The Smile to play Croatia’s stunning Pula Arena
- by croatiaweek
- in Entertainment
The Smile, the supergroup composed of Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead, one of the most influential bands today, and Tom Skinner from Sons of Kemet, is returning to Croatia.
On June 15th, they will perform on the stage of the Pula Arena, promoters Charm Music announced today. The concert in Pula is part of their European tour, where The Smile will visit over 15 countries from March to August. The British musician James Holden will also join them as a guest at all the concerts.
Recall that two years ago, The Smile chose Zagreb as the starting point for their debut tour, accompanying the release of their debut album, “A Light For Attracting Attention,” one of the most anticipated releases of 2022. The album and live performances were enthusiastically received by music media such as The Guardian, Pitchfork, The Observer, The Needle Drop, Rolling Stone, New York Magazine, Uncut, MOJO, as well as both existing and new fans.
Critics dubbed the band “Radiohead in a power trio format,” which is not surprising considering that the creative axis of Radiohead, Yorke, and Greenwood, forms the majority of The Smile. However, with the incredible drum virtuoso Tom Skinner, The Smile has managed to create a completely new and distinctive musical expression, attracting a new audience and unlocking the potential of another great band.
Meanwhile, the band has released two live albums, and they recently announced a new studio album titled “Wall of Eyes” featuring eight new songs, which will be released on January 26th by the record label XL Recordings. The second studio album of this “super-group” was recorded at the Oxford and Abbey Road studios, produced and mixed by Sam Petts-Davies, and includes string arrangements by the London Contemporary Orchestra.
As a preview of the album, the single for the title track “Wall of Eyes” was released at the end of last year, and on January 9th, a new single, “Friend Of A Friend,” was released. With the first single, the band initiated a collaboration with renowned director Paul Thomas Anderson, who directed music videos for both songs. This collaboration will deepen with a series of one-time events under the name “Wall Of Eyes, On Film,” taking place in independent cinemas from Sydney to Buenos Aires between January 18th and 25th.
Pula Arena
These evenings will feature the complete playback of the album “Wall Of Eyes” for the first and only time with surround sound and never-before-seen footage from the album recording sessions. The video for the song “Friend Of A Friend,” directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and shot on 35mm film, will have its premiere. The program will also reflect on Paul Thomas Anderson’s previous directorial collaborations with Thom Yorke and Radiohead, including ANIMA (short film) and Radiohead’s Daydreaming (35 mm), Present Tense, and The Numbers.
On June 15th, at the Pula Arena, The Smile will be joined by another musician who, like them, constantly evolves and explores new musical territories. British musician James Holden has been on the scene for 20 years, accumulating titles such as producer, remixer, DJ, label head, synth maestro, band leader, and mixing engineer, experimenting with various genres such as trance, progressive house, minimal techno, IDM, synth, and jazz. At the age of 19, Holden achieved great success with his trance single “Horizons,” launching his career as a world-class DJ and producer who has remixed for major stars from Madonna and Britney to Radiohead, New Order, and Depeche Mode.
However, in the last decade, James Holden has set aside his DJ headphones and performs his music live, an experience that we will have the opportunity to witness in the unique setting of the Pula Arena.
View this post on Instagram
Ticket presale for The Smile’s fans via their official website starts on Wednesday, January 10th, at 10 am, and general sales begin on Friday, January 12th, at 10 am through Eventim. Ticket prices range from 75 euros for the standing area, 85 euros for the seating area, and 140 euros for the platform.
