As moe. gears up to celebrate its 35th anniversary, the band has announced the release of its 14th studio album, Circle of Giants, on January 31st, 2025. Coinciding with the release, moe. will spread the love to fans throughout the U.S. on an extensive tour, kicking off with two nights at Portland, Oregon’s Aladdin Theater on January 30th and 31st.
Along with the announcement, moe. treated fans to an early holiday treat by dropping the new album’s first single, “Ups and Downs”, a song encapsulating the highs and lows of the band’s epic 35-year journey, accompanied by a live video of the track from the band’s August 2024 performance at Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom in Denver, CO.
“Ups and Downs came about from an experiment I conducted during the pandemic in 2020,” said bassist Rob Derhak. “There was a lot of uncertainty about our future, and the touring music business was especially uncertain. Stuck at home, and left to my own devices, I began working on my home digital recording setup.”
He continued, “I came up with the idea of trying to write songs for people, and ‘Ups and Downs’ was one of those songs. It began with a conversation and a story. A man wanted me to write a song for him that could help express his feelings for his wife and their relationship. He wrote an email about how they met, but what struck me most was when he said, ‘Like anyone else, we’ve had our ups and downs.’ Once I read that, my mind opened up, and I was able to draw from my own experiences in personal relationships, and thus, the song ‘Ups and Downs’ was born.”
Check out “Ups and Downs” below or stream the track on your preferred streaming platform.
Circle of Giants will be available digitally as well as on CD and as a double-LP set on Orange/Red and Hot Pink/Sky Blue Galaxy vinyl. The album serves as a poingnat retrospective—reflecting back on the band’s struggles including co-founder Chuck Garvey’s remarkable recovery from a stroke and Rob Derhak’s recent personal loss—while also propelling the band forward into a year of celebration. Turning life’s hurdles into inspiration, moe.’s latest offering embodies the resilient spirit of the band and its community of fans with tracks like “Yellow Tigers”, “Band in the Sky”, and “Living Again”. It is also the studio debut of the band’s most recent addition, keyboardist Nate Wilson, who officially joined the band in 2023 and composed two songs for the album, “Yellow Tigers” and “Giants”. Pre-order Circle of Giants here.
After celebrating the album’s release in Portland, moe. will visit fan-favorite cities and iconic venues around the country while honoring the band’s commitment to mental health awareness by donating $1 from each ticket sold to Backline, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting music industry professionals and their families with mental health resources.
Tickets will be available via a special artist presale starting Wednesday, November 13th at 10 a.m. local time with password: CHEERS35YRS. A local presale will follow on Thursday, November 14th, and tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, November 15th at 10 a.m. local time. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the band’s website.
The band will offer a “Cheers to 35 Years VIP Experience” in select markets, which comes with one GA ticket, an intimate pre-show performance and Q&A session with the band members, exclusive VIP merchandise, a commemorative VIP laminate, merchandise shopping prior to public entry, and early entry into the venue.
moe. has also launched a pre-order for a reissue of the band’s beloved holiday album, Season’s Greetings, on festive red, white, and green pinwheel/splatter vinyl, with album bundles available with limited-edition holiday merchandise.
moe. – “Ups And Downs”
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