North Carolina duo Watchhouse (Andrew Marlin & Emily Frantz) have shared new single “Firelight,” the final advance offering from their forthcoming album Rituals (out May 30). A delicate and intimate reflection on the inevitable cycle of both change and consistency, “Firelight” finds Frantz stepping into the spotlight for vocals on this track, framed by bouzouki, harmonium and mandolin (Marlin) and graceful accents of pedal steel (Matt Smith).
Earlier this week, Zach Bryan called Watchhouse’s recent album single “All Around You” “one of the best written songs in the past five years.” Watchhouse will perform the song on The Kelly Clarkson Show on Monday, April 28th; find your local tune-in time here.
Listen to “Firelight” here: https://orcd.co/w-firelight
Pre-order Rituals here: https://orcd.co/w-rituals
Watch a live performance of the album’s title track here: https://youtu.be/L276yEnQ0LU?si=7m1zaBsW4H50s7gk
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?
The 11-song collection 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.
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 is hitting the road in 2025 for an extensive US tour, including shows with The Avett Brothers and festival appearances at MerleFest, Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, and more. Their headline dates start on June 14th in St. Paul, MN, and will continue through fall with stops in Chicago, Seattle, NYC, and more.
Rituals Tracklist
Shape
All Around You
Beyond Meaning
Rituals
Firelight
False Harbors
In The Sun
Glistening
Endless Highway (Pt. 1)
Sway / Endless Highway (Pt. 2)
Patterns
Watchhouse 2025 Tour Dates
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 13 - Salt Lake City, UT - Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
July 14 - Jackson, WY - Center for the Arts
July 16 - Seattle, WA - Pier 62
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
