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Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes Celebrate 25 Years of ‘Live at the Greek’ with Expanded Anniversary Edition

Eric Alper
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Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes Celebrate 25 Years of ‘Live at the Greek’ with Expanded Anniversary Edition

2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees The Black Crowes and global rock icon Jimmy Page celebrate the 25th anniversary of their historic live collaboration with the release of the special anniversary edition of Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes: Live at the Greek, available now via The Orchard.

Recorded during unforgettable nights of rock and roll in October 1999 at Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre and Jones Beach in August 1999, this long-awaited anniversary edition delivers the raw energy and masterful musicianship that made the original Live at the Greek a must-have for rock enthusiasts. Now available worldwide, this definitive collection celebrates one of the greatest live collaborations in rock history. Featuring powerful renditions of Led Zeppelin classics and The Black Crowes’ staple blues-rock jams, the 36-track anniversary album was produced, mixed, and remastered by Kevin Shirley and includes 16 previously unreleased tracks, exclusive behind-the-scenes photos, video, and much more.

“I’m really excited about the release of the new Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes material from the concerts in 1999. We get all of the material that was played on stage and in rehearsals. It means that now we have all songs where we are playing Led Zeppelin and The Black Crowes material that we were unable to use in the past. The new mixes capture the collaboration of those historic encounters and provide the full explosive passion and exciting energy of those alchemical moments,” said Jimmy Page.

The new, remastered editions capture the raw interplay between guitar virtuosos Jimmy Page, Audley Freed, and Rich Robinson, complemented by Chris Robinson’s soulful vocal delivery. Standout moment includes Jimmy Page’s masterful use of his signature B-bender guitar on The Black Crowes’ chart-topping hit, “She Talks to Angels,” adding a unique country-rock twang to the otherwise timeless classic rock ballad. Also included in the Double LP “Best Of” Edition, a never-before-released song Rich Robinson and Jimmy Page wrote while jamming during a soundcheck. The track aptly titled “Jams” is a true rarity.

Himari Signs with Decca Classics, Becomes Youngest-Ever Female Artist on the Label

Eric Alper
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Himari Signs with Decca Classics, Becomes Youngest-Ever Female Artist on the Label

Decca Classics is delighted to announce the exclusive signing of Japanese violinist, Himari, who, at 13 years old, has become the youngest-ever female artist to join the legendary British label.

Himari is set to release her debut EP on 23 May 2025, preceded by two singles: Carmen Fantasy by Franz Waxman and Romance by Amy Beach. Himari’s performances have already garnered millions of views online, where she has built a dedicated community of over 100,000 subscribers on YouTube. She has now been named a Classic FM Rising Star for 2025.

This landmark signing comes ahead of Himari’s European debut with the Berlin Philharmonic on 20 March 2025 at the Philharmonie, where she will perform Wieniawski’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in a sold-out series on 20, 21, and 22 March 2025.

About the Berlin Philharmonic, Himari says: “Since childhood, I have had the privilege of experiencing performances by the Berlin Philharmonic and Vienna Philharmonic and have long dreamt of the day I would perform alongside them, through the orchestra members I met during my visits to Japan and at the Salzburg Festival.”

Himari began playing the violin at the age of three and by the age of six, was already performing with professional orchestras. In 2022, she joined America’s famous music conservatory, Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where she now studies under the renowned violinist Ida Kavafian.

Himari has been hailed as a once-in-a-generation talent. She has captivated the classical music world with her extraordinary technique, playful and imaginative interpretations, and her remarkable ability to convey emotional depth — all from the unique and refreshing perspective of a young artist. Her talent has been recognised globally, earning her first prizes at prestigious competitions, including the Lipinski-Wieniawski International Violin Competition and the Arthur Grumiaux International Violin Competition. In December 2024, she performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra during the “New Year’s Eve Celebration” with conductor Marin Alsop. She will perform this same programme with Marin Alsop with the Chicago Symphony at the Ravinia Festival.

Himari’s teacher, Ida Kavafian Nina von Maltzahn Chair in Violin Studies at the Curtis Institute, remarked: “If you’re listening to Himari and you close your eyes, you wouldn’t realise her age. Inside Himari, there is an older person and a wise musician… she’s immensely talented.”

About her signing, Himari says: “I am very happy to be signing with Decca Classics! I hope you enjoy my performances through the recordings!”

Decca Classics Label Director, Dominic Fyfe, says: “Signing a debut artist is always an exciting moment. In Himari we truly have a talent for the ages. Technically fearless, Himari has purity, musicality and breathtaking temperament. There is a voice in Himari’s playing which can speak to any generation. All of us at Decca Classics welcome her to the label and are thrilled to bring her music-making to a global audience.”

Co-Presidents of Decca Records, Laura Monks and Tom Lewis, say: “Jaws are dropping in concert halls around the world. Himari’s virtuosity and musical talent are remarkable – but when you also consider her young age, she is simply astonishing.”

Himari plays the 1717 “Hamma” Stradivarius violin, generously loaned by Mr. Yusaku Maezawa, and a bow provided by the Munetsugu Collection.

In the 24/25 season, Himari will make her European debut with the Berlin Philharmonic performing Wieniawski Violin Concerto No.1. Elsewhere this season, she made her debut with The Philadelphia Orchestra in their New Year’s Eve concert with Marin Alsop at the Kimmel Center Verizon Hall performing three pieces: Kreisler ‘La Gitana’, Waxman ‘Carmen Fantasie’, and Gardel/Williams ‘Por una cabeza’. She will perform this same programme with Marin Alsop with the Chicago Symphony at the Ravinia Festival.

In Japan, Himari appears with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, and Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, and she will perform Sibelius’ Violin Concerto as soloist on tour with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. In addition, she embarked on a recital tour of Japan with pianists Yoshitaka Suzuki and Akiko Mimata.

Since making her orchestral soloist debut at the age of six, Himari has worked with orchestras such as the NHK Symphony Orchestra, New Japan Philharmonic, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra, and Gunma Symphony Orchestra, among others. Himari has performed recitals across the United States, Russia, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Belgium, Ukraine, and Japan. She has won top prizes at several international competitions, including the International Competition for Young Violinists in Honour of Karol Lipinski and Henryk Wieniawski, the 12th Arthur Grumiaux International Violin Competition (Belgium), the 26th Andrea Postacchini International Violin Competition (Italy), the 20th Schelkunchik International Music Competition (Russia), and the Kogan International Violin Competition (Belgium).

In 2019, Himari participated in the Internationale Sommer Akademie Mozarteum Salzburg. She performed in the academy’s concert at the Salzburg Festival that year for which she received an award. Himari won the audience prize at the ‘Mini Violini 2023’ held as part of the Montreal International Violin Competition.

Benjamin Grosvenor Announces Chopin: Piano Sonatas Nos. 2 & 3, Out May 23 via Decca Classics

Eric Alper
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Benjamin Grosvenor Announces Chopin: Piano Sonatas Nos. 2 & 3, Out May 23 via Decca Classics

Decca Classics is thrilled to announce Chopin: Piano Sonatas Nos. 2 & 3, the new album by internationally renowned British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, due for release on 23rd May 2025. This will be Grosvenor’s ninth recording with Decca since his historic signing in 2011, when he became the youngest British musician—and the first British pianist in over sixty years—to join the label. Since then, Grosvenor has been recognised by Gramophone as one of the 50 greatest pianists ever recorded.

This album celebrates Chopin’s genius with two of his most profound and contrasting works: the Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor and the Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor. Composed five years apart, these masterpieces showcase the range of Chopin’s emotional and musical brilliance.

Grosvenor comments, “The brooding Second Sonata is widely known for its Funeral March, but it also shows Chopin as a trailblazer, with the Finale: Presto hinting at modernism. It stands out in Chopin’s work as something truly unique.” By contrast, the Third Sonata, written at the height of Chopin’s career in 1844, blends dazzling piano technique with beautiful, flowing melodies, showing the composer at his most refined and expressive.

To complement the sonatas, Grosvenor selected a number of shorter works. He explains, “To balance the sonatas, I included his Ballade No. 1, which helped establish Chopin’s reputation in Paris in 1835.” This celebrated piece, known as one of Chopin’s greatest works, is full of drama and storytelling. Dedicated to Baron Nathaniel von Stockhausen in 1836, Robert Schumann called it “the piece that shows the most genius,” a view shared by Chopin, who described it as his favorite composition. The Ballade is prefaced by the tender Berceuse. Grosvenor shares, “Among the weightier works on this album, I included the Berceuse to offer a moment of calm. It’s a beautiful piece written in the same year as the Third Sonata, with work on it beginning during a romantic summer at Nohant. In just a few years, Chopin had established himself as one of the greatest composers for the piano.” Finally, before the third sonata, we hear two of Chopin’s most mature and richly spun Nocturnes: the expressive No. 1 in F Minor and the lyrical No. 2 in E-flat Major, both written shortly before the Third Sonata. This latest release follows Grosvenor’s much-lauded 2020 recording of the Chopin piano concerti with Elim Chan and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, which received the Gramophone Concerto Award and a Diapason d’Or de l’Année. Diapason described it as “a version to rank among the best, and confirmation of an extraordinary artist.”

Grosvenor continues to garner widespread acclaim. Recent highlights include performances at the Berlin Philharmonie with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, at Chicago Symphony Center, and the BBC Proms. 2025 brings further exciting performances, including debuts with the Bamberg Symphony and NHK Symphony Orchestras, and performances with the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Karina Canellakis. Grosvenor will also return to the Montreal, Seattle, Bern, Dallas, and BBC Orchestras, as well as the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Leeds International Piano Festival, and Berliner Klavierfestival as part of a European recital tour. In February 2025, he will be a featured artist at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, performing both concerto and solo recital programmes.

This album promises to be a landmark addition to Grosvenor’s celebrated discography and a compelling tribute to the enduring legacy of Chopin.

Live dates:
• 28 February 2025 – Barbican, London, UK (BBC Symphony Orchestra)
• 16 March 2025 – Benenden School, Kent, UK (Solo Recital)
• 17 March 2025 – Cambridge Music Festival, Cambridge, UK (Solo Recital)

Eric Church Announces ‘Evangeline vs. The Machine,’ a Bold New Chapter in His Career

Eric Alper
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Eric Church Announces ‘Evangeline vs. The Machine,’ a Bold New Chapter in His Career

Eric Church, one of country music’s most fearless storytellers, marks another ambitious and sonically rich chapter in his groundbreaking career with Evangeline vs. The Machine, available everywhere on May 2. Pre-order/pre-save HERE.

A self-proclaimed “album artist,” Church has always championed the power of cohesive storytelling, and Evangeline vs. The Machine is no exception. “An album is a snapshot in time that lasts for all time,” Church shares of the creative approach behind the highly-anticipated new project. “I believe in that time-tested tradition of making records that live and breathe as one piece of art – I think it’s important.”

“I’ve always let creativity be the muse. It’s been a compass for me,” he adds. “The people that I look up to in my career and the kind of musicians I gravitate to never did what I thought they were going to do next – and I love them for it. I never want our fans to get an album and go, ‘Oh, that’s like Chief or that’s like this.’ Painstakingly, I lose sleep at night to try to make sure that whatever we do creatively, they go, ‘Wow, that’s not what I thought.’ I think that’s my job as an artist.”

Lead single “Hands Of Time,” impacting Country radio on March 24, is available now as a preview of that endeavor. “As I get older, I’m looking for things that make me feel not as old,” Church explains of the track. “I can honestly say that when I hear music or see something from my past, I feel like I did then; I relate to what it was then. I really believe that a good way to handle that is with music.”

Among the other songs featured on the album is “Darkest Hour,” released ahead of the project to support relief efforts following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in September 2024, with all of Church’s publishing royalties donated to provide ongoing funds in support of a more resilient future for his home state of North Carolina. “That song had the chance to change things—it already has,” Church reflects. “The greatest concert I’ve ever played was the Concert for Carolina – that’s the greatest thing I’ve been involved with. This song played a big part of that night and is a rallying cry for the people there that still need a lot of help. As a person who writes and performs a song, seeing it truly impact people’s lives is the greatest thing you can hope to accomplish.”

Also included is “Johnny,” a soul-stirring reinterpretation inspired by “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” and the Covenant School tragedy, which Church has previewed in limited settings at both his Chief’s To Beat The Devil residency and the recent Country Radio Seminar, leaving audiences in awe. “About a year ago, we had a shooting here in Nashville at the Covenant School,” he explained when introducing the song during CRS. “Where my kids go to school, my two boys, is about a mile from that school. I will tell you something, the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life – parent or otherwise – is dropping them off at that school the day after the shooting and watching them walk inside. I sat in the parking lot for a long time, and as fate would have it, as I was pulling out, Charlie Daniels was playing, ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia.’ I remember thinking, man, we could use Johnny right now, because the Devil’s not in Georgia, he’s everywhere. I went home and wrote ‘Johnny’.”

With such inspired tracks shaping the forthcoming Evangeline vs. The Machine – his first new album since 2021’s Heart & Soul trilogy  – Church continues his legacy of redefining modern country music on his own terms.

Stereophonics Drop New Single “Seems Like You Don’t Know Me” Ahead of ‘Make ‘em Laugh, Make ‘em Cry, Make ‘em Wait’

Eric Alper
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Stereophonics Drop New Single “Seems Like You Don’t Know Me” Ahead of ‘Make ‘em Laugh, Make ‘em Cry, Make ‘em Wait’

Today, the legendary Stereophonics unveil their new single ‘Seems Like You Don’t Know Me’, which received its first airplay this morning on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show with Scott Mills. Listen here. The track is the second instalment from their highly anticipated forthcoming album ‘Make ‘em Laugh, Make ‘em Cry, Make ‘em Wait, due for release on 25th April 2025 via EMI – pre-order here.

‘Seems Like You Don’t Know Me’ is a brand new sonic superstar welcomed into the massive arsenal of bangers from Stereophonics’ third decade. It mashes up nostalgic synths and drum machines with acoustic guitar lead breaks, glued together with a spacious yet demanding vocal, offering questions on relationships and how much we really know one another.

Kelly Jones comments on the song: “It always had a great melody, but in the studio I took it through three or four different versions, from very complex busy drumming refs to the finished, very sparse drum machine and juno synth version on the album, which I love. That atmosphere and the lyrics match so well together. Relationships are complex. Communication is so often broken.”

With three decades of groundbreaking achievements under their belts, and a legacy of 8 number 1 albums, Stereophonics have earned their status and respect amongst their fans, peers and artists from across the musical generations, ranging from Bob Dylan to David Bowie to Dua Lipa. In 2025, the band mark their anticipated return with ‘Make ‘em Laugh, Make ‘em Cry, Make ‘em Wait’, a tight and heavy-hitting eight track record. Written and recorded in London, the album is lean, direct, and free from filler. It is at once clean and precise. Hopeful and joyous. It perfectly embodies the emotions captured in its title. You laugh. You cry. You wait.

As with many of his previous projects, Kelly has often gravitated towards different mediums of artwork, whether that be paintings, books or films and tied the specific album artwork to that specific thing. For “Make ‘Em Laugh, Make ‘Em Cry, Make ‘Em Wait”, it was a similar process, with Kelly plucking influence from a Louise Bourgeois postcard he saw in New York’s Modern Art Museum gift shop, “[It was] on a pink background that said ‘Art Is The Guarantee Of Sanity’”. Scribbling the words of the album title onto his own pink background, here now lies ‘the pink album’.

With a world tour set to kick off this year, already selling over 300,000 tickets, as well as playing some of their biggest shows around the world to date, Stereophonics continue to solidify their place as one of the most enduring and beloved bands in rock. Their ability to seamlessly blend rock sensibilities with soaring melodies keeps their sound fresh and relevant, while Kelly Jones’ ever-introspective lyrics continue to resonate with each passing year.

Stereophonics have never been content to rest on their laurels, and this year’s performances promise to be some of their most dynamic yet.

‘Make ‘em Laugh, Make ‘em Cry, Make ‘em Wait’ Tracklist:

1. Make It On Your Own
2. There’s Always Gonna Be Something
3. Seems Like You Don’t Know Me
4. Colours Of October
5. Eyes Too Big For My Belly
6. Mary Is A Singer
7. Backroom Boys
8. Feeling Of Falling We Crave

Stereophonics Live Dates:

Mar 21, 2025 Théâtre Beanfield, Montreal, QC
Mar 22, 2025 Massey Hall, Toronto, ON
Mar 23, 2025 Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA
Mar 25, 2025 Brooklyn Paramount Theater, New York, NY
Mar 26, 202 House of Blues Boston, Boston, MA
Mar 28, 2025 Lincoln Theatre, Washington, DC
Mar 29, 2025 Agora Theatre and Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
Mar 30, 2025 The Vic Theatre, Chicago, IL
Apr 2, 2025 Vogue Theatre, Vancouver, BC
Apr 3, 2025 Neptune Theatre, Seattle, WA
Apr 4, 2025 McMenamins Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR
Apr 6, 2025 The Regency Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
Apr 8, 2025 The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA
Apr 9, 2025 Humphreys Concerts by the Bay, San Diego, CA
Apr 11, 2025 Teatro Metropolitan, Mexico City, Mexico
Apr 28, 2025 Cirque Royal, Brussels, Belgium
Apr 29, 2025 Zenith La Villette, Paris, France
Apr 30, 2025 AFAS Live, Amsterdam, Netherlands
May 2, 2025 Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
May 3, 2025 Uber Eats Music Hall, Berlin, Germany
May 5, 2025 TonHalle München, Munich, Germany
May 6, 2025 Live Music Hall, Cologne, Germany
May 8, 2025 X-TRA, Zürich, Switzerland
May 9, 2025 Transbordeur, Lyon, France
May 11, 2025 Sala La Riviera, Madrid, Spain
May 12, 2025 Razzmatazz, Barcelona, Spain
May 14, 2025 Alcatraz, Milan, Italy
May 25, 2025 Neighbourhood Weekender, Warrington, England
May 30, 2025 Vestrock Festival, Hulst, Netherlands
May 31, 2025 Dauwpop Festival, Hellendoorn, Netherlands
Jun 5, 2025 Belsonic, Belfast, UK
Jun 6, 2025 St. Anne’s Park, Dublin, Ireland
Jun 7, 2025 Virgin Media Park, Cork, Ireland
Jun 14, 2025 The John Smith’s Stadium, Huddersfield, UK
Jun 21, 2025 Isle of Wight Festival, Seaclose Park, Newport, Isle of Wight
Jun 28, 2025 Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, UK
Jul 4, 2025 Finsbury Park, London, UK
Jul 11, 2025 Principality Stadium, Cardiff, UK
Jul 12, 2025 Principality Stadium, Cardiff, UK
Aug 16, 2025, Sandringham Estate, Norfolk, UK

Aysanabee Announces ‘Edge of the Earth,’ Shares Two New Songs Ahead of June 20 Release

Eric Alper
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Aysanabee details his new album, Edge of the Earth, to be released on June 20, 2025 by Ishkōdé Records. Today’s announcement arrives with two new songs that show the shape and scope of an ambitious, transitional project, one that further develops his sound and explores the nature of change and its impact on his life, relationships and perspective.

In title and theme, Edge of the Earth is situated on the dividing lines drawn by decisions and choices made in critical moments. The songs of this collection, many borne out of conversations with friends, lovers and self, reflect on the emotional crossroads and precipices that catalyze major life changes. As a whole, the project pivots around points of no return, irrevocable breaks after which life will never be the same.

“Without You,” one of two new songs released today, bridges past and present as the thematic crux of the new album, the tension between action and reaction. The song mourns the loss of Watin, his grandfather and namesake of Aysanabee’s debut, as a passing of both kin and time. Accompanied by a wintry, solitary video filmed in Naotkamegwanning First Nation (Whitefish Bay, ON), Aysanabee wrestles with his memories and choices. Speeding over a frozen lake as a stand-in for the unchecked acceleration of time in recent years, “Without You” bears soulful witness with vocals rising to levels of distortion. Watch the video for “Without You” here.

On “The Way We’re Born,” Aysanabee wields the power of music to tackle the topics of privilege and systemic injustice. As it confronts dehumanization, “The Way We’re Born,” recalls Brittany Howard’s “Goat Head” or Black Belt Eagle Scout’s “Nobody” in its approach to raising voice against identity erasure and discrimination, strengthening the link between personal experiences and broader truths. In “The Way We’re Born,” written in the turbulent wake of a conversation that revealed a deep rift in perspective, Aysanabee examines the failure of communication as a larger comment on social disconnection.

A searching, searing work from an artist whose rise to the mainstream has included historic firsts – JUNO Awards, radio charting and more – Edge of the Earth is a resolute statement about what it takes to follow a dream. In Aysanabee’s own words, “To reach a dream, any dream, takes will, sacrifice and reflection. Each of these songs connects with at least one of these themes.” These are elemental truths we must face in pursuit of and in answer to our calling, whatever it may be.

Throughout Edge of the Earth, Aysanabee reveals different dimensions of his JUNO Award winning songwriting and artistry, bringing new timbres, production elements and moods to his much-celebrated and rapidly growing body of work. With moments of potent minimalism and restraint contrasted against dramatic crescendos and emotive crests, Edge of the Earth is a riveting and dynamic work from an artist on a journey that is both exhilarating and exacting.

On March 21, 2025, Aysanabee plays a sold out show at Toronto’s Axis Club to wrap up his Eastern Canadian Now and Then Tour. For his first headline tour of the country, Asyanabee has invited Indigenous artists to share the stage with him at each stop along the way. On the first leg, guests have included Wolf Castle, DeeDee Austin, Silla, Alan Syliboy & The Thundermakers and more. This invitation will continue in the fall on The Way We’re Born Tour of western Canada. Interested Indigenous artists are encouraged to apply here by June 20, 2025.

Aysanabee (Ace-in-abbey) is a two-time JUNO award-winning alternative indie artist, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and singer-songwriter. He is Oji-Cree from the Sucker Clan of Sandy Lake First Nation, a remote fly-in community in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Now based in Toronto, he began creating music under his family name when moments of stillness allowed him to slow down and create music that more accurately represents himself as an artist. With a swirling mix of rock, soul, and electronic sounds and pulse-quickening fingerpicking, Aysanabee’s music is both anthemic and cathartic. His style has drawn comparisons to Bon Iver, Matt Corby, Hozier, The Black Pumas, Kings of Leon and more.

In March 2024, Aysanabee made history as the first Indigenous artist to win JUNO Awards for both Alternative Album of the Year and Songwriter of the Year for his EP Here and Now (October 2023). The EP’s hit single, “Somebody Else,” peaked at #3 on the MediaBase Alternative Chart. The Here and Now tour saw him embarking on two cross-Canada tours alongside Dan Mangan and Allison Russell.

His debut album, Watin (November 2022), named after his grandfather, combined music and journalism with artistry and expression. The album was shortlisted for the 2023 Polaris Music Prize and helped establish Aysanabee as a unique voice in the Canadian music scene. In March 2023, he became the first Indigenous artist to top Mediabase Canada’s Alternative Rock chart with the single “Nomads.”

Since 2021, Aysanabee has performed over 300 shows across Canada and internationally, with appearances at major festivals and events, including Reeperbahn (Germany), The Great Escape (UK), Woodford Folk Festival (Australia), Tallinn Music Week (Estonia), AmericanaFestUK (UK), Tönder Festival (Denmark), Cartagena Festival de Música (Spain) Ottawa Bluesfest, Osheaga and most major folk festivals across Canada. He has shared stages with prominent acts such as The National, Sarah Mclachlan, Broken Social Scene, Kaleo, Alvvays, Blue Rodeo, Arkells, Lights, Nickelback, Digging Roots, Amanda Rheaume, Sam Roberts Band, Our Lady Peace, DJ Shub, Jeremy Dutcher, Mavis Staples, July Talk, Half Moon Run, Tokyo Police Club, Aqua, and more.

Edge of the Earth Tracklist

Embers
The Way We’re Born
Home
Gone Baby Gone
Without You
Into The Fire
Good Love
Edge Of The Earth
Dream Catcher

TOUR DATES

04/28 Zhongzheng District, TW – Jade Music Festival
07/09 Samuelsberg, NO – Riddu Riddu
08/23 Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
09/19 Oshawa, ON – Convergence
11/08 Red Deer, AB – Bo’s Bar & Grill
11/11 Lake Country, BC – Creekside Theatre
11/15 Victoria, BC – Wicket Concert Hall
11/17 Campbell River, BC – Tidemark Theatre
11/19 Vernon, BC – The Vernon Towne Theatre
11/20 Banff, AB – Jenny Belzberg Theatre
11/22 Saskatoon, SK – Capitol Music Club
11/24 Regina, SK – The Exchange
11/25 Winnipeg, MB – Park Theatre

 

 

Andy Bell Unveils ‘Dance For Mercy,’ a Euphoric Glimpse into His Upcoming Album Ten Crowns

Eric Alper
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Andy Bell Unveils ‘Dance For Mercy,’ a Euphoric Glimpse into His Upcoming Album Ten Crowns

Erasure star Andy Bell has shared a brand new track today, ‘Dance For Mercy’, the latest to be taken from his forthcoming solo album, Ten Crowns – set for release on May 2nd on vinyl (white, oxblood and picture disc available), CD (standard and 2CD versions), gold cassette and digitally via Crown Recordings. The album coincides with a UK tour, followed by a run of European dates, with North American dates to be announced soon.

Talking about the track, Andy explains, “Sometimes I wonder how many lives (God, or whatever you wanna call it) has given me: from heart attacks, to HIV, to being run over as a kid, nearly drowning in the sea and smashing over the handlebars of my bicycle into a brick wall! I have no idea why any of us are here, so it’s best just to have a bloody good dance!”

The new track follows the BBC Radio 2 playlisted single, ‘Don’t Cha Know’, and ‘Breaking Thru The Interstellar’, spectacular introductions to Ten Crowns – 10 tracks of dazzling, joyous pop, produced and polished in Nashville, inspired by the dancefloor and gospel – marking a majestic moment in his career.

No stranger to collaboration – his four decades of writing and recording with Vince Clarke as Erasure are still going strong and the duo recently began work on a new album together – Bell threw himself into writing with close friend Dave Audé, the Grammy award-winning producer, remixer and DJ. Their work together is euphoric, and to top the celebrations, they invited Andy’s ultimate pop heroine, Debbie Harry, to join Andy on vocals for ‘Hearts A Liar’.

Andy and Dave had previously collaborated on two US dance chart number ones together: 2014’s ‘Aftermath (Here We Go)’ and 2016’s ‘True Original’, and after those dance tracks, the pair “just kind of carried on writing as an exercise”, Andy explains, “and after that, Dave moved his family to Nashville because LA was so expensive, and so our writing took this kind of gospel-tinged Nashville twist.”

He describes how in Nashville there’s a church on every corner (“it reminded me of singing in choirs and cathedral school as a child, where the spirit of the church is imbued in the music”). Not that Ten Crowns is a sombre, spiritual set. It’s propulsive, electronic, passionate, driven by the need to encounter new emotions and experiences as life races on. “I mean, I’ve got everything I could possibly wish for, you know, I really have, but that’s not to say I’m always fulfilled,” Andy adds. “This album’s about picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, embracing life – and about taking that feeling on even when you’re fighting demons in the world, like homophobia, and fighting demons in yourself. It’s about being celebratory and uplifting.”

Ten Crowns marks a magisterial moment in Andy Bell’s forty-year career. His joy about what that holds, and where it can go, clearly excites him. “It’s my third (sort of) solo record [following 2005’s Electric Blue and 2010’s Non-Stop] and in Erasure, our third album was our most successful out of all that we’ve done, so I’m taking that spirit with me!”

Traveling into new dimensions and possibilities with gospel in the heart and dancing in the soul clearly suits him. Ten Crowns is Andy Bell imperial, gleaming, ready for his coronation.

The Jesus Lizard Expands 2025 Tour with Fall Dates in Nashville, Chicago, Milwaukee & Minneapolis

Eric Alper
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The Jesus Lizard Expands 2025 Tour with Fall Dates in Nashville, Chicago, Milwaukee & Minneapolis

The Jesus Lizard have expanded their 2025 tour plans, adding Fall dates in Nashville, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis. Tickets are on-sale this Friday, March 21 at 10 a.m. central time.

These newly announced dates follow the band’s West Coast run in May in support of Rack, with back-to-back performances in San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle, as well as dates in Los Angeles and San Diego.

The iconic foursome released Rack in late 2024 to critical acclaim, with Pitchfork stating, “It’s as if the Jesus Lizard were cryogenically frozen in their filthy jeans and torn tees,” while Brooklyn Vegan praised them for being as “delightfully gnarly as they ever have” been. On April 12, the band releases the Flux EP, a Record Store Day exclusive available only on limited-edition vinyl.

Newly announced performances:
November 17 Nashville, TN Brooklyn Bowl
November 19 Chicago, IL Metro
November 21 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall Ballroom
November 22 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue

The Jesus Lizard tour dates:
May 2 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern
May 3 Los Angeles, CA The Fonda Theatre
May 5 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore SOLD OUT
May 6 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
May 8 Portland, OR Revolution Hall SOLD OUT
May 9 Portland, OR Revolution Hall
May 10 Seattle, WA Neptune Theatre SOLD OUT
May 11 Seattle, WA Neptune Theatre
May 17 Paris, FR Elysée Montmartre
May 18 Brussels, BE Les Nuits Botaniques
May 20 Amsterdam, NL Melkweg
May 22 Copenhagen, DK Den Grå Hal
May 23 Oslo, NO John Dee
May 24 Stockholm, SE Debaser
May 27 Berlin, DE SO36
May 28 Köln, DE Gebaude 9
May 30 Lausanne, CH Les Docks
May 31 Bologna, IT Link
June 1 Rome, IT Monk
June 2 Milan, IT Magnolia
June 4 Lyon, FR L’Epicerie Moderne
June 6 Barcelona, ES Primavera Festival
June 8 Barcelona, ES Paral.lel 62
June 12 Porto, PT Primavera Festival
October 23 Tokyo, JP Tokyo Duo
November 17 Nashville, TN Brooklyn Bowl
November 19 Chicago, IL Metro
November 21 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall Ballroom
November 22 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue

Back to the Future’s Lost Auditions: The Alternate Timeline That Almost Was

Eric Alper
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Back to the Future’s Lost Auditions: The Alternate Timeline That Almost Was

Imagine a world where Marty McFly wasn’t Michael J. Fox. The Back to the Future Blu-Ray extras reveal 1984 auditions from actors who almost landed iconic roles. One casting change, and the “Future” we know could’ve looked very, very different.

“Bill’s Records”: A Love Letter to Music, Vinyl, and a Life Lived Behind the Counter

Eric Alper
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0
“Bill’s Records”: A Love Letter to Music, Vinyl, and a Life Lived Behind the Counter

Music is love, life, and the thread that ties us all together. For 46 years, Bill Wisener poured his soul into Bill’s Records in Dallas, a sanctuary for crate diggers and music lovers alike. In the short documentary Bill’s Records, filmmaker Chuck Przybyl captures the heart of a man who lived and breathed vinyl, proving that in a world full of chaos, music is the one thing that always brings people together.

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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