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Bad Omens Announce Spring 2026 North American Arena Tour With Beartooth And President

Eric Alper
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Bad Omens Announce Spring 2026 North American Arena Tour With Beartooth And President

Platinum-certified rock band Bad Omens are set to take North America by storm with their headline arena tour in spring 2026. The run kicks off February 22 in Salt Lake City at Delta Center with support from Beartooth and President, bringing the band’s cinematic, high-energy performances directly to fans across the United States and Canada. The tour follows the release of the band’s recent singles “Specter,” which hit number one on Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay and number 15 on Billboard Alternative Airplay charts, along with “Impose” and “Dying To Love.” Bad Omens have earned a reputation as one of the most compelling live acts in modern rock, with shows that blend cinematic visuals, immersive lighting, and precise musicianship. Frontman Noah Sebastian commands the stage with magnetic presence and passionate vocals, guiding fans through performances that move from haunting, atmospheric passages to explosive, arena-shaking moments.

As highlighted by Live Nation, heavy rock is surging in live music with a 14 percent rise and claiming 13 percent of arena and stadium shows, and Bad Omens stand at the forefront of that movement. The band continues their unstoppable ascent following the explosive success of their breakthrough third studio album ‘The Death of Peace of Mind’ from 2022, which earned RIAA Gold certification and has amassed over 2.7 billion global streams. Their hit single “Just Pretend” became their first RIAA Platinum-certified track, reached number one at both US Active Rock and Alternative Radio formats, and dominated Billboard’s year-end charts. The atmospheric single “Specter” debuted at number one on Billboard’s Hot Hard Rock Songs chart and became the band’s fastest rise to number one on both the Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay and Mediabase Active Rock charts while breaking into the Top 20 at Alternative Radio.

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR 2026:

Feb 22 – Delta Center – Salt Lake City, UT

Feb 24 – Ball Arena – Denver, CO

Feb 26 – T-Mobile Center – Kansas City, MO

Feb 28 – Little Caesars Arena – Detroit, MI

Mar 02 – Target Center – Minneapolis, MN

Mar 04 – Allstate Arena – Rosemont, IL

Mar 06 – Scotiabank Arena – Toronto, ON

Mar 08 – Place Bell – Laval, QC

Mar 10 – Prudential Center – Newark, NJ

Mar 11 – TD Garden – Boston, MA

Mar 13 – Xfinity Mobile Arena – Philadelphia, PA

Mar 14 – CFG Bank Arena – Baltimore, MD

Mar 16 – Lenovo Center – Raleigh, NC

Mar 17 – Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN

Mar 19 – American Airlines Center – Dallas, TX

Mar 20 – Frost Bank Center – San Antonio, TX

Mar 22 – Paycom Center – Oklahoma City, OK

Mar 24 – Desert Diamond Arena – Glendale, AZ

Mar 26 – Kia Forum – Inglewood, CA

Mar 27 – Oakland Arena – Oakland, CA

EU TOUR 2025:

Nov 21 – Dublin, Ireland

Nov 23 – Glasgow, United Kingdom

Nov 26 – London, United Kingdom

Nov 28 – Manchester, United Kingdom

Nov 29 – Nottingham, United Kingdom

Dec 1 – Bruxelles, Belgium

Dec 2 – Paris, France

Dec 4 – Dübendorf, Switzerland

Dec 5 – Nuremberg, Germany

Dec 6 – Berlin, Germany

Dec 9 – Hamburg, Germany

Dec 10 – Oberhausen, Germany

Dec 12 – Amsterdam, Netherlands

Dec 13 – Amsterdam, Netherlands

Witch Delivers Full Live Performance At KEXP

Eric Alper
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Witch Delivers Full Live Performance At KEXP

Zambian rock legends Witch performed live in the KEXP gathering space, with the session hosted by Cheryl Waters. The performance featured four songs including “Kamusale,” “Thou Shalt Not Cry,” “Queenless King,” and “Toloka,” showcasing the lineup of Jagari Chandra on vocals, Patrick Mwondela on keys, Jones on guitar, Tommy on bass, and Oli on drums.


Steve Aoki Partners With a Big Crypto Brand to Launch a New Digital Experience

Eric Alper
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By Mitch Rice

A new collaboration has been announced between a major crypto platform and the music star Steve Aoki. This is bringing together competitive gaming, live content, exclusive rewards, and real-world experiences. The partnership is introducing a range of features that roll out across gameplay, streaming, collectables, and events.

The announcement clearly shows that the collaboration is a multi-part initiative, with many different elements launching and developing over time. Rather than being all about a single product, this has a focus on building an ecosystem of connected activity that users can engage with in different ways depending on their interests.

What has been announced so far

At the very heart of this collaboration is a brand-new PvP Arena game that has been designed as a live competition. The format focuses on short rounds where players all enter the game together, having contributed to a shared prize pool. These players compete until there is a single winner left. Every round resets entirely, meaning that players have the chance to rejoin whenever they want to, with no progress being lost.

As well as the Arena game, the project also introduces a structured schedule of live moments. These include streamed gameplay sessions, which feature on platforms such as Twitch and Kick. These include Steve Aoki appearing, playing, and interacting in real time. The streams are positioned as part of the experience rather than simply being promotional content.

Reward drops are also a major part of the launch. Known as the Aoki Drop, these are events that bring together instant in-platform rewards that give access to exclusive prizes. Participation is tied to live activity and specific windows.

Digital and physical extensions

The collaboration goes beyond simple gameplay. We can expect to see a limited edition Aoki x BitcoinVIP collection. This has already been announced, with full details set to be revealed later in the year. This has been described as the first release in a series of collector items tied to the partnership, meaning that it is not going to be a one-off drop.

In addition, VIP experiences form part of the wider project. These include access to major live shows, backstage opportunities, and personal moments linked to Steve Aoki’s tour schedule. These experiences are intended to bridge the digital and real-world sides of the collaboration, giving participants access beyond the platform itself.

How the partnership is structured

All elements of the collaborations are being delivered directly through BitcoinVIP, with the gameplay, drops, streams, and future releases all being integrated into the platform. This approach means that different components of the project can operate together, without the need to launch them in complete isolation.

When looking at the role of Steve Aoki, this is tied to visibility, participation, and ongoing involvement. This is not about a single appearance at a launch. It is about being an active presence across gameplay, live streams, and exclusive releases.

Of course, other public figures have looked into crypto in recent years. However, this project really stands out due to the full scope of what has been announced at once. This is not just about touching on branding alone, as the collaboration goes across multiple formats and touchpoints.

What comes next

We can be sure of seeing further details in the coming months, and that will undoubtedly include more information on the likes of the collector series, more live events, and the full scope of the VIP experiences. The staggered approach shows that the project is about developing and evolving, not just peaking at the time of launch.

Data and information are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended for investment or other purposes.

Dog Chocolate Return With Fourth Album ‘So Inspired, So Done In’ And New Single “Green Stuff”

Eric Alper
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Dog Chocolate Return With Fourth Album ‘So Inspired, So Done In’ And New Single “Green Stuff”

After seven years of relative silence and 13 years of being a band, Dog Chocolate have returned with their fourth album ‘So Inspired, So Done In,’ arriving February 27 on Upset The Rhythm. While many of the 16 songs barely make it past the three-minute mark, each one bursts with all the textures and colours of an office cupboard full of old sweets, fluorescent markers, and multiple ways to fix paper together. The band shares new single “Green Stuff,” a scrappy pop-punk song with individual verses written by Matthew, Rob, and Andrew. Matthew explains that the song’s lyrical theme “stemmed from the idea that while humans continually slather concrete and tarmac over habitats, nature always finds a way to reclaim them when left unattended. This echoed with the brewing unrest of nation states trying to aggressively take what is not theirs. It felt like an interesting comparison.” In his verse, Rob challenges the metaphor of a war between plants and humans used in the song and imagines a “mutual aid between our tree and flower comrades.” “Green Stuff” describes cycles of growth, decay, impermanence, and how all this, in Andrew’s lyrical description, is “bonkers and exquisite.”

The accompanying video was filmed last summer in the garden at Andrew’s Mum’s empty house, where nature had truly taken over. He shares, “Thorny creepers stretching the length of the patio, weeds coming up through every crack, standing waist height and feeding Cinnabar Moth caterpillars. Tall grass meshing with low hanging bushes, flowers, leaves, buds etc, at all stages of life and death… I sellotaped a 40x magnifier loupe to my phone’s camera and got in amongst it.” ‘So Inspired, So Done In’ sees Dog Chocolate tackling subject matter as diverse as overheard conversations, healing fungal toenails, the Rogerian concept of the Actualising Tendency, bronze age living conditions, dreaming songs into being, and human-plant relations. Work and anti-work is a recurring theme, as is artistic inspiration and burnout. Recorded and mixed by POZI’s Toby Burroughs and mastered by Sofia Lopes, the album charts a long and confusing period in the band’s collective life, marked by major life changes, losses, and shifts, colouring the band’s trademark frantic, daft, and anxious energy with a contemplative glaze. After the pandemic, some of the band’s members moved to different cities, got new jobs, some had babies, some encountered bereavement, making it harder to practice and play together. The band found a way to keep their friendship and creativity going through making a monthly radio show “The CDRs Won’t Last,” initially chronicling the lost music of the Myspace era but becoming a fun place to chat and play songs to each other. These life changes influenced the way the songs came together, written in bedrooms, over the internet, and in a large shed in Shropshire for a weekend writing get-together.

Tracklist:

Infinite Nuggets

Fun is Always Brilliant

Employee

Springfield Library Haunting

Drumming on a Tree with FM

Potatoes in the Basement Bin

Fungal Free 2023

Green Stuff

Architecture Days

Munchies and a Pen

Guildford Awkward

No Pavement Story

Worst Jobs in History

Unfinished Rock ‘N’ Roll Tattoo

A Bit of Paper

So Inspired, So Done In

Tinsley Ellis Announces Second Acoustic Album ‘Labor Of Love’ With 13 Original Compositions

Eric Alper
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Tinsley Ellis Announces Second Acoustic Album ‘Labor Of Love’ With 13 Original Compositions

‘Labor Of Love’ is Tinsley Ellis’ second acoustic album following 2024’s Blues Music Award-nominated ‘Naked Truth’ and his first acoustic release comprised entirely of original material. The album will be available on CD, Georgia peach-colored vinyl LP, and via digital service providers, with pre-orders available now via Alligator Records. Ellis delivers a raw, edgy, self-produced set of 13 original compositions, all performed with pure emotional honesty. The songs spin modern tales of floods, conflagrations, voodoo spirits, personal travails, and heaven-sent prayers. From the feral opener “Hoodoo Woman” to the John Lee Hooker-groove of “Long Time” to the evocative, Skip James-inspired “To A Hammer” to the Son House-style stomp of “Sunnyland,” Ellis inhabits his songs in an astonishing way. Each performance carries the weight, experience, and hard-earned wisdom Ellis learned over four decades on the road, making ‘Labor Of Love’ as profoundly deep and moving as any music he has made in his career, covering the gamut of emotions, finding good times in the hard times, mixing gentle beauty with foot-pounding ferocity.

Since the 2024 release of ‘Naked Truth,’ Ellis has been traveling on his own, performing solo all over the country in his jokingly named “Two Guitars And A Car” tour. Ellis says, “I love doing these shows. I can be more expressive and emotional as a solo acoustic artist. I just love the sound of acoustic guitar. I always have.” During a break from the recording of the new album, Ellis spent time in Bentonia, Mississippi, birthplace of Skip James and home to blues legend Jimmy “Duck” Holmes. Ellis soaked up the spirit of this tiny Delta town, hanging out with Holmes and getting a deep insight into genuine Bentonia blues, performing with Holmes at his famous Blue Front Café. Ellis notes, “Once I got home, I went right back to the studio and incorporated everything that I just experienced into my music.” For the album, Ellis used six different open tunings on his beloved 1969 Martin D-35, his 12-string Martin D-12-20, and his 1937 National Steel O Series guitars, and for the first time in his career, played mandolin on three of the album’s songs. He notes, “No matter what I play, I like to have an edge. For me, just playing this music is a labor of love. I sat at the feet of Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf. I got into this music because of them. I always told myself if I could just make a living playing the blues, I’d be, at least in my own mind, successful.” Premier Guitar declares, “Ellis is a legend of American blues music…he’s an American music treasure. He delivers a sermon on the power and glory of the blues, and is one of modern blues’ greatest performers.”

Tour Dates:

January 29 – Capricorn Studios, Macon, GA

January 30 – Eddie’s Attic, Decatur, GA

January 31 – Rialto Club – Hotel Indigo, Athens, GA

February 10 – The Tin Pan, Richmond, VA

February 11 – Rams Head, Annapolis, MD

February 12 – The Loft at Manor Mill, Monkton, MD

February 13 – Hub City Vinyl, Hagerstown, MD

February 14 – Fanatic’s Pub, Lima, NY

February 15 – Sportsmen’s Tavern, Buffalo, NY

February 16 – The State Theatre, State College, PA

February 18 – Woodlands Tavern, Columbus, OH

February 19 – 20 Front Street, Lake Orion, MI

February 20 – Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI

February 21 – Franke Center, Marshall, MI

February 22 – The Jazz Kitchen, Indianapolis, IN

February 23 – SPACE, Evanston, IL

February 24 – Dakota, Minneapolis, MN

February 25 – The West Theatre, Duluth, MN

February 26 – McMillan Library Concert Series, Wisconsin Rapids, WI

March 1 – The Venue, Aurora, IL

March 3 – xBk Live, Des Moines, IA

March 4 – Vangarde Arts, Sioux City, IA

March 6 – Velvet Elk Lounge, Boulder, CO

March 7 – Ute Theater, Rifle, CO

March 8 – Swallow Hill, Denver, CO

March 10 – 191 Toole, Tucson, AZ

March 11 – MIM Music Theater, Phoenix, AZ

March 14 – Unit B, Santa Fe, NM

March 15 – Outpost, Albuquerque, NM

March 18 – The Coda Concert House, Joplin, MO

March 20 – Ron Robinson Theater, Little Rock, AR

March 21 – The Lyric Theater, Harrison, AR

March 25 – Orange Blossom Opry, Weirsdale, FL w/ Matt Schofield

April 17 – Spire Center for Performing Arts, Plymouth, MA

British Metalcore Band Shields Release New Single “Miss Me” From Upcoming Album ‘Death & Connection’

Eric Alper
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British Metalcore Band Shields Release New Single “Miss Me” From Upcoming Album ‘Death & Connection’

Acclaimed British metalcore band Shields have released their new single and music video “Miss Me.” The song is taken from their upcoming studio album ‘Death & Connection,’ arriving January 30 via Long Branch Records. The band says, “We lost someone dear to us. This song is our tribute — a personal account of the unbearably tragic farewell to our friend, George Christie.” The band comments on the album, “Our new album Death & Connection is a body of work born from the absence of the people who no longer hold space in our lives. This record was created from a necessity to express and soothe our deepest losses; however, that was never the intention — we simply set out to make an album we wanted to hear.”

Founded in 2012 by primary songwriters Joe Edwards on vocals and Samuel Kubrick Finney on guitar/vocals, Shields quickly made an impact in the heavy music scene with their viral single “I Just Feel Hate,” which they re-released in a newly reimagined version in April 2025. Their EP ‘GUILT’ cemented their refined sound, blending brutal instrumentation with poignant, emotionally driven lyrics, demonstrating an aggressive adaptability to the ever-evolving alternative music landscape and winning over fans from across adjacent genres. The momentum of their powerful breakthrough led to tour cycles alongside acts such as Loathe, Ice Nine Kills, and Escape the Fate. Shields’ debut full-length album ‘Life in Exile’ from 2018 received critical acclaim for its raw honesty and musical maturity, though the album cycle was tragically cut short by the sudden passing of guitarist George Christie, an event that ultimately led to the band’s untimely and abrupt disbandment. Their return marks a bold decision given the tragic circumstances surrounding their 2018 split, yet Shields re-emerge with powerful new tracks inviting audiences to witness the next evolution of their sound, matured, refined, and fearless. This new chapter is supported by a fortified lineup featuring founding members Edwards and Finney, now joined by Alastair Wain on drums and Krishan Pujara on bass.

Tracklist:

This Is Not A Dream

Abuser

Kill

Parasites

Lacerate (Feat. Harvey Freeman of Graphic Nature)

Womb

Brother’s Lament

Red & Green

Wolfskin (Feat. Taylor Barber of Left To Suffer)

Loser

Death & Connection (Feat. Jonathan Finney)

Miss Me

Luke Combs, Teddy Swims, Stephen Wilson Jr. Set To Perform At EA Sports Madden Bowl

Eric Alper
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Luke Combs, Teddy Swims, Stephen Wilson Jr. Set To Perform At EA Sports Madden Bowl

Super Bowl weekend just got a little more country. EA Sports announced this year’s lineup for its annual Madden Bowl, and the star-studded event will feature performances from Luke Combs, Teddy Swims, Stephen Wilson Jr., Gavin Adcock, and Bay Area native LaRussell. The event, presented in partnership with Visa, takes place February 6 at San Francisco’s Chase Center ahead of Super Bowl LX. Combs said in a statement, “Panthers football has been a staple in my life since I was a kid, so playing Madden has been something I’ve always done – still do to this day on tour. Getting the invite from EA SPORTS to be a part of the Madden Bowl at the biggest football game in the world – the Super Bowl, was a no-brainer. I can’t wait and I’m still holding out hope my Panthers will be there too.”

EA Sports celebrates the Super Bowl every year with its annual Madden Bowl, which includes video game tournaments and live music. This year’s edition marks the biggest one yet, with EA Sports social channels covering the Madden Bowl Blue Carpet hosted by Jameis Winston and Kay Adams. Twitch streamer Sketch will host a livestream featuring athletes playing Madden NFL 26, and the I AM ATHLETE podcast will also deliver content. John Reseburg, VP of Marketing, Partnerships & Communications for EA SPORTS, said, “With Super Bowl LX in the backyard of our global headquarters, this year truly feels like a home game for us. This will be our biggest presence ever, and EA SPORTS Presents Madden Bowl is at the center of it, a celebration of the fans, athletes, creators, and music shaping the culture of football. We’re going to bring an incredible show to the Bay, and share that energy with football fans everywhere.” It’s also a hometown show for rapper LaRussell, who commented, “The Bay is home, and performing at Madden Bowl while the Super Bowl’s right here means everything. This city runs on innovation, hustle, and heart. The same things that make football and music connect with people everywhere.”

Comedian Nikki Glaser Announces “The Stunning Tour” Across Europe And North America For 2026

Eric Alper
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Comedian Nikki Glaser Announces “The Stunning Tour” Across Europe And North America For 2026

Comedian Nikki Glaser will tour both sides of the Atlantic in 2026 on her “The Stunning Tour.” The European leg of the 32-date tour begins June 1 at Paris’ Le Trianon and includes a performance at London’s Eventim Apollo and a double at Dublin’s 3Olympia Theatre. Glaser comes stateside August 1 for a run beginning at Atlantic City’s Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena, playing across the U.S. and Canada with stops in Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake City and more before the tour wraps at Boston’s MGM Music Hall at Fenway on December 2. The headline dates are in addition to her previously announced residency with David Spade at The Colosseum Theater at Caesars Palace.

Tour Dates:

June 1 – Le Trianon, Paris, France

June 5 – Eventim Apollo, London, UK

June 6 – 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin, Ireland

June 6 – 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin, Ireland

August 1 – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena, Atlantic City, NJ

August 2 – The Hall At Live!, Hanover, MD

August 7 – Centennial Concert Hall, Winnipeg, MB

August 8 – OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ON

August 9 – Garrison Grounds, Halifax, NS

August 14 – Foxwoods Resort Casino – Premier Theater, Mashantucket, CT

August 21 – Ovens Auditorium, Charlotte, NC

August 22 – North Charleston Performing Arts Center, North Charleston, SC

August 28 – Palace Theatre, Columbus, OH

August 29 – Playhouse Square – Connor Palace, Cleveland, OH

September 11 – Cowlitz Ballroom, Ridgefield, WA

September 12 – Cowlitz Ballroom, Ridgefield, WA

September 13 – Hayden Homes Amphitheater, Bend, OR

September 18 – Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Hollywood, FL

September 19 – Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, Fort Myers, FL

October 2 – Clowes Memorial Hall, Indianapolis, IN

October 3 – The Kentucky Center – Whitney Hall, Louisville, KY

October 17 – Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO

October 23 – Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, Greensboro, NC

October 24 – Altria Theater, Richmond, VA

November 6 – Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land, Sugar Land, TX

November 7 – Majestic Theatre, San Antonio, TX

November 12 – Peoria Civic Center – Prairie Home Alliance Theater, Peoria, IL

November 14 – The Chicago Theatre, Chicago, IL

November 19 – Yaamava’ Resort & Casino – Yaamava’ Theater, Highland, CA

November 21 – Eccles Theater, Salt Lake City, UT

November 22 – First Interstate Center for the Arts, Spokane, WA

December 2 – MGM Music Hall at Fenway, Boston, MA

HOKKA Presents Second Single “Death By Cupid’s Arrow” With Epic Music Video

Eric Alper
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HOKKA Presents Second Single “Death By Cupid’s Arrow” With Epic Music Video

The story of the warrior and the sensai continues as HOKKA presents their second single “Death By Cupid’s Arrow.” Following the powerful debut of “In The Darkness,” the new track expands HOKKA’s cinematic narrative with intensity, emotion, and epic scale. “Death By Cupid’s Arrow” arrives alongside another epic music video bringing the next chapter of the story vividly to life through striking visuals and dramatic storytelling. Both singles have already been performed on Finnish national television during the country’s major New Year’s Eve broadcast, introducing HOKKA to a nationwide audience and marking a significant milestone for the band. Joel Hokka comments on the song: “Cupid’s arrow to the chest or a knife in the back — it’s all the same. Death by Cupid’s Arrow is a song about the not-so-nice side of love. Time after time, a poor broken heart cries out its pain as it drowns.” HOKKA has just announced their first live shows for 2026, giving fans the opportunity to experience the power and storytelling of the warrior and sensai saga on stage for the first time, starting with their first club show on May 7 at Tavastia in Helsinki, followed by confirmed Finnish festival appearances at Kesämössö in Lahti, Tuska in Helsinki, Ruisrock in Turku, Ilosaarirock in Joensuu, Kuopiorock in Kuopio, and QStock in Oulu.

Tour Dates:

May 7 – Tavastia, Helsinki, FI

June 12-13 – Kesämössö, Lahti, FI

June 27 – Tuska, Helsinki, FI

July 3-5 – Ruisrock, Turku, FI

July 17-19 – Ilosaarirock, Joensuu, FI

July 23-25 – Kuopiorock, Kuopio, FI

July 25 – QStock, Oulu, FI

Alice Sara Ott Presents World Premiere Recordings Of Jóhann Jóhannsson Works Reimagined For Solo Piano

Eric Alper
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0
Alice Sara Ott Presents World Premiere Recordings Of Jóhann Jóhannsson Works Reimagined For Solo Piano

Headline: Alice Sara Ott Presents World Premiere Recordings Of Jóhann Jóhannsson Works Reimagined For Solo Piano

Tags: Alice Sara Ott, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Bergur Þórisson, Bryce Dessner, John Field, Jónatan Gretarsson, Anders Ladegaard, Wyndham Wallace, Ólafur Arnalds, Chilly Gonzales, Francesco Tristano, Karina Canellakis, Andrew Staples, Denis Villeneuve, Bill Morrison, James Marsh, Yair Elazar Glotman, Deutsche Grammophon, Faber Music, London Contemporary Orchestra, Konzerthaus, Royal Northern College of Music, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, De Singel, LOTTE Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center, Rudolf-Oetker-Halle, Philharmonie, Elbphilharmonie, Meistersingerhalle, Barbican, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Technics, JOST, Chaumet, LVMH, Wempe, Apple Music Classical, The New York Times, The Boston Globe

Blog Post:

Alice Sara Ott presents a collection of world premiere recordings of music by Jóhann Jóhannsson. Recorded in the late composer’s native Iceland, the 30-track Deutsche Grammophon album draws on an edition of solo piano transcriptions of his works recently published by Faber Music. These span the composer’s career, from studio albums such as ‘Englabörn’ and ‘Orphée’ to the pioneering scores he wrote for documentaries or feature films such as ‘Copenhagen Dreams,’ ‘Personal Effects,’ and the Golden Globe-winning ‘The Theory of Everything.’ ‘Jóhann Jóhannsson – Piano Works’ arrives digitally, on CD, and on vinyl on March 6, 2026, following the success of two EPs, Film Themes and From Englabörn, issued in late 2025 featuring seven of the album’s tracks. The visionary work of Jóhannsson, a highly influential figure in contemporary music and multi-award-winning film composer, has continued to captivate listeners and inspire musicians since his untimely death in 2018. Known for her remarkable versatility and her experience in both contemporary and core classical repertoire, reflected by her recent collaborations with Bryce Dessner and her hugely successful John Field album respectively, Ott was the ideal interpreter for this solo piano project.

Having never had the chance to meet Jóhannsson herself, Ott spent time in preparation for the recordings with some of his friends and colleagues, including Grammy-nominated producer and engineer Bergur Þórisson, in whose Reykjavík studio the sessions took place. Ott says, “There’s a very special intimacy and urgency in his musical language. It speaks to what people long for in today’s noisy and sometimes very dissonant world. The way he builds the architecture and structure of his music really allows you to refocus and reflect.” While she played a few of the pieces on a grand piano, Ott chose to record most of the tracks on the old upright piano in Þórisson’s studio. She recalls, “It’s one of the most beautiful instruments I’ve ever encountered. Bergur placed the microphones really close to the piano which I think creates this very modern and intimate sound, and a touch of nostalgia.” She continues, “It almost feels like you’re having a personal dialogue with Jóhann’s memory. Some of these pieces were written for larger ensembles, as well as electronics, and with just one piano it’s a more condensed and focused sound, but it brings out hidden textures and nuances that highlight the way Jóhann plays with sound and time.” For the visuals of the artwork, Ott worked with friends and collaborators of Jóhannsson, photographer Jónatan Gretarsson and art director Anders Ladegaard. The CD booklet is illustrated with atmospheric shots of the Icelandic landscape plus portraits of both pianist and composer, containing liner notes written by music critic Wyndham Wallace, who previously wrote liner notes for Jóhannsson’s records. “Melodia (III)” releases as a digital single on January 9, “Flight from the City” on January 30, and “Payphone” from McCanick on February 20. One of the world’s most-streamed classical pianists, Ott is recognized for a distinctive artistic language, with programmes and formats that challenge conventions and rethink the relationship between repertoire, performer, and audience.

Tour Dates:

January 15 – Konzerthaus, Vienna

January 19 – Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester

January 21 – Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris

January 26 – Konzerthaus, Berlin

January 28 – De Singel, Antwerp

April 1 – City Hall, Hong Kong

May 8 – LOTTE Concert Hall, Seoul

May 9 – Seoul Arts Center, Seoul

May 22/23 – Konzerthaus, Berlin

May 25 – Rudolf-Oetker-Halle, Bielefeld

May 26 – Philharmonie, Essen

May 27 – Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg

May 30 – Meistersingerhalle, Nuremberg

May 31 – Philharmonie, Cologne

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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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