“…brooding, restless, and totally infectious…with an added bonus of New Wave paranoia and perfectly layered, textured harmonies.” – MTV
“…urgent, cathartic new wavey bliss”– Billboard
“…they’ve fashioned the sound of urban desperados wandering rain-slickened streets, hearts playing tug-of-war with hope and despair.” – Buzzbands.la
Fresh off of a string of sold-out headlining shows in the UK, California new wave mainstays Night Riots are debuting “On The Line”. The Sirius XM and BBC favorites’ follow up to “Colour Morning,” which racked up over a million plays in just weeks, finds lead singer Travis Hawley demanding authenticity over a creeping, arpeggiating synth and pulsing drums, drawing sonic inspiration from the likes of Billy Idol and The Cure.
He recalls the scene that inspired the lyrics as well as the artwork: “I went to a party out in the country where we live in central California, on a ranch with two trailers on a hill overlooking the entire city – there is a tribe of girls who live there. They’re girls who shoot shotguns, ride horses and blast Kendrick Lamar at all hours of the day and night. In one of the bedrooms, there was a group of them, cast out on the bed like modern day Marie Antoinettes, laughing and passing around a blunt. It struck me because it wasn’t a performance, they weren’t trying to stand out or impress. There was a lawlessness and a realness that struck me. This is the modern youth, I believe this is the majority of people, not the sensationalized thing we see in entertainment right now where everything needs to be shocking and full octane. In these times, you can shut the real you out because you feel like you need to put on a show to stand out. To me, putting it all on the line is reconciling with who you are and putting it out to the world.”
The band will be taking this new material and more on the road this summer for the headlining US-wide Dark Violet Tour, featuring indie pop favorites courtship. and LA’s Silent Rival. For dates, see below.
With the release of 2016’s Love Gloom LP, followed by “Colour Morning” and “On the Line,” Night Riots has garnered praise from the likes of KCRW, Huffington Post, NYLON, The AV Club, and more while performing with acts from Lana Del Rey, Cage the Elephant, Andrew McMahon & The Wilderness, K Flay, Phantogram, Walk the Moon, The Hunna to OK GO – garnering consistent praise throughout; earning comparisons to The Cure (by MTV) and The Killers (Earmilk), described as “new wavey bliss” (Billboard) and praised for their “anthemic, synth-laden rock” (Spin). After growing and cultivating their fanbase, earning the respect of the diehards through their dedication to the studio and the road, the headlining Dark Violet Tour sets the band up for a spot in the mainstream – and they’re certainly ready. After garnering over 40 million streams on Spotify, placements on Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why, and sold-out UK shows, Night Riots are poised to continue their streak.
Catch NIGHT RIOTS On Tour
w/ courtship. and Silent Rival
6/1 – Phoenix AZ – Valley Bar
6/2 – El Paso TX – Lowbrow Palace
6/4 – Austin TX – Antone’s Nightclub
6/5 – Dallas TX – House of Blues
6/6 – Houston TX – White Oak Music Hall
6/8 – Atlanta GA – The Masquerade
6/9 – Charlotte NC – Visulite Theatre
6/10 – Washington DC – U Street Music Hall
6/12 – Boston MA – Brighton Music Hall
6/13 – New York NY – Baby’s All Right
6/15 – Philadelphia PA – The Foundry @ The Filmore
6/16 – Albany NY – The Hollow
6/18 – Columbus OH – The Basement
6/20 – St. Louis MO – Blueberry Hill
6/21 – Cleveland OH – Grog Shop
6/22 – Chicago IL – Subterranean
6/23 – Detroit MI – Shelter
6/25 – Kansas City MO – The Record Bar
6/26 – Denver CO – Marquis Theatre
6/27 – Salt Lake City UT – Kilby Court
6/29 – San Francisco CA – Popscene
6/30 – Los Angeles CA – El Rey Theatre
Musically Amusing 