The Ballroom Thieves Announce Newport Folk Festival + Tour; Listen to “Harry Styles” Here
April 11, 2022 BY Penny Palmer
Like many others, The Ballroom Thieves have a crush on Harry Styles. The duo – Calin Peters (vocals, cello, bass), Martin Earley (vocals, guitar) – continue to find endless sources of inspiration for their forthcoming LP Clouds (out July 15 via Nettwerk).
“Last winter, we were huddled around our wood stove when Callie looked over at me and said, ‘I think I’m in love with Harry Styles,’” says Martin. “My first reaction was a distinct feeling of jealousy because I, too, love Harry Styles. So we wrote a song about how much we both love Harry Styles and how it’s totally okay for both of us to love him and want to be him. He epitomizes non-toxic masculinity. He’s the best.”
Listen To “Harry Styles” HERE:
Over the next few months, the duo will be touring the US with friends and collaborators like Lady Lamb, Darlingside, and Eric Hutchinson, as well as an appearance at Newport Folk Festival in Newport, RI, on Saturday, July 23. Fun fact: In 2011, while watching Dawes (with a couple of drinks in hand), the band’s name was conceived. Since then, what’s followed is a festival debut performance in 2015, peripheral afterparty performances, extended museum stage sets, as well as guest appearances with friends. This year, they return to the Newport Folk Festival stage for the first time with their new lineup. See full dates below and HERE.
The forthcoming album is a lush meditation on longing to return to touring (“to see different sunsets, roads“) but also a reflection of its difficulties (insomnia brought on by sleeping in different hotel rooms every night). The Ballroom Thieves have always been adept at pairing lush harmonies and melodies over dark lyrics. The new tracks are no different. And the more they leaned into their wanderlust, the more themes became apparent – the idea of a life spent in motion (“Shine“), the power of the storm representing a relationship transformed into heartbreak (“The Lightning“), Man’s ceaseless degradation of resources and Nature’s inevitable fury (“Worldender“), and the “little rain cloud inside our heads” (Borderline).
Clouds also became an opportunity to let listeners in on the intimacy of the recording process. Most songs began with Earley and Peters writing together. And for the first time, the album features songs recorded live in the hope of bringing fans directly into the room.
“We got to step away from a lot of the big three-part harmonies. This album is an intimate glimpse into our world as a duo,” says Earley. “This is an exciting and new sonic direction for us. And like most things, it’s those types of challenges that inspire us.”
“Harry Styles” is available at all digital retailers; click HERE.
Tour Dates:
* With Sway Wild
** With Lady Lamb, Riddy Arman
+ With Darlingside
++ With Eric Hutchinson
April 8 Bangor, ME @ Bangor Arts Exchange
April 14 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theatre*
April 16 Boise, ID @ The Olympic Venue *
April 17 Spokane, WA @ Lucky You Lounge (8PM) *
April 21 Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile **
April 22 Bend, OR @ Volcanic Theatre Pub **
April 23 Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios (8PM) **
April 24 Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios (8PM) **
April 26 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall (7PM) **
April 27 Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room Highland Park (7PM) **
April 28 San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues (7PM) **
April 29 Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar (7PM) **
April 30 Tucson, AZ @ 191 Toole (7PM) **
May 6 Fairfield, CT @ The Warehouse at FTC (7PM) +
May 7 Providence, RI @ Columbus Theatre (7PM) +
May 8 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (7PM) +
May 17 Annapolis, MD @ Rams Head On Stage (8PM)
May 18 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club (8PM) ++
May 19 Virginia Beach, VA @ Elevation 27 (8PM) ++
May 20 Avon, NC @ E-Hutch Weekend 2022 (7PM – duo show) ++
July 23 Newport, RI @ Newport Folk Festival
Track List:
1. Worldender
2. The Lightning
3. Shadow
4. Pour Down
5. I Lose
6. In the Morning
7. Trodden
8. Harry Styles
9. Borderline
10. Shine
About The Ballroom Thieves;
It’s their unique brand of powerful and harmonious music, while never shying away from topics and ideas they are passionate about, that has charmed fans around the country. Their catalog has amassed over 90+ million streams, garnered key support from the press (Rolling Stone, NPR Music, The Washington Post, American Songwriter, Consequence Of Sound, Paste) and radio (WBUR, WGBH, WETS, WMOT, Maine Public Radio, WCLX, WCLZ), and gained a loyal live following, with sold-out shows and festival spots at Boston Calling, Newport Folk, and Calgary Folk.
