Following a year bulging with gigs — with over 160 performances in 2014/2015 — as well as a tour history that includes playing alongside The Gaslight Anthem on their North American tour, the ever-present Chuck Ragan in Europe, Dave Hause and Twin Forks, the album is enriched with live experience. Coursing with electric guitars, there is a definite rock beast pumping inside the 10 track record. As Matt says “with this record it is a priority for me to bring a more dynamic show on the road”.
Recorded while moving between cities, 3000 miles apart, the album is surging with the energy of movement and the storytelling attached to travel. 'Small Town Dreams' is the best example, as it combines the stirring mood of an enveloping wall of sound with all the hopes and dreams of the two characters in the song who wish someday to make it to the big city.
'Leaving Wyoming' deals with moving on too, taking more of a traditional Northcote approach — the warm, nostalgic feel, the gentile electric chimes, the soaring reverbed vocals — while 'Bitter End' captures that Springsteen-like swagger the young Canadian has picked up from tours, and united it with his own way around an adrenal rush of a chorus.
Hope Is Made Of Steel tracklisting:
1. This Is Our Time
2. Bitter End
3. Small Town Dreams
4. Hope Is Made Of Steel
5. Leaving Wyoming
6. You Could Never Let Me Down
7. Bracelet
8. Stronger Than You Know
9. Just Kids
10. Your Rock and Roll
The band will also tour extensively through the summer and autumn, with some European dates supporting Chuck Ragan. Tour dates are below, or you can find them and ticket links on our gig calendar.
European summer tour 2015 (* full band with Chuck Ragan)
AUGUST
18 - Stuttgart, Germany
19 - Bern, Switzerland
20 - Zürich, Switzerland
21 - München, Germany
22 - Frequency Festival, Austria
23 - Karlsruhe, Germany*
24 - Wiesbaden, Germany*
25 - Bremen, Germany*
26 - Dortmund, Germany*
27 - Köln, Germany
28 - Saarbrücken, Germany
29 - Münster, Germany
30 - Hamburg, Germany
31 - Berlin, Germany
UK tour 2015
SEPTEMBER
02 - London @ Old Blue Last
03 - Leeds @ Brudenell Social Club
04 - Manchester @ Soup Kitchen
05 - Nottingham @ Bodega
Canadian tour 2015
SEPTEMBER
18 – Toronto @ Urban Roots Festival
OCTOBER
14 - Winnipeg, MB @ The Pyramid
15 - Regina, SK @ The Exchange
16 - Edmonton, AB @ The Starlite
17 - Calgary, AB @ The Gateway
20 - Cranbrook, BC @ Key City Theatre
21 - Kelowna, BC @ Flashback’s
22 - Kamloops, BC @ Cactus Jack’s
23 - Vancouver, BC @ The Venue
24 - Victoria, BC @ Distrikt
30 - Red Deer, AB @ Bo’s
31 - Saskatoon, SK @ The Capitol Music Club
NOVEMBER
03 - Thunder Bay, ON @ Crock’s
05 - Sudbury, ON @ Coulson Night Club
07 - Hamilton, ON @ Absinthe
08 - St. Catharines, ON @ L3
11 - Waterloo, ON @ Maxwell’s
13 - London, ON @ London Music Hall
20 - Moncton, NB @ Tide & Boar
21 - Halifax, NS @ The Marquee Club
22 - Truro, NS @ Champion’s
26 - Fredericton, NB @ The Capital Complex
27 - Montreal, QC @ Petit Campus
28 - Ottawa, ON @ Maverick’s
DECEMBER
27 - Kingston, ON @ The Ale House
