Culture Wars Deliver Arena-Ready Alt Rock Statement with Debut Album “Don’t Speak”
Photo by Eliot Lee
Texas alt-rock outfit Culture Wars have officially dropped their long-awaited debut album Don’t Speak, out now via AWAL. Arriving after a year of significant milestones, including their first Top 20 Alternative Radio hit with “It Hurts” and over 66 million global streams, the album lands as the band’s profile continues to accelerate internationally. They’ve already sold out their first US and UK headline tour and shared stages with major acts including Maroon 5, Keane, Wallows, and LANY, signalling a clear step up into larger arena territory.
At its core, Don’t Speak is an introspective and often raw exploration of identity, growth, and personal accountability. Frontman Alex Dugan threads the record together with a recurring tension between who he was and who he’s becoming, turning personal reflection into widescreen alt-rock anthems. Sonically, Don’t Speak pushes Culture Wars into a more expansive space. The record is built for large rooms and festival stages, blending alt-rock dynamics with polished, arena-scale production. It’s a confident evolution from their earlier work, reflecting a band now fully stepping into their identity.
Alongside the release, the band also dropped a music video for the title track.
The release also kicks off a major touring cycle for 2026. Culture Wars will launch the first leg of their world headline tour in May, with additional North American dates confirmed for the autumn, including landmark venues such as NYC’s Irving Plaza, Chicago’s Metro, and LA’s Troubadour.
Headline US Tour Dates
5.14 Seattle, WA @ The Croc
5.15 San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop *SOLD OUT*
5.16 Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
5.21 Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
5.22 Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
5.23 Dallas, TX @ Trees
5.30 Mexico City, MX @ Foro Puebla
5.31 Monterrey, MX @ Foro Tims
9.15 Toronto, ON @ Mod Club
9.16 Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry
9.17 Montreal, QC @ Fairmont Theatre
9.19 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
9.21 New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
9.24 Chicago, IL @ Metro
9.26 Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
9.28 Columbus, OH @ A&R Music Bar
9.29 Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
9.30 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
10.3 Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
10.22 Oklahoma City, OK @ Beer City Music Hall
10.23 Houston, TX @ WOMH
10.24 Austin, TX @ Emo’s
UK + EU Dates
6.18 Birmingham, UK @ Dead Wax
6.19 London, UK @ The Garage
6.21 Manchester, UK @ Gorilla
6.22 Glasgow, UK @ King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut
6.23 Bristol, UK @ Thekla
6.25 Dublin, IE @ Whelan’s
6.26 Barcelona, ES @ Razzmatazz
6.27 Madrid, ES @ Sala Villanos
6.29 Paris, FR @ Petit Bain
7.12 Hamburg, DE @ Molotow
7.13 Copenhagen, DK @ Rust
7.14 Stockholm, SE @ Debaser
7.16 Berlin, DE @ Mikropol
7.17 Warsaw, PL @ Hydrozagadka
7.19 Prague, CZ @ Bike Jesus
7.21 Vienna, AT @ Szene
7.22 Munich, DE @ Strom
7.24 Milan, IT @ Q Hub
7.25 Amsterdam, NE @ Paradiso
Purchase Tickets HERE.
