Page 216 – That Eric Alper

Felix Mackenzie-Barrow Shares “The Quiet Was A Heron” Ahead Of ‘Book of Churches’

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 13, 2026

Felix Mackenzie-Barrow Shares “The Quiet Was A Heron” Ahead Of ‘Book of Churches’

Felix Mackenzie-Barrow steps into the spotlight with “The Quiet Was A Heron,” the latest single from his debut solo album ‘Book of Churches,’ arriving March 6 via Gravity and Capitol Records. Recording under the name Book of Churches, the Divorce co-vocalist and guitarist continues to reveal a stark, intimate body of work shaped during stolen moments on the road. The new track expands on the minimal, emotionally direct blueprint introduced by “Song By A Stranger.”

Written in a rush of instinct and recorded the following day, the album was later mixed by Richie Kennedy. Felix describes the process as DIY and naive, committed to preserving the raw contents of his brain. Rooted in lost love, grief, dread and anger, the songs channel a timeless folk minimalism reminiscent of Nick Drake, Fionn Regan and Leonard Cohen while remaining distinctly his own.

“The Quiet Was A Heron arrived at the end of summer, in 2024,” Felix shares. “It is an angry song, angry that we as a species render so many gentle, beautiful, irreplaceable lives so unliveable.” The project heads out on a UK headline tour in April, bringing these intimate songs to rooms across Brighton, Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, Bristol, London and Nottingham.

Book of Churches UK Headline Tour Dates 2026:

23 April – The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, UK
25 April – The Castle, Manchester, UK
26 April – The Hug & Pint, Glasgow, UK
28 April – Belgrave Music Hall, Leeds, UK
29 April – The Cube, Bristol, UK
30 April – St Pancras Old Church, London, UK
01 May – Nottingham Contemporary, Nottingham, UK

Benson Boone, Tim McGraw And Bonnie Raitt Lead Jazz Aspen Snowmass 2026

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 13, 2026

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Benson Boone, Tim McGraw And Bonnie Raitt Lead Jazz Aspen Snowmass 2026

Jazz Aspen Snowmass has unveiled the lineup for the 2026 JAS Labor Day Experience, set for September 4-6 at Snowmass Town Park. The three-day celebration brings together Benson Boone, Tim McGraw, Bonnie Raitt and more for a stacked weekend in the Rockies. Early bird three-day passes are available now, with multiple ticket tiers and VIP experiences on sale.

Benson Boone headlines Friday, September 4, joined by Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue. Saturday features Tim McGraw at the top of the bill, with Shaboozey performing at 5pm and Avery Anna opening the day at 3pm. The lineup blends country, pop and roots-driven energy across the festival grounds.

Sunday closes with The Red Clay Strays, alongside Bonnie Raitt and Christone Kingfish Ingram. From chart-topping anthems to blues guitar mastery, the 2026 JAS Labor Day Experience delivers a wide-ranging live music showcase in one of Colorado’s most scenic festival settings.

Survivalist Strike Hard With ‘A Place For Those Who Suffer, Alone’

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 13, 2026

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Survivalist Strike Hard With ‘A Place For Those Who Suffer, Alone’

Belfast metal crossover force Survivalist return with ‘A Place For Those Who Suffer, Alone,’ out now via Seek & Strike Records. The four-piece deliver their first full-length in nearly two years with sharpened focus and crushing intent. Built on their self-defined “Groovecore” sound, the album blends melody, groove-driven momentum, and punishing breakdowns into a volatile and emotionally charged statement.

Fronted by Gavin Sharp alongside Nick Butcher, Lee Shaw, and Rhys Fraser, Survivalist channel isolation, internal conflict, and modern pressure into a dense, disciplined body of work. The title track stands at the center, pairing muscular low-end force with precise rhythmic turns and a chorus engineered for impact. It is confrontational, calculated, and unrelenting.

An official video for the title track expands the album’s dark emotional core with cinematic visuals and visceral performance shots. The record also features “Deathbed” with Alex Koehler, “Radio Bleed,” “Failure Of Being” with Josh Sid Robinson, and an appearance from Kid Bookie. With this release, Survivalist cement their place as one of Ireland’s most formidable heavy acts heading into 2026.

Maddox Batson Turns Second Chances Into Hooks On “If I See Her Again”

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 13, 2026

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Maddox Batson Turns Second Chances Into Hooks On “If I See Her Again”

Rising country star Maddox Batson releases his new single “If I See Her Again,” an upbeat groove packed with heart-on-his-sleeve lyrics. Co-written with Grant Averill, Dave Cohen, and Jackson Foote, and produced by Cohen and Foote, the track captures the rush of replaying a moment and hoping for one more shot. Batson leans into youthful honesty with a hook that hits instantly and sticks.

“If I ever see her again, I’ll walk right over get her number right then,” he sings, imagining the confidence he would bring to a second encounter. The song builds on the momentum of “Any Other Night,” blending smooth vocals with clean guitars and a laid-back beat. It is catchy, confident, and full of young ambition.

“If I See Her Again” arrives as Batson launches his 44-date Live Worldwide Tour 2026, kicking off February 17 in Ft. Lauderdale. The run spans the U.S., Canada, and his first European headline dates, with special guests including Baylee Lynn, Jenna Davis, Just Jayne, and Timmy McKeever on select shows. With more music on the way and major stages ahead, Batson continues to step boldly into his breakout year.

Live Worldwide Tour 2026 Routing:

HeadCount Tops $1 Million With Riviera Maya Festival Auctions

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 13, 2026

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HeadCount Tops $1 Million With Riviera Maya Festival Auctions

HeadCount has surpassed $1 million raised for charity through onsite auctions at Riviera Maya destination festivals since launching the program in 2018. This year alone, five 100x Hospitality events in Cancun generated more than $200,000, with proceeds supporting HeadCount’s year-round voter registration efforts and artist-selected nonprofit partners. From Phish to Brandi Carlile, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Luke Bryan, and Noah Kahan, fans showed up ready to give back.

Standout items drove major bidding. A custom, signed D’Angelico acoustic guitar from Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds sold for $50,000, while a custom, signed D’Angelico electric guitar from Brandi Carlile’s Girls Just Wanna Weekend fetched $36,000. A one-of-one Pollock drawing signed by Phish brought in $31,800. Each piece was created in collaboration with artists including AJ Masthay, Graffiti Garage, and Dig O’Neil.

HeadCount manages each auction onsite, offering rare memorabilia while connecting fans directly to causes that matter. Proceeds support partners including The Waterwheel Foundation, SongwritingWith: Soldiers, Looking Out Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, and Busyhead Project. Since 2004, HeadCount has registered more than 1.7 million voters, using the power of music and live events to turn fans into participants in democracy.

Packaging Ignite KEXP Studio With Electrifying Live Performance

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 13, 2026

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Packaging Ignite KEXP Studio With Electrifying Live Performance

Packaging deliver a dynamic full-band set live at KEXP, and features “In Your Pocket,” “On Holiday,” “Didn’t Wanna Stay,” and “Running Through The Airport,” showcasing the band’s tight chemistry and layered instrumentation. Daniel Lyon, Connor Birch, Nick Berlin, and Bridget Hartman are joined by guest Jessica Dobson, with hosting by Larry Mizell Jr., capturing the electric spirit of the in-studio session.

Tyler Halverson Raises A Glass With ‘In Defense Of Drinking’

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 13, 2026

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Tyler Halverson Raises A Glass With ‘In Defense Of Drinking’

Tyler Halverson releases his full-length album ‘In Defense Of Drinking’ today via CMDSHFT, delivering a set rooted in heartbreak, grit, and hard-earned honesty. The South Dakota-born, Nashville-based outlaw songwriter brings together fan favorites like “Beer Garden Baby” featuring Parker McCollum and “Like The Rodeo” featuring Wade Forster alongside six new tracks, including the striking title cut. It is a record built on lived experience and straight-shooting reflection.

On the title track, Halverson shares, “The hook being ‘I’m the reason that I’m lonely, drinking’s the excuse,’ is a hard hitting truth.” He adds, “This album is all heartbreak and hopefulness. You’ve been unlucky in love, but still long for it.” The songs move between recklessness and redemption, capturing desire, doubt, and the push to grow.

Raised in Canton, South Dakota, Halverson blends ranch life roots with influences ranging from Merle Haggard and Garth Brooks to Mac Miller and Drake. That mix shapes a sound that honors tradition while charging forward. With steady acoustics, steel guitar, and a rough-hewn vocal, tracks like “Like The Rodeo” wrestle with love, ambition, and life on the move.

Halverson continues touring through 2026, including dates with Parker McCollum and a February 26 stop at Gottscheer Hall in Ridgewood, New York. With ‘In Defense Of Drinking,’ he plants his flag firmly in the modern outlaw lane and keeps the road calling.

2026 TOUR DATES:

Jan 5 Mon – Steamboat Springs, CO – The Musicfest Steamboat 2026
Feb 5 Thu – University, MS – Pavilion at Ole Miss*
Feb 6 Fri – Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena*
Feb 7 Sat – Salem, VA – Salem Civic Center*
Feb 12 Thu – Winston Salem, NC – Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum*
Feb 13 Fri – Auburn University, AL – Auburn Arena*
Feb 14 Sat – Savannah, GA – Enmarket Arena
Feb 26 Fri – Ridgewood, NY – Gottscheer Hall

*with Parker McCollum

IN DEFENSE OF DRINKING TRACK LIST:

More Hearts Than Horses
Beer Garden Baby (ft. Parker McCollum)
8 Second High
Fort Worth Losing
Smoke You Out
In Defense of Drinking
Like The Rodeo (ft. Wade Forster)
Cowboy Babies
Old Men, Younger Women
The Dreamer
Son, Brother, Believer

Tim Curry Revisits Iconic Roles With Wit And Warmth

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 13, 2026

0

Tim Curry Revisits Iconic Roles With Wit And Warmth

Tim Curry brings his unmistakable wit and warmth to a new conversation with The Academy, revisiting artifacts from The Margaret Herrick Library and reflecting on a career filled with unforgettable characters. With dry humor and sharp storytelling, he shares memories of stepping into the heels of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, embodying the menacing Darkness, hamming it up as Rooster Hannigan, and orchestrating chaos as Wadsworth. The result is a lively, affectionate look at performances that continue to inspire audiences around the world.

Harry Styles Announces Global ‘Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally’ Listening Parties

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 13, 2026

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Harry Styles Announces Global ‘Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally’ Listening Parties

Harry Styles has announced pre-release listening parties for his upcoming album ‘Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally,’ giving lucky attendees the chance to hear the record in full before it arrives. The events kick off February 18 across 40 cities worldwide.

Sharing the news on Instagram, Styles wrote, “We wanna dance with all our friends.” Fans on his text subscription list received exclusive links to register, entering for a chance to attend by answering a prompt about what the album will feel like. In the United States, listening parties will take place in Los Angeles and Madison, Wisconsin.

The build-up follows the Billboard Hot 100-topping single “Aperture,” which introduced the album’s expansive, slow-burning energy. Momentum continues to surge as anticipation grows for the full-length project, set to drop March 6. The listening events lead into a one-night-only concert in Manchester, where Styles will perform the new album live for the first time.

After release, Styles launches a global tour beginning May 16 in Amsterdam, including a 30-night residency at Madison Square Garden in New York City. With exclusive previews, intimate events, and a major live rollout, ‘Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally’ is already setting the tone for his next era.

Sandy Beaches Cruise Sets Sail Again With Keb’ Mo’, JJ Grey, And More

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 13, 2026

0

Sandy Beaches Cruise Sets Sail Again With Keb’ Mo’, JJ Grey, And More

The Sandy Beaches Cruise returns in 2027 after a sold out 30th Anniversary voyage in January 2026. The seven-day celebration of American roots music sets sail January 9 aboard Holland America Line’s m/s Eurodam, departing Fort Lauderdale with stops in Cozumel and Costa Maya before returning January 16. It is a floating festival built for music lovers who want the songs up close and the sea breeze rolling.

The first wave of artists includes Keb’ Mo’, JJ Grey & Mofro, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, The California Honeydrops, The Band of Heathens, Paul Thorn, Marc Broussard, Shinyribs, Mike Zito, Lee Roy Parnell, Carolyn Wonderland, Jimmy Hall, Wayne Toups, Jim Quick & Coastline, Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps, Gary Nicholson, Seth Walker, Yates McKendree, Big Joe Maher, The McCrary Sisters, Seth James, Red Young, Etta Britt, Alice Spencer and more to come.

Guests will experience more than 100 live performances across five venues, including the open-air pool deck stage. Jam sessions, songwriter circles, Q&A events and artist collaborations fill the days and nights. It feels like an intimate music festival at sea with 2,000 friends sharing stories, songs and spontaneous moments. The community built over three decades continues to thrive onboard.

“The 30th anniversary cruise was an incredible milestone for the community of true American roots music artists and fans that Delbert helped build,” says StarVista LIVE President of Live Entertainment Mike Jason. “The plan is to continue to respect the special feeling of the Sandy Beaches music and fans while selectively inviting new artists and guests to the party.” Cabins are available now.