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Joe Bonamassa has announced the upcoming release of The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork, a powerful live album and film capturing his deeply personal tribute to Irish blues guitar legend Rory Gallagher, recorded during a series of sold-out performances in Gallagher’s hometown of Cork, Ireland last summer. The album will be released June 19th via Bonamassa’s own J&R Adventures, with pre-orders starting today. Listen to the first three live singles: “Walk On Hot Coals (Live),” “Bullfrog Blues (Live),” and “Who’s That Coming? (Live).”

Pre-Order the album from UK & Europe.
Pre-Order the album from North America.

For Bonamassa, the project was never approached as a casual homage. Gallagher’s music has been part of his life since childhood, and the weight of performing it in Cork, with the blessing of Rory’s family and in front of audiences who carry his legacy so personally, was something he felt immediately. “I never had the honour to meet him, but his music and musicianship loom large in my life,” Bonamassa writes in a personal foreword accompanying the release. “From my first time hearing Irish Tour ’74 I was captivated by the sheer intensity of the man and the ferocity of his approach to the electric blues.”

That impact began early. “I remember that voice and a singular guitar tone slicing through the walls of my bedroom at a very young age,” Bonamassa recalls. “My father, who exposed me to so many of the great guitarists of his era, was quick to encourage me to listen to Rory and glean what I could.”

What began as an invitation from the Gallagher family quickly became something much larger. “All these many years later I was asked by Rory’s family to consider performing some of his material and paying tribute to him at a venue in Cork,” he writes. “The very thought frightened me. Yes, I was scared to even attempt it but at the same time so honoured that his family felt that I might be up to the task.” Rather than try to reinvent the material, Bonamassa focused on meeting it with the right spirit. “I felt the very best I could hope for was to approach his catalog with humility and reverence.”

That humility shaped the project from the start. In 2024, Bonamassa traveled to Cork to announce the tribute with a small introductory performance for Rory’s family, local friends, and members of the press. The response was immediate and emotional, and what began as a single concert soon expanded into a three-night stand. “After the announcement, one show turned into three sold out shows,” Bonamassa writes. “I felt that my reputation was on the line with the Irish, but what a response!”

By the time the band returned in 2025, the atmosphere around the performances had only intensified. “This was Rory’s town, and Rory’s people. We weren’t going to let them down,” Bonamassa says. “The crowds on those three nights were rowdy, raucous and Cork did their favourite son proud.” The result is a live document that feels charged by that setting – deeply felt, high-wire, and rooted in the connection between artist, audience, and place.

Across 14 hand-picked songs, The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork moves through the many sides of Gallagher’s catalog – from the blistering attack of “Walk On Hot Coals” and “Bullfrog Blues” to the emotional sweep of “A Million Miles Away,” which will serve as the album’s focus track upon release. Other highlights include “Tattoo’d Lady,” “Bad Penny,” “I Fall Apart,” “Calling Card,” and “Cradle Rock,” each delivered with fire and conviction while honouring the shape and soul of the originals.

The release also captures several moments that carried special meaning across the Cork run, including Bonamassa’s performance of “As The Crow Flies” on Gallagher’s own 1930 National Triolian resonator guitar, loaned by the Cork Public Museum. It was a tangible connection to the artist whose presence still looms so large over the city and over generations of guitar players who followed him.

Additional footage, included on DVD and Blu-ray editions, expands the story with bonus material including The Inspiration of Rory, featuring conversations with Brian May and Slash, along with Rory’s Acoustic Guitar and Ballycotton – A Million Miles Away. Together, the audio and visual components offer a fuller picture of what these performances meant to Bonamassa, to Gallagher’s family, and to the fans who packed the room night after night.

In the end, Bonamassa sees the album as an offering – his band’s best attempt to honour a musician whose work helped shape his own. “What you hear on these recordings is our best effort to pay tribute to Rory Gallagher, a man I never met, but admire so deeply,” he writes. “His music is part of me and I’m grateful that we were able to contribute in some small way to his ongoing legacy.”

CD Track Listing

1. Cradle Rock (Live)
2. Walk On Hot Coals (Live)
3. Tattoo’d Lady (Live)
4. I Wonder Who (Live)
5. Calling Card (Live)
6. Who’s That Coming? (Live)
7. Messin’ With The Kid (Live)
8. Bullfrog Blues (Live)
9. Treat Her Right (Live)
10. Bad Penny (Live)
11. I Fall Apart (Live)
12. A Million Miles Away (Live)
13. As The Crow Flies (Live)
14. Back On My Stompin’ Ground (Live)

DVD / Blu-ray

1. The Spirit Of Rory (Opening Scene)
   2. Cradle Rock
   3. Walk On Hot Coals
   4. Tattoo’d Lady
   5. I Wonder Who
   6. Calling Card
   7. Who’s That Coming?
   8. Messin’ With The Kid
   9. Band Introductions
   10. Bullfrog Blues
   11. Treat Her Right
   12. Bad Penny
   13. I Fall Apart
   14. A Million Miles Away
   15. As The Crow Flies
   16. Back On My Stompin’ Ground
   17. Ballycotton (End Credits)

DVD / Blu-ray Bonus Features:

• Ballycotton – A Million Miles Away
• Rory’s Acoustic Guitar
• The Inspiration of Rory (A Conversation with Brian May & Slash)

Vinyl (180 gram Red Marble Double LP)

Side A

1. Cradle Rock (Live)
2. Walk On Hot Coals (Live)
3. Tattoo’d Lady (Live)
4. I Wonder Who (Live)

Side B

5. Calling Card (Live)
6. Who’s That Coming? (Live)
7. Messin’ With The Kid (Live)
8. Bullfrog Blues (Live)

Side C

9. Treat Her Right (Live)
10. Bad Penny (Live)
11. I Fall Apart (Live)

Side D

12. A Million Miles Away (Live)
13. As The Crow Flies (Live)
14. Back On My Stompin’ Ground (Live)

U.S. SPRING TOUR 2026 
April 10-12, 2026 – Miramar Beach, FL – Sound Wave Beach Weekend +
+Sold Out

EU/U.K. SPRING TOUR 2026
April 22 – Hamburg, DE – Barclays Arena
April 24 – Rotterdam, NL – Rotterdam Rtm Stage
April 25 – Paris, FR – La Seine Musicale
April 27 – Esch-sur-Alzette, LU  – Luxembourg Rockhal
April 29 – Mannheim, DE – SAP Arena
May 1 – Chemnitz, DE – Stadthalle Chemnitz
May 2 – Nürnberg, DE – Psd Bank Nürnberg Arena
May 3 – Zürich, CH – Hallenstadion
May 6 – London, UK – Royal Albert Hall
May 7 – London, UK – Royal Albert Hall

U.S. SUMMER TOUR 2026
June 26 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts w/ JJ Grey & Mofro & D.K. Harrell
June 27 – Atlantic City, NJ – Ocean Casino Resort
June 28 – Newark, NJ – New Jersey Performing Arts Center
July 29 – Vienna, VA – Wolf Trap w/ Gov’t Mule
July 31 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater w/ Gov’t Mule
August 1 – Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion w/ Gov’t Mule
August 3 – Hyannis, MA – Cape Cod Melody Tent
August 5 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater w/ JJ Grey & Mofro
August 7 – Selbyville, DE – Freeman Arts Pavilion
August 8 – Baltimore, MD – Pier Six Pavilion w/ Gov’t Mule
August 9 – Youngstown, OH – The Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre w/ Gov’t Mule
August 12 – Highland Park, IL – Ravinia Festival
August 14 – Interlochen, MI – Kresge Auditorium
August 15 – Welch, MN – Treasure Island Resort & Casino w/ Gov’t Mule
August 16 – Lincoln, NE – Pinewood Bowl Theater w/ Gov’t Mule
August 19 – Cheyenne, WY – Cheyenne Civic Center
August 21 – Salt Lake City, UT – Eccles Theater
August 23 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre

EU FALL TOUR 2026
October 21 – Helsinki, FL – Veikkaus Arena
October 23 – Stockholm, SE – Stockholm Avicii Arena
October 24 – Oslo, NO – Oslo Spektrum
October 25 – Gothenburg, SE – Göteborg Partille Arena
October 27 – Copenhagen, DK – K.B. Hallen København
October 29 – Rostock, DE – Stadthalle Rostock
October 30 – Berlin, DE – Uber Arena
October 31 – Dortmund, DE – Westfalenhalle
November 3 – Basel, CH – Baloise Session
November 4 – Milan, IT – Unipol Forum

JOE BONAMASSA
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube | KeepingTheBluesAlive

The post JOE BONAMASSA Announces The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork, Capturing a Powerful Performance Celebrating Rory Gallagher’s Legacy appeared first on The Rockpit.

Southern California roots-rockers Robert Jon & The Wreck return with “Run Back To Me,” an emotionally compelling heartfelt ballad self-produced by the band, and released Friday March 27, ahead of their Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes April and May 2026 U.K. and European tour.

Stream the new single “Run Back To Me.”

Order the album Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes.

The initial idea for “Run Back to Me” first came to songwriter Desirae Megan as she was scrolling through Instagram and came across a beautiful photo of Robert Jon and his family. She felt deeply in that moment, thinking about how hard it can be to be away from the ones you love while on tour. A melody immediately popped into her head, and she knew she wanted to write something to help Robert, River, and Rachael feel more connected to Robert Jon while he was away on tour.

Months later a road trip to Phoenix, Arizona, for a RJTW gig with partner and keyboardist for the band, Jake Abernathie, Desirae floated the idea and they immediately began working on it during the 5-hour drive to the gig. This was the initial birth point of what would later be called “Run Back to Me,” a poignant southern rock ballad about staying connected to the ones you love when you’re away.

Since forming in 2011, Robert Jon & The Wreck; Robert Jon Burrison (vocals, guitar), Henry James (lead guitar, vocals), Andrew Espantman (drums, vocals), Warren Murrel (bass), and Jake Abernathie (keyboards) – have built a devoted global following through relentless touring and an unshakable live chemistry that bridges Southern rock tradition with California soul.

Fresh off their Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes 2026 U.S. Tour, the band are looking forward to touring the U.K. and Europe again in April and May 2026. Tickets are available from www.robertjonandthewreck.com

DHP & Friends in Association with Teenage Head Music & The Main Thing Proudly Present

ROBERT JON & THE WRECK
*APRIL 2026 U.K. TOUR

*SPECIAL GUEST
SAM MORROW

TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM
ALTTICKETS.COM, ROBERTJONANDTHEWRECK.COM,
GIGANTIC.COM, THE-BROOK.COM, TICKET SOURCE

KING’S HALL, HERNE BAY
TUESDAY 14 APRIL 2026
Tickets: Ticket Source
Beacon Hill, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 6BA
www.thekingshall.com

NEWCASTLE, WYLAM BREWERY
WEDNESDAY 15 APRIL 2026
Tickets: alttickets.com
Palace of Arts Exhibition Park, Claremont Rd,
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4PZ
www.wylambrewery.co.uk/events

MANCHESTER, ACADEMY 2
THURSDAY 16 APRIL 2026
Tickets: alttickets.com
University of Manchester Students Union
Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PR
www.manchesteracademy.net

GLASGOW, THE GARAGE
FRIDAY 17 APRIL 2026
Tickets: Gigantic.com
490 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3LW
https://garageglasgow.co.uk

LONDON, 02 SHEPHERD’S BUSH EMPIRE
SATURDAY 18 APRIL 2026
Tickets: alttickets.com
211 Shepherd’s Bush Green, London, W12 8TT
www.academymusicgroup.com/o2shepherdsbushempire

SOUTHAMPTON, THE BROOK (SOLD OUT)
SUNDAY 19 APRIL 2026
Tickets: The-Brook.com
466 Portswood Road, Southampton, SO17 3SD
https://the-brook.com

ROBERT JON & THE WRECK
JUNE AND OCTOBER 2026 U.K. TOUR

TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM
ALTTICKETS.COM, ROBERTJONANDTHEWRECK.COM,
GIGANTIC.COM, THEGIGCARTEL.COM

HOLMFIRTH PICTUREDROME
THURSDAY 18 JUNE 2026
Tickets: The Gig Cartel
Market Walk, Holmfirth, HD9 7DA
https://www.picturedrome.net

DORSET, LOVE ROCKS FESTIVAL
FRIDAY 19 JUNE 2026
Tickets: Sanctuary Promotions
St Leonards Farm, West Moors,
Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 OAQ
https://www.sanctuarypromotions.co.uk

CAMBRIDGE JUNCTION
FRIDAY 2 OCTOBER 2026
Tickets: alttickets.com
Clifton Way, Cambridge, CB1 7GX
https://www.junction.co.uk

NOTTINGHAM, ROCK CITY
SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER 2026
Tickets: alttickets.com
8 Talbot St, Nottingham, NG1 5GG
https://rock-city.co.uk

LIVERPOOL, O2 ACADEMY 2
SUNDAY 4 OCTOBER 2026
Tickets: The Gig Cartel
11-13 Hotham St, Liverpool, L3 5UF
www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academyliverpool

BRISTOL, TRINITY
TUESDAY 6 OCTOBER 2026
Tickets: alttickets.com
Trinity Centre, Trinity Rd, St Jude’s, Bristol, BS2 0NW
https://www.trinitybristol.org.uk

LEEDS, PROJECT HOUSE
WEDNESDAY 7 OCTOBER 2026
Tickets: alttickets.com
Armley Rd, Leeds, LS12 2DR
https://projecthouselds.com

OXFORD, O2 ACADEMY 2
THURSDAY 8 OCTOBER 2026
Tickets: alttickets.com
190 Cowley Rd, Oxford OX4, 1UE
www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academyoxford

U.S. APRIL 2026 TOUR DATES
April 10, 2026 – New Orleans, LA – Hogs For A Cause
April 11, 2026 – Miramar Beach, FL – Sound Wave Beach Weekend (Sold Out)

U.K. & EUROPE 2026 SPRING TOUR
April 14 – Herne Bay, UK – King’s Hall
April 15 – Newcastle, UK – Wylam Brewery
April 16 – Manchester, UK – Academy 2
April 17 – Glasgow, UK – The Garage
April 18 – London, UK – 02 Shepherds Bush Empire
April 19 – Southampton UK – The Brook (Sold Out)
April 22 – Paris, FR – Alhambra
April 23 – Bilbao, ES – Kafe Antzokia
April 24 – Madrid, ES – Sala But
April 25 – Jerez de la Frontera, ES – La Bodega
April 26 – Malaga, ES – La Trinchera
April 28 – Valencia, ES – Sala Moon
April 29 – Barcelona, ES – Razzmatazz 2
April 30 – Riotord, FR – Climax Club Legend
May 1 – Bensheim, DE – Musiktheater Rex
May 2 – Winterbach, DE – Lehenbachhale
May 3 – Regensburg, DE – VAZ Pfarrheim
May 5 – Berlin, DE – Columbia Theater
May 6 – Bonn, DE – Harmonie
May 7 – Amsterdam, NL – Melkweg
May 8 – Arnhem, NL – Luxor Live
May 9 – Brussels BE – Ancienne Belgique
June 18 – Holmfirth, UK – Picturedrome
June 19 – Devon, UK – Love Rocks Festival
June 20 – Grolloo, NL – Holland International Blues Festival

U.S. 2026 Summer Tour
May 16 – Maryville, TN – The Shed supporting Blackberry Smoke (Sold Out)
May 28 – Belly Up – Solana Beach, CA
July 9 – Aura – Portland, ME
July 10 – Blue Ocean Music Hall – Salisbury, MA
July 12 – Pine Junction – Sherman, NY
July 13 – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille – Warrendale, PA
July 14 – Live at Hub City Vinyl – Hagerstown, MD
July 15 – Ardmore Music Hall – Ardmore, PA
July 16 – The Hamilton Live – Washington, D.C.
July 17 – The Tin Pan – Richmond, VA
July 18 – The Stage @ Jones von Drehle – Thurmond, NC
August 29–September 1 – Long Beach, CA – Cali–County Cruise 2026

U.K. & Europe 2026 Fall Tour
October 2 – Cambridge, UK – Cambridge Junction
October 3 – Nottingham, UK – Rock City
October 4 – Liverpool, UK – O2 Academy Liverpool
October 6 – Bristol, UK – Trinity Centre
October 7 – Leeds, UK – Project House
October 8 – Oxford, UK – O2 Academy Oxford
October 9 – Weert, NL – De Bosuil
October 10 – Utrecht, NL – Tivoli Vredenburg
October 11 – Dortmund, DE – Musiktheater Piano
October 12 – Nuremberg, DE – Hirsch
October 14 – Hannover, DE – Blues Garage
October 15 – Aschaffenburg, DE – Colos-Saal
October 16 – Lossnitz, DE – Zur Linde
October 17 – Seewen, CH – Gaswerk Eventbar
October 18 – Seon, CH – Konservi Seon
October 19 – Rubigen, CH – Muhle Hunziken
October 21 – Clermont-Ferrand, FR – La Cooperative De Mai
October 22 – La Roche-Sur-Yon FR – Quai M
October 23 – Penmarch, FR – Salle Cap Caval
October 24 – Cleon, FR – La Traverse
October 25 – Lille, FR – Le Splendid

Robert Jon & The Wreck
Website | Facebook | Spotify | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

The post ROBERT JON & THE WRECK Release New Single “Run Back To Me” Ahead of UK and European Tour appeared first on The Rockpit.

YOU’VE GOT TO NOT FADE AWAY
LINE UP FOR THE ASCENSION DAY

Love, these days, can feel like a subscription model: overpriced, full of hidden fees, and somehow still sold as self-care. Everybody is performing okay-ness while the world keeps glitching, smiling through layoffs, soft-launch heartbreak, and relationships that, frankly, suck. Underneath the bitterness, though, there is still a sharp instinct for self-preservation: read the fine print, clock the manipulation, stop mistaking anxiety for chemistry. In a culture where tenderness gets monetized and safety feels provisional, discernment starts to look sexy. Survival is no fairytale, but it does have standards, and they should be higher than this.

Positronix comes barging in from the City of Brotherly Love with Miss Universe, a five-song EP that feels like somebody spiked the office coffee with amphetamines, tabloid clippings, and old college radio singles, then shoved the whole mess down a stairwell lined with funhouse mirrors. The band has a knack for taking styles that ought to sit across the room from each other, medieval pageantry and future-shocked post-punk, cheap glamour and class anger, and making them scrap in public until something weirdly glorious crawls out of the pile.

The lead single Ascension Day is a standout bruiser, a pop song with its lipstick smeared and its earrings torn loose in the alley. The vocal harmonies bring to mind Kim Deal’s casual magic. Around them, rollicking guitars and echo-streaked keys keep everything pitching forward, while the lead delivery swings between shout and sneer and some slyer, lilting turns that make the satire bite harder. Lyrically, the song sinks its teeth into a world where love gets brokered like a deal, where beauty is managed by creeps in suits, and where the working class are expected to grin while standing in line for one more public humiliation.

The guitars move fast and cut crooked, tossing off hook willy nilly, while the synths hover around the edges. The song is compact, yet the ideas never feel pinched. Somewhere in the middle of all this, you get these tasty little guitar figures that carry a straight-up 90s college rock charge, and the whole record gets a jolt of scrappy, caffeinated life. You can hear traces of their earlier full-length in the song’s bones; a bent blend of Siouxsie severity, DEVO twitch, and the bright, bruised snap of The Muffs, but these new tracks hit with a sharper elbow and a menacing grin.

Listen to Ascension Day below and purchase the single here:

Beneath the pageant rot, the cheap smiles, the band’s Philly scrappiness, and the compromised romance, you get a track full of warning and wit – one that keeps its eye on who is being bought, who is being used, and who might finally grab the axe. Ascension Day is funny, furious, catchy as hell, and smart enough to know that revolt sometimes arrives dressed for the prom.

Catch POSITRONIX live!

• Apr 10 Rhizome DC Washington, DC

Follow Positronix:

• Instagram
• Spotify

The post “Give ’em The Axe” — Philly Post-Punk Four-Piece Positronix Share “Ascension Day” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Eddie .

The post Eddie Trunk notices Blaze Bayley added to Iron Maiden’s nomination for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame first appeared on Sleaze Roxx.

Evilean have released their third single, “Damzel of Death.” The track is written from a first-person perspective, centering on the life of serial killer Aileen Wuornos, and the systemic failures that preceded her actions. By shifting the focus toward the impact of long-term trauma, they challenge the standard narrative surrounding her judgment. The single is available now on all streaming platforms.

The project is built on the foundation of 90s death metal, characterized by a dense, suffocating atmosphere and a relentless mechanical drive. They avoid modern over-production in favor of a heavy, biting sound that mirrors the aggression of the genre’s early underground era. This release follows their previous singles, “Lost Cause” and “Bitchcntscumfck,” further establishing their identity through intense, vocal-led storytelling.

These three tracks are part of their debut EP, Exhumation Evilean, which is set for a full release on April 3rd.

The post New single: Evilean – “Damzel of Death” first appeared on FemMetal – Goddesses of Metal.

Joe Bonamassa announces a new Rory Gallagher tribute album, Kenny Wayne Shepherd celebrates 30 years of Ledbetter Heights, plus new music from Robert Jon and the Wreck and Ghalia Volt.

The post Blues Rock Weekly – 3/27/26 appeared first on Blues Rock Review.

Tickets for the Wacken Open Air are available here.

On April 18th, 2026, 35 Wacken warm-up concerts will rock the globe! Almost 24 hours will pass between the first show in Japan and the last in Mexico, all of them filled with the best heavy metal music, with celebrating fans coming together for this special event. A live experience carried by the legendary Wacken spirit.

The worldwide party is being organized by various promoters from the global community of the Wacken Metal Battle, the festival’s own band competition, which now includes 102 participating nations. Promoters from 35 of these countries have joined forces for the Wacken anniversary to celebrate the worldwide warm-up party.

“The core idea is to bring the world together and unite it through what we love most: music! That’s what the Metal Battle community stands for, that’s what we stand for, and that’s what Wacken Open Air has represented since day one,”emphasizes festival founder Thomas Jensen.

In Germany, the warm-up will be celebrated at Hamburg’s Betty club starting at 8 p.m. The Boston-based band Lansdowne will bring their hook-driven, energetic rock to the Hanseatic city. The international event “One World One Stage” is being organized by Salman U. Syed, who is responsible for the Metal Battle at W:O:A and has been shaping the global networking of the scene for years.

“The sense of unity within the metal scene is strong worldwide, and bands as well as promoters in the individual countries immediately threw themselves into setting a powerful sign of unity while celebrating 35 years of Wacken Open Air together with us!”

The event in Hamburg on April 18th, therefore, seamlessly joins the global chain of parties. The event stands for unity, passion, and heavy metal without borders.

Tickets and further information about the warm-up parties around the globe are available here. 

Additionally, impressions from the shows in all participating countries will be shared during the day via the social media channels of the Wacken Open Air. #oneworldonestage

Each country will present bands in a club selected by the local Metal Battle promoters.

For example, in Canada, Toronto, ON’s The Garrison will host the 2018 Canadian battle champions, Centuries of Decay as guest headliners for the Ontario Final along with Toronto round winners Dawn Vally, Gravearth, and Misothronos. More info here.

And in the USA, Tampa Bay, FL’s The Brass Mug will host the Southeast Regional Final with Endera (Savannah, GA), Nocturnal Dawn (Orlando, FL), Esca (GA / SC), ENDURUS (Tampa, FL), Dead Alive (Nashville, TN), Ramtha (St. Petersburg, FL) with guest co-headliner Psykotribe (Tampa, FL) and headliner Malevolent Creation (Tampa, FL). More info here.

In Tokyo, Phantom Excaliver will perform alongside three other Japanese bands. The musicians won the Wacken Metal Battle in 2023 and joyfully accepted their prize, after their singer briefly fainted. “The line-up at our warm-up party brings together the history, present, and future of the Japanese metal scene,” says Yutaro Shindo, Japan’s Metal Battle promoter.

Organizer Raúl Saavreda from Bogotá is also eagerly anticipating the event in his hometown: “Our warm-up party will be insane! With Tribute2Wacken, the first tribute band dedicated to a festival will perform — playing only songs devoted to the Wacken Open Air.” Additional tribute bands will perform highlights of British Heavy Metal. Saavreda is also the founder of Wacken Latinos, an association of Latin American fans who visit the Holy Ground in northern Germany every year. “A year without W:O:A is unimaginable for me,” he states. “When I first went there in 2019, Wacken changed my life. On the fields, I recharge my batteries — it’s a special time when I reunite with friends and fully devote myself to metal. The festival is my religion.”

Stjepan Juras from Zagreb confirms that most globally active promoters share similarly close ties to W:O:A. The respected music manager, author, and Iron Maiden expert represents Wacken Open Air and Metal Battle in his native Croatia, where he also organizes the warm-up party. “Wacken is not just a festival. The spirit and the community set it apart from other festivals. That’s also thanks to founders Thomas Jensen and Holger Hübner, who celebrate among their fans, maintain close contact with visitors, and are truly part of the scene.”

Since the very beginning, the motto of both W:O:A organizers has been “By fans for fans!” and that naturally applies to the 35 warm-up shows on April 18, 2026, as well. “Normally, Wacken welcomes the world,” says founder Holger Hübner. “On this day, it’s the other way around: the world welcomes Wacken and together we celebrate a global heavy metal party.”

Tickets for the Wacken Open Air are available here.

Source: ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS

To wait for more, to vanish at sea.

Vanish into death on hands and knees.

It’s the floor that’s all that’s left to eat.

It that gnaws onto the soles of my feet.  

Dutch band Bragolin know their way around a dance floor as if it were lit by candlelight, fireflies, and dread. On their latest full-length album, I Don’t Like What It Does to Me, Edwin van der Velde takes the familiar pleasures of darkwave and post-punk and draws them into something stranger and more enchanted, giving the record the air of a fable told at midnight and scored for the club. The hooks arrive fast, the atmosphere never loosens its grip, and the songs move with a furtive elegance, as melody and menace circle each other like figures glimpsed through smoke and ritual light.

The album’s opener, Not All Are Real comes tearing out of the gate with the kind of fear that makes your spine sit up straight. The premise is simple and nasty: something false has slipped among the living, and by the time anybody notices, it may already be too close. Bragolin drives that paranoia hard, with post-punk guitars that cut clean and cold while the rhythm section keeps the thing stalking forward. There is a grand sweep to it, too, especially with the string section entering the frame, and that added scale gives the song lift.

I Run and Hide pulls a sly move by stripping out guitars entirely and building the whole engine from layered Clavinets, a choice that gives the track a clipped, obsessive tension from the start. There is an 80s ballad mood tucked into its frame, bringing to mind Pink Turns Blue. The arrangement stays lean, all momentum and nerve, mirroring the lyric’s cycle of flight and avoidance as it circles tighter and tighter, until panic begins to feel less like an episode than a structure you live inside.

Elsewhere, the record opens its coat, revealing a few extra daggars. Feel This Flame Unfold, featuring Carrellee, is a lovely surprise, a duet that moves with grace and a little ache (saluting the older goths whose bodies may be less cooperative than they were twenty years ago), while the urge to disappear into lights and smoke remains gloriously intact.

Tar With Salt Foam, inspired by The Lighthouse, brings in the stink of sea air and shipwrecked nerves, with coldwave bass synth and Bass VI pushing against organ tones and field-recorded textures.

I Salute You Ancient Ocean brings Isolde Woudstra into the fold, her spoken word presence gliding over an 80s-inspired psychedelic dance track with an easy air of ceremony. Beneath it, a disco beat kicks up just enough heat to suggest a touch of Grace Jones and the blissed-out lift of Q-Feel’s Dancing In Heaven, giving the song a curious, ecstatic glow.

Then there is This Presence Like a Breeze, which may be the clearest statement of Bragolin’s particular magic. The song turns a woodland into a psychic trap, with some unseen terror making itself known through motion, breath, and pressure. In This Lightless Hall heads inward instead, toward burial, echo, and the peculiar solace of surrender, with subtle trip-hop elements giving the song a slow, sinking poise. By the title track, the album is staring straight into the rot at the center of the self and reporting back without flinching.

I Don’t Like What It Does to Me has movement, menace, and a wry sparkle in its eye. Bragolin sound fully locked in here, drawing from gothic dance music, horror film mood, and post-punk muscle without getting trapped by homage. This is a record for people who like their pleasure with a little poison in it, and Bragolin serve it up generously.

Play it loudly! Listen to I Don’t Like What It Does To Me below and order the album here.

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Kenny Wayne Shepherd is marking three decades of Ledbetter Heights the way it deserves: by going back in and recording the whole thing again.

The 30th anniversary re-recording of his 1995 debut arrives 05/08, and to mark the announcement Shepherd has released lead single “Deja Voodoo” across all streaming platforms. A national tour celebrating the milestone is already underway, with the band playing the album in full each night — something that, remarkably, never happened even during the original release cycle.

“This is the album that put me on the map, and I still enjoy listening to it because my goal has always been to make music I want to listen to,” Shepherd says. “Unfiltered and straight from the heart.”

The original Ledbetter Heights came out when Shepherd was 18, recorded while he was still splitting time between high school in Louisiana and sessions in Memphis. Signed by Irving Azoff at 16, he wrote or co-wrote the majority of the material — no small thing for a teenage blues guitarist at the time. The album was named in honour of a historic neighbourhood in his hometown of Shreveport, paying tribute to blues legend Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter.

It moved quickly. Ledbetter Heights went Gold within months and earned Platinum certification by early 1996, spending 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Blues Chart. Guitar World ranked Shepherd the third-best blues artist in the world at the time, behind only B.B. King and Eric Clapton.

The re-recording doesn’t attempt a reinvention. The 12-song sequence is intact, and Shepherd returned to his original 1995 rig for the sessions to keep the sonic foundation consistent. The differences are ones of craft rather than concept: arrangements are more considered, the guitar work more deliberate, and the performances shaped by three decades of playing these songs live.

“Before I could identify with the lyrics, I always could identify with the feeling of the blues,” he says. “When you pour your heart out, everyone can feel that.”

One notable change: “Riverside” has been significantly reworked, slowed down, and smokier than the original. Everything else keeps faith with what was there.

The biggest shift, and the one long-time fans have apparently been asking about for years, is the presence of Noah Hunt on lead vocals throughout. Hunt joined the band in time for sophomore album Trouble Is… and has appeared on every Kenny Wayne Shepherd record since — but not on Ledbetter Heights. This re-recording closes that gap.

“I have had a lot of fans over the years wonder what Ledbetter Heights would have sounded like if Noah had been the singer at that time,” Shepherd says. “Now they’ll get their chance to hear it.”

Also returning is drummer Chris “Whipper” Layton, a founding member of Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, who played on the original sessions. The album was co-produced with Jerry Harrison, whose work with Shepherd goes back to Trouble Is… and its own 25th anniversary re-recording.

“I met him when I was 15,” Shepherd says of Layton, “and every night when I turn around and lock eyes with him, I’m reminded of how incredible it is to be playing with him.”

The Ledbetter Heights 30th Anniversary Tour launched 02/19 in Dallas and runs through spring 2026, with Jimmie Vaughan joining in Austin and Nashville, and Eric Johnson appearing in Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale. Each show runs two sets: the full album, then a second set drawing from Shepherd‘s wider catalogue.

Additional dates will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit here.

“Revisiting this album put me back in touch with the wonder and excitement of those days,” he says. “I didn’t know what lay ahead.”

The post KENNY WAYNE SHEPERD Announces 30th Anniversary Re-Recording Of His Landmark Album “Ledbetter Heights” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Not long ago, making professional-quality music meant booking expensive studio time, hiring session musicians, and navigating the gatekeepers of the traditional record industry. Today, a teenager with a laptop and a pair of headphones can produce a chart-worthy track from their bedroom, upload it overnight, and wake up to thousands of streams. The digital revolution has fundamentally rewritten the rules of music production, distribution, and discovery, and nowhere is that transformation more visible than in the explosive growth of online beat stores.

From the Studio to the Screen: A Brief History

The democratization of music production began quietly in the late 1990s and early 2000s when digital audio workstations (DAWs) like Pro Tools, FL Studio, and Ableton Live started becoming accessible to independent producers. Suddenly, the costly hardware racks and mixing consoles of traditional studios could be replaced, or at least supplemented, by software running on a home computer. Sample packs, MIDI loops, and virtual instruments began flooding the market, giving producers an ever-expanding palette of sounds at a fraction of the cost of live recording sessions.

As broadband internet became widespread, a natural next step emerged: producers began selling their beats online. What started as rudimentary personal websites and early forum marketplaces evolved into sophisticated e-commerce platforms where a producer could list hundreds of beats, set licensing tiers, accept instant payments, and deliver files automatically — all without leaving home. The concept of the online beat store was born, and it quickly became one of the most disruptive forces in the music industry.

The Online Beat Store Ecosystem Today

The modern online beat marketplace is a thriving, multi-million-dollar ecosystem. Independent producers, hip-hop beatmakers, trap artists, and lo-fi composers all coexist in a vast digital marketplace where artists from Lagos to Los Angeles can connect with vocalists, rappers, and songwriters from every corner of the globe. Platforms like BeatStars, Airbit, and Traktrain have become household names in producer circles, offering built-in storefronts, streaming previews, and instant licensing agreements. But beyond the major platforms, thousands of independent producers run their own dedicated stores, a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit the digital age has unlocked. One standout example is rbeatz, a platform that exemplifies what a focused, independent beat store can offer: a curated catalog, flexible licensing options, and a direct connection between producer and artist,  without the noise of a crowded marketplace.

Licensing Models and How Beats Are Sold

One of the most significant innovations that online beat stores introduced is the tiered licensing model. Rather than selling a beat outright in a single transaction, producers now offer multiple license types to accommodate different budgets and use cases. A basic non-exclusive lease might allow an artist to use a beat for a limited number of streams or copies, while premium licenses,  exclusive, trackout, or unlimited, grant broader rights at a higher price point.

This model benefits both sides of the transaction. Artists gain access to professional-quality instrumentals at accessible price points, often for as little as $20 to $50 while producers can sell the same beat multiple times under non-exclusive terms, generating recurring revenue from a single creative work. It is a business model uniquely enabled by the digital environment, one that simply would not have been viable in the pre-Internet era of music.

Social Media, Streaming, and the Discovery Revolution

The rise of online beat stores did not happen in isolation; it was turbocharged by the simultaneous growth of social media and streaming platforms. YouTube became the go-to platform for producers to showcase their work, with “type beat” searches (e.g., “Drake type beat” or “Travis Scott type beat”) evolving into a massive discovery engine. A producer releasing a well-optimized beat video could rack up hundreds of thousands of views, funneling potential buyers directly to their store.

TikTok has further accelerated this trend, with short-form beat previews and production clips going viral and introducing new audiences to independent producers. Instagram Reels and SoundCloud continue to play important roles as well, creating a diversified discovery funnel that producers can leverage to build a global fanbase without any traditional label support. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), streaming now accounts for over 67% of global recorded music revenue, a reality that has made digital-first distribution strategies not just viable, but essential.

The Producer As Entrepreneur

Perhaps the most remarkable cultural shift sparked by online beat stores is the transformation of the music producer from behind-the-scenes collaborator to independent entrepreneur. Today’s top independent producers think like brand builders. They cultivate social media followings, develop signature sounds that become recognizable across genres, and diversify income streams through beat sales, sample packs, mixing services, online courses, and mentorship programs.

This entrepreneurial turn has been supported by a wealth of educational resources. Platforms like Coursera and YouTube are full of tutorials on mixing, mastering, and music business fundamentals. Industry publications such as Billboard regularly cover the independent music economy, reflecting how seriously the broader industry now takes the self-released and self-distributed artist. The message is clear: you do not need a label to build a career in music anymore.

Challenges in the Digital Landscape

Of course, the democratization of music production comes with its own set of challenges. The sheer volume of content available online means competition is fiercer than ever. A producer today is not just competing with the artist in the next city, they are competing with millions of creators worldwide. Standing out requires not only exceptional music but also a strong personal brand, consistent content creation, and savvy marketing.

Intellectual property and copyright issues also remain a persistent concern. The ease with which sounds, samples, and beats can be shared online creates ongoing questions about ownership, attribution, and fair compensation. Beat stores have introduced licensing agreements precisely to address these issues, but educating artists about the importance of proper licensing is still an ongoing challenge across the industry.

The Future of Digital Music Production

Looking ahead, the trajectory of online beat stores and digital music production points toward even greater accessibility and innovation. Artificial intelligence is already making waves, with AI-assisted composition tools, stem separation technology, and automated mastering services becoming mainstream. NFT-based music ownership models are being explored as new ways for producers to monetize their catalogs and offer unique value to collectors and fans.

Despite these rapidly evolving technologies, one thing remains constant: the creative spirit of the independent producer. Whether it is a beatmaker crafting late-night loops in a home studio or a full-scale production house running a professional online storefront, the fundamental drive to make great music and connect it with the world, has never been more empowered than it is today. The online beat store is not just a marketplace; it is a symbol of what music creation looks like in the 21st century.

The digital music revolution is not coming — it is already here. And for producers, artists, and fans alike, the best may be yet to come.

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