Boy & Bear

Age: 19+

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Cost: $42.00
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After the most tumultuous period of their lives both personally and professionally, Boy & Bear are back with a triumphant new single, “Hold Your Nerve,” their first new music since 2015’s Limit of Love, which debuted at #1 in their native Australia.

Along with the release of “Hold Your Nerve,” the five-time’s ARIA winners have announced their global tour, which brings them across North America from September 12th in Chicago, IL through October 12th in San Diego, CA. All dates are listed below; tickets are on-sale today from

“Hold Your Nerve” is an upbeat, optimistic song in which the group channels their trademark penchant for organic, 70s-inspired sounds into one of their most direct, modern and addictive songs to date.

Produced by Boy & Bear and Collin Dupuis (The Black Keys; Lana Del Rey) and mixed by Tom Elmhirst (Amy Winehouse, Beck, Adele), the single is the first taste of their fourth studio album due out later this year. On the surface “Hold Your Nerve” charts the story of front-man Dave Hosking and his current partner’s failed first attempt at their relationship, but dig deeper and it reveals the backdrop of a debilitating illness Dave’s been dealing with since 2011.

Showing early symptoms of exhaustion, Dave was initially misdiagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, followed by depression and anxiety. The symptoms soon intensified to include cognitive issues, which robbed Hosking of the ability to piece together lyrics and write songs. Hosking’s struggled while writing and recording Limit of Love, and as his health continued to decline, he noticed a deterioration in his eyesight and a constant ringing in his ears.

After working with a myriad of specialists, hope came in late-2015 when doctors detected a gut bacterial issue that has been poisoning his nervous system. Medication and a radical alteration of his diet offered minor improvements, to the point where he could commit to touring Limit of Love. By the end of the cycle, however, Dave had deteriorated further.

For an act at the peak of their career, with a #1 album in Australia and selling out major venues such as Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion and Brisbane’s Riverstage, the band made the decision to take 2017-18 off the road to give Dave time to focus on his health. It was a decision fraught with uncertainty and anxiety, but there was no question that Dave’s wellbeing was the priority. Whereby Limit of Love was written collaboratively, the band spent months of 2017-18 trying out new writing ideas as Hosking rode an emotional and physical rollercoaster.

Dave made significant progress during this period when he was introduced to a new treatment called Faecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT). Also known as a stool transplant, FMT is the process of transplanting faecal bacteria from a healthy person into a recipient. His donor, Harry, was brought to Nashville for the writing and recording of the new album.
Prior to the FMT treatment, Dave had been unable to conjure lyrics or remember melodies long enough to put them to use. For the first time since recording Limit of Love, he experienced enough relief to allow him to contribute to the songwriting sessions for the new album.

While Dave’s health remains a work in progress, both he and the band can finally look to the future with optimism. “Hold Your Nerve” is their first step back into the light.

Accompanying the release of “Hold your Nerve” is a digital B-side called “Work Of Art” (also mixed by Elmhirst), which offers a window into another, more introspective side to the forthcoming album.
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