Aaron Watson
Aaron Watson is a man forever looking to the horizon. Where other artists might rest on their laurels, he consistently presses onward to the next frontier, cutting through lazy industry wisdom in favor of success won on his own terms. He is the first independent male country artist ever to debut an album at No. 1 on the Billboard Country chart, a feat recognized in the Country Music Hall of Fame. He has earned a litany of prestigious awards, hundreds of millions of streams on his music, shared the stage with country music legends Willie Nelson and Alan Jackson, and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for multiple charities. This next chapter of his trailblazing career sees him deep in the weeds on two projects: the first, an album of covers dedicated to his daughter; the second, a 2024-slated album of originals that promises to be his most daring and audacious release to date. “My goal is to put out the best country album in all of country music in 2024,” he says simply, “It sounds crazy, but then pretty much everything I’ve done sounded crazy until I did it.” Watson hails from Amarillo in West Texas and began writing songs whilst still in high school. He began performing in college, eventually forming a band and developing a loyal following. Despite being approached by major labels, Watson chose the road less traveled and released his work independently. This turned out to be the right call when his album “Real Good Time” charted in the top ten nationwide on Country Billboard. An unheard of feat at the time. With the taste of success fresh on his lips, Watson pushed onward and created “Underdog” which became the first Country album released independently to chart at number one. “People told us that it had never been done. It was impossible. I don’t put so much stock in that word anymore.” Success built upon success with Watson’s follow up albums. However, 2020 heralded a slow down for the artist by way of the COVID-19 pandemic and an unexpected vocal cord surgery. “That time out reminded me what a blessing this is. To get to do what I love, sing the songs that I write and have people sing them along with me.” Watson was keen to get back to his fans, and to make them feel like a part of the family more than ever before. “Me and my thirteen year old daughter Jolee Kate had been talking a lot about music, particularly female singers who write their own stuff. I wanted her to understand the power that comes with owning your own voice.” Out of those conversations came Cover Girl, a collection of covers of mold-breaking female country singers performed by Aaron, with his daughter joining him on vocals for one track. “I had no plans for the rest of the world to hear it, but the more people I told, the more people loved it. So we’re doing it as a full release, I’m so excited!” Aaron Watson is nothing if not audacious, and his promise to fans that his next album of originals will be the best Country album of 2024 stands firm. By his own admission, the songs are, by-and-large, completed, yet Watson continues to push himself to make them better. “I love every second of what I get to do, but if making music is a marathon (and it is), I want to collapse to the ground the second after I cross the finish line. Nothing left to give.” Aaron Watson is a man constantly reaffirming his dedication to the craft of songwriting, and it is this commitment to quality and treating his fans with respect that has proved him, time and again, to be the living North Star for country music’s free and indomitable spirit.
Wavves
The word ‘brat’ has followed Nathan Williams around for almost a decade, but at the age of 30, with a fully-fledged business to his name, as well as the ongoing success of band Wavves, his rebellious streak has proven not just purposeful but pretty damn inspiring. The San Diego native knows how to play the system, so when the major labels came knocking a few years ago looking to turn Wavves into the next so-called saviours of radio rock’n’roll, Williams and bassist Stephen Pope made sure they used it to their advantage.“We were just trying to go to eat at nice places in LA,” he laughs. “There were a few people from majors who would not stop reaching out to us. They were obsessed. They thought we had heat and they needed an edgy big rock band like they used to have in the ‘90s. Me and Stephen were in our shitty apartments, Googling ‘nicest restaurants in LA’. We went to eight or nine dinners. At the end we’d say, ‘not interested’.”When Warners came along and offered them a cash advance too good to refuse, they accepted while being shrewdly aware of what they were getting themselves into. “We still owned all of our shit, which was the most important part for us. For them it was a shot in the dark.” The day to day of being signed to a major, however, was unpredictable and beyond their wildest nightmares. “I figured it would run the same as [prior label] Fat Possum, just with more people. I was wrong.” By the time they were readying to release their second Warners album – 2015’s ‘V’ – shots were fired. Williams released single ‘Way Too Much’ on Soundcloud before the label had approved it, the label forgot to sign off on the artwork and, in the end, Wavves felt swept under the rug. Ultimately it felt like a career step backwards.“I’d never come in contact with such a poorly run company in my life,” says Williams. “It was anarchy. Nobody knew what they were doing. Turnover rate was like an American Apparel. It was really all cons – unless you’re a cash cow. For everyone else, major labels can’t help you. Maybe at one time they could, but that time is dead.” The birds-eye view on Warners’ inner mess wound up pushing Williams to legitimize his own business – Ghostramp. “I figured if these idiots could get by, we could do it a hundred times better.”With that fighting spirit, Williams took back control and realized his own teenage dreams. Today, during a Monday lunchtime hour, he’s making time between meetings to talk about forthcoming sixth Wavves record ‘You’re Welcome’ in the stock room at Ghostramp’s Chinatown-based LA skate shop. Opening in October 2016, Ghostramp is the physical embodiment of a vision that harks back to before Williams made the first Wavves’ albums in his parents’ garage. It’s a merchandise store, it’s a label, it’s a tangible community in a time when the digital age has taken the confidence out of physical product. And – what’s more – it’s working. ‘You’re Welcome’ is the soundtrack to this new lease of freedom. It’s Williams’ tongue-in-cheek rebirth as a self-released, self-actualized, self-promoting punk kingpin, and despite putting his money where his uncensored mouth is, he’s emerged not just unscathed but with the upper hand. “I’m my own boss and that feels great,” he smiles.
The Polish Ambassador
The Polish Ambassador with special guest, Scott NiceThings became quite uncertain in 2020, so David Sugalski aka The Polish Ambassador did what he does best, he made a plan. The Ambassador added 7 milking goats to his homestead in Northern California. Little did he know the creatures would inspire some of TPA’s best work, plus the goats were well…super chill… hence the namesake of the album and 2023 Super Chill Goats National Tour. On what is being dubbed the Ambassador’s most club worthy music to date, David Sugalski dips and swirls through an array of genres : world, bass, hiphop, synthwave, and funk are all present. This is electronic music with groove that gets the dance floor bouncing. The Polish Ambassador rocks more than a trademark jumpsuit, authoring sublime, intentional artistic works, animated safaris in technicolor sound. The Jumpsuited One has headlined iconic venues like Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, and the renowned counter-culture gathering Oregon Country Fair. Suwannee Hulaween, Electric Forest, Envision Festival, and Lightning in a Bottle and other national festivals have each repeatedly invited TPA back across different years. The Ambassador manages a 25 acre goat, sheep, fruit tree homestead, has a solar powered music studio, coordinated The Permaculture Action tour in which fans were invited to participate in service days in their local communities the day after each show. In 2018, The Polish Ambassador released a full length graphic novel based on the mythology and origin story of the TPA character.
Metal Mayhem! DJ Night!
METAL MAYHEM – DJ ARTXDAMAGE WITH SPECIAL GUEST WILL FROM NIAT. PLAYING ALL YOUR FAVORITE HEAVY TUNES FROM BLACK METAL TO THRASH METAL AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. DOORS AT 7:30PM/SHOW AT 8PM. PLAYING SOME CLASSIC SLASHERS ON THE SCREEN. PLAYING YOUR BRUTAL REQUESTS ALL NIGHT. COME HEAD BANG WITH YOUR BUDS AND THRASH LIKE YOUR FAVORITE BANDS ARE PLAYING THE TAPROOM.
Susto
SUSTO with special guest, Esther RoseA season of drastic change is what brought SUSTO frontman Justin Osborne to the band’s fifth full-length LP, My Entire Life [New West Records]. There was a divorce, difficulties re-building his band after the pandemic, and the pain and helplessness of witnessing family members struggle with addiction and mental illness. Despite these challenges, Justin ultimately found himself in a new landscape, with new love and a deeper perspective, all of which is masterfully projected into My Entire Life. While navigating some major life changes, Justin understandably experienced a surge of creative energy. He channeled this into writing and recording with the people closest to him, even as the tides of his personal life continued to shift. Primary collaborators included longtime producer Wolfgang “Wolfy” Zimmerman, SUSTO Co-founders, Johnny Delaware and Marshall Hudson, and his fianceĢ/co-writer Caroline Foyle. The album’s namesake and lead single, “My Entire Life” is melodically tearful, with an urgency “to keep living.” As a whole, the album documents Justin’s personal journey through highs and lows in his life, with many of the details on full display. He narrates the demise and aftermath of an almost decade long relationship, while celebrating the joy of falling in love and the hopefulness of starting over. There is a playfulness at times, but always a clear desire to distill wisdom from experience. “SUSTO’s narrative has always been confessional, and songwriting is my way of trying to make sense of the chaos—good and bad—around me,” observes Justin. “These songs cover the spectrum of everything that’s happened in my life the last few years. There’s been a lot of change, which can be painful, but there’s also been a lot of joy and hope, along with everything in between. I figure that’s what life is.” He continues “…it’s a mosaic of all the good, bad, and mundane things we face as we make our way from birth to death. Along the way we ride the waves, but if you stay true to yourself and push through, I believe you can get to where you really want to be, and you can shape that mosaic into something that fulfills you. There is a lot of hope in that for me. This record is my story of navigating a bunch of chaos, but finding ways to carry on and manifest my own happiness…the last few years were a challenge, but I look back and see that I made it through, a better, truer, and more realized version of myself.” It’s been quite the ride for SUSTO. In addition to achieving widespread critical acclaim in recent years, the group has built a diehard fan base through captivating live performances and compelling songs. For as much as My Entire Life is the ultimate vision of what the band can be, it’s also a classic story of one person rising from the ashes, wiser and fiery than ever… “Writing and performing has long been central in my life, and this season of change has only heightened my desire to connect with other people through songs. I’ve crossed a mountain, so I’m ready to charge forward, and share that story. Everybody goes through difficulty one way or another, we all get worn down, we all chase dreams; songs are there to remind us we aren’t alone in that. In my case. I’m thankful for lessons learned, and excited for the future. The privilege of sharing these songs with our audience is something I’m incredibly grateful for.”
Nick Shoulders
Nick Shoulders Best Western Tour: Here to put the “Try” in CountryWielding an ethereal croon and masterful whistle crafted from a lifetime chasing lizards through the Ozark hills, Nick Shoulders is a living link to roots of country music with a penchant for the absurd Combining his family’s deep ties to regional traditional singing with his years of playing to crowded street corners, Nick has sought to forge a hybridized form of raucously clever country music; born of forgotten rocky hollers and bred to confront the tensions of the 21st century South. As evidenced by his surreal album art and anachronistic songwriting, Nick’s creative output is steeped in the complicated history of his beloved home of rural Arkansas, but crafted as a conscious rebuke of country music’s blind allegiance to historical seats of power and repression. With a kind word and a mean yodel, Nick hopes to put the ‘Try’ in country.
Morgan Wade with special guest, Wade Sapp
Morgan Wade with special guest, Wade SappVIP TICKET PACKAGE DETAILS: Morgan Wade Pre-Show Experience • One general admission ticket • VIP early entry into the venue • Intimate pre-show performance by Morgan • Q&A session with Morgan • Group photo with Morgan • Collectible tour poster, autographed by Morgan • Commemorative pre-show VIP laminate • Merchandise shopping opportunity before doors open to public • Limited availability Package purchasers will receive an email (3) days prior to the day of the show with VIP check-in details. Information will be sent to the e-mail address provided at the time of purchase. Please note that the information provided at the time of purchase (e-mail and mailing address) is the same information that will be utilized for individual contact requirements. On Location | Future Beat, the artist, tour, promoter, ticketing company, venue, or any other affiliated parties are not responsible for outdated or inaccurate information provided by the consumer at the time of purchase. VIP merchandise items will be distributed at the venue on the day of the show. Merchandise not picked up onsite will not be shipped post-event. The laminate included in the package does not gain or authorize access into the venue (without ticket), VIP, or any backstage areas. Package details subject to change at any time without notice. All package elements will be rendered invalid if resold. Name changes will only be issued at the sole discretion of On Location | Future Beat. All packages and package contents are non- transferable; no refunds or exchanges; all sales are final. For questions regarding your VIP package, please reach out to info@future-beat.com.
SHREK RAVE
IT’S DUMB JUST COME HAVE FUN. WHO CARES. COOL IS DEAD. idk hahaha
Priscilla Block
“This is me,” says Priscilla Block. “Love it or leave it.” It’s that kind of attitude towards life, and her fearless music-making, that has made the rising country star one of the genre’s most exciting new artists and one of its most authentic and relatable voices. One part endless party, one part unmitigated honesty, and one part best friend who always gives it to you straight, even when it hurts, Priscilla’s debut album, Welcome to the Block Party, finds an artist who is redefining ‘three chords and the truth’ for an entirely new generation. Though she came to prominence in 2020, Priscilla’s rise has been years in the making, full of hard work, long hours, and country grit. Originally from Raleigh, NC, she moved to Nashville to pursue music shortly after high school after being encouraged by her mom to pick up the guitar when she found one in the attic of the house she shared with her four siblings. “I auditioned for every single singing show,” she remembers with a laugh. “Then as soon as I could leave town, I packed my bags and moved to Nashville.” At the core is Priscilla’s connection with her fans: she remains steadfast in her commitment to speaking directly to them and always letting them peer straight into her world. “I’ll never try and be something that I am not, and I let that be known on social media,” she says. “I show my highs, my lows, I show myself put together and falling apart. I talk about my body and being a curvy girl. I think it’s so important for fans to really know me.” Welcome to the Block Party is this approach in album form. From the songs like “Heels in Hand” and “Ever Since You Left” that detail the many dynamics of a relationship from the crying to the kiss-offs, to “My Bar” that flips the genre’s gender roles, to the album’s closer “Peaked in High School,” written as a victory lap for anyone who may not have been the homecoming king or queen. “I write about what I know,” Priscilla says. “If that’s heartbreak or struggle or owning my flaws and being unapologetically me.” Doing things her own way has paid off. Pegged as a 2021 Artist to Watch by Amazon Music, PANDORA, Spotify, CMT, The Boot, MusicRow, HITS, Sounds Like Nashville, Country Now, Music Mayhem and more, Priscilla’s streaming has topped 250 million and rising. With Welcome to the Block Party, Priscilla rolls out the welcome mat even further, because she’s truly just getting started. “You get the funny, you get the sassy, you get the trashy, you get the sad,” Priscilla says of Welcome to the Block Party. “You get everything that makes me, me.”
Rivers of Nihil
Reading, Pennsylvania’s Rivers Of Nihil have never fit neatly into a box, but with 2018’s Where Owls Know My Name, they transcended all labels applied to them. Returning in 2021 with The Work, they have forged further into new territory, delivering an album that is as cerebral as it is visceral, and that covers a staggering sonic range, definitively placing them in a category of their own. With the first track penned in the fall of 2018, while the band were touring Owls, the writing process for the album was long, lasting well into 2020. Even before the music industry shutdown that happened concurrently with the Covid pandemic, the band intended to take most of 2020 off to focus on writing, meaning that their schedule was not disrupted. However, even with the whole album demoed out musically, they were not initially sure what they were working with. “We didn’t really know if it was all going to connect together in any kind of logical or interesting way. It wasn’t until we got the vocals done that it was clear what we had on our hands: something that actually somehow all worked together,” says guitarist Brody Uttley, who describes the album as a “Sound World,” a term coined by a friend. “It’s an album that almost sounds like a place rather than a thing. It puts you in this world where you’re not exactly sure what is going on at certain points, but eventually, it all comes together. It’s harsh and cold, but also warm and inviting,” he adds. While The Work is a very dense, inarguably heavy collection, it is far too dynamic to consider it solely a metal record, and there is a genuine warmth that shows through, particularly on “Wait” and the gorgeous “Maybe One Day,” and the band have included far more clean vocals alongside the screaming that tears through many of the heavier tracks. Adds Biggs, “It spans a lot of different styles, ideas, and emotions. The twists and turns are pretty drastic for your modern day metal record. There’s a lot of what you already know we do, and a lot of what you’ve never heard us do before.” While there is a central concept driving the album, Biggs elects to keep the specific details to himself so that listeners can relate to it in their own way, but he explains where the title comes from. “What does life all really boil down to in the end? You can be lovey-dovey about the good times, and savor the sweetness that life sometimes provides, but beneath everything is work, struggle, someone is always getting a raw deal, someone’s always sweating it out in the mines somewhere so you can enjoy your diamonds. This has always proved true in everything I’ve ever done in life. Most people reading this know me as a member of a successful band, but beneath it is constant work. Physical, emotional, spiritual work. All the time. Every day. And I know that it’s like this across the board for just about anyone in at least some capacity, so I figured this subject would be relatable to a lot of people.” There’s no denying that the finished product is something unique and marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Rivers Of Nihil, though Biggs states he has never gotten anywhere by thinking about the future of the band. “We always just sort of do this thing and it grows. I guess that could change at some point. But thinking about things that way doesn’t seem to get me anywhere either. Better to focus on the work in front of us, as it turns out,” he adds, referencing the album’s title. “If we’ve learned anything for certain in the last year or so, it’s that the future can be murky, we’re not really owed anything, and it can all be taken away any second. But for now, we press on.”