Hoobastank is returning to the UK for a one-off twentieth anniversary show of The Reason.

The US rock band are returning to the UK for one show to celebrate the twentieth-anniversary of their seminal second album ‘The Reason’.

The album was released in 2003, and the band will be performing the album in its entirety at the show.

You can now listen to the 20th anniversary-version of ‘The Reason’ album on all streaming platforms! This exclusive version of the album also includes a previously unreleased cover of @rodstewart‘s iconic track “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?”. pic.twitter.com/E1dmx5d0NQ

— Hoobastank (@Hoobastank) January 12, 2024

The concert will take place at the o2 in Islington on the 17th of June. Tickets will go on general sale from 10 a.m. on the 1st of March, and you can buy yours here.

But don’t worry, if you miss out, the band will also be playing at Download Festival at Derby’s Donnington Park.

The announcement of the anniversary show came after the band released a twentieth anniversary version of ‘The Reason’ which featured a previously unreleased version of Rod Stewart’s ‘Do Ya Think I’m Sexy’.

The song, ‘The Reason’ becameone of the many ‘retro’ tracks that found a pocket of popularity on TikTok back in 2021.

The song, which spent 38 weeks in the US singles chart, also peaked at number two back in 2004.

Hoobastank themselves joined in the trend, creating an account and posting a video under the hashtag theme of #NotAPerfectPerson with the caption: “Realizing 20 years later that you named your band Hoobastank.”

Hoobsatank is an American rock band formed in 1994 in Agoura Hills, California, by lead vocalist Doug Robb, guitarist Dan Estrin, drummer Chris Hesse, and original bassist Markku Lappalainen. They were signed to Island Records from 2001 to 2012 and have released six albums and one extended play to date. Their most recent album, Push Pull, was released in May 2018. They have sold 10 million albums worldwide. The band is best known for their hit single “The Reason“.

So if you fancy a early ’00s throwback, then set your alarms for 10 a.m. on the first of March and be sure to get in the queue early because tickets will no doubt sell out rather quickly.

Whatever you reason for going to the show, I’m sure it will be a good one.

This exciting announcement comes after both artist’s recent album releases. Peckham-born Giggs released his sixth studio album, Zero Tolerance in August of this year which featured a collaboration with Diddy on the song, ‘Mandem‘. Diddy recently released his fifth studio album, The Love Album, which features works and collaborations with some of the best names in music and which arrived 17 years after his previous album, Press Play.

Diddy took to Instagram to share his excitement, “Attention LONDON! One night only! We comin’ to make History!”.

This has not been the first show Giggs has put on for charitable purposes. In 2018, Giggs put on a show at Camden’s Roundhouse in which people could set their own price for tickets for Sickle Cell Society and the Amy Winehouse Foundation.

Similar to previous charitable events, the upcoming evening with Diddy and Giggs will also be funded by patrons where they can choose their own ticket prices.

Diddy has also recently made news by donating a large sum of money to Howard University. Ben Vinson, president of the academic institution, stated, “A monumental moment at Yardfest! Thank you Diddy, for your incredible generosity and support of Howard University. Your million-dollar contribution will make a profound impact on our students and community. We’re honoured to have you as a part of our Bison family.”

This year marks the 15th year anniversary of Giggs’ debut studio album Walk In Da Park. This album has been seen as one of the most influential in the British hip-hop scene and even helped spawn a sub-genre called ‘Road Rap’.

Diddy’s rise to stardom has been as tumultuous as it has been successful. Releasing music which has topped the charts, won awards and has earned Diddy international fame despite receiving consistently mixed reviews has not stopped this hip-hop legend from performing and writing.

Diddy has recently taken to social media to announce his film, ‘Off The Grid’, stating, “The Movie “Off The Grid” starring Sean Diddy Combs & Eva Apio coming to a theatre near you. Inspired by The Love Album.”

Between Diddy and Giggs are years of brilliant performances and shows which they are sure to bring next week at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire. You can find tickets here.

Frontman and multi-instrumentalist Murray Matravers have spoken to BANG Showbiz regarding the group’s upcoming new album, whilst providing an insight into the group’s creative process. “We’re already working on the second record, we started working on that six months ago after we submitted the first one. We’re pretty close, actually, with that one. We’re always writing in the background.”

He went on to describe the bittersweet benefits in which lockdown provided as well as the downsides in which the group encountered in their creative process. “It was the first time that we’ve been given an extended period of time to actually make music. Usually, we’re be writing music, touring and also not taking it very seriously at all. We’d always be doing music on the side, but this is the first time where we could sit down for a year and make music. It was a bit strange. I think the luxury of having so much time was a positive but also a negative because I was in danger of overthinking every single step of the process. Whereas usually I’d be doing the writing on the side and no one really cares… I wrote a lot of bad music.”

The new album will follow up their debut album ‘Life’s a Beach’ which was released on 28th May 2021. The first studio album was released through Island Records and landed at number two within the UK Albums charts. The fivesome’s debut sired five singles, the album’s lead single ‘Daydreams’ was released on 21st October 2020. Followed by ‘A Message to Myself’, ‘Skeletons’, ‘Have a Great Day’ and finally ‘Ocean View’, released on 24th May 2021. The album’s most successful single was ‘Skeletons’ and was performed on the American chat show ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ on 13th April 2021.

Before the group’s first studio album, their first mixtape entitled ‘Creature Habits’ was released in April 2018. The mixtape sired their first single ‘Pockets’, due to this release the group signed with Island Records leaving their previous label Chess Club Records. After which, the group started to gain traction within the industry, in September 2018 Easy Life performed on the prestigious music show, ‘Later… With Jools Holland’. The group began their festival appearances in 2019, they played the US festival South by Southwest as well as other UK tours. Easy Life have also earned their stripes at the legendary event Glastonbury Festival in 2019, where they headlined the BBC Introducing stage.

The group took the stage again this year within an unusual setting, the performance was held inside the popular video game Fortnite. The band played the virtual concert held on 24th June 2021 and their venue was an electronically recreated O2 Arena in London. The concert was held in partnership with O2, Epic Games, Globe and Island Records UK and can be viewed via the new digital space created by the developers, entitled Fortnite Creative.

The group made history with their set as they are the first UK band to perform via the new platform. Matravers has provided the following statement concerning the group’s latest revolutionary gig and also described how such technological advances have created more opportunities creatively. “In the game, you can just do anything. We’re performing underwater, inside a fish, we get flushed down to the toilet. The possibilities were literally never-ending, we could do anything.”

Easy Life UK Tour Dates

11/07/2021 – Rough Trade Bristol – Bristol
14/07 – Rough Trade East – London
19/07 – The Y Theatre – Leicester
21/07 – Metronome – Nottingham
22/07 – Rough Trade Nottingham – Nottingham
24/07 – Arts Club – Liverpool
03/09 – Victoria Park – Warrington
04/09 – Neighbourhood Weekender – Warrington
04/09 – Victoria Park – Warrington
25/09 – Northamptonshire The County Ground – Northampton
01/11 – O2 Academy – Bristol
02/11 – O2 Institute – Birmingham
05/11 – Morningside Arena – Leicester
06/11 – Albert Hall – Manchester
07/11 – O2 Academy – Leeds
09/11 – Barrowland Ballroom – Glasgow
11/11 – O2 Academy – Newcastle
12/11 – The Foundry – Sheffield
14/11 – The Wedgewood Rooms – Portsmouth
15/11 – Dome – Brighton
15/11 – Brighton Dome and Festival LTD – Brighton
16/11 – O2 Academy Brixton – London
17/11 – O2 Academy Brixton – London
21/11 – Limelight – Belfast
22/11 – Olympia Theatre – Dublin