Keyside sparkle on the 'Michael (What's Your Call?) EP'

A rush of melody and raw truth, Keyside release Michael (What’s Your Call?), cementing their status as sharp-eyed chroniclers of youthful highs and social challenges. Their second EP - OUT NOW - lands as they gear up for a fast-selling 5-date UK tour, concluding at The Lexington, London on Tue 25 March.

Michael (What’s Your Call?) was recorded at Kempston Street Studios with producer Chris Taylor (Courteeners, Blossoms) and captures a band rapidly on the rise.

Lost weekends, heartbreak and a life slipping through the cracks are spun into ringing guitar lines and a soaring chorus on the EP’s focus track, the band’s latest urban anthem of hope and escape Michael (What’s Your Call?) is a stark reminder that, behind the bright lights and big nights, some friends disappear when the music stops.

Reflecting on the single, front man Dan Parker explains: “We’re inside Michael’s head for the verse. But the chorus plays out as a phone call to Michael, from a worried friend. We all know a Michael. Someone whose friends notice they’re not themself. Someone who disappears. Someone who can’t get home. This song is a reminder that reaching out to a friend when they’re struggling can save a life.”

Parker’s songwriting cuts to the core, distilling real-life experiences into vivid character portraits. Past singles like Angeline and Nikita painted unflinching pictures of substance abuse, the fallout of addiction, and tangled family webs. Michael (What’s Your Call?) follows that thread, wrapping hard truths in the band’s signature sound. Urgent, melodic and deeply felt.

The song’s themes inspired an exclusive collaboration with the legendary British music photographer Lawrence Watson. A man whose lens has captured The Smiths, Paul Weller, Oasis, Run DMC, Bowie and more, Watson’s world was shaken by personal tragedy in 2018. The loss of his son Travis to suicide sparked a meaningful dialogue with Keyside, shaping an ongoing creative project with The Photography Movement, which encourages people to express their feelings and emotions about mental health and well-being through photography, raising awareness and funds for suicide prevention charities.

The first image from these sessions, captured on location in Liverpool, is released alongside the Michael (What’s Your Call?) EP with more to be revealed soon.

January saw Keyside step into the limelight at Liverpool’s The Cavern with Mantra of the Cosmos, the indie supergroup featuring British rock royalty Shaun Ryder, Bez, Andy Bell and Zak Starkey. As well as opening the show with Keyside, Dan stood in for Noel Gallagher on guest vocals, after being spotted performing on TikTok. With growing self-belief and a catalogue of earworm tunes, Keyside hit the road this March for a series of headliners, hot on the heels of supporting Blossoms and The Royston Club in late 2024.

All of Keyside’s confirmed upcoming UK live dates are as follows:

• Wed 12 March – Leeds, Oporto - SOLD OUT
• Thu 13 March – Glasgow, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut
• Fri 14 March – Liverpool, Arts Club – SOLD OUT
• Sun 16 March – Manchester, Deaf Institute – SOLD OUT
• Tue 25 March – London, The Lexington

Final tickets available via www.keysidemusic.com.

Formed around Parker’s evocative lyricism, Keyside draw from influences spanning Fontaines D.C., Blossoms and the post-punk greats including The Smiths and The La’s. Completing the lineup are Ben Cassidy (lead guitar), Max Gibson (bass, backing vocals) and Oisin McAvoy (drums). Riding a wave of growing acclaim, including support from BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music, Radio X, The Line Of Best Fit, Clash and more, Keyside continue to craft intimate yet universal songs that resonate with a strong sense of empathy and social justice.