The perfect concept record is hard to find. It should tell a story, take listeners to a new and exciting world, and remain authentic to the band’s sound and identity. With so many boxes to check off, many acts shy away from this kind of release. But today, Nothing But Thieves proves how magical concept records can be when done right.
Dead Club City, the band’s fourth LP, takes listeners on a journey to a dystopian, members-only community. The setting itself is a metaphor for the potential future of society: a warning, almost, envisioning the chaos and turmoil that will continue if we don’t encourage inclusivity and empathy in today’s world. Each of the 11 songs highlights the complexities of this world and ends with the moral revolution that kills it. To guitarist Langridge-Brown, Dead Club City is the sequel to the band’s prior release, Moral Panic.
“The concept is pointless unless there is real-world meaning behind each of the songs,” he tells Apple Music. “Moral Panic felt like it was about the health of our society and what I was viewing on Twitter, the chaos of that. This album feels like it’s in the future––what the nth degree of [that chaos] is if things kept going. What might happen in this sort of dystopian, segregated, members-only city?”
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The songwriting and production in Dead Club City are just as exciting and experimental as the album’s concept. Bridging the gaps between hip-hop, progressive rock, punk, and synth-pop, Nothing But Thieves take their already-diverse soundscape to a whole new level. “Welcome to the DCC,” the opening track, is a cinematic, 80s-inspired introduction to the world the band has created. Conversely, “Green Eyes :: Siena” is a stripped-down love song that cuts through the album’s darker themes. There is something for everyone on the record, and both new and old fans of the band will enjoy the immersive experience that they create.
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In addition to the new record, Nothing But Thieves have announced a world tour, playing shows across North America and Europe. This is sure to be the band’s most extensive run yet, with shows at the end of 2023 and early 2024 already selling out and receiving low ticket warnings. Hitting major cities like New York City, Manchester, Dublin, and Amsterdam, fans worldwide will get the chance to experience Dead Club City live onstage.
Check out their full list of tour dates below!
Tour Dates:
- Sept. 12—Washington, DC @ The Fillmore Silver Spring
- Sept. 14—Boston, MA @ Big Night Live
- Sept. 15—Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore
- Sept. 16—New York, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
- Sept. 18—Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
- Sept. 19—Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
- Sept. 22—Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues
- Sept. 23—Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre
- Sept. 25—Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
- Sept. 26—Kansas City, MO @ The Truman
- Sept. 28—Austin TX @ Emo’s
- Sept. 29—Dallas, TX @ The Factory at Deep Ellum
- Oct. 1—Denver, CO @ Summit
- Oct. 2—Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex-Rockwell
- Oct. 3—Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
- Oct. 6—San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
- Oct. 7—Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
- Oct. 9—Tempe AZ @ Marquee Theatre
- Oct. 31—Glasgow, UK @ O2 Academy Glasgow
- Nov. 1—Glasgow, UK @ O2 Academy Glasgow
- Nov. 3—Bournemouth, UK @ International Centre
- Nov. 4—Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo
- Nov. 5—Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo
- Nov. 7—Swansea, UK @ Swansea Arena
- Nov. 9—Birmingham, UK @ Resorts World Arena
- Nov. 10—London, UK @ OVO Arena Wembley
- Nov. 11—London, UK @ OVO Arena Wembley
- Nov. 16—Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo
- Nov. 17—Belfast, UK @ The Telegraph Building
- Nov. 19—Dublin, IE @ 3Olumpia Theatre
- Nov. 20—Dublin, IE @ 3Olympia Theatre
- Feb. 2, 2024—Paris, FR @ L’Olympia
- Feb. 3, 2024—Antwerp, BE @ Lotto Arena
- Feb. 5, 2024—Stockholm, SE @ Fryschuset Arenan
- Feb. 6, 2024—Copenhagen, DK @ Vega
- Feb. 8, 2024—Hamburg, DE @ Sporthalle Hamburg
- Feb. 10, 2024—Leipzig, DE @ Haus Auensee
- Feb. 11, 2024—Vienna, AT @ Gasometer
- Feb. 14, 2024—Berlin, DE @ Columbiahalle
- Feb. 16, 2024—Prague, CZ @ Forum Karlin
- Feb. 17, 2024—Munich, DE @ Zenith
- Feb. 19, 2024—Zurich, CH @ The Hall
- Feb. 20, 2024—Wiesbaden, DE @ Schlachthof
- Feb. 22, 2024—Cologne, DE @ Palladium
- Feb. 23, 2024—Amsterdam, NL @ Ziggo Dome
- Feb. 24, 2024—Amsterdam, NL @ Ziggo Dome
- Feb. 26, 2024—Milan, IT @ Fabrique
- Feb. 29, 2024—Barcelona, ES @ Razzmatazz
- Mar. 1, 2024—Madrid, ES @ Sala La Riviera
