Gary Numan
May, 1979. It’s an ordinary Thursday evening, which means it’s time for Top of the Pops. Amidst a zeitgeist of punk and disco, the show suddenly appears to be interrupted by a transmission from the future. A luminous synth riff echoes out, a beat drives on and up steps an otherworldly figure – part robot, part alien – to deliver an enigmatic lyric depicting some kind of android existence in a dystopian future. It’s Gary Numan fronting Tubeway Army for their breakthrough hit ‘Are ‘Friends’ Electric?’. Of the millions that are watching, few would’ve recognised that this moment foreshadows the shape of music to come, from synth-pop to industrial and alt-pop. That, however, can’t stop it igniting the imagination of an audience that would swell into a devoted following. Fast-forward to January, 2021. Numan’s first single ‘Intruder’ (from the Intruder album) pulsates ominously as if it’s soundtracking an imminent threat. As austere synths loom like shadows and industrial beats are detonated, the beguiling hook towers like a beacon in the darkness. It’s visionary and venomous, with a narrative that imagines the Earth growing angry at mankind’s actions, and more than willing to fight back. In the accompanying video, Numan looks even more out of time than he did back in 1979, like an intergalactic refugee fighting for his own existence. Naturally, there were times when Numan was very much not in vogue. Sure, there would be ripples of rediscovery but there were years when his increasingly conceptual albums were primarily embraced by hardcore fans. He wasn’t troubling the charts, but audiences were still flocking to see him perform – almost every UK tour would include a sold-out show at the 5000 capacity Hammersmith Apollo. Gradually, though, praise from Nine Inch Nails, Prince and David Bowie led to a reappraisal of his work. And that has been magnified in recent years with Kanye West, Lady Gaga and Dave Grohl citing him as an influence. And so, a new narrative emerged. An unlikely icon returned to the top while making music that was darker, fiercer and more inventive than ever. His next album, ‘Intruder’, presented a fresh but complementary narrative. It’s a philosophical examination of a potential future apocalypse: the planet can only survive by purging its inhabitants. ‘Intruder’ also hit #2 in the UK charts. Numan explained: “‘Intruder’ looks at climate change from the planet’s point of view. If the Earth could speak, and feel things the way we do, what would it say? How would it feel? The songs, for the most part, attempt to be that voice, or at least try to express what I believe the earth must feel at the moment”. Collectively the album proves that Numan’s creative spark shows no sign of being extinguished. Numan toured the Intruder album at over 130 shows around the world, finally ending in mid 2024 when he toured the US with Ministry. Since then he’s been back in the studio writing and recording his next (and 23rd) album, due out in early 2026. This one looks at a near future world where humanity lives or dies based on the whims of an AI controlled system. He did take a few weeks out of the studio to play a major UK tour in the Fall to celebrate the 45th Anniversary of his ‘Replicas’ and ‘The Pleasure Principle’ albums, both UK Number 1’s when first released. That’s just a snapshot of the tale behind one of music’s most singular talents. The full story can be found in Numan’s critically acclaimed autobiography ‘(R)evolution’, which The Observer described as an, “exhaustive, entertaining and often poignant life story.” What comes next will surely be just as intriguing.
MICO
VIP PACKAGES INCLUDE: 1 General Admission Ticket Artist M&G Early admission One digital photo with Artist and poster Limited edition lanyard 2 song acoustic set before GA doors Venue First Entry First Access Merch Shopping In a digital era where everyone wants overnight success, alt-pop rising artist MICO showcases that great music and consistency can win the race. Starting as a 16-year-old singing in Discord servers and Twitch streams, MICO (now 22) continues to connect with new listeners one-by-one, paying off in a cult fanbase of 1.6 million digitally (known as the “amicos”), generating over 100 million global streams and selling out North American and European tours – all independently without major label help. The last two years have catapulted MICO to new heights – earning a top 20 radio hit (“cut my hair”), selling out three headline tours throughout the US and Canada, and sparking viral hits that have become staples in his discography (“HOMESICK”, “TV” and “Senses”. For MICO, the Internet isn’t something to be overthought – it’s like his second home. In 2024, he released his highly anticipated fifth EP, “Internet hometown hero” accompanied by his Cancel your plans tour – selling out dates in the US and Toronto and breaking his own streaming records. And 2025 is all gas, no brakes for the rising phenom as he fresh off his first-ever EU/UK tour (100% sold out), supported Nightly on a few US dates, coinciding with additional US headline shows in May (100% sold out) and will perform on his first festival ever at Lollapolooza in Berlin this July – all while releasing the deluxe version of his 2024 EP – “Internet hometownhero (+DLC)” on May 2, featuring “I’d hate to be my friend” and “Don’t you cry (w/ vaultboy).
Missing Singer
“Missing Singer” is a music group formed by 2 long time members of the Omaha based group Normandy Invasion originally formed by Al Ficke and Dan Norman also including Paul D’Angelo in 1991. Normandy Invasion prided itself on the fact that all of their music was original. After the passing of Dan Norman, Ficke and D’Angelo made the decision to continue playing together and invited Bonnie Parish to join them on vocals while Ficke became chief singer/songriter/ guitarist and Paul D’Angelo on drums. The group plays a nice mix of Al Ficke’s Original Americana/Folk music as well as some nice covers from some of their favorite artists, like John Prine, Tom Waits, Willie Nelson, Guy Clark and even a few Winona songs, in addition to newer songwriters like Parker Milsap “Missing Singer” loves to invite friends and musicians to play with them whenever they can, celebrating the joy of being part of a great community of singers and songwriter who lift each other up and have a lot of fun together. Their band name, “Missing Singer”, is a tribute to Dan Norman good friend and band mate who we lost in 2024. We look forward to telling stories and sharing our love for music with more friends in the years to come.
Head of Femur
Blacktop Mojo
Bad Bad Men
Jeshua Marshall & the FloodÂ
Most artists will tell you that they sing about what they feel. Jeshua Marshall lives the music that he sings. From the time he was nine, when he was first inspired by a visit from Jimi Hendrix in a dream and subsequently gifted his first guitar, through to the formation of his band Larry and His Flask and now, some 20 years later, music has been a mainstay of his life, the thing that’s inspired him, driven him and now, brought him to the precipice of the recognition he so decidedly deserves. He’s worked tirelessly to get to this point. He and his band toured relentlessly, performing in all 50 states in the U.S., every providence in Canada, no less than 15 European countries, and in parts of the Middle East. A multi-instrumentalist, singe,r and songwriter, he conveys both passion and purpose in equal measure. His efforts paid off. He garnered over 100,000 streams on Spotify and YouTube, before receiving an ultimate honor, the ‘Best New Artist’ award from People’s Choice Award in his hometown of Bend, Oregon. It also found him sharing stages with artists such as Dirtwire, Fishbone, Willy Tea Taylor, Beats Antique, Joshua Ray Walker, Possessed by Paul James, Danny Attack, Bridge City Sinners, and more. Now, on the verge of making the next significant step in his career, Jeshua remains more committed to his craft than ever. “Music, for me, is medicine, therapy and connection,” he says. With The Flood, that wave of inspiration is as awash as ever.
The English Beat – SOLD OUT
The English Beat is a band with an energetic mix of musical styles and a sound like no other. The band’s unique sound has allowed it to endure for nearly four decades and appeal to fans, young and old, all over the world. When The English Beat (known as The Beat in their native England) rushed on to the music scene in 1979, it was a time of massive social and political unrest and economic and musical upheaval. This set the stage for a period of unbridled musical creativity, and thanks in large part to the Punk movement and it’s DIY approach to making music, artists like The Beat were able to speak out and speak their mind on the news of the day, as in “Stand Down Margaret”, things that mattered to them and the youth culture, as in “Get A Job”, and universal matters of the heart and soul, as in their classic hits “I Confess” and “Save It For Later”. The Beat first came to prominence as founding members of the British Two Tone Ska movement, with their classic first album “Just Can’t Stop It” fitting squarely in that genre. Along with their contemporaries The Specials, The Selecter, and Madness, the band became an overnight sensation and one of the most popular and influential bands of that movement. However, band leader Dave Wakeling never felt constrained by the movement. The band crossed over fluidly between soul, reggae, pop and punk, and from these disparate pieces they created an infectious dance rhythm. The band’s sound continued to evolve over their three studio albums, through the General Public era (a band formed by Dave with The Beat’s toaster, Ranking Roger), and it has continued its evolution with the forthcoming English Beat album “Here We Go Love”, a PledgeMusic crowd-funded album set for a 2016 release, the band’s first new album since 1982’s “Special Beat Service”. Consummate showman that he is, Dave Wakeling continues to keep The Beat alive and strong, touring the world as The English Beat with an amazing all-star ska backing band playing all the hits of The Beat, General Public, and songs from his new album “Here We Go Love”. You just can’t stop The English Beat!
Umphrey’s McGee
Chicago’s eclectic rock band Umphrey’s McGee has been keeping fans on their toes fornearly 27 years now. Though often pigeonholed into “jam band” circles, Umphrey’s doesn’tfit that traditional mold; and their fans don’t either. Is it prog rock? Song-forward,Beatles-esque arrangements? Be careful, they might hit you with some metal riffs mid-set,too. Amongst 2,500+ gigs and 300 million+ tracks streamed, you-had-to-be-there momentsinclude the band’s performance at the first-ever Bonnaroo and selling more CDs (rememberthose?) than any other act on the bill. A leader in the live music world, Umphrey’s McGeebecame the first group to launch its own single-artist streaming service with UMLive.net,which houses recordings of every gig since 2005. The service has since grown and now lives on through Nugs.net, which is used by the likes of Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, and more. Beyond intimate backstage encounters and ski trips with their most diehard fans, Umphrey’s McGee instituted the groundbreaking “Headphones & Snow cones” program, granting fans access to professional headphones and a soundboard-quality mix to listen wirelessly at shows. At their UMBowl, they empowered the audience to vote on the setlist in real-timeand choose favorite improv themes via text message. In 2017, they stepped into another realm altogether by integrating themselves into the VR Platform Endless Riff. All of the above has earned the band status as kings of the live music scene with standing yearly engagements at iconic venues, their own events in Iceland (Rockjavick) and Mexico (Holidaze), and co-hosting Chillicothe, IL’s long-running Summer Camp festival. In April 2025, Umphrey’s McGee will lead their faithful fans on another bucket list musical adventure: Morockshow will feature three nights in Marrakech, Morocco, marking another signature event in an exotic location. Umphrey’s McGee’s latest release Asking For A Friend showcases more evolved songwriting and thoughtful arranging from a bandcontinuing to grow and mature with their droves of die-hard, longtime fans.
Bilmuri
