It’s not like you need to work on a Thursday but, if you gotta, you’ve got lunch to take a break (or just put your headphones on and pretend you’re in a Zoom meeting or something).
“But TGEFM,” you may ask “why?”
Because we’ve got the premiere of the new album by Ontario’s Handheld, Live at 25. Celebrating a quarter of a century as a band (albeit with a 14-year hiatus in the middle), this live album features a selection of music from across their discography, recorded live at The Revive in Waterloo, ON on 03 Oct 2023.
The band released a collective statement regarding the live album:
Sure, it’s been an incredible 25 years of Handheld, playing fast,
melodic punk rock (some even call it skatepunk). Surprisingly, half of
the band members don’t seem to have aged a day since they first formed
in 1998. As for the other half? Well, let’s just say they’re living the
good life.From 1998 to 2008, Handheld tore up stages all across North America.
Then, they took a 14-year hiatus, only to return with their most
powerful album to date, A Canadian Tragedy. The boys are back to their
old tricks again, this time recording a high-production, top-notch
full-length live record during a sold-out, intimate club show for all of
us to enjoy. Now that they’re back, there’s no stopping them at this
point; they might as well play until they’re dead. Expect more new
records and more shows on the horizon. Keep it fast, play power chords
with your pinky, and unleash forbidden beats with a single kick pedal.
The live LP is out tomorrow, 10 May 2024, via Thousand Islands Records in North America and Australia, and Lockjaw Records for the EU/UK. Preorders and streaming options can be found at this link page.
the white drew carey (aka – Jeff Sorley) is the founder and head editor of TGEFM. He’s lived (outside of) Chicago, Madison WI, (ugh) Penn State, Lyon FR, Oxford UK, central New Jersey, and now within earshot of SFO in the Bay Area. When not scouring the web for more great bands and labels to post about, he also spends time drawing (mostly) silly sci-fi and anime stuff under the name Asplenia Studios.
