Welcome to Dork’s rolling news feed, where we’re tracking every album announce, surprise collab and chaotic announcement worth knowing about. From secret shows and festival lineups to whatever drama <redacted pop star of this parish> is getting themselves into today, we’ll keep you across all the biggest stories in music as they land.
Whether you’re here for stadium-filling arena acts or that new band who’ve only played three gigs in a pub basement, stick with us throughout the day as we bring you the latest updates. No waffle, no jargon – just the good stuff, delivered as it happens.
News live – 16th January 2025
FKA twigs is taking her club-ready revolution worldwide
FKA twigs is set to transform 2025 into her personal playground with a massive world tour supporting her third album ‘EUSEXUA’. The avant-pop mastermind, who’s never met a boundary she couldn’t gleefully demolish, kicks things off in Prague – a city whose underground club scene apparently had such an impact on the record that she’s made it her launchpad.
The album itself drops on 24th January, while the tour begins on 8th March at Prague’s Forum Karlin, before snaking its way through Europe’s finest venues including Berlin’s Uber Eats Music Hall (13th March), Manchester’s Aviva Studios (18th March), and London’s Magazine (21st March). The North American leg kicks off at Chicago’s Salt Shed on 26th March, wrapping up at San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Center on 19th April. Festival appearances include casual little dos like Coachella and Primavera Sound, because why not? Tickets go on sale at 10am local time on 24th January, coinciding with the album release.
Visionary filmmaker and artist David Lynch has died, aged 78
David Lynch, the groundbreaking director who transformed both cinema and television with works like ‘Twin Peaks’, ‘Blue Velvet’ and ‘Mulholland Drive’, has passed away at 78. His family confirmed the news via Facebook, sharing a characteristically Lynch-ian message about keeping “your eye on the donut and not on the hole” – a fitting final reminder of the singular artist’s ability to find beauty in the strange and surreal. Lynch had been battling emphysema in recent years, though remained creatively active until the end.
Beyond his legendary filmmaking career, he leaves behind an incredible artistic legacy that spans music (including collaborations with Nine Inch Nails, Moby, and Interpol), painting, and even comic strips. His unique vision influenced countless musicians and artists, permanently altering the cultural landscape with his fearless exploration of the dreams and nightmares that lurk beneath everyday American life.
Self Esteem is ready for her bow (and we're ready to bow down)
Stop everything you’re doing because Rebecca Lucy Taylor is officially back in teasing mode. Our favourite northern popster has gone full social media reset, wiping her Instagram clean before dropping an absolutely delicious breadcrumb in the form of a black tile bearing the words “And now, I know you’re feeling ready for your bow”.
The cryptic post, which also appeared on X/Twitter and Instagram Stories, comes with a cheeky sign-up link directing eager fans to her mailing list (hint hint, get yourself on there pronto). This tantalising tease follows Taylor’s September revelation that she was “70 percent” through her third album, which she’s described as taking inspiration from finding herself at a career crossroads. After conquering the West End as Sally Bowles and casually picking up a Mercury Prize nomination for ‘Prioritise Pleasure’, we’re positively giddy to see what she does next.
and now, i know you're feeling ready for your bow pic.twitter.com/K4pPZwBmiS
— Self Esteem (@SELFESTEEM___) January 16, 2025
The Wombats are having an existential crisis in space
Liverpool’s finest have dropped another track from their upcoming sixth album ‘Oh! The Ocean’, and this time they’re getting properly introspective. ‘Can’t Say No’ sees frontman Murph wrestling with his self-destructive tendencies while the band sounds like they’re jamming in some sort of intergalactic garage – his words, not ours. It’s a journey through the perils of living for the moment instead of in it, wrapped up in The Wombats’ signature indie-pop sparkle.
The track comes ahead of their massive UK and European tour, which kicks off this March at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena before hitting practically every major venue worth its salt, including London’s O2 Arena (19th March) and Manchester’s AO Arena (22nd March). The full album ‘Oh! The Ocean’ was recorded in LA with production wizard John Congleton (St Vincent, Death Cab For Cutie), and apparently came from a pool of 50(!) potential tracks.
Matilda Mann proves good things come to those who wait with new track 'Just Because'
Rising star Matilda Mann has dropped another absolute gem with ‘Just Because’, the latest taster of her much-anticipated debut album ‘Roxwell’. The track, co-produced with Jonah Summerfield, started life as a half-finished idea before being perfectly completed after a year-long breather – proving sometimes the best things in life just need a bit of time to marinade. ‘Roxwell’ is set to land on 28th February via 7476, and you can catch Matilda showing off her new tunes on tour this spring. After supporting Wallows at Ally Pally and popping up on Bombay Bicycle Club’s ‘Fantasneeze’, she’ll be headlining venues across the UK and Europe throughout April and May, including stops at London’s KOKO (30th April), Manchester’s Band on the Wall (25th April), and Paris’s Le Popup Du Label (2nd May).
Timothée Chalamet discovers the true cost of method acting (it's £60)
Timothée Chalamet rocked up to the UK premiere of ‘A Complete Unknown’ on a borrowed Lime bike, proving that even Hollywood A-listers aren’t immune to London traffic. The star, who’s currently winning rave reviews for his portrayal of the folk legend, made the impromptu decision to ditch his fancy car for the distinctly more humble e-bike when he found himself stuck in a jam en route to the BFI. His explanation? “It’s ecological!”.
The spontaneous transport swap came with a price tag, however, as Chalamet later revealed on French telly that he copped a £60 fine for improper bike parking – though that’s probably small change compared to the film’s budget. You can catch his full Dylan transformation when ‘A Complete Unknown’ hits UK cinemas tomorrow (January 17), where he’ll be doing everything except actually playing the harmonica. The biopic’s already nabbed a stack of stellar reviews, with critics praising Chalamet’s dedication to capturing Dylan’s infamous couldn’t-care-less-but-actually-cares-quite-a-lot attitude.
Get Together Festival is throwing the coolest fifth birthday party in Sheffield
Sheffield’s Get Together Festival is marking its fifth trip around the sun with an absolutely massive line-up that reads like your cool friend’s most-played playlist come to life. The latest additions include the wonderful Katy J Pearson, buzzy trio HotWax, and pop provocateur Babymorocco, joining already-announced headliners English Teacher, BC Camplight, and The Moonlandingz. Oh, and they’ve only gone and nabbed satirical collagist extraordinaire Cold War Steve as their Artist in Residence for 2024.
The whole shebang goes down at Sheffield’s Kelham Island on 17th May, spreading across seven stages with enough bangers and late-night DJ sets to keep you bouncing until the small hours. Between sets, you can stuff your face with independent food curated by Peddler and sample local brews from Kelham Island Brewer. Tickets are on sale now.
Lip Filler kick off 2025 with a new track, 'Leeches'
Lip Filler have kicked off their 2025 campaign with a new single, ‘Leeches’. It follows up last year’s ‘Tricky’, with frontman George Tucker delivering a raw confessional about losing control and watching relationships crumble. You can catch Lip Filler doing their thing live at London’s Shacklewell Arms on 17th January, where they’ll be performing as part of a night curated by The Murder Capital. Both ‘Leeches’ and ‘Tricky’ are set to appear on a mysterious new project later this year – following up their self-titled debut EP and last year’s ‘witchescrew’. Watch this space, Dear Reader.
Jack Whitehall returns to make awkward jokes at pop stars again
Jack Whitehall is stepping back into the BRIT Awards spotlight, returning to host the ceremony for his fifth time. After a brief hiatus that saw Mo Gilligan take the reins, Jack’s coming back to make slightly awkward jokes at global megastars. The 2025 ceremony is set for a properly massive takeover of The O2 in London on March 1st, broadcast live on ITV for those of us watching from our sofas. There’s even a pre-show warm-up coming to ITV2 and ITVX on February 27th, hosted by Harriet Rose and Munya Chawawa. Plus, artist Gabriel Moses (who’s worked with Little Simz and Stormzy) is designing this year’s trophy, adding some proper creative cred to those mantlepiece-worthy gongs.
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