The Dead South Release Chains & Stakes
Standing Ovation for Grand Ole Opry DebutWatch “Yours To Keep” Video Here
“Fleet-fingered picking on cello, mandolin, banjo and acoustic guitar infuse heavy metal intensity into their unique bluegrass sound.” – Billboard
“The Dead South Rise Again.” – SPIN
“With their trademark solemn strums and sharp, hellfire strings, the band breathes life across this arid plain, rattling bones, quaking graves and waking the dead.” – Holler Country
“A heavy metal attitude with a bluegrass ensemble.” – Bluegrass Today
“Chains & Stakes is a hell-fire blaze of six-string majesty.” – The Amp
With a new album out and a standing ovation for their Grand Ole Opry debut in the books, The Dead South now set off on the Chains & Stakes World Tour, which will cover North America, Australia and Europe throughout 2024.
On “Completely, Sweetly,” an instant fan favourite from the new album, The Dead South fold a banjo riff until it transforms into doom metal, like Metallica served up stringband style. The grudge-powered song, an album highlight, reaches deep into the highs and lows that come with moving beyond betrayal.
“Yours To Keep,” the source of the album title, arrives with a video that finds the band in an alternate dimension with mystery potions and dancing demagogues, somewhere between Inglorious Basterds and The Grand Budapest Hotel. “Yours To Keep” was directed by Two Brothers, the team behind “In Hell I’ll Be In Good Company” (395M views), “You Are My Sunshine” and “Diamond Ring,” from the band’s impressive catalogue.
From the Bach-inspired cello solo of “Son of Ambrose,” to the countrified doo wop of “A Place I Hardly Know,” Chains & Stakes is a little bit sweet and plenty salty (see “The Cured Contessa”). The album is also woven with a trio of instrumentals that skilfully shift tone and tempo, balancing the blistering, blunderbuss bluegrass that shapes the collection as a whole.
Chains & Stakes measures The Dead South’s growth as songwriters, storytellers and musicians. World-class artists and entertainers,The Dead South carry on the only way they know how: by being themselves. If Sugar & Joy questioned what Bluegrass is and isn’t, then Chains & Stakes takes a step beyond, unbothered by definition and playing by its own rules. Chains & Stakes, The Dead South’s fourth studio album, was recorded in Mexico City and produced by The Dead South and Grammy-winner Jimmy Nutt.
Buy / Stream Chains & Stakes here.
CHAINS & STAKES WORLD TOUR
Cleveland, OH: TempleLive Masonic, Feb 12
Pittsburgh, PA: Stage AE, Feb 13
Silver Spring, MD: The Fillmore, Feb 14
Philadelphia, PA: Franklin Music Hall, Feb 16
Norfolk, VA: The NorVa, Feb 17
Charlotte, NC: The Fillmore, Feb 18
Atlanta, GA: The Eastern, Feb 19
Austin, TX: ACL Live at the Moody Theatre, Feb 21
Dallas, TX: The Factory, Feb 22
San Antonio, TX: Aztec Theatre, Feb 23
Houston, TX: House of Blues Houston, Feb 24
Memphis, TN: Minglewood Hall, Feb 26
Fayetteville, AR: JJ’s Live, Feb 27
Tulsa, OK: Cain’s Ballroom, Feb 28
Steamboat Springs, CO: Winter WonderGrass, Mar 1
Perth, AU: Metropolis Fremantle, Mar 20
Adelaide, AU: Hindley Street Music Hall, Mar 21
Melbourne, AU: Forum Melbourne, Mar 23
Melbourne, AU: Forum Melbourne, Mar 24
Brisbane, AU: Fortitude Music Hall, Mar 26
Tyagarah, AU: Byron Bay Bluesfest, Mar 29
Sydney, AU: Enmore Theatre, Apr 2
Sydney, AU: Enmore Theatre, Apr 3
Auckland, NZ: Powerstation, Apr 5
Wellington, NZ: San Fran, Apr 6
Wellington, NZ: San Fran, Apr 7
Hamburg, DE: Freilichtbühne im Stadtpark, May 30
Berlin, DE: Zitadelle Spandau, June 1
Leipzig, DE: Clara-Zetkin Park, June 2
Prague, CZ: Žluté Lázn?, June 4
Bratislava, SK: Stars Auditorium, June 5
Budapest, HU: Budapest Park, June 6
Linz, AT: Posthof Zeitkultur Am Hafen, June 8
Stuttgart, DE: Kulturbetrieb Wagenhallen, June 9
Cologne, DE: Palladium, June 11
Wiesbaden, DE: Schlachthof, June 12
Munich, DE: Zenith, June 13
Saarbrücken, DE: Garage, June 15
Tilburg, NL: 013 Poppodium013, June 16
Brussels, BE: Ancienne Belgique, June 17
Paris, FR: Salle Pleyel, June 18
Nashville, TN: The Ryman Auditorium, July 12 + 13
Mount Carroll, IL: Rhythm Amphitheatre, July 14
Bonner, MT: Kettlehouse Amphitheatre, Aug 5
Seattle, WA: Paramount Theatre, Aug 7
Portland, OR: Edgefield, Aug 8
Boise, ID: Revolution, Aug 9
Salt Lake City, UT: Deer Valley, Aug 10
Jacksonville, OR: Britt Pavilion, Aug 12
Reno, NV: Grand Sierra Resort, Aug 13
San Francisco, CA: Warfield, Aug 15
Los Angeles, CA: The Novo, Aug 16
Las Vegas, NV: Brooklyn Bowl, Aug 17
Phoenix, AZ: Van Buren, Aug 18
Del Mar, CA: The Sound, Aug 20
Regina, SK: Conexus Arts Centre, Oct 11
Saskatoon, SK: TCU Place, Oct 12
Kansas City, MO: Midland Theatre, Oct 16
Oklahoma City, OK: Criterion, Oct 17
Mexico City, MX: Fronton Mexico, Oct 19
Columbus, OH: KEMBA Live!, Oct 21
Brooklyn, NY: Brooklyn Paramount, Oct 23
New Haven, CT: College Street, Oct 24
Portland, ME: State Theatre, Oct 25
Boston, MA: House of Blues, Oct 26
Indianapolis, IN: Egyptian Room at Old National Centre, Oct 28
Winnipeg, MB: Burton Cummings Theatre, Oct 30
Edmonton, AB: Flair Airlines Hangar at Edmonton Expo Centre, Nov 1
Kelowna, BC: Prospera Place, Nov 2
Vancouver, BC: Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, Nov 3
Moncton, NB: Casino New Brunswick, Dec 2
Halifax, NS: Lighthouse Arts Centre, Dec 3 + 4
Montreal, QC: MTelus, Dec 6
Toronto, ON: Massey Hall, Dec 7
Grand Rapids, MI: GLC Live at 20 Munroe, Dec 10
Detroit, MI: The Fillmore, Dec 12
Chicago, IL: Riviera, Dec 13
Maplewood, MN: Myth Live, Dec 14
Madison, WI: Sylvee, Dec 15