to shine with their second EP, til the end of time, and singles like “live forever” and “cool enough,” earning acclaim from Alternative Press, Forbes, People, GQ Australia, Earmilk, Flaunt, Ones To Watch and more. Festival debuts at Lollapalooza, BottleRock and Firefly and sharing stages with Kings of Leon, Dayglow, Walk The Moon and Joywave further solidified their rising status. The momentum surged into 2022 with coastal-inspired singles like “sunburn” and “sun keeps on shining,” earning radio success with the latter a top 10 hit on Sirius XM Alt Nation, a top 20 hit on Alternative Radio, and the official song of the 2022 Vans US Open of Surfing. Festival slots, Governor’s Ball, WonderBus and Innings Festival, alongside touring North and South America with The Driver Era, and headline shows in Japan and South Korea wrapped up the year. In 2023, almost monday maintained their indie-pop prowess with festival appearances including WonderRoad, Wonderstruck, Have A Nice Trip (Korea), and Life is Beautiful and tours with AJR, Weathers, and The Driver Era. 2022 hosted a string of singles led by the infectious “only wanna dance,” which premiered with V Magazine, “coast to coast,” the reflective “life goes by,” and “sweet feelings.” With over 400 million streams under their belt, almost monday’s feel-good vibes continue to resonate globally as they dive into 2024 with new releases like “is it too late?” (world premiered with Australia’s Triple J) and “can’t slow down,” a U.S. tour with Beach Weather, a summer arena tour alongside AJR and MXMTOON, dates in Mexico plus a six-week European tour with The Driver Era, and, on the horizon, a debut album coming later this year. The San Diego band’s music has been featured across various media platforms from ESPN, CBS, Bravo, HBO Max and Netflix, to FOX, TNT and beyond. Website | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify
Celebrating the Life of Sherman Tate
Celebrating Sherman: A Nite of Music & Memories withThe BlazersParthenon Huxley, Lee Gildersleeve, Ron Taylor, Ken Yow, Debra DeMilo & Brian Barnes Doug Guild & more.
Mountain Grass Unit
Mountain Grass Unit, from Birmingham, Alabama, is a young quartet redefining bluegrass with a fresh narrative. Comprised of Drury Anderson (mandolin, vocals), Luke Black (guitar, vocals), Josiah Nelson (fiddle, vocals), and Sam Wilson (bass, vocals), they blend tradition with bold exploration. Their journey began with a shared musical passion, forming a sound that merges bluegrass with country, jazz, funk, rock, and metal influences. Their debut EP, “Runnin’ From Trouble,” released in 2024, showcases their original music and inventive covers, inspired by legends like Tony Rice and Billy Strings. Recorded at Nashville’s Hartland Studios, and produced by Mike Harris (Old Crow Medicine Show), the EP captures their live energy. The leading single, “Hey Mama,” explores life’s transitions with inquisitive lyrics, while “Cicada Song” and “Smugglin’” highlight their funk and traditional sides. 2024 marked a turning point with performances at Renewal, DelFest and WinterWondergrass, broadening their audience and deepening their musical exploration. With plans for extensive touring, festival sets, and new music, Mountain Grass Unit is ready to share their luminous sound with the world, each performance a new chapter in their unfolding story. Website | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify
South Arcade
Rising stars South Arcade are excited to announce two headline shows for March 2025, their biggest yet, seeing ‘North Arcade’ and ‘South Arcade’ go head to head in a battle… The official video for HOW 2 GET AWAY WITH MURDER saw ‘North Arcade’ and South Arcade have their first encounter. The video introduces ‘North Arcade,’ the alien imposter band from the future, who want to replace South Arcade in the present day to make their sound more futuristic, instead of their Y2K influence. In a fun spin, the two headline shows are intended to be the rematch, following the outcome of the aforementioned video. The band will play Manchester’s Academy 3 on Thursday 13th March and London’s iconic KOKO on Friday 14th March. The four-piece said of the shows, “We have got 2 really exciting shows planned for March 2025 where South Arcade and North Arcade get to battle it out as a round 2 of the HOW 2 GET AWAY WITH MURDER music video. These will be our biggest shows so far and look forward to giving the crowd a special night of lots of energy and drama!” Currently on a support tour with pop/punk star NOAHFINNCE and Nashville-based artist Taylor Acorn, on Friday the band were announced to be playing Slam Dunk Festival 2025, continuing a run of successful festival appearances. Speaking of their excitement to play the festival, the quartet said, “We can’t wait to be playing one of the coolest UK festivals out there right now, and alongside bands like ADTR and Neck Deep. Definitely one that’s been on the band’s bucket list for a long time.” Tickets for Slam Dunk Festival are available here. South Arcade have also been announced to be a part of Radio 1’s New Music Live Show in Halifax on 20th November, where they will perform a set at Square Chapel for a live broadcast on BBC Radio 1. They will join Eden Rain, Bea and her Business, and Mercury-prize winners, English Teacher. South Arcade have had solid support at Radio 1, and the huge event is a collaboration with Radio 1 shows Future Artists, Future Pop, New Music Show and BBC Introducing. South Arcade, made up of Harmony Cavelle (vocals), Harry Winks (guitar), Ollie Green (bass) and Cody Jones (drums), released their latest single MOTH KIDS last month, which follows on from previous singles stone cold summer, Riptide and Nepo Baby. In just the last few months, the band have exploded across social media, including TikTok where their top two pinned videos have 3 million views, with their huge online fan base continuing to grow. South Arcade’s most recent releases have been some of their biggest tracks to date, and racked up a whopping 15 million+ plays on Spotify alone. The band are now gearing up for the release of their debut EP, expected in December ahead of the new year, where they are planning for more releases and shows to follow. Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok | Soundcloud | Spotify
Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory
$1 per ticket will be donated to A New Way Of Life: https://anewwayoflife.org. From the off, Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory is sonically different from Van Etten’s previous work. Writing and recording in total collaboration with her band for the first time, Van Etten finds the freedom that comes by letting go. The result of that liberation is an exhilarating new dimension of sound and songwriting. The themes are timeless, classic Sharon – life and living, love and being loved – but the sounds are new, wholly realized and sharp as glass. Reflecting on this new artistic frame of mind, Van Etten muses, “Sometimes it’s exciting, sometimes it’s scary, sometimes you feel stuck. It’s like every day feels a little different – just being at peace with whatever you’re feeling and whoever you are and how you relate to people in that moment. If I can just keep a sense of openness while knowing that my feelings change every day, that is all I can do right now. That and try to be the best person I can be while letting other people be who they are and not taking it personally and just being. I’m not there, but I’m trying to be there every day.” Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory is a quantum leap in that direction. – Lol Tolhurst Website | Instagram | Spotify | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok
Leith Ross
Hailing from a small town near Ottawa, Ontario, singer-songwriter Leith Ross (they / them) channels their honest and emotional storytelling through introspective lyrics and a blend of indie folk with alternative and rock sounds. In 2020, they first introduced their artistry and independently released their debut Motherwell EP. Recorded live, it received widespread praise from tastemakers and fans alike. They continued to evolve with their viral singles “I’d Have To Think About It” and “We’ll Never Have Sex,” while also maintaining their momentum with a rising social presence. Signing to Republic Records in 2022 lead to their long awaited debut album To Learn the following year. As with all of their music, the songs on To Learn are deeply personal and take them to vulnerable places, exploring themes like queerness, love, relationships, and mental health and rendered in folk-adjacent tones—sometimes with a pop beat or a rock riff, sometimes with just their voice and their guitar alone. Closing out 2023, they unveiled the deluxe version To Learn, More, including live versions of fan favorites “(You) On My Arm,” “Orlando,” and “To Learn.” Critical acclaim followed from the likes of NME, CLASH, Them., Ones To Watch, and The FADER, who hailed them as “your new obsession.” Beyond tours with Lord Huron, Bahamas, and Helena Deland, they sold out headline shows worldwide, performed at festivals across North America, and received the inaugural “John Prine Songwriter Fellowship” at 2022’s Newport Folk Festival and a nomination for “Alternative Album of the Year” at 2024’s Juno Awards. Now, with over 450 million streams across their catalogue to date, they return with the new emotionally charged single “Grieving,” heralding a highly anticipated new album helmed by hit producer Rostam [Vampire Weekend]. Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok
Bad Suns: Acceleratour 2025
Bad Suns are embracing everything that’s possible. On their joyous fifth album, fittingly titled Accelerator, the Los Angeles trio are taking stock of everything they’ve been through together as a band and pushing into a bright future with a renewed sense of purpose. Together since 2012, Christo Bowman (vocals/guitar), Gavin Bennett (bass) and Miles Morris (drums) started playing together as teenagers and went viral almost immediately with their magnetic blend of indie-rock and ‘80s synth sheen. After four hit albums, the trio reached a point where they needed to recalibrate and recenter if they wanted to continue. Recording their exuberant 2023 EP Infinite Joy was a cleansing experience that recalibrated Bad Suns and set them on a thrilling path forward into making Accelerator, which comprises 12 new tracks brimming with dance-pop hooks and poignant lessons learned. “We saw the Infinite Joy EP as a new beginning for the band. I felt this yearning once again,” reflects Christo Bowman. “Accelerator being our fifth album, our first studio album as a trio, and the first album of my 30s, we knew that this was going to be really important. We didn’t want to take that lightly. We asked ourselves, how do we live up to the occasion? We saw this album as a mountain we wanted to climb.” In planning their elevation, Bad Suns reconnected with their go-to producer Eric Palmquist (Tate McRae, Half Alive), who also helmed their 2014 debut Language & Perspective, plus follow-ups Disappear Here (2016) and Apocalypse Whenever (2022). Going into recording Accelerator, Eric encouraged Bad Suns to channel their sense of renewal into an energetic sonic direction they’d tapped into before, but never quite to this extent. “One of the first times we sat down with Eric, we were talking about what we’d all been vibing with. He said point blank, ‘It would be really cool to mess around with some ‘90s house-inspired music. Right away, the light bulb went off for me. I’d wanted to push in that direction forever.” While tracks like the previously released “Communicating,” anthemic opener “Slow Karma,” the pulsing “Why Am I Like This,” and the shimmering club cut “Just Like Magic” reveal a riveting pop turn for the band, Accelerator is still steeped in the original DNA that made Bad Suns a feel-good viral sensation with early hits like “Cardiac Arrest.” The rushing pop melodies mirror Accelerator’s title, but its lyrics are filled with stop-and-think moments where Christo surveys his past actions and makes the intentional choice to embrace personal growth and impending fatherhood. “My 20s were a challenging time with a lot of peaks and a lot of valleys,” he says. “There’s a lot of joy, a lot of mistakes. This album is ultimately about finding the strength within yourself to assess the damage that’s been done and make the changes that you need to in order to take control of your own life, kind of reckoning with the fact that you can’t control the external circumstances. I can’t control the world around me, but I can control the way that I react to the events taking place and the way that I move through the world.” Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok | Soundcloud | Spotify
