Culture Wars spent a decade building toward a debut, then threw half of it out. After touring Asia with Maroon 5, the Austin five-piece scrapped and rewrote the entire second half of what would become Don’t Speak — because, as guitarist and producer Caleb Contreras explained to OneToWatch, they didn’t want to spend years playing material they knew wasn’t their best. That kind of call either breaks a band or sharpens one. Don’t Speak (AWAL, April 10, 2026) suggests the latter: twelve tracks, 41 minutes, a Top 20 Alternative Radio hit in “It Hurts,” and 66 million global streams before the year was half over. The fall leg of their 2026 world tour brings them home to Emo’s on Saturday, October 24.
About the Show
Culture Wars formed in Austin around 2015, with vocalist Alex Dugan and drummer David Grayson at the core, later joined by guitarists Caleb Contreras and Josh Stirm and bassist Dillon Randolph. Don’t Speak is the full-length debut (follow-up to their 2021 EP teche), built around what’s been described as “the tension between who you were and who you’re becoming,” with Dugan writing openly about identity, emotional fallout, and growth. Melodic Magazine places the sound between “the hard-hitting musicality of The Strokes” and “the anthemic quality only found in acts like U2 and Oasis,” guitar-driven and built for rooms that can hold a chorus. The band spent years in opening slots with LANY, Maroon 5, and Wallows before finishing the record, and those road lessons shaped the rewrite: Stage Right Secrets describes the result as “big guitars, huge choruses, and personal lyrics,” with tracks like “Typical Ways” and “Lies” turning personal turmoil into sing-along anthems. They’ve toured three continents behind it this year (North America in spring, UK and Europe through summer, headlining rooms like Irving Plaza in New York and The Garage in London), and this fall US run is the third leg of the 2026 world tour. “It Hurts,” “Typical Ways,” and “Lies” have been among the most-played tracks in their sets throughout that run. No support act has been announced for the Austin date.
Venue & Logistics
Emo’s sits on E Riverside, a 1,700-capacity Live Nation room. For a band that sold out its first U.S. and U.K. headline tour and has worked stages across three continents this year, this is a considered homecoming. Doors at 6 p.m., show at 7 p.m.
Tickets
No ticket price was available from sources at the time of publication. Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster. Buy tickets