Cardinal Black, the Welsh-formed trio of frontman Tom Hollister, guitarist Chris Buck, and drummer Adam Roberts – have released their sensational new studio album Midnight At The Valencia - out now on Thirty Tigers.
The resplendent Midnight At The Valencia, whose tracks are now fast approaching a million streams, is a testament to the band’s self-carved path, from their humble beginnings in university dive bars to sharing stages with legends like Peter Frampton, at his sold-out Royal Albert Hall show, as well as Joe Bonamassa & Myles Kennedy.
Critically well-received, Midnight At The Valencia has seen fantastic media support over the coming months, with Classic Rock Magazine declaring that the band “really should go global, no problem," the Daily Mirror predicting that “greatness awaits," as well as Planet Rock Radio playlist support.
Singles such as "Need More Time" arrived to rousing receptions, as well as "Keep On Running," - a swampy, menacing blues sound, full of haunting whistles and scuzzy riffs that crackle like lightning. The accompanying video starred BAFTA-winning actor Molly Windsor, a fan of the band who is known to millions as the star of the BBC’s critically acclaimed drama series Three Girls, fleeing her trauma in a sequence of flashbacks - watch here. The band have also now unveiled the video for latest track "Breathe" - watch here.
Produced by Cyrill Camenzind (James Morrison, Alain Clark) at Powerplay Studios in Zurich, the album is a rich tapestry of love, loss, grief, and hope, brought to life by vintage analogue equipment and the band’s undeniable chemistry.
With Midnight At The Valencia, the band set out to create a record that represented their “10,000 hours” of work, having played in just about every backwater dive bar and neon-soaked club they’d come across. “It’s a long, shared history we have,” Hollister says. “We feel like we’ve paid our dues, and this album is the culmination of all that effort.”
The road to success has been anything but conventional. First their story began when they were tipped by Steve Winwood, who invited them to record at his own Wincraft Studios, then Guns N’ Roses manager Alan Niven took interest and a record deal was offered, but instead the band paused and their paths diverged but never truly separated.
Buck’s distinctive guitar playing earned him numerous accolades and praise from some of the most distinguished players in Slash & Jason Isbell and the band remained close, reuniting sporadically to play together until they decided to reform.
The next phase was nearly two years of writing, recording and rehearsing and in 2022, within 24 hours, their debut single, "Tell Me How It Feels," caused an instant sensation, knocking Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds from their perch at the top of the iTunes and Amazon Rock Charts. Both their first EP and subsequent debut album also reached #1.
Having cemented themselves as a formidable live force, Cardinal Black have toured extensively across Europe and the UK, including a standout 2024 performance at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire. Their growing reputation also took root in the U.S. with sold-out shows at iconic venues like The Troubadour in Los Angeles and Basement East in Nashville—milestones that helped solidify a new partnership with Thirty Tigers for this fiercely independent band.
Now, with their electrifying live presence gaining global attention, the band is preparing for their first-ever U.S. headline tour this August—and momentum is already building fast. Shows in New York, Toronto, Chicago, Minneapolis, Austin, and Atlanta have sold out well in advance, with their initial NYC date at Mercury Lounge moving to the larger Gramercy Theatre after tickets were snapped up in less than 24 hours. Additional dates in Nashville, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and more are moving quickly as Cardinal Black gear up for their long-awaited inaugural North American tour. Tickets on sale HERE.
Midnight At The Valencia is a heartfelt and ambitious account of their journey so far, one that invites listeners to pull up a pew, laugh, cry… and raise a glass to the past. Cheers to their future.
US HEADLINE TOUR DATES
August 6th - NEW YORK, The Gramercy Theatre (UPGRADED)
August 8th - TORONTO, CA - The Drake Hotel Underground (SOLD OUT)
August 9th - ONTARIO, CA, Kitchener Blues Festival
August 12th - CHICAGO, Schuba’s (SOLD OUT)
August 14th - MINNEAPOLIS, 7th Street Entry (SOLD OUT)
August 16th - OMAHA, Playing with Fire
August 18th - NASHVILLE, Basement East
August 19th - ATLANTA, Vinyl at Center Stage (SOLD OUT)
August 21st - AUSTIN, Antone’s (SOLD OUT)
August 23rd - PHOENIX, Rebel Lounge
August 26th - LOS ANGELES, Troubadour
August 29th - SAN FRANCISCO, The Independent
August 30th - CAMINO, Concert Series @ Delfino Farms
