Berlin-based Afro-soul collective Jembaa Groove recently visited the KEXP studios to deliver a vibrant live session showcasing their unique fusion of Ghanaian highlife, jazz, and 70s soul. Hosted by Lace Cadence, the six-piece ensemble performed a five-song set—including fan favorites “Adesane” and “Sweet My Ear”—led by the rhythmic synergy of Ghanaian vocalist/percussionist Eric Owusu and German bassist Yannick Nolting. The performance highlights the group’s “positive vibes” philosophy and their mastery of the “Afro-fusion” sound that has garnered them international acclaim since the release of their 2024 album, ‘Ye Ankasa | We Ourselves’. Backed by a diverse lineup of world-class musicians, including Peter Somuah on trumpet and Nir Sabag on drums, the band’s tight arrangements and infectious grooves solidify their reputation as one of the most vital ambassadors of the contemporary global jazz scene.
Squeeze Unveil “Trixies (Part Two)” And Announce Massive 2026 UK Arena Tour
Squeeze has released “Trixies (Part Two),” the second single from their highly anticipated 2026 album, Trixies. This project marks a remarkable full-circle moment for founders Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, as it features songs they wrote as teenagers in 1974 at the very start of their partnership. While their youthful vision originally exceeded their technical abilities, fifty years of touring and over 600 shows have prepared the band to finally realize these stories set in a fictional nightclub. Produced by bassist Owen Biddle, the tracks maintain the band’s signature melodic romance while benefiting from half a century of seasoned musicianship.
To celebrate this milestone, Squeeze has announced the “Tried, Tested and Trixies Tour” for late 2026, the most ambitious run of their legendary career. Joined by special guest Billy Bragg, the 16-date trek includes several first-time arena headlines, including a massive homecoming show at London’s O2 Arena. The tour will also serve a philanthropic purpose, supporting the anti-poverty charity Trussell and Grassroots Music Venues. Tickets are available now for the November and December run, which promises a blend of these “new” vintage treasures alongside timeless classics like “Up The Junction” and “Tempted.”
Tried, Tested and Trixies Tour 2026:
11/12/2026 – Glasgow, UK @ OVO Hydro
11/13/2026 – Blackpool, UK @ Opera House
11/14/2026 – Nottingham, UK @ Motorpoint Arena
11/16/2026 – Newcastle, UK @ O2 City Hall
11/17/2026 – Stockton, UK @ Globe
11/19/2026 – Hull, UK @ Connexin Live
11/20/2026 – Leeds, UK @ First Direct Bank Arena
11/21/2026 – Liverpool, UK @ M&S Bank Arena
11/23/2026 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo
11/26/2026 – London, UK @ The O2
11/27/2026 – Cardiff, UK @ Utilita Arena
11/28/2026 – Birmingham, UK @ Utilita Arena
11/30/2026 – Swansea, UK @ Building Society Arena
12/01/2026 – Plymouth, UK @ Pavilions
12/04/2026 – Bournemouth, UK @ International Centre
12/05/2026 – Brighton, UK @ Brighton Centre
M3 Rock Festival Returns To Merriweather Post Pavilion For 17th Annual Celebration
The M3 Rock Festival is set to return to the Merriweather Post Pavilion on May 2, 2026, marking its 17th year as the premier global pilgrimage for 80s arena rock and heavy metal. This year’s powerhouse lineup features Cinderella’s Tom Keifer, Queensÿche, Buckcherry, and White Lion, alongside Faster Pussycat and Trixter. The festival remains a cultural touchstone for the hard rock community, drawing fans from six continents to celebrate iconic hits like “Silent Lucidity” and “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone).” The weekend kicks off early with an exclusive VIP party on Friday, May 1, featuring Quiet Riot, and concludes with a Saturday night afterparty hosted by Steven Adler at the Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel.
Tickets and VIP packages for the one-day spectacle are on sale now via the festival’s official channels and select local box offices including the 9:30 Club and The Anthem. Historically, pavilion seating and VIP tiers sell out almost immediately due to the event’s dedicated international following. Beyond the main stage performances, the 2026 edition promises the same high-energy atmosphere that has defined the M3 experience for nearly two decades, blending nostalgia with a relentless passion for live rock and roll. Whether you’re a lifelong devotee of the “Night Songs” era or a new fan of the genre, M3 continues to deliver the definitive arena rock experience in the heart of Maryland.
The Maine Announce First Headline Tour In Two Years To Kick Off New Era
Following a massive year of festival appearances at Warped Tour and When We Were Young, Arizona rock mainstays The Maine have announced their first headlining trek in nearly two years. The 26-date North American tour kicks off on March 24, 2026, at the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas and will visit iconic venues including Chicago’s Salt Shed and the Brooklyn Paramount. This tour signals the beginning of an ambitious new chapter for the quintet, who are currently in the studio working on their tenth full-length album. Nearly 18 years into their career, the band continues to prove their staying power, transitioning from their ‘Can’t Stop Won’t Stop’ roots into a self-governed force in the alternative scene. Fans can expect a career-spanning setlist that balances their evolution as songwriters with the high-energy live performance that has made them festival favorites worldwide.
THE MAINE TOUR DATES:
Mar 24, 2026 – Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl
Mar 25, 2026 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
Mar 27, 2026 – San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
Mar 28, 2026 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Novo
Mar 29, 2026 – San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom
Mar 31, 2026 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
Apr 1, 2026 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
Apr 3, 2026 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
Apr 9, 2026 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Apr 10, 2026 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
Apr 11, 2026 – Detroit, MI @ The Masonic
Apr 12, 2026 – Columbus, OH @ Kemba Live!
Apr 14, 2026 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
Apr 15, 2026 – Toronto, ON @ History
Apr 17, 2026 – Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall
Apr 18, 2026 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
Apr 19, 2026 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Apr 21, 2026 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount
Apr 23, 2026 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte
Apr 24, 2026 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works
Apr 25, 2026 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
Apr 26, 2026 – Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues
Apr 28, 2026 – St Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live
Apr 30, 2026 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues
May 1, 2026 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
May 2, 2026 – Dallas, TX @ The Bomb Factory
Flo Release “Recently Deleted” And Complete ‘Access All Areas: Unlocked’ Deluxe Edition
R&B sensation Flo has released a brand-new fan-track titled “Recently Deleted” to coincide with the launch of ‘Access All Areas: Unlocked’, the expanded digital version of their historic debut album. Available now via Island Records, this “unlocked” edition finally brings previous physical CD exclusives “Conceited,” “Say Less,” and “Do Too Much” to streaming services for the first time. The release serves as a victory lap for a monumental year that saw the trio earn a Grammy nomination for Best Progressive R&B Album—the first for a British girl group in two decades—and achieve the highest-charting album for a British R&B girl group in 23 years. After completing the largest US headline tour by a British girl group in nearly twenty years and selling out major venues like London’s O2 Brixton, Flo continues to solidify their global impact with over 605 million streams and a fearless approach to modern R&B.
Turnstile Share New Music Video For “Light Design” Following Historic Grammy Nominations
Hardcore innovators Turnstile have unleashed a vibrant new music video for “Light Design,” a standout track from their critically acclaimed new album ‘Never Enough’. Directed by the band’s own Brendan Yates and Pat McCrory, the visual serves as a victory lap following the announcement that Turnstile has secured five nominations for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards. The group has made history as the first artist ever to be nominated across the Rock, Alternative, and Metal categories in a single year, with nods for “Best Rock Album,” “Best Rock Song,” “Best Rock Performance,” “Best Alternative Music Performance,” and “Best Metal Performance.” Produced by Yates and recorded between Los Angeles and their native Baltimore, ‘Never Enough’ represents a restless, genre-defying evolution that cements the band’s status as a transformative force in modern music. Fans can further explore this creative era through the companion film ‘Turnstile: Never Enough’, currently streaming on demand.
Eric Coquin Poirier Debuts The Harp Reactor One-Man Band Innovation
Now, here is a fascinating intersection of engineering and pure musical obsession. Imagine a world where a standard harmonica just isn’t enough, so you decide to build a twelve-chambered wind beast called the Harp Reactor that plays like a futuristic concertina. Eric Coquin Poirier isn’t just a one-man band; he’s a mad scientist of sound, meticulously hand-crafting the very tools he uses to redefine the limits of solo performance. It is a brilliant, slightly eccentric look at what happens when a musician refuses to accept the constraints of off-the-shelf gear and instead builds their own sonic universe from the ground up.
Gov’t Mule Announces 2026 Tour Dates Including Co-Headline Run With Joe Bonamassa
Gov’t Mule has unveiled the first wave of their 2026 touring schedule, headlined by a highly anticipated summer co-promotion with blues-rock titan Joe Bonamassa. This marks the first time the two longtime collaborators will officially tour together, with eight joint dates scheduled from late July through mid-August. The band’s spring itinerary also includes a special “Mile High Mule” performance at Denver’s Mission Ballroom and a headline slot at Joe Bonamassa’s Sound Wave Beach Weekend in Florida. Frontman Warren Haynes expressed his excitement for the pairing, noting that while they have shared the stage many times over the years, this dedicated run represents a new milestone for both artists.
Before the summer trek, Haynes remains incredibly prolific with a series of diverse projects, including the annual Island Exodus “concert-cation” in Jamaica featuring John Scofield and the 33rd annual Christmas Jam in Asheville. Fans can also look forward to a remastered 10th-anniversary reissue of Haynes’s debut solo album, ‘Tales of Ordinary Madness’, arriving January 30th via Megaforce Records. To support that release, Haynes will embark on an intimate 11-date solo acoustic tour in February, followed by a run with the Warren Haynes Band in March. Presales for the new Gov’t Mule dates begin tomorrow, December 9th, with general tickets and VIP packages becoming available on Friday, December 12th.
Gov’t Mule 2026 Tour Dates:
Mar 27 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
Apr 7 – Shipshewana, IN @ Blue Gate Performing Arts Center
Apr 8 – Nashville, IN @ Brown County Music Center
Apr 10 – Charleston, SC @ The Refinery
Apr 11 – Miramar Beach, FL @ Joe Bonamassa’s Sound Wave Beach Weekend
July 29 – Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap with Joe Bonamassa
July 31 – Bangor, ME @ Maine Savings Amphitheatre with Joe Bonamassa
Aug 1 – Gilford, NH @ BankNH Pavilion with Joe Bonamassa
Aug 8 – Baltimore, MD @ Pier Six Pavilion with Joe Bonamassa
Aug 9 – Youngstown, OH @ Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre with Joe Bonamassa
Aug 14 – Interlochen, MI @ Kresge Auditorium with Joe Bonamassa
Aug 15 – Welch, MN @ Treasure Island Resort & Casino with Joe Bonamassa
Aug 16 – Lincoln, NE @ Pinewood Bowl with Joe Bonamassa
Bright Eyes Announce 21st Anniversary Shows For ‘I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning’ And ‘Digital Ash In A Digital Urn’
Bright Eyes have announced a landmark series of 21st-anniversary shows to celebrate their two era-defining albums released on the same day in 2005: ‘I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning’ and ‘Digital Ash in a Digital Urn’. This summer, the trio of Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis, and Nathaniel Walcott will perform both albums in their entirety during three massive headline dates at some of the most hallowed venues in the United States. ‘I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning’, a heartland rock masterpiece featuring tracks like “First Day Of My Life,” will be paired each night with the moody, electronic-leaning companion ‘Digital Ash in a Digital Urn’, showcasing the dual creative peaks of the band’s most prolific period.
To make these events even more special, Bright Eyes will be joined by a revolving cast of longtime friends and legendary supporting acts. Tilly and the Wall will join them at Red Rocks, while the Hollywood Bowl show features The Moldy Peaches, and Built To Spill will support at Forest Hills Stadium. Conor Oberst shared his excitement for the run, noting that while he traditionally dislikes birthdays, he couldn’t pass up the chance to celebrate the “coming of age” of these two records with his bandmates and fans. The performances are designed as a “magical thing” that brings together the acoustic folk and dark, atmospheric post-punk elements that re-wrote the indie rock playbook two decades ago.
Tickets for these exclusive anniversary shows go on sale this Friday, December 12, at 10 am local time, with an artist presale beginning on Wednesday, December 10. These three dates represent the first time the band has dedicated a tour to the full performance of these specific albums, offering fans a rare opportunity to see deep cuts and hits alike in a singular, continuous live setting. From the simmering glow of their folk masterpieces to the agitated synth-pop of their electronic experiments, Bright Eyes is prepared to look back at their “imperial phase” with their most ambitious production to date.
Bright Eyes Anniversary Shows:
Wednesday, May 6 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre #
Saturday, May 23 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl *
Saturday, June 6 – Queens, NYC @ Forest Hills Stadium @
– with Tilly and the Wall
with The Moldy Peaches
@ – with Built To Spill
Post Malone, Jelly Roll, And CarÃn León Lead Boots In The Park Albuquerque 2026 Lineup
Activated Events has unveiled the second wave of artists for the massive return of Boots In The Park to Albuquerque, set for May 15-16, 2026, at Balloon Fiesta Park. Joining heavyweights Post Malone and Jelly Roll is global Latin superstar CarÃn León, who is set to make history in 2026 as the first Latin artist to perform at the Las Vegas Sphere. The expanded lineup also welcomes the Grammy-nominated trio The Band Perry, alongside fan favorites Wade Bowen, William Beckmann, The Wilder Blue, and Angie K. This year’s festival marks the event’s most ambitious expansion to date, introducing a dedicated “Straight Out of Texas” stage featuring Lone Star legends like Cody Jinks, Randy Rogers Band, Clay Walker, and the Josh Abbott Band.
With over 25 artists performing across multiple stages, the two-day festival offers an immersive celebration of country and Latin music complemented by a wide array of onsite experiences. Attendees can participate in line dancing, enjoy whiskey and tequila tastings, and explore local craft food and immersive art installations. Previously announced performers such as Jessie Murph, Koe Wetzel, and Tyler Hubbard further solidify the festival’s status as New Mexico’s premier music party. Tickets are currently available for the all-ages event, with organizers expecting a record-breaking crowd following the massive success of previous years.