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The Thing Unleashes New Double Single “Can You Help Me?” and “Family Business” + Announces 2025 Tour Dates

  • April 14, 2025
  • 3 min read
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The Thing Unleashes New Double Single “Can You Help Me?” and “Family Business” + Announces 2025 Tour Dates
The Thing, NYC rock bands, Can You Help Me single, Family Business single, analog recording, DIY rock, new rock music 2025, live to tape, Wine Lips tour, The Thing Europe tour, Fresh Finds Rock, Freak Valley Festival 2025, Best Kept Secret Festival 2025, underground rock revival, post-punk revival, garage rock 2025, modern rock bands

NYC’s most unrelenting rock force, The Thing, is back with another punchy preview of their upcoming self-titled album. Out today: two ferociously original A/B-sides, “Can You Help Me?” and “Family Business,” both arriving with official videos later this evening. As with the rest of the record, these tracks were captured live to tape—no computers, just pure analog grit—and mark the band at their most dialed-in and dangerous. The full LP lands this summer.

“Can You Help Me?” is a showstopper in their live sets, and for good reason—it’s the first time all three vocalists take a verse, cycling through their roles on stage with the ease of veterans and the swagger of stars. Bassist/frontman Zane Acord says the song taps into a raw frustration: “It’s about the discontent of letting others take control—your art, your life, your voice.”

Meanwhile, “Family Business” goes cinematic. Clocking in under three minutes, it’s packed with vivid vignettes and quirky detail, drawing inspiration from films like The Royal Tenenbaums. Guitarist Michael Carter describes the track as “angular and dry, a sound we haven’t touched before.”

The new songs follow the release of “Above Snakes” and “Dave’s TV,” which quickly made noise—earning them the cover of Spotify’s Fresh Finds Rock playlist and praise from tastemakers across the alt-rock world.

After a thunderous run at SXSW, The Thing will support Wine Lips for two NYC shows before heading to Europe. Their international tour includes appearances at Relache Festival, Best Kept Secret, and the sold-out Freak Valley Festival. Tickets are on sale now—catch them while you can.

THE THING 2025 TOUR DATES

NORTH AMERICA

May 1 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge (w/ Wine Lips)

May 2 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge (w/ Wine Lips)

EUROPE

May 29 – Belgrade, Serbia @ KC GRAD

May 30 – Novi Sad, Serbia @ Foxtrot // Munster Party

May 31 – Budapest, Hungary @ Szimpla Kert

June 1 – Zagreb, Croatia @ Močvara

June 4 – Perpignan, France @ Le Nautilus

June 5 – Zaragoza, Spain @ La Lata De Bombillas

June 6 – Bordeaux, France @ Relache Festival

June 7 – Sopelana, Spain @ La Atalaia de Gardoki

June 9 – Seignosse, France @ Black Flag

June 10 – Nantes, France @ Venue TBA

June 12 – London, UK @ The Shacklewell Arms

June 13 – Nottingham, UK @ JT Soar

June 14 – Amiens, France @ Péniche Célestine

June 15 – Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands @ Best Kept Secret Festival

June 16 – Kusel, Germany @ Kinett

June 17 – Brussels, Belgium @ La Source

June 18 – Berlin, Germany @ Neue Zukunft

June 19 – Siegen, Germany @ Freak Valley Festival

June 20 – Frankfurt, Germany @ Dreikönigskeller

June 21 – Memmingen, Germany @ Mood Club

The Thing doesn’t just play rock—they live it. Sleepless, wired, and relentlessly creative, they channel the energy of NYC’s underground and the ghosts of DIY legends past. Their new singles only add fuel to the fire. Stay tuned—the album drops this summer.

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Chris Ryan

Chris Ryan is an accomplished promoter, event planner, producer, activist, counselor, poet and blogger. Within the course of two and a half years Chris Ryan has worked with some of NYC's most established promoters/event planners, been named 2007′s GaySocialite of the year, granted a promoter of the year award from NYC's most famous gay establishment, Splash. He's worked in some of NYC's top venues including; Avalon, Capitale, Cipriani, Cielo, Pacha, Element, Le Poisson Rouge, XL, G Lounge, Plumm, Hilton Hotel, Indigo Hotel, Spirit, Myst/Quo, Splash, The Ritz, Vlada, Roseland Ballroom, Heaven, etc.In 2008, Chris Ryan has begun to unveil some of the most innovative & unique parties New York City has ever seen. The Fusion events "fuse" together all disciplines of art into an event that remains diverse yet cohesive at the same time. ChrisRyanNYC.com won best gay promotions website from NYC Event Patrons in 2008 & he was granted an award from the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, Gov. Patterson & Michelle Clunie (QAF) saluting him for his hard work in nightlife. Chris Ryan has also begun working with many renown companies, including; doctors, lawyers, physicians, modeling agencies & more. Chris Ryan has been responsible for wide-scale promotions for all these companies & generating tremendous business. Chris Ryan has even started to become National with events taking place in LA & Miami this year.In May of 2009 Chris Ryan received the very prestigious honor of being named a "40 Under 40″ Gays in America by the Advocate Magazine. He also created three successful parties that generated over 1,500 patrons each. In January of 2010 Chris Ryan was featured as one of the top promoters to look out for in Noize Magazine Chris Ryan joined forces with legendary promoter/event producer, Lee Chappell and created one of the most talked about events of all 2010, Desire @ Capitale. Chris Ryan and Lee featured one of the most outstanding artists NYC has ever seen, "Oh Land." Her performance coupled with an exquisite and unforgettable set design added to this extravagant event that held over 1,000 patrons in one of NYC's most successful PRIDE events! Chris Ryan then joined forces with legendary Pacha promoter, Rob Fernandez in addition to Jake Resnicow and Tommy Marinelli to bring one of the largest and most successful parties worldwide to NYC, MATINEE. The event on Governor's Island saw over 2,000+ attendees and one of the most ambitious productions ever.In 2011 Chris Ryan started Emerge Music Promotions with business partner Darren Melchiorre. Emerge Music promotions began signing artists with plans to develop and market the artists to the community at large. Emerge Music promotions has big events planned for 2012 and 2013. Chris Ryan debuted the IMAGE events which took place on top of two of NYC's most beautiful rooftop venues, Rare View and Indigo Hotel. The events were blogged everywhere and featured the fashion designs of several clothing designers, artists and photographers. Chris Ryan felt that fashion and art should be displayed at every event and attracted the likes of Malan Breton, Calvin Klein and even Katy Perry. Chris Ryan began an extremely successful event which incorporated the concept of a house party into a nightclub atmosphere. The event Twist'D at G Lounge has been one of the most talked about events in NYC and allows it's audience to play nearly-naked Twister, beer pong, flip cup & more with other attendees. Chris Ryan was granted an excellence in volunteering award from AVP (Anti-Violence Project) for all his efforts in supporting the organization.2013 has a very promising landscape on the horizon and Chris Ryan is complacent in saying "you haven't seen anything yet!"

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