Gang of Youths were the latest musical guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and the Sydney rockers dropped a powerful performance of ‘The Angel of 8th Ave.’. 

Although they weren’t able to perform live in front of Colbert’s audience, instead playing from a practice studio somewhere, the band didn’t let that impact them. Against a hazy orange backdrop, Dave Le’aupepe sung earnestly and emotionally as the anthemic single soared to its climax.

‘The Angel of 8th Ave.’ announced Gang of Youths’ return in 2021. It was the lead single from their surprise EP, Total Serene, released back in July.

The song is also part of their highly-anticipated new album, Angel in Realtime, set for release on February 22nd, 2022. Their third studio album was announced last month, with the band revealing the album is “about the life and legacy of Dave [Le’aupepe]’s father, indigenous identity, death, grief and God. And also the Angel, Islington.”

In November, the band unveiled another single from their upcoming new album, ‘the man himself’. “If I ever have kids I’m not really sure how to raise them without my dad helping me out,” Le’aupepe said of the song in a statement upon its release. The music video also had a hazy orange colour scheme, a background that looks a lot like Blade Runner 2049. Directed by Joel Barney, it contained intriguing animated scenes that popped up throughout the clip, created by Mickey Mason.

Gang of Youths are heading out on tour next year in support of Angel in Realtime. They’ll play Australia’s biggest arenas in July and August, kicking off at Perth’s RAC Arena, hitting Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, before concluding at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena. They’ll also return to Auckland and Wellington for their first headline New Zealand shows in five years (full details here).

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Check out ‘The Angel of 8th Ave.’ (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) by Gang of Youths:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfdHHvJ1tlU

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