Photo Credit: Paul Citone

This January, in honor of the band’s 35th anniversary, moe. will drop their 14th studio album, Circle of Giants. Due out on Jan. 31, 2025, today’s album announcement arrives alongside impending US tour dates, which will pick up at the tail end of November. In anticipation of the forthcoming record, moe. has released “Ups and Downs,” out now, and paired with a live recording of the number, performed at Denver’s Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom on August 1, 2024. 

Circle of Giants reiterates the dynamic, genre-defying sound that has contributed to the beloved ensemble’s longevity in the jam world. This album is also the first to feature keyboardist Nate Wilson, who joined the band in 2023–a testament to moe.’s renewed spirit. “Ups and Downs,” the record’s lead single, takes on a similar high-energy, high-impact tone from a pandemic-era project of trying to write songs for other people.

“I came up with the idea of trying to write songs for people, and ‘Ups and Downs’ was one of those songs,” explained bassist Rob Derhak.“It began with a conversation and a story. A man wanted me to write a song for him that could help express his feelings for his wife and their relationship. He wrote an email about how they met, but what struck me most was when he said, ‘Like anyone else, we’ve had our ups and downs.’Once I read that, my mind opened up, and I was able to draw from my own experiences in personal relationships, and thus, the song ‘Ups and Downs’ was born,” he concluded.

moe.’s tour kicks off at Portland’s Aladdin Theater on Jan. 30, 2025, with West Coast stops in Washington, Nevada, and California in early February and several mid-month evenings in the Mountain states. At the end of the month, the group will head East for a number of shows, including a March 1 performance at Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia, before bringing the tour to a close with Carolina performances in March. $1 from every ticket sold will go to Backline, which supports mental health resources for touring musicians. 

Circle of Giants is available for pre-order now, and fans can read on for a list of upcoming tour dates. For tickets and more information, go to moe.org. 

Upcoming moe. Tour Dates

Nov. 22-23 – Sunshine Hootenanny – Brookville, Fla.*

Dec. 7-11 – The Mexico Incident – Puerto Morelos, Mexico

Jan. 30 – Friday, January 31 – Aladdin Theater – Portland, Ore.

Feb. 1 – Neptune Theatre – Seattle

Feb. 3 – Crystal Bay Club Casino – Crystal Bay, Nev.

Feb. 5 – Thursday, February 6 – Belly Up – Solana Beach, Calif.

Feb. 7 – The Bellwether – Los Angeles

Feb. 8 – The Fillmore – San Francisco

Feb. 11 – Commonwealth Room – Salt Lake City

Feb. 13 – Strings Music Pavilion – Steamboat Springs, Colo.

Feb. 14 – 10 Mile Music Hall – Frisco, Colo.

Feb. 15 – Sunday, February 16 – Gothic Theatre – Denver, Colo.

Feb. 27 – Wellmont Theater – Montclair, N.J.

Feb. 28 – Saturday, March 1 – Brooklyn Bowl – Philadelphia

March 2 – Mr. Smalls Theatre – Millvale, Pa.

March 5 – Jefferson Theater – Charlottesville, Va.

March 6 – The Ritz – Raleigh, N.C.

March 7 – Neighborhood Theatre – Charlotte, N.C.

March 8 – The Eastern – Atlanta

March 10 – Charleston Music Hall – Charleston

Notes: 

*with Karina Rykman and Dogs in a Pile

~with String Cheese Incident, Daniel Donato, Chromeo and more