IAN SWEET headline a run of West Coast, Southwest and Midwest tour dates starting tonight in Santa Cruz, to be followed by a series of shows across the US opening for their friends in Girlpool. In September, IAN SWEET are set to tour Europe for the first time, again with Girlpool. See below for a full list of upcoming performances. The band’s debut record, Shapeshifter, is out now on all formats. Stay tuned for more news on forthcoming IAN SWEET tour plans, and check out a new live performance of Shapeshifter’s title track below. 

05.24.17 - Santa Cruz, CA - Crepe Place
05.25.17 - Reno, NV - The Holland Project
05.27.17 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
05.28.17 - Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge
05.30.17 - Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room
05.31.17 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th St Entry *
06.02.17 - Chicago, IL - The Empty Bottle *
06.03.17 - Chicago, IL - Do Division Street Festival
06.04.17 - Detroit, MI - El Club
06.05.17 - Toronto, CA - Horseshoe Tavern *
06.06.17 - Montreal, CA - Bar le “Ritz” P.D.B. *
06.07.17 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall *
06.09.17 - Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw *
06.10.17 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer *
09.06.17 - Bristol, UK - Thekla *
09.07.17 - London, UK - Village Underground *
09.08.17 - Manchester, UK - Gorilla *
09.09.17 - Glasgow, UK - Stereo *
09.11.17 - Brussels, BE - Botanique *
09.12.17 - Amsterdam, NE - Paradiso *
09.14.17 - Koln, DE - Artheater *
09.15.17 - Hamburg, DE - Golem *
09.16.17 - Berlin, DE - Berghain Kantine *
09.18.17 - Frankfurt, DE - Zoom *
09.19.17 - Zurich, CH - Rote Fabrik *

* - w/ Girlpool

This morning, Chastity Belt unveiled a third song from their upcoming full-length I Used to Spend So Much Time Alone. “5am” is the record’s epic closing number and reveals a harder-edged side of the band that hasn’t been heard before. I Used to Spend So Much Time Alone is out June 2nd on LP, CD, cassette, digital and streaming formats and includes three bonus tracks. See below for a list of US and UK tour dates.

As part of The AV Club’s latest Undercover series–this time featuring contemporary bands covering ’70s gems from the soundtrack to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – Seattle’s Dude York offer their take on “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass. Watch Dude York’s performance here. Dude York will be participating in the first of our two 10th anniversary concerts at Chop Suey in Seattle on May 18th, and touring the Western United States with seminal emo band The Anniversary in June. See below for a full list of dates.

Dude York’s Sincerely is out now on all formats. 

05.09.17 – Seattle, WA - The Vera Project %
05.11.17 - Seattle, WA - Upstream Festival at Piranha Shop
05.13.17 - Seattle, WA - Upstream Festival at Comedy Underground
05.13.17 - Portland, OR - St. John’s Bizarre &
05.18.17 - Seattle, WA - Hardly Art’s First Annual 10th Anniversary Extravaganza at Chop Suey *
06.09.17 – Phoenix, AZ - The Rebel Lounge #
06.10.17 – San Diego, CA - The Irenic #
06.11.17 – Los Angeles, CA - The Troubadour #
06.13.17 – San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill #
06.15.17 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile #
06.16.17 - Portland, OR - Bunk Bar #
09.01.17 - 09.03.17 - Seattle, WA - Bumbershoot

% – w/ Charly Bliss
* - w/ La Luz, Colleen Green, Tacocat (emcee)
& - w/ The Thermals
# – w/ The Anniversary

2017 marks Hardly Art’s 10th year of failing upward in the music industry, and as part of our celebrations, a brand new compilation of previously rare or unheard material will be released on Friday, June 2nd on digital and limited cassette formats. A portion of the proceeds from Hardly Released: Bedroom Recordings, Demos, Rarities, Unreleased, and Widely Ignored Material will be benefiting the ACLU, and artists from throughout all ten years of the label can be heard on it (17 in total!). 

”Baby of the Band” by Hunx & His Punx is your first taste of the lost treasures this compilation has in store. 

Additionally, Hardly Art will host two consecutive 10th anniversary concerts in our native Seattle on May 18th and 19th at Chop Suey. The first night is all-ages and features performances by La Luz, Colleen Green, and Dude York with emcees Tacocat. The second, 21+ night will have sets by Shannon and the Clams, IAN SWEET, Jenn Champion, and Dick Stusso, with Hunx emceeing the proceedings. 

Stay tuned throughout the year for more updates on how we’re congratulating ourselves, and check the shop for more details and preorder information on Hardly Released. 

Today, Seattle band Chastity Belt shared “Caught in a Lie,” the second single from their highly-anticipated new album I Used to Spend So Much Time Alone, out June 2nd on all formats and streaming services. The track, which maintains the reflective, cathartic, and poignant tone of previous single ”Different Now,” can be streamed below. Additionally, the band has announced both a North American summer tour as well as fall dates in the UK – find details for all upcoming shows below. As ever, the most up-to-date tour details can be found on the tour page. Preorders for I Used to Spend So Much Time Alone are available now for all formats in the shop.

Hardly Art! It’s a label, it’s a phenomenon, it’s a presence that we hope you have appreciated and/or at least somewhat noticed over the past decade. 2017 marks the 10th anniversary of us, and to celebrate, we are hosting a grand ol’ party this May at Chop Suey. TWO grand ol’ parties, in fact – one night will be all-ages, and the other 21+. Both nights will feature incredible lineups, special guest emcees, and other shenanigans to make it a two’fer to remember. Chop Suey is selling advance tickets for both dates, available on the tour page or linked below. We will be announcing more artists in the coming weeks, so stay tuned! 

The First Annual 10th Anniversary Extravaganza: Night One
The First Annual 10th Anniversary Extravaganza: Night Two

Dude York’s ”Tonight” has been called “an album highlight that perfectly captures the sweet, punky sound that’s uniquely Dude York” (BUST), and now you can experience its excellence using your eyeballs as well as your ears. In the exuberant music video from director Carlos Lopez, the band spends a day at their favorite malls shopping, stuffing their faces, bungee-ing, getting makeovers, and generally causing mayhem. Go forth and stream it in all its glory.

Dude York’s U.S. tour with PAWS kicks off this week and wraps on April 9th in their native Seattle, opening for a little band called Weezer. In June, they open for The Anniversary on a West Coast run – see below for a full list of dates. 

Sincerely is out now on all formats and streaming services.  

Hardly Art is proud to announce I Used to Spend So Much Time Alone – the highly-anticipated third studio album from Seattle’s Chastity Belt – out Friday, June 2nd on all formats and streaming services. Get your first taste of this dazzling, introspective album with the band’s new video for ”Different Now,” which affectionately riffs on Temple of the Dog’s classic video for ”Hunger Strike.” Watch the “Different Now” video below.

The band’s West Coast tour kicks off tomorrow night in San Francisco, and they will be playing a number of showcases at this year’s SXSW. Three bonus tracks will be included on all CD and digital versions, as well as on digital downloads included with LP purchases. All album details – and a convenient pre-order for all formats – can be found in the shop. Read on for a complete list of upcoming tour dates, and check the artist page for more on Chastity Belt’s long-awaited return.

03.09.17 - San Francisco, CA - Rickshaw Stop *
03.10.17 - Los Angeles, CA - Resident *
03.11.17 - Phoenix, AZ - Viva Phx Festival
03.12.17 - El Paso, TX - The Perch *
03.13.17 - San Antonio, TX - Paper Tiger *

SXSW
03.14.17 - She Shreds Showcase - Las Cruxes, 4:30 PM #
03.15.17 - South By San Jose - Hotel San Jose, 5:00 PM
03.15.17 - Modern Sky Official Showcase - Barracuda,  10:00 PM
03.16.17 - Another Planet/Noise Pop Showcase - Sidewinder, 2:30 PM
03.17.17 - Laneway Festival Showcase - Mohawk, 4:30 PM
03.17.17 - Waterloo Records, 6:00 PM
03.17.17 - SPIN Official Showcase - Empire Control Room, 10:00 PM

03.18.17 - Dallas, TX - NSFWknd at Club Dada ^
03.21.17 - Denver, CO - Globe Hall  &
03.23.17 - Boise, ID - Treefort Music Festival %
03.24.17 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios $
06.01.17 - Seattle, WA - Record Release Show at the Crocodile

* - w/ Lisa Prank
# - w/ IAN SWEET, Dude York, Sad13, Jay Som, Lisa Prank, Diet Cig, more
^ - w/ Weaves, Priests, Flasher
& - w/ Tele Novella
% - w/ The Coathangers
$ - w/ Kane Strang

IAN SWEET set out this evening on the first night of a U.S. tour with bands including Ovlov, Cherry Glazerr, Lala Lala, and Post Life, with SXSW appearances in-between (more TBA soon) and their first-ever run of West Coast tour dates in support of last year’s acclaimed Shapeshifter. See below for a full list of upcoming shows as well as three excellent clips of live footage courtesy of Audiotree, recorded at Schuba’s in Chicago during the Tomorrow Never Knows music festival. 

03.01.17 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall * !
03.02.17 - Albany, NY - The Hollow * #
03.03.17 - Brooklyn, NY - Rough Trade NYC * #
03.04.17 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge *
03.09.17 - Richmond, VA - Gallery 5 ^ #
03.10.17 - Charlotte, NC - Snug Hardbor ^ ! #
03.11.17 - Savannah, GA - Savannah Stopover Music Festival

SXSW
03.14.17 - She Shreds SXSW Showcase - Las Cruxes, 2:30 PM
03.14.17 - Harry Fox Agency/Rumblefish Party - Sidebar, 4:15 PM
03.15.17 - Noisey/Jansport Showcase w/ Lil Yachty, more - Cheer Up Charlie’s, 10:00 PM
03.16.17 - The Alternative Showcase - Shirley’s Temple, 4:30 PM
03.16.17 - Tigerbomb Showcase - The Market, 11:00 PM
03.17.17 - Exploding in Sound Showcase - Todd’s Mansion, 2:30 PM
03.17.17 - Austin Oasis 2017 - Hole In the Wall
03.17.17 - KVRX Simpatico Booking Showcase - Fine Southern Gentleman, 6:00 PM
03.17.17 - Flowerbooking Showcase - Sidewinder, 8:35 PM
03.18.17 - Do512 Showcase - Barracuda, 2:00 PM
03.18.17 - Smear Mag/KVRX Showcase - Spiderhouse, 4:45 PM

03.20.17 - Dallas, TX - Three Links $ #
03.22.17 - New Orleans, LA - Siberia $ !
03.24.17 - Nashville, TN - The High Watt $ !
03.25.17 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade $ #
03.26.17 - Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder $ !
03.27.17 - Orlando, FL - The Social $ #
03.28.17 - Jacksonville, FL - Nighthawks
03.29.17 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle $ #
03.31.17 - Columbus OH - Rumba Cafe $ #
04.01.17 - Bloomington, IN - Blockhouse Bloomington $ !
04.02.17 - St. Louis, MO - Off Broadway $ #
04.03.17 - Oklahoma City, OK - 89th Street Collective
04.05.17 - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar $ #
04.06.17 - Pioneertown, CA - Pappy & Harriets $ #
04.07.17 - Santa Ana, CA - Constellation Room $ #
04.08.17 - San Diego, CA - Che Cafe Collective %
04.11.17 - Pomona, CA - Acerogami %
04.12.17 - San Francisco, CA - Rickshaw Stop %
04.15.17 - Seattle, WA - Barboza %
04.16.17 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios %
04.18.17 - Arcata, CA - Outer Space %

* - w/ Slothrust
^ - w/ Ovlov
$ - w/ Cherry Glazerr, Lala Lala
% - w/ Post Life
# - all-ages
! - 18+

Seattle trio Dude York’s new full-length Sincerely is finally out today on colored vinyl, CD, digital, cassette, and all streaming services. In recognition of this milestone, the band has shared the album’s first music video for their anti-love anthem ”Love Is.” Watch their tribute to public access TV and musical countdown variety programs below. Dude York will be playing SXSW and touring the US with Glaswegian rock band PAWS – all current details can be found on the tour page!