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Throughout its impressive history, the venue has seen world-class acts take to the stage, such as The Beatles, Paul Weller, New Order, Little Richard, as well as illusionist and stunt performer Harry Houdini. More recently, the Liverpool Olympia has welcomed the likes of Teddy Swims, The Gossip, Jamie Webster, Elvis Costello and Manic Street Preachers.

In celebration of the special event, the venue have announced a birthday show with a headlining performance from British multi-platinum-selling band Embrace. This will feature several support acts, including britpop stars The Bluetones and The Real People. Liverpool band RATS will also make an appearance, an enthusiastic nod to the community’s vibrant contemporary music scene. 

Known for hits like ‘Gravity’ and ‘Ashes’ from double platinum-certified album ‘Out of Nothing’ (2004), Embrace are poised to deliver an unforgettable performance. After their remarkable show at Leeds’ Kirkstall Abbey, where they played for a crowd of 6,000, fans of the indie rock group can look forward to an incredible night of live music – marking their first appearance at the venue since 2016. 

Meanwhile, The Bluetones are famed for their 1995 debut release ‘Are You Blue or Are You Blind?’, which made its way into the Top 40. The single served as a springboard for their number-one UK album, ‘Expecting to Fly’, and launched a career that includes 14 hit singles and six albums.  

The Real People are set to perform at the venue for the first time. These Liverpool icons played a key role in Oasis’ meteoric rise to fame during the 1990s. 

Finally, the last of the support acts showcase up-and-coming Scouse band RATS – with raw energy, swagger, and charisma, they will be sure to kick off the birthday show with a bang. So far, the band have amassed over a million monthly Spotify listeners and have teased the imminent release of their debut album. 

In a statement following the birthday show announcement, owner of the Liverpool Olympia, Chris Zorba, said: “I am proud to take this iconic venue into its 120th year and celebrate its magnificent history. We will celebrate the year from April 24 with an eclectic mix of outstanding music, comedy and sporting events befitting to the Olympia’s rich history.”  

A Grade II-listed building, the Liverpool Olympia has been a functioning music venue since 1905, owing its grand design to acclaimed architect Frank Matcham. Maintaining its status as an independent space, the venue has been owned by the Zorba family since the 1990s who have ensured the preservation of its original features. In more recent years, the Olympia has received a new breath of life – the updated seating in the lower balcony, a revamped stage, and improved backstage facilities have demonstrated the city’s continuous celebration of its musical history. 

The highly-anticipated anniversary show will pay tribute to the venue’s cultural heritage and the iconic acts that have passed through its doors.

Tickets for the Liverpool Olympia birthday show are available now.

The Utah rockers will start touring in April 2025 through nine North American cities, scheduling three back-to-back dates in each city to dedicate a night to each of their first three albums.

In the UK, they have three dates in three different venues, playing their self-titled at The Dome in London on May 22^nd, In Love And Death at Slam Dunk South Festival on May 24^th in Hatfield, and Lies For The Liars at Slam Dunk North on May 25^th in Leeds.

In a press release, vocalist Bert McCracken announced he’s “Overwhelmed!” at the chance to honour the bands early catalogue and hit the road. “These first three records are what put The Used on the map. I can’t wait to experience the joy in playing all three records from front to back. I know it will be an amazing time. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Sending love to you all and I hope to see you there!”.

Bassist Jeph Howard says the group feels “Extremely lucky and humbled to have been a part of something way bigger than ourselves for the past 25 years. To everyone that has been there from the beginning or is just starting out your adventure with us thank you. Here’s to the next 25!”

During an era where there’s been a resurgence in popularity for 2000’s alt-rock/emo, reunions of bands like My Chemical Romance, critically acclaimed music from Paramore, and festivals like When We Were Young hosting sets from legends like Weezer, Panic! At The Disco and Taking Back Sunday, McCracken is happy to see a comeback for the genre, telling Kerrang “We’ve been an emo band for the last 23 years. We never stopped. We never broke up. We never went anywhere. I could be bitter about that, but music is music, man. Ultimately, seeing people return after so long makes us grateful that we never left.”

The Used formed in the summer of 2000, naming their band after their friends told them they felt “used” as their relationships strained, while the band became more focused on their music. They released their debut in 2002, to a good reception for their melodic post-hardcore anthems like “The Taste Of Ink”. They followed this up in 2004 with the emo/alt-rock sounds of In Love And Death, featuring hits like “All That I’ve Got”. They experimented with an eclectic range of sounds for their 2007 album, Lies For The Liars.

Speaking on the release of their ninth album Toxic Positivity in 2023, and the subsequent tour after COVID, Bert said “Having it taken away from us gave us this whole new appreciation for what we do. We all take this a lot more seriously now. We rehearse for real. We play a warm-up before every set each night. We’ve never been tighter.”

An artist and Ticketmaster pre-sale will be available tomorrow (December 11) at 10am local time. A Spotify pre-sale will happen on Thursday, December 12 at 10am again, and general ticket sales will commence on Friday, December 13^th. Check the bands website for the full list of dates and links to tickets.

What you’ve all been waiting for

Announcing our 25 Year Anniversary Tour. 3 nights each city. 1 album per night in full.

Artist pre-sale Wed, 12/11, at 10 AM local

General on sale Fri, 12/13, at 10AM localhttps://t.co/2EmKk47XFG for access.

We’re just getting started pic.twitter.com/63fxsD0rdj

— The Used (@WeAreTheUsed) December 9, 2024

Ray hinted at a full Kinks comeback in 2018 with this never coming to fruition. Ray shared, “Well, it got shelved because of… other issues. But there’s still material there. When I get time.” Speaking on his inspiration for new tracks, Ray said the songs are stemming from “home demos” that he has been recording for around thirty years.

He shared, “We’ve got loads of songs there in pieces. There are about two or three songs I want to finish, and when they’re finished, I’ll put the whole thing together.”

Ray also delved into the feud between the original band members, speaking on the artistic differences between himself, his brother Dave Davies and drummer Mick Avory. He shared, “We’re just different animals. We found ourselves at a very young age being in each other’s faces. And we had to work with it somehow.”

Speaking on his brother Dave, Ray shared that he would need to “persuade [him] to come on too” if a full reunion were to happen. He continued, “You’ve gotta be careful because he’ll run off in one direction and I’ll [run] in mine… He’s like that. He stays in control.”

Ultimately, The Kinks reuniting hinges on the band being able to put together “a show that gives us the credit we deserve,” according to Ray.

In the absence of new music, The Kinks have recently released a new anthology series to celebrate the 60th anniversary of their formation. The anthology, titled The Journey, is a two-part compilation of their favourite moments from their catalogue. In a press release for The Journey, Ray Davies said, “Ask yourself the question, is this journey really necessary? …Yes!”

Dave Davies also shared his excitement, saying “I’m delighted with what I think is an inspiring selection of timeless and magical Kinks music.”

‘The Journey – Part 2′ is OUT NOW The band have handpicked a selection of songs, celebrating 60 years of The Kinks, one of the most influential rock bands ever! Dig into these iconic tracks and take yourself on a journey https://t.co/M6XuedWlXe pic.twitter.com/ixnXuop12g

— The Kinks (@TheKinks) November 17, 2023

Has ‘The Journey – Part 2′ had you dancing around all weekend like Ray and Mick? https://t.co/M6XuedWTMM pic.twitter.com/leHczMqAeR

— The Kinks (@TheKinks) November 20, 2023

Purchase The Journey here.

Our first album Take Off Your Colours was released 15 years ago this Friday.

We wanted to do a proper release to vinyl of this album for years and now that we as a band finally own the rights to do so, we are releasing a limited vinyl pressing with some new merch! pic.twitter.com/nnV19hllHp

— You Me At Six (@youmeatsix) October 4, 2023

The pop-punk masterpiece, as some would refer to it, made the band a household name upon its release and shot the band to stardom, as well as earned You Me At Six critical praise and commercial success. Now, the band have expressed their delight in being able to please their fans after years spent clamouring for a re-release of the album. The band have recently acquired the rights back to their debut record and are excited to give Take Off Your Colours the celebration they feel it deserves.

Frontman Josh Franceschi said of the re-issue, “we’re very excited to celebrate the 15th anniversary of our debut album with this very special limited edition vinyl. We finally own the rights to this album again, which is an amazing feeling for us, and so we’re finally able to answer the calls from fans to re-issue the album on vinyl and release it directly to them. It won’t be available in shops. This is such a special album for us and we know it’s special to so many fans too”.

Franceschi and guitarist Max Helyer, during an interview with Kerrang Magazine nostalgically looked back to the time of writing and recording the album and reminisced that they were attempting to accomplish what very few UK based artists were doing in those days. Franceschi said, “There were no UK bands doing what the US scene had going on. [Labels] like Fueled By Ramen, the Warped Tour, Drive-Thru Records. There wasn’t really a UK band flying that flag at that particular moment in time. All our mates were playing in hardcore bands and we like hardcore music, but we also liked songs with melodies and with a pop sensibility to it. We were like, ‘If we do that, maybe we’ll stand out more.'”

Helyer added, “When you’re 15, up to 18, you’re kind of adapting and learning your craft. There was no pressure. It was like, ‘Let’s make music for fun and stuff we get kicks out of.’ Realistically, we didn’t expect the response to some of the songs that we wrote at that time. Save It For The Bedroom was the song that shot us out into a bigger audience.”

You Me At Six just released their seventh studio album Truth Decay in August . You can purchase it here.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of our third studio album, we’re releasing ‘Muse Absolution XX Anniversary’.
Coming November 17th, the new edition of the album features remastered audio, never-before-released live versions, demos and photos as well as a new, in-depth interview… pic.twitter.com/QXmB9Nozeq

— muse (@muse) September 15, 2023

It may come as an astonishing surprise to those who grew up with Muse blaring out of their bedroom speakers, but Absolution turns twenty years old this month and the band are set to celebrate their seminal album with a massive new release. Absolution will be presented to fans as a deluxe boxset reissue that will feature a complete remastered edition of the record, plus bonus tracks and live recordings.

With Absolution, Muse were able to hit brand new heights, the likes of which the band had aspired to since their creation. Released on 15th September 2003, the album spawned four singles including “Stockholm Syndrome,” “Hysteria,” “Butterflies And Hurricanes,” and “Time Is Running Out.” The calibre of the songs, resonating with fans still to this day, also paved the ground for Muse to begin selling out arenas and included a headline slot at 2004’s Glastonbury festival.

The album was immediately praised by critics and fans alike, with most lauding the apocalyptic concept of the music and its finely polished sound credited to producer Rich Costey. Singer songwriter Matt Bellamy attributed at least part of the album’s success to the band’s conscience effort to take their time with the writing and recording process, instead of rushing it through as on previous efforts.

The album also became the first to break into the American market for the band, with the album eventually being certified gold in the United States. Importantly, the album signalled an evolution with the group that would continue to shape and define the sound that has made Muse a unique force within the genre and easily recognisable to their fans the world over.

The deluxe edition of Absolution will also feature demo recordings, photos, vinyl and CD versions and exclusive interviews with both the band and Costey. The boxset can be pre-ordered here.

Muse formed in Devon in 1994 and have maintained a consistent lineup throughout their history with Bellamy on guitar and lead vocals, Chris Wolstenholme on bass and Dominic Howard on drums. The band have won numerous awards over the nearly three decades that they have been active, including Grammy Awards, Brit Awards and MTV Europe Music Awards.

Muse will embark on a short run of UK and Ireland tour dates later this month. Tickets can be purchased here.

Muse UK and Ireland tour:

27/09/2023 – 3Arena – Dublin
29/09 – AO Arena – Manchester
01/10 – O2 Arena – London
02/10 – O2 Arena – London

As promised, a leather-clad, cigarette-brandishing Matty Healy and co. turned back the clocks this weekend, indulging hardcore The 1975 fans with a setlist that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a 2013 Tumblr user’s dashboard. A culture-defining LP for young teens at the time, The 1975 was, in Healy’s own words, trying to capture “the apocalyptic sense of being a teenager” and remains emblematic of an era where a very niche subculture, characterised by black and white imagery of Dr. Martens and fishnets, provided a new online audience with a sense of identity.

Listen to The 1975’s live rendition of 2013’s “Heart Out”:

As evidenced by the huge crowd at Reading on Saturday, the record clearly continues to resonate with young people even today, with deeper cuts such as “Pressure” or “She Way Out” – songs which are rarely, if ever, played live – prompting enthused singalongs from an enamoured audience. The fact that a portion of the festival’s attendees made up a new wave of listeners, didn’t go unnoticed, either, with Healy acknowledging:

“This album, I don’t know, it feels quite relevant now, and you all look very young and you’re all enjoying it – it feels like the internet’s working in the way it should do.”

The frontman is correct in assuming that his band are as relevant as ever: their latest album landed them a TikTok hit in “About You” – a song which harks back to the sonic landscape and romanticised aesthetic first explored on their debut album. The group’s early hits, however, are still equally as potent, with crowd-pleasers “Sex” and “Robbers” showcasing The 1975’s enduring influence on fans. 

Check out their live performance of “Robbers” below:

Meanwhile, Healy was quick to appreciate his band had been gifted an opportunity at the expense of a certain Scottish pop singer:

“Well, first of all can we have the loudest round of applause in our set for Mr. Lewis Capaldi who couldn’t make it tonight.”

Capaldi, who has been struggling with Tourette’s syndrome, was initially set to headline Reading, but was forced to cancel a number of shows including the bank holiday weekend festival due to his wavering health.

In honour of its 10 year anniversary, The 1975 will be releasing a special edition format of their self-titled debut album, due to hit stores on September 1. The 1975 (10th Anniversary) is available for pre-order here.

For their full set at Reading 2023, head to BBC iPlayer.

Rolling Loud and Levi’s announced their global partnership this year, teaming up to celebrate 50 years of hip-hop and 150 years of Levi’s iconic 501 jeans. The partnership will see a specialised Levi’s merchandise capsule at all Rolling Loud events, with Rolling Loud founders Matt Zingler and Tariq Cherif stating in a press release, “For years, Levi’s have been the uniform for both the fans in the crowd and the artists on stage at Rolling Loud.”

They continued, “Because so many of our fans are there for the music as well as the merch, we’re excited to have one of the most influential apparel brands of all time design special clothing for each event. We’re also honored to serve as Levi’s first global partner and to celebrate history by bringing Rolling Loud events to new cities.”

The 501 Day celebration will see 4 intimate shows put on across London, Tokyo, Paris and Oakland, offering fans the chance to see iconic names in club settings. The shows will take place on the 20th May to honour the date in 1873 when Levi Strauss & Co. were granted a patent on the process of riveting trousers. Each 501 Day club show will include unique Levi’s x Rolling Loud merchandise that promises to “speak to the city and celebrate its character.”

UK fans can look forward to performances from Little Simz, whose latest album earned her a Brit Award for Best New Artist in 2022, as well as appearances from British rappers K-Trap, Unknown T and Sainte. The show will put a spotlight on UK rap and drill talent, celebrating the crossover between Levi’s and these music genres.

In the same press release, Mark Foxton, Head of Global Partnerships and Collaborations at Levi Strauss & Co., said, “As we commemorate the 150th anniversary of Levi’s historic 501 jeans, we’re thrilled to partner with Rolling Loud to support the artists, enhance the fan experience, and reflect on hip-hop’s incredible historical journey. No festival brings together more people to celebrate the culture of hip hop than Rolling Loud and no piece of fashion has been as central to hip-hop as the 501 jeans. Through exclusive merchandise and unique activations, we truly want to amplify the authentic connections at these incredible festivals and shows.” 

Rolling Loud and Levi’s partnership will continue throughout global festivals this summer, starting with Rolling Loud Rotterdam, Rolling Loud Portugal and Rolling Loud Germany, and culminating with Rolling Loud Miami, the brand’s flagship festival.

The festivals will feature a Levi’s Tailor Shop experience as well as limited edition Levi’s x Rolling Loud capsule collections, with special items also being available to purchase at on the Levi’s website.

Tickets for all 501 Day club shows can be purchased here.

Details of the 4 501 Day celebrations are below:

London, UK:

Headliner: Little Simz
Supporting: K-Trap, Unknown T, Sainte
Venue: KoKo

Paris, France:

Headliner: Headie One
Supporting: Franglish, Lujipeka
Venue: Élysée Montmartre

Tokyo, Japan:

Headliner: Lil Tecca
Supporting: Aklo, Tana, DJLEAD
Venue: Spotify O-East

Oakland, California, US:

Headliner: Kehlani
Supporting: DJ Five Venoms, more TBA
Venue: The Fox Theater

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The collection is in celebration of the group’s 60th anniversary, the upcoming stamps will pay tribute the group’s musical influence and enduring legacy. The Royal Mail’s website describes the new collection as, “Exclusive Special Stamps and collectables capture ‘The Greatest Rock and Roll Band’ at their majestic best.” The upcoming stamp collection aims to honour the group’s long history of iconic and momentous live performances. Some of The Rolling Stone’s most infamous concerts are portrayed within the collection. The new collection also includes stamps with photographs of the band and several posters from their world tours.

One of the band’s most culturally important and symbolic concerts is included within the collection. Fans often regard the performance at London’s Hyde Park in 1969 as the band’s most significant show, the concert was held just two days after the tragic passing of founding member Brian Jones. The talented musician named the band and is cited as the band’s original leader, Jones was predominately a guitarist but was also versed on various instruments. On 2nd July 1969, Jones was found motionless in his pool and was pronounced dead at the hospital. The 27-year old’s death was attributed to drowning. Within the concert ticketholders witnessed the induction of Mick Taylor who took over on guitar, Taylor was eventually replaced by the group’s current guitarist Ronnie Wood.

Other performances which are honoured within the collection include the group’s set at the Knebworth Festival on 21st August 1976. The crowd in attendance was an estimated 120,000, marking the band’s largest audience at this point in their career. The legendary festival boasted a line up full of the era’s most defining acts including 10cc, Todd Rundgren and Lynyrd Skynyrd. The upcoming collection also pays tribute to the group’s 1995 show in Rotterdam, the concert was part of the band’s The Rollingstone’s Voodoo Lounge world tour and included support from Big Country.

Satisfaction!

Today we proudly unveil our celebration of rock legends The Rolling Stones, with stamps featuring classic live performances.

Explore the range, featuring a number of limited edition collectibles>> https://t.co/j1W9nlup6K pic.twitter.com/9bP2wwMmoE

— Royal Mail (@RoyalMail) January 11, 2022

The Rolling Stones are the fourth band to receive a collection by Royal Mail, the British institution have also released stamp collections in honour of The Beatles, Queen and Pink Floyd. Royal Mail have also immortalised three of music’s most successful solo artists, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John and David Bowie. The Royal Mail’s director of public affairs and policy, David Gold has provided the following statement concerning The Rolling Stone’s induction, “Few bands in the history of rock have managed to carve out a career as rich and expansive as that of the Rolling Stones. They have created some of modern music’s most iconic and inspirational albums, with ground-breaking live performances to match.”

The collection is available to purchase in various formats and collector’s editions including a limited-edition prestige stamp book, fan sheets from the Hyde Park concert and Voodoo lounge tour, medal covers and framed displays.

Click here to pre-order the stamp collection.

To mark the 40th birthday of the group’s 16th studio album, the band will release an anniversary version on 22nd October 2021. The album includes one of the band’s best-known songs “Start Me Up“, the anniversary edition will include all 11 of the original release’s tracks. Also included is unreleased material reimagined and boosted by newly recorded vocals from the group.

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The new edition features unreleased tracks which were made during the original album’s recording and producing process. The newly embellished and unreleased tracks will be included on a special disc, Lost & Found: Rarities. The special disc’s tracklist includes “Living In the Heart Of Love”, a reworked cover of the Jimmy Reed song “Shame, Shame, Shame”, “Drift Away” originally sung by soul singer Dobie Gray and a reggae-infused version of “Start Me Up”.

The group’s anniversary release will also include a live album featuring a track listing of 26 songs. The new release’s companion entitled Still Life: Wembley Stadium 1982 further celebrates the 40th birthday of the group’s release for Tattoo You and documents a London concert held in June in support of the band’s Tattoo You tour. The live album features a wide variety of material, live recordings of the album’s tracks include “Neighbours” and “Hand Fire” and various covers of celebrated songs. Included within the covers is “Just My Imagination” originally performed by The Temptations and the catchy Miracles song “Going To A Go-Go”.

The anniversary edition will be available to purchase in multiple formats, including the standard CD package which features the deluxe double CD and a booklet of 20 pages which includes an essay by author Kevin Howlett and Jeff Slade. Fans will also be able to purchase a 4CD Super Deluxe Boxset which comes with 4 CDs, the reworked album, unreleased tracks over two CDs, Wembley Stadium live album and a Picture Disc featuring the group’s legendary guitarist Keith Richards. Also included within this option is a book full of rare photographs taken at the recording sessions and tour plus interviews with the album’s associate producer Chris Kimsey and many more.

The special release will also be available on wax, the anniversary edition will be released on Black Vinyl, 2LP Deluxe Black Vinyl, 2LP Deluxe Clear Vinyl (Exclusive to the Rolling Stones Store) and as a 5LP Super Deluxe Boxset which features the remastered album, live album as well as a hardback book with over 124 pages with the album’s associate producer’s interview and over 200 photos as well as other special features.

The original album’s release was on 24th August 1981 via Rolling Stones Records, the record label founded and run by the band and was actively involved within the music and recording industry until 1992 when the band signed to Virgin Records. The album comprises mostly of outtakes and unused studio recordings, due to the personal issues and a hectic touring schedule in which the group were undertaking.

The internal turmoil led to difficulties in booking studio times to rehearse and record, thus much of the album’s material is somewhat fragmented. Despite the hurdles faced when recording and producing the album, Tattoo Me received both commercial and critical success and remains one of the group’s underrated albums and reached number two within the UK Album charts and number one within the US Billboard 200.

The legendary group are set to hit the road this year on their ‘No Filer’ tour, the band will be performing in the US over 13 venue dates.

Click here to pre-order the anniversary release.

Phil Griffin is a photographer and music video director who worked with Winehouse on the videos for her second album Back to Black which featured hits including Rehab and Tears Dry On Their Own. Griffin set up the exhibition, which features photographs taken during the era of Back to Black, to encourage people to focus on the blues artist’s achievements rather than her notorious and tragic life story and death.

Griffin explained to the Guardian: “I want there to be a positive flow of conversation about her. She’s not just a tragic figure but a human being who was incredibly talented. She was a girl with a story to tell and she wasn’t afraid to tell it.”

In sharing some of the beautiful pictures taken during the shoots for the Back to Black music videos, Griffin hopes to show her as the artist she was not the tabloid headline she became, and he discusses how he thinks her life may have gone differently in an earlier age: “If she’d been born in a different age and was allowed to grow in the way that Diana Ross grew or the way that Ella Fitzgerald grew, she might still have remained a troubled figure, but I think we might still have her.”

Griffin is not the only person close to Amy who wants her story to be recast in a different light. Her family has also released a new documentary called Reclaiming Amy, which tells her story as a person, in contrast to the 2015 documentary Amy, which was critical of her family, and called ‘a disgrace’ by her father.

Griffin’s exhibition is titled ‘Amy in the Light’ and opens at the Brownsword Hepworth Gallery in Knightsbridge, London on 26th July. The exhibition is free to attend.