Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their iconic self-titled debut album with a world tour and an exclusive reissue. The first leg of the tour kicks off in North America on March 31, 2025, in Washington, DC, with 20 additional shows, including a special homecoming performance on May 10 at Philadelphia’s Union Transfer. In September, the band heads to Europe for performances in Belgium, Ireland, France, and the UK, featuring a two-night residency at London’s EartH on September 19-20. The tour continues in November with dates in Australia and New Zealand, starting at Sydney’s Metro Theatre on November 5. Tickets go on sale Friday, November 22, with additional dates—including stops in Japan, Central, and South America—to be announced soon. For more details and tickets, visit cyhsy.com/live.
The milestone celebration also includes a limited-edition vinyl reissue of the debut album, slated for release early next year on the band’s own label through Secretly Distribution. This reissue marks 20 years of Alec Ounsworth’s fiercely independent musical legacy. The festivities begin today with the release of the original 2004 version of fan-favorite track “Heavy Metal,” now available on streaming platforms. Recorded live at Machines with Magnets Studios in Pawtucket, RI, the newly remixed and mastered track was rediscovered in the original project files. Ounsworth describes it as “a special moment in time—a young group of guys piling into one hotel room, waking up, and heading to a real studio (!) to create something just for the fun of it.”
“At the time, ‘Heavy Metal’ was intended for a small EP we were planning to shop around to labels,” Ounsworth recalls. “We didn’t think an album was even possible. Later, while mixing the EP, we decided to add more songs, which eventually became the first album.
“I didn’t think the original version of ‘Heavy Metal’ fit with the album after we recorded later tracks like ‘The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth’ and ‘Is This Love?,’ so I reworked it. But hearing the remixed and mastered version now, I realize it could—or maybe should—have been on the album all along.
“I appreciate both versions of ‘Heavy Metal,’ but 20 years later, I find myself drawn to this one. It captures the innocence and excitement of that time, something I strive to keep alive in my music.”
The original version of “Heavy Metal” is streaming now on all platforms.