North Carolina duo Watchhouse (Andrew Marlin & Emily Frantz) have unveiled the title track from their forthcoming album Rituals (out May 30). The single explores the concept of change and the struggle of letting go of habits that no longer serve us. It features dreamy vocal harmonies by Marlin and Frantz with Marlin playing multiple instruments including mandolin, piano, tenor and 12-string guitar. Frantz and longtime collaborator Josh Oliver both feature on acoustic guitar alongside drums by Jamie Dick, bass by Ryan Gustafson, and mellotron and cello by Nat Smith.
“When my circumstances change, who I think I am changes, and then my established rituals and patterns no longer serve me. This song is a leap of faith, a message to anyone feeling like they are struggling to leave a former self behind. We cement ourselves through constant sharing and projection, and it feels like it's in direct conflict with staying present and evolving. ‘Rituals’ is a song of empathy, both for myself and for others—an acknowledgment of the celebrated nobody in us all,” says Andrew Marlin.
Listen to “Rituals” HERE.
Rituals - due out May 30, 2025 on Tiptoe Tiger Music / Thirty Tigers - is the pair’s first release of all new, original songs since their 2021 self-titled album, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass chart and earned praise from Rolling Stone (“pristine acoustic picking collides with hazy, dream-like psychedelia”) Mojo, NPR Music, American Songwriter and more.
Co-produced with Ryan Gustafson (The Dead Tongues), Rituals explores the boundaries between identity and awareness, and how we often confuse familiar patterns with truths. The 11-song collection muses on the endless nature of evolution, asking questions like: how can we have a positive relationship with change? How can we meet our ends gracefully? Is the world on fire or at home in the sun?
Starting over a decade ago playing coffee shops and local restaurants around North Carolina, Watchhouse have grown into a bonafide folk music sensation and one of 21st century indie music’s biggest grassroots success stories. With sold-out shows at legendary venues like Red Rocks and the Ryman Auditorium, and hundreds of millions of streams, they’ve earned a reputation for creating music that “redefines roots music for a younger generation” (Washington Post). The duo - now a family of their own - are two singers and musicians with profound chemistry, performing earnest yet masterfully crafted songs that encompass the unknowable mysteries, existential heartbreak, and communal joys of modern life. The forthcoming album is no exception.
Watchhouse will tour across the US in 2025, including dates supporting the Avett Brothers and festival slots at MerleFest, Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots and Iron Blossom Music Festival. Their headline US tour in support of the new album kicks off June 14th at the Palace Theater in Saint Paul, MN before stops in Chicago, Seattle, NYC, Boston, Nashville, Atlanta and more. For tickets and all upcoming shows, please visit https://watchhouseband.com/.
Watchhouse 2025 Tour Dates
April 11 - Storrs, CT - Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts
April 20 - Boulder, CO - Bluebird Music Festival
April 25 - Dale, TX - Old Settler's Music Festival
April 27 - Wilkesboro, NC - MerleFest
May 31 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap *
June 14 - St. Paul, MN - Palace Theatre
June 15 - Maquoketa, IA - Codfish Hollow Barnstormers
June 17 - Kalamazoo, MI - Bell's Eclectic Cafe
June 18 - Madison, WI - The Sylvee
June 19 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
June 20 - Indianapolis, IN - Rock the Ruins
June 22 - Louisville, KY - Old Forester's Paristown Hall
July 11 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheater *
July 12 - Cheyenne, WY - The Lincoln
July 14 - Jackson, WY - Center for the Arts
July 16 - Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre
July 17 - Jacksonville, OR - Britt Festival Pavilion
July 18 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
July 19 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
August 9 - Lyons, CO - Rocky Mountain Folks Festival
August 10 - Colorado Springs, CO - Pikes Peak Center
August 12 - Toronto, ON - The Concert Hall
August 13 - Buffalo, NY - Asbury Hall
August 14 - Homer, NY - Center for the Arts of Homer
August 15 - Portland, ME - State Theatre
August 16 - Manchester, VT - Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots
August 18 - Charlton, MA - The Pavilion at Tree House Brewing
August 30 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
September 21 - Richmond, VA - Iron Blossom Music Festival
October 15 - Glenside, PA - Keswick Theatre
October 16 - Boston, MA - Royale
October 17 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
November 7 - Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle
November 8 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
November 21 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
November 22 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
November 23 - Knoxville, TN - Tennessee Theatre
* supporting The Avett Brothers
