All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her through Instagram or X.
Country Thunder Announces First-Ever Beachfront Festival Headlined by Kane Brown
Country Thunder, North America’s largest country music festival brand, is making history next year by launching its first-ever beachfront festival, Country Thunder Florida. The event will take over the iconic, sugar-white sands of St. Pete Beach and the Gulf shoreline from May 8–10, 2026, delivering the brand’s biggest and boldest event yet. This milestone year calls for a massive lineup, led by superstar headliners Zach Top, Gavin Adcock, and Kane Brown, who consistently sell out venues across the country. The powerhouse supporting cast adds to the pure heat of the lineup, featuring acts like Randy Houser, Max McNown, Shaboozey, and Dasha.
The festival unfolds on the sprawling 40-acre grounds of the legendary TradeWinds Resort, transforming one of America’s most celebrated beaches into a three-day soundtrack of guitars and nonstop country anthems. This event is a rare fusion of a destination vacation and festival adrenaline, allowing fans to wander from the sand to the main stage in seconds. Beyond the major performances, the concourse promises all-day action with carnival rides, local food, and a special Songwriter Showcase. With tickets and premium packages available—including a new, budget-friendly option for just $20 down—Country Thunder is poised to deliver a best-in-class, oceanfront takeover.
HERMANO Announces New Live Album ‘Clisson, France’ and Spring European Tour
Hermano, the theatrical rock collective fronted by iconic Kyuss vocalist John Garcia, has announced their new live album, ‘Clisson, France’, set for release this February 6th on Ripple Music, and unveiled the roaring single “Left Side Bleeding.” The live album was captured during their thrilling, critically hailed set at Hellfest in Clisson, France, in the summer of 2016, marking the band’s first performance in eight years. Guitarist Dave Angstrom enthused that the show was an incredible experience shared with his closest friends, calling the live album a reminder of the “strong bond, love, and friendship” within the band.
The announcement is coupled with news of Hermano’s first extensive tour in over a decade for the spring of 2026, including festival appearances. The band, which has consistently refused to operate on anyone’s schedule other than their own, was lured back by the repeated calls of their devoted fans. After arriving at Hellfest with only a couple of hours to rehearse, they delivered a performance so energetic and seamless that audiences were left in awe. ‘Clisson, France’ promises to be one of the most magical and significant live releases of 2026, available on limited LP, CD, digital, and DVD formats.
Hermano European tour 2026:
- May 7: Paris (FR) @ La Maroquinerie
- May 8: Utrecht (NL) @ Tivoli Vredenburg
- May 9: Cologne (DE) @ Luxor
- May 11: Vienna (AT) @ Arena
- May 12: Munich (DE) @ Backstage Halle
- May 14: Berlin (DE) @ Desertfest Berlin
- May 15: London (UK) @ Desertfest London
- May 16: Nijmegen (NL) @ Sonic Whip
- May 17: Brussels (BE) @ Obsidian Dust
Shropshire’s TRIERS Deliver Towering New Indie Anthem “Home”
Shropshire’s Triers have made a powerful return with their new single, “Home,” a towering indie anthem that fearlessly lays bare the frustration, resilience, and raw humanity of life inside the music industry. Recently crowned BBC Introducing Artist of the Week with heavy rotation, the band is sharpening that momentum into a candid statement about rejection, self-worth, and the outright refusal to quit. Frontman Nick Taylor explains that “Home” is not about a physical place, but about chasing your dream, getting told you’re not good enough, and finding your sense of belonging in spite of that corporate coldness.
The track, produced by Gavin Monaghan, captures the band’s trademark “mountain of sound”—thick layers of guitars and rhythms that drive forward with palpable intent. With defiant lines like “put me back on the shelf,” Triers turn their industry frustration into potent catharsis, delivering a defiant roar from the underdogs of British indie. The band, based between Shropshire and the West Midlands, continues to build a reputation as one of the most compelling grassroots acts in the country, showcasing unfiltered honesty wrapped in anthemic grit, proving they are a band living up to their name.
THE ROAD HAMMERS Recruit Ian Thornley and Tyler Connolly For New Single “Till The Wheels Fall Off”
Award-winning country-rock trio The Road Hammers are revving up for 2026 with their hard-hitting new single, “Till The Wheels Fall Off,” out January 9th via Skysong Records. This full-throttle anthem is built on roaring guitars and diesel-strength momentum, featuring powerhouse contributions from Canadian rock icons Ian Thornley (Big Wreck) on guitar and Tyler Connolly (Theory of a Deadman) on vocals, adding extra octane to the track. Frontman Jason McCoy notes the song is “for the ones who finish what they started,” while Clayton Bellamy called it “the most exciting song The Road Hammers have ever written,” created during an invigorating, three-way writing and recording session. The single, which follows their 2025 track “Dirty Hands Clean Money,” embodies everything the JUNO and six-time CCMA winning band stands for: persistence, passion, and pedal-to-the-floor determination.
The release of the track signals a major step in the band’s creative resurgence and arrives as they gear up for their “Till The Wheels Fall Off Tour” with special guests Doc Walker in January and February 2026. The band’s signature blend of classic trucker-country grit and hard-edged rock power, which has earned them over 60 million global streams, continues to evolve with a bold, modern punch that resonates across generations. A high-voltage music video directed by Travis Nesbitt and shot at Dinosaur Downs Speedway will also debut soon, capturing the raw, full-tilt spirit of the song.
The Road Hammers “Till The Wheels Fall Off” Tour Dates:
- January 16: Enoch, AB @ River Cree Resort & Casino *
- January 17: Calgary, AB @ Grey Eagle Resort & Casino *
- February 13: Regina, SK @ Casino Regina *
- February 14: Winnipeg, MB @ Club Regent Event Centre *
- February 20: Kitchener, ON @ Center in the Square *
- February 21: Niagara Falls, ON @ Fallsview Casino ^
- Til The Wheels Fall Off tour with Doc Walker
- ^ with Michelle Wright and Doc Walker
ZZ Top Reveals Initial US Dates for ‘The Big One! Tour’ Next Spring
ZZ Top, the stuff of rock legends who have sold over 60 million albums worldwide, has revealed the initial domestic concert dates for their 2026 “The Big One! Tour,” which will bring them to multiple U.S. markets this spring. These new dates are in addition to the previously announced European stops and the “Dos Amigos” tour stops shared with Dwight Yoakam. Frontman Billy Gibbons emphasized the band’s philosophy, saying, “Our philosophy is to keep on keeping on because, simply put, we’ve been having a good time and see no reason to stop. It’s great to connect with audiences that are now three generations deep. The party train continues to roll!”
The band, whose catalog includes the Diamond-certified album ‘Eliminator’, traces its history back to late 1969 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 21 years ago. With a blistering tour schedule and no signs of slowing down, ZZ Top will deliver their iconic sound coast-to-coast to audiences old and new. Tickets for these newly announced “The Big One!” dates go on sale this Friday, December 12.
ZZ Top 2026 US The Big One! Dates:
- Mar 21: Abilene, TX @ Back Porch
- Mar 22: Amarillo, TX @ Civic Center
- Mar 24: Greeley, CO @ Union Colony Civic Center
- Mar 31: Clarksville, TN @ F&M Bank Center
- Apr 2: Alexandria, LA @ Laborde Earles Coliseum
- Apr 3: Lake Charles, LA @ Golden Nugget
- Apr 4: Batesville, MS @ Civic Center
- Apr 6: New Orleans, LA @ Saenger Theatre
- Apr 7: New Orleans, LA @ Saenger Theatre
- Apr 9: San Antonio, TX @ Majestic Theatre
- Apr 10: San Antonio, TX @ Majestic Theatre
- Apr 11: Thackerville, OK @ WinStar World Casino
- Apr 30: Oxford, AL @ Oxford Performing Arts Center
- May 1: Cherokee, NC @ Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort
- May 2: Valdosta, GA @ Wild Adventure
- May 5: Madison, WI @ Orpheum Theater
- May 14: Council Bluffs, IA @ Harrah’s
- May 15: Prior Lake, MN @ Mystic Lake Casino
- May 19: Greensburg, PA @ Palace Theatre
THERION Reveals Epic Live Video for Orchestral Version of “To Mega Therion”
Symphonic metal pioneers Therion have revealed a monumental new live video for “To Mega Therion,” offering the second preview of their upcoming live album, ‘Con Orquesta’, set for a physical release on January 30, 2026, via Napalm Records. Originally a celebrated track from their 1996 album ‘Theli’, this new version is made even more epic through a collaboration with Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Mexico. Having returned to the orchestral stage in 2024 for a magnificent sold-out arena show to 11,000 people at Mexico City Arena, fans can now experience this massive performance, which frontman Christofer Johnsson describes as an “authentic Mexican interpretation of Therion live with orchestra.” The release, which proves once more why they remain the undisputed pioneers of symphonic metal, will be available as a limited physical release, DVD, and BluRay.
Irish Alt-Rock Band VON LOOP Unleashes Furious New Track “Balls”
The Irish reply to the Beastie Boys, alt-rock outfit Von Loop, has returned with a furious, unfiltered blast of catharsis in their new track, “Balls.” The song blends alt rock, rap-rock grit, and an indie edge with a tongue-in-cheek Christmas twist, effectively turning real-world frustration into a war cry against corporate coldness. “Balls” was born from a brutally timed redundancy and a pink slip handed out during the Christmas season; instead of breaking under the weight of corporate dehumanization, Von Loop carved their retaliation into a pounding, tribal-driven chant. Sharp, defiant, and unapologetically raw, the track celebrates the sovereignty of the individual and rejects any hierarchy that tries to shrink people into replaceable parts, proving that if someone kicks you while you’re down, you rise louder.
JONATHON “BOOGIE” LONG Distills Emotion on Patient New Single “Baby, I’m Through”
It is often tempting to look for an explosion when hearing a blues song, but Jonathon “Boogie” Long completely sidesteps that expectation with his latest single, “Baby, I’m Through.” Pulled from his upcoming record ‘Courage In The Chaos’, the track is a patient, cleanly cut confessional from an artist who understands the difference between catharsis and performance, choosing to distill rather than blow up. Long does not need to yell to be heard; the band, knowing what needs to be said, leaves room for his voice to hover in the open air, with their responses acting as punctuation, not decoration. There is a subtle power in this restraint, as even when the guitar finally breaks into its own statement, it sighs and pulls back, embodying the sound of someone done apologizing but not yet bitter—a nuance that often gets lost in blues-rock.
Long’s evolution is interesting because he remains committed to the blues form, but refines its edges. ‘Courage In The Chaos’, due March 6th, isn’t about escaping the genre; it’s about doubling down on it and writing with the clarity of someone who has spent years sitting with an unresolved feeling. The song itself works on two levels: while it is certainly a break-up song, like much of Long’s best writing, it reads just as easily as a break-through, transforming resignation into a feeling that clears space for something better. The accompanying video underscores this same trust in simplicity, filmed as a straightforward session that perfectly captures the song’s honesty and the band’s natural camaraderie.