NEW RELEASES
A paid for ad feature for viagogo
A new initiative created to help boost fan confidence for those who are going to gigs alone has been launched ahead of Taylor Swift ‘Eras’ tour.
Created by viagogo, their first ‘Solo Socials’ event ahead of Swift’s Eras Tour shows in London – and her series of UK shows throughout June and August with support from Paramore, is designed to both boost confidence and bring like-minded fans together in an effort to help them gain confidence in attending a gig on their own and make memories before the tour. Neither Swift nor her team are involved with the venture.
The free Viagogo ‘Solo Socials’ event aimed at Swift fans will be hosted by drag queens Margo Marshall and Vicki Vivacious (from Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK) and will conduct a series of games, quizzes, and performances throughout the night.
Fans will be treated to a complimentary cocktail, friendship-bracelets and food, alongside a line-up of music, entertainment and comedy.
The event will take place on Wednesday, May 22 at Mrs Riot in Covent Garden, central London. Click here to book free tickets to the event. A limited amount of tickets will also be available to walk-ins on the night.
Viagogo’s ‘Solo Socials’ events were created after the data from a survey of 2,000 gig-going Brits commissioned by the ticketing company revealed that fans would rather miss out on attending major concerts than go on their own due to the anxiety of attending alone.
As per a press release, the data revealed that 24 per cent of fans said they lacked confidence in their own company with another 24 percent adding they wouldn’t feel safe. Twenty-two per cent of fans said that they felt ‘far too anxious’ to attend solo.
One in five (17 per cent) confessed to feeling uneasy about travelling alone to a show, while a further one in seven (13 per cent) said they’d feel ‘judged’ by others for enjoying an act by themselves.
Candy Fortescue, Head of Supply And International Ticketing for viagogo said: “From travelling solo, dining solo to dancing solo – the solo revolution is officially here. We’re witnessing a global trend where music fans are increasingly drawn to experiencing concerts by themselves, so they never have to compromise on seeing the acts they love. The data shows that while fans want to revel in their freedom, over a fifth (23 per cent) of the nation just want a chance to meet other like-minded gig-goers.”
She continued: “To play our part and inspire fan confidence before one of the decade’s biggest tours, we’ve created the first ‘Solo Socials’ event, complete with a doctor-approved, solo gig-going guide. With our help, we want more gig-lovers to create unforgettable experiences they can carry with them forever.”
The ticketing platform has also teamed up with an NHS doctor and gig-going aficionado, to share her expert tips and tricks to empower fans before one of Swift’s eight big nights at Wembley.
Dr Ally Jaffee said: “Taylor Swift fans are some of the most passionate in the world, yet the thought of many not going to see the superstar live as they’re worried about being on their own just didn’t sit right with me. Feeling nervous in a big, new environment is natural, studies show that your cortisol levels will begin to spike. However, as the viagogo study shows, leaving your comfort zone can be liberating! Almost two in five (38%) fans noted a rise in self-confidence after their first solo gig – and that could be you.
“To help more fans, I’ve pulled together seven top-tips in an easy acronym for any Swifties heading to Wembley by themselves. They could be the difference between sitting at home and getting FOMO or having the best night of your life”.
NEW RELEASES
Queens Of The Stone Age have shared fresh information about their upcoming album ‘Perfecth’ alongside the smooth, seductive groove of their latest single, ‘Insignificant Other’.
The record follows their widely praised 2023 album ‘In Times New Roman’ and is scheduled for release on October 30 through Matador Records. The date arrives after the group previously hinted that the album could be released in September with a graphic announcement video.
After introducing the project with the fan favorite ‘Easy Street’, the band have now offered another preview of their ninth studio album. ‘Insignificant Other’ is a relaxed and airy track that carries forward the easygoing rhythm heard on the classic ‘Make It Wit Chu’.
“It’s a song about distance,” said frontman Josh Homme. “About how someone can be your entire world only to simply vanish. And about the strange vertigo of being on the receiving end of that.”
The new song and album reveal are accompanied by a humorous video directed by Chapman Baehler. It stars viral dog Big Chongus as a representation of everything considered “perfecth”. The playful, canine focused video also includes Ruby Homme, Max Homme, Pumpkin Van Leeuwen, Isabella Puppolini (Izzy) Van Leeuwen and Reesa Shuman. Watch it below.
The idea behind the album’s name comes from Homme’s belief that the word “perfect” has never felt truthful because genuine perfection does not exist. He therefore invented a new term that better expresses the concept.
“Nothing in this world is perfect, but everything seems to be ‘perfecth’,” said Homme. “And that title is funny when you’re in a group, but it ain’t so funny when you’re alone.”
Another major influence on the record is Kintsugi, the Japanese practice of restoring broken pottery by highlighting its cracks with gold. Homme explained that the technique shows how “what has been shattered is made more beautiful, not less, by the act of repair”. The concept connected with the band after its members reached a place of “hard-won clarity” together. Across nine tracks, the album explores several kinds of love involving “family, friends, and others both significant and insignificant”.
The project also contains a newly recorded version of ‘Sunday’, originally featured on Homme’s collaborative album with Iggy Pop, ‘Post Pop Depression’. Released in 2016, the acclaimed record also included Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders and QOTSA member Dean Fertita.
Homme produced ‘Perfecth’ alongside bassist Michael ‘Mikey Shoes’ Shuman. Recording sessions took place in several locations, ranging from New Orleans to Los Angeles.
“Every song sounds like it’s from a different world,” added Homme. “And that’s on purpose, because it’s trying to stitch together all these emotions revolving around love, lust, foolishness, and the sort of wisdom that comes as a gift from all that.”
Queens Of The Stone Age will issue ‘Perfecth’ through Matador Records on October 30. Preorder the album here and view its cover art and complete song list below.
Queens Of The Stone Age announce new album ‘Perfecth’
‘It’s Only Love’
‘Insignificant Other’
‘Where The Goth Girls At?’
‘Mono’
‘From The Cliff’
‘Sunday’
‘Easy Street’
‘Phantom Limb’
‘Run Away From The Mob’
The project was additionally shaped by the band’s experience of delivering a minimalist performance inside the historic Parisian Catacombs in 2024. The unusual event was documented through a related concert movie and a live record. NME awarded Alive In The Catacombs four stars, describing the release as a “moving and meditative concert doc”.
Following the Catacombs appearance, Queens Of The Stone Age embarked on a series of intimate concerts across the UK, Europe and North America. A string section joined the musicians throughout the run.
The last UK performance took place at London’s Royal Albert Hall in October. The group presented unreleased music during the stripped back and emotional show, with Matt Berry also joining them onstage. Footage and photographs from the evening can be viewed here.
In 2024, Homme pledged to “roll his sleeves up” and avoid making listeners wait so long for another Queens Of The Stone Age album. Six years passed between the arrival of 2017’s ‘Villains’ and ‘In Times New Roman…’.
Queens Of The Stone Age. CREDIT: Andreas Neumann
“I think we should be making something,” Homme explained at the time. “The mantra of the last five years was, ‘It won’t be long now!’ That needs to pertain to making things too. I certainly think we should make more, faster-er, better-er.”
Having recently completed UK and European stadium concerts as support for System Of A Down, QOTSA are now playing North American dates as special guests of Foo Fighters. Headlining appearances in Iceland, Japan, Australia and other locations will follow. Visit the band’s official channels for ticket details and further information.
