The Mars Volta Drop Their First New Song In a Decade, Announce 2022 Tour Dates
I never really got The Mars Volta, but man, the people who got them got them like cultists get a fast-talking dude in a velour tracksuit. That band has one of the most diehard and rabid fanbases in rock history, with listeners who would basically drop everything to revere their mixture of acrobatic musicianship and powerfully-funky hard rock. So we’re sure those fans are having a fit right now upon learning that The Mars Volta have dropped their first new single in 10 years.
The band’s new song, “Blacklight Shine,” is definitely on the funkier side of things, even for these dudes. Fans of the band’s heavier material might spend the entire track waiting for a big crash to suddenly hit them, but alas no, this one is all about the rhythm, especially in the vocal delivery. Meanwhile, the video, directed by the Mars Volta’s own Omar Rodríguez López, takes place in Puerto Rico, and is filled with traditional music and dancing. So while some listeners may have wanted more of a punch upon the Mars Volta’s return, there’s no denying that they’re still creating very beautiful art here.
That said, the band could’ve released a cover of Barney the Dinosaur’s “I Love You” song and fans would’ve snapped it up. Last year, the Mars Volta dropped an 18-LP box set for $479, which was limited to 5,000 copies — and every last one of them got bought in under 24 hours. Let’s see any classic death metal band do that shit, I tell you what!
Check out “Blacklight Shine” below via its music video. Whether this signals a new album cycle for The Mars Volta, or if this was just a one-off single, remains to be seen. But we’ll say this — if there is a new album and tour in store, these dudes are about to clean the fuck up.
Meanwhile, the band have also announced a 2022 tour, so catch them live at one of the following dates:
The Mars Volta 2022 Tour Dates:
09/23 — Dallas, TX @ The Factory at Deep Ellum
09/25 — Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
09/27 — Philadelphia, PA @ Opera House
09/29 — New York, NY @ Terminal 5
10/01 — Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway
10/03 — Washington, DC @ Anthem
10/05 — Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
10/06 — Detroit, MI @ The Royal Oak
10/08 — Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom
10/11 — Denver, CO @ The Mission Ballroom
10/14 — Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre
10/18 — San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
10/21 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Hollywood Palladium
