ctrl LIVE: Arab Strap [UK]

On Thursday, November 26, Arab Strap arrive at Control for their first-ever show in Romania, bringing with them a new album set for release later this year: Half-Told Tales.

Three decades in, Malcolm Middleton and Aidan Moffat still sound like nobody else. What began in 1995 as lo-fi intimacy, post-rock drift, and brutally personal storytelling has kept mutating ever since, from romance and ruin to something wider, stranger, darker, and unexpectedly funny.

Disco, spoken word, folk, metal, electronica, post-rock, Arab Strap somehow fold it all into a singular identity that never fully settles. The band before and after their hiatus can feel like two different creatures, but the thread is still unmistakably theirs.

“Whether it's a samba drum beat or a dance beat or live drums. Our identity just comes through in the studio.” 

With a huge anniversary milestone imminent, there was a feeling of letting it all hang out. “We've done this for 30 years, so why hide anything? Why be unsure?” continues Moffat. “This way, it gives you a better picture of what we've been working on and shows the full breadth of what we’re doing, and hopefully there's a few surprises.”

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* Children up to 12 years old do not have access to the event.

** Children up to 16 years old need a valid ticket and must be accompanied by a parent with a valid ticket.

*** Minors aged 16 to 18 years old have access with a valid ticket.

**** Serving and alcohol consumption are strictly forbidden for all minors.