The ‘Somebody To You’ singer told The Daily Star Column: “James McVey is working on a solo project, Connor Ball is writing a lot, and Tristan Evans has just announced the pregnancy with partner Nikki. There’s a lot of life going on. We’re not putting any pressure on it. It’ll just happen with it happens. I think that’s the best way… Naturally at some point we’ll get back together, end up writing, and if we like it we’ll carry on. We all know it’s always going to be there. Every step of the way it’s always been, we’re friends before bandmates. We have a very special bond… We’re family at this point. I know a lot of other bands who started at a similar time that aren’t as close as we are, and the friendships have just faded away.”

The Vamps formed back in 2012 and quickly became very popular all around the world, collaborating with artists such as Demi Lovato, Shawn Mendes and more. The band took a break back in 2020 with guitarist James McVey stating: “It was getting to a point where it was turning into a conveyer belt. We loved what we were doing but it was about making sure that we weren’t going to burnout. We needed to live a little bit. Last year we had a moment where we wanted to take some time apart just to see what would happen and we naturally gravitated back together, which was nice as I imagine a lot of bands after nine years of touring probably don’t ever come back.”

The band celebrated with an anniversary tour in September 2024 in order to mark their 10th anniversary on tour, having released single ‘Seat At The Table’ over two years ago.

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The English band hasn’t released an album since their 2020 release ‘Cherry Blossom’, but the frontman, now embarking on a solo career, has insisted the group haven’t called it quits as he even wrote a song called ‘The Band’s Not Breaking Up’ on his debut solo record ‘The Panic Years’.

Tickets are now available via Ticketmaster.

We’ve never headlined a festival three times, and @aclfestival, we still can’t get enough.

Thank you Austin High and Huston-Tillotson concert choir for sharing your talent and joy with us. The future of Austin is in fine, fine hands. pic.twitter.com/6VKCQKQyoy

— Mumford & Sons (@MumfordAndSons) October 10, 2023

Adding to the excitement, the band welcomed surprise guest Noah Kahan to join them on stage. This remarkable performance was reported by The Austin-American Statesman, leaving fans in awe of the band’s talent and spontaneity.

Mumford & Sons is widely recognized as a folk rock band, known for their unique blend of bluegrass and folk instrumentation. Their music prominently uses acoustic guitar, banjo, piano, and double bass, all played with a rhythmic style that draws influences from alternative rock and folk genres.

In 2009, Mumford & Sons signed a deal with Island Records, marking a significant milestone in their career. The release of their single “Little Lion Man” that same year propelled them to new heights, quickly climbing the charts. This success was further solidified with the release of their debut studio album, Sigh No More. The album sold over a million copies in the United Kingdom.

Throughout their musical journey, Mumford & Sons have achieved numerous accolades and awards. Notably, Sigh No More earned the band the prestigious Brit Award for Best British Album in 2011, as well as a nomination for the esteemed Mercury Prize. Additionally, the band received six Grammy Award nominations, further cementing their status as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. Their live performance at the 2011 Grammy ceremony alongside Bob Dylan and The Avett Brothers proved to be a pivotal moment, catapulting them into even greater popularity.

During the performance, the lead vocalist Marcus Mumford and Kahan exchanged vocals on a simplified ballad, with Mumford providing additional support on the electric guitar. Here are some of the lyrics they sang, “Maybe I’m halfway out the door, this wasn’t what I was expecting, maybe I’m spoiled, maybe I’m getting old, maybe I indulged too much before. This wasn’t what I was expecting.” before both artists harmonized together, “Will you stop your screamin’ just for a second, I really don’t care what you think, But I care how you feel. And I want to be there and in your arms, just sit here together for a time. Let’s watch the world go ’round, let’s watch the tykes with the light in their eyes.”

Mumford & Sons’ highly anticipated release of “Maybe” marks their first single since 2020, following the success of their fourth and latest studio album, Delta, which was released in 2018. Kahan proves to be a good debut match for Mumford and Sons with his musical repertoire encompassing 21st-century folk compositions. Lead vocalist Marcus Mumford had previously hinted at the band’s commencement of work on a new album in November of last year and had this to say, “I’ve got a bunch that are kind of ready to go. And then we’ll make a record, and tour it, and get to do what we love.”

Justin Hawkins, his brother Dan Hawkins, eccentric bassist Frankie Poullain, and new drummer Rufus Taylor tell their story, in their own words of The Darkness comeback tale.

Set to hit cinemas on November 9, Welcome To The Darkness will be showcased for a limited engagement, with the possibility of encores due to the overwhelming demand. This exclusive opportunity allows fans to immerse themselves in the world of The Darkness and witness their remarkable comeback after a nine-year hiatus.

Emmett’s documentary skillfully captures the taxing and comical path that The Darkness embarked upon to reclaim their former fame. From their humble beginnings in a remote pub performance, the film follows the band’s relentless pursuit of their ambitious goal to once again captivate packed arenas. Audiences will be taken on a rollercoaster ride of emotions as they witness the band’s struggles, triumphs, and everything in between.

Frontman Justin Hawkins talks about his vision for the band in a clip for the film.

Welcome To The Darkness offers an unfiltered glimpse into the inner workings of a revered “cult band” as they navigate the challenges of the music industry and strive to revive glory days. With unprecedented access to the band members and their personal lives, this documentary promises to be an intimate and revealing portrait of The Darkness.

Prior to the documentary’s premiere, a highly anticipated Permission To Land deluxe album release is scheduled for October 6, distributed by Warner Music. This exceptional release encompasses a comprehensive collection, available in various formats including a five-LP package, a four-CD+DVD package, and a double-CD package.

Furthermore, the album will be accessible on all major digital streaming platforms, allowing listeners to experience its entirety in all its magnificence. This album notably includes their most renowned single, ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love‘.

In December, the band will wrap up their musical pursuits with a sold-out tour throughout the United Kingdom, signifying a triumphant end to their year.

UK and Ireland Tour Dates

Dry Cleaning released their EP’s Sweet Princess and Boundary Road Snacks and Drinks two years ago in 2019. The forthcoming album New Long Leg was recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic, the members recorded their parts using a Tascam recorder which they passed between car windows and disinfected before each use. The album was finished off with producer PJ Harvey at Rockfield Studios in Wales.

The rock-band toured the US briefly after the release of their latest EPs, but had to return to the UK after the Covid-19 health-crisis rose rapidly, they began writing music straight away while back in London. The new track Strong Feelings as been described by the band as ‘about secretly being in love with someone who doesn’t know it, and Brexit’s disruptive role in romantic relationships’.

Dry Cleaning released the first single off the upcoming debut-album a few months ago, titled Scratchcard Lanyard. The single received critical acclaim for the band, and will feature on the album released in April.

The band was scheduled for UK and Europe tours in 2021, however most of the dates have been cancelled due to the ongoing global pandemic.  The band has yet to reschedule their tour, with the exception of few dates in Iceland and UK in the later summer months.

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New Long Leg Tracklist:

01 Scratchcard Lanyard
02 Unsmart Lady
03 Strong Feelings
04 Leafy
05 Her Hippo
06 New Long Leg
07 John Wick
08 More Big Birds
09 A.L.C
10 Every Day Carry

In a special social-media announcing the worldwide live performance, Mogwai announced the show will be directed by Antony Crook, who has collaborated with the band a few times during previous records. The social-distanced concert will be filmed live at Glasgow’s Tramway venue at corresponding times internationally, detailed air-times can be found below. Tickets are now on pre-sale for £15.

‘As The Love Continues’ worldwide live performance premiere.

Saturday 13 February, 8pm GMT.

Directed by our long term collaborator @MrACrook
Filmed and recorded at @GlasgowTramway

Your first opportunity to hear our new album in full.

On sale now: https://t.co/bdvOD6WeVq pic.twitter.com/5bYpvXctxW

— Mogwai (@mogwaiband) December 17, 2020

Originally the band had planned to record As The Love Continues in the States during the early months of 2020, however it was decided that it would be done closer to home in Worcestershire due to safety concerns surrounding the impending Covid-19 pandemic. Mogwai cancelled their 2021 tour and all 2020 shows because of the ongoing virus and today was the first fans have gotten of what the future of the Scottish group has to offer in regards to promotion and celebration of their upcoming album.

The first single off the forthcoming record As The Love Continues was released in October after the group announced the release date of the coming full-length album. The single, Dry Fantasy was met quickly with fan and critic acclaim and preceded 5 other singles that were released shortly thereafter. Here We, Here We, Here We Go Forever, Pat Stains, Fuck Off Money and Supposedly, We Were Nightmares are the singles released in 2020 and the full track list was released by Mogwai as well, of which can be found of their website and in the Apple Music/Spotify previews.

Worldwide Livestream Showtimes:

UK and Europe- Saturday 13th February – 8pm GMT/9pm CET

North America, Central American and South America – Saturday 13th February – 6pm PST/8pm CST/9pm EST

Asia, Australia and New Zealand – Sunday 14th February – 6pm JST/8pm AEDT/10pm NZDT

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We’re really excited to share that we’ve joined the @ninjatune family and our new single ‘Talks’ is out everywhere now. Talks is the first single off our debut EP ‘Toner’ which will be out November 20th physically and digitally via @bigdadarecords. Toner features three new tracks and remixes from @the_mura_masa , @lynkslynkslynks and Daniel Fox of @birl_gand . You can preorder the 12” along with some merch bundles via http://pva.band Feels good to finally be sharing this music with you all – thanks for waiting Love to @laurenlaverne for premiering Talks on her show this morning and big love and thanks to all the people who’ve helped us work towards this release in the craziest of times – to Maddy, Darius, Marco, Dan, Lex, Feta, Lewis, Chloe, The Ninja Tune Team, Adam, Oli, Elliot, G, Tim P & everyone else who made this possible along the way. We love you! J, L & E x Artwork photography by @lewis.khan Styling by @chloealicefrieda Design by PVA & @slugxoxo

A post shared by PVA (@pva_are_ok) on Sep 30, 2020 at 2:00am PDT

The track opens with what sounds like a church organ sound, quickly interrupted by a rhythm section so energetic its impossible not to tap your foot too. PVA is a genre-defying band, but the dance element present in their debut single Divine Intervention is clearly alive and kicking in Talks.

Then enters the dark guttural sound of Josh Baxter’s voice: ‘I’ve been stuck tryna to play this game// and I rolled the dice just to see you again’, he sings, echoed by the heavenly vocals of Ella Harris. The chemistry between their voices is reminiscent of the classic partnership between Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot.

Talks was inspired by the relationship between two Red Dead Redemption characters, Abigail and John Marston. The repeated refrain, ‘you don’t wanna talk// nah you don’t wanna talk’ that Harris and Baxter sing interchangeably, could be a back and forth between the cowboy couple.

When Baxter sings ‘I’ve searched for forgiveness’, the edge in his voice makes it sound like he could be taking on the persona of the determined protagonist, with whom Abigail’s main complaint was that he wouldn’t leave behind his violent and vengeful ways. It is a tale as old as time, but PVA’s take is entirely fresh.

One of the most notable things about Talks is the instrumental maturity displayed. Synths, guitars and a tight drum beat all work together flawlessly; disappearing and reappearing at the perfect moments. The electric guitar accent that weaves through the song is is a pure stroke of genius, as is Louis Satchell’s drumming, which provides the framework for all the other layers.

For a young band with only two singles out, one might be surprised at how confident PVA’s sound feels. But the band has been playing together for a few years now, building up support through live performances in cult venues like The Windmill and the Bunker. Managed by members of the powerhouse DIY collective Slow Dance and having just signed to Big Dada, they are well set to go from strength to strength. You can preorder their upcoming EP Toner via their website.

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Shows are one of the most magical things on the planet and it’s all because of you lot! Without them my life feels a bit empty This Tour is gonna so emotional as it’ll have been a year since our last show in the UK, and we’re gonna make it extra special to show how much we have missed you Get tickets using link in you know where

A post shared by WALT DISCO (@waltdisco) on Sep 8, 2020 at 9:30am PDT

An early review of Young Hard and Handsome by DIY magazine gave it 4 stars, which the band was very happy with. They also had a recent interview with NME in which they talked about the upcoming release. The band, who all share a flat together, told the interviewer that ‘if it weren’t for lockdown, the whole EP would have a completely different look’ as they worked on a lot of the art and video work during that period.

Young Hard and Handome contains tracks that harken back to ‘new romanticism’ while also including modern ‘pop bangers’. The interviewer described the ‘honesty’ in Walt Disco’s lyrics as ‘what sets them apart from their peers’. The upcoming album will include songs that talk about gender identity, societal judgement and personal insecurities.

These worthwhile topics have long been present in the bands music. 2018 single Drowning in Your Bed, was an angst ridden rally against perfection. Here, the feedback sounds and urgent guitar playing make way for frontman James Potter’s powerful voice, singing: ‘perfection what do you make of this// draw me a picture, I’ll sit very still’.

James Potter is a force of life. With a restless energy reminiscent of David Byrne, he commands the stage in flamboyant clothes and makeup. His musical icons include The Blue Nile, Simple Minds and The Associates. This 80’s influence can be heard in tracks such as Strange to Know Nothing, which features a funky bass line and upbeat synth melody.

There is also a definite homage to the 70’s glam rock movement in Walt Disco’s music. Potter’s stage persona has more than a whiff of Marc Bolan about it. In the band’s video performance for BBC Introducing, he can be seen winking flirtatiously at the camera and dancing about to the beat in his feather pink jacket.

In an interview with DIY he stated that he cares deeply about ‘the show… the vision as a whole’; this is clear to see and explains why the band are so praised for their live performances. The upcoming album, and its promotional tour to follow next year, will not be one to miss.

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Our EP Hometime is out today! Big love to everyone involved and sharing Xxxxx

A post shared by Sunken (@sunken___) on Sep 18, 2020 at 5:54am PDT

The band are relatively new to the scene, having released their first music back in 2018 with double single Over the Days// Swoon. Swoon was a mellow track, with lead singer Poppy Billingham’s vocals gliding over a steady beat. It attracted the attention of Clash Magazine, who named it Track of the Day. They band then went on to support South London musician Puma Blue on his England tour.

Their EP is an impressive introduction to their sound. Stand-out track, Zombie, is a joy to listen to. Its introductory guitar line and soft male vocals are strongly reminiscent of Radiohead. Sorry for Everything, previously released as a single earlier this year, features dreamy synth noises and effortless falsettos. This track, as well as opener Somewhere Not Real, are sonically similar to the music of ethereal dream pop band Babeheaven, who Sunken actually supported a couple of times last year.

On Somewhere Not Real, the introductory instrumental is reminiscent of the vibraphone heavy Twin Peaks theme tune. The music video, too, has an air of David Lynch to it. That juxtaposition between the dark and beautiful is present in the red lensed shots of Poppy Billingham singing, holding the viewers gaze with her wide brown eyes.

She is only 20 years old, but her vocals have been praised for their emotional maturity and depth. In 2018, Wonderland Magazine said her voice would ‘transport you to a different planet’ and a review of Sunken’s Puma Blue support said reported that the room was ‘transfixed’ by Poppy’s vocals which were ‘soulful far beyond her years’.

Sunken is a family affair. It was started by Poppy and her brother Finn who were later joined by three others. The Billingham siblings used music as a way to quell their constant fighting, and today credit writing together as the reason for their now close relationship. You can truly feel the love in Sunken’s carefully crafted debut EP. It’s a solid representation of their musical abilities, a true joy to listen to.