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Celebrating Creativity: A Riveting Lineup at the Variety Playhouse

As 2025 rolls in, the Variety Playhouse is all set to host a dazzling array of events that promise an eclectic mix of music, storytelling, and creative performances. From the farewell tour of the legendary Gang Of Four to the emotive storytelling of Amigo The Devil, the Variety Playhouse serves as a cultural hub for both nostalgia and innovation. Whether you're reliving the alt-rock anthems of bôa or experiencing the unique soundscapes of the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, there's something for everyone. Let's explore this dynamic lineup that makes the Variety Playhouse the place to be.

Apr 28, 2025
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1. Gang Of Four plays Entertainment!
“2025 will be the 45th anniversary of the release of ‘Entertainment!‘ in the US, and will be our final year as a band. It’s been wonderful, but all things must end. We want to go out with a bang and celebrate with our fans and friends. So, on what will be our last US tour, we’ll play two sets at each show: ‘Entertainment!” from start to finish in the first, and the best of the rest in the second. Come and join in, it’ll be a blast!"
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Apr 29, 2025
Variety Playhouse

Variety Playhouse

2. Amigo The Devil (Solo)
In the vast realm of modern folk and alternative rock, Amigo The Devil is an artist who channels a voice of unsettling beauty and raw truth. Splicing alarming honesty with personal realizations, his narratives carry weight, wisdom and wit. Nestled within the corners of Amigo the Devil’s haunting melodies and daring experimentation lies a tale as profound as the dirges he sings.
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May 2, 2025
Variety Playhouse

Variety Playhouse

3. bôa
In 1998, British alt-rock band bôa dropped their breakout single “Duvet,” a sweeping anthem that went on to soundtrack the Japanese cult-classic anime Serial Experiments Lain. Nearly two decades later, “Duvet” re-emerged anew on TikTok, igniting a feverish renewed interest in the band (today “Duvet” boasts over 450m streams on Spotify alone) and inspiring bôa to return to the studio to record their first new music in over 20 years
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May 3, 2025
Variety Playhouse

Variety Playhouse

4. VARIETOPIA with Paul F. Tompkins
VARIETOPIA is a modern variety show, showcasing the best in contemporary comedy, music, and other forms of live entertainment, hosted by acclaimed comedian Paul F. Tompkins. Debuting at the Largo nightclub in 2002 under the name The Paul F. Tompkins Show, the program ended its long and only slightly intermittent run in 2014. Now it returns to Los Angeles in a new location, the spectacular Lodge Room in Highland Park. Guests re always a surprise and surprises are guaranteed.
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May 10, 2025
Variety Playhouse

Variety Playhouse

5. Psychedelic Porn Crumpets
Take the trail out of Perth via Leederville and keep on driving, and you might just stumble across an old horse shed – one where weirdness roams free. Across the bridge from said shed, house parties rage until the early hours and beyond, while around the corner there’s a sky-high pile of trash that acts as a makeshift home for the local rat population. It’s here, amongst jam sessions that would last six-hours plus, that the wacky, sprawling sound of Psychedelic Porn Crumpets was born. “It had a tin roof, so it was really nice when it rained,” reveals the band’s frontman and ringleader Jack McEwan – an idyllic image that’s quickly scrawled over when he recounts a tale of said roof tearing off in the wind one night. “I used to have to wake up at 3am and spray myself with bug spray,” he adds with a shrug. Composing songs on an old, out-of-tune piano, and hooking up projectors to their amps to beam warped imagery around the clapped-out barn, their wonky approach to music-making took root amongst the hay. “We got too many noise complaints,” he admits, revealing that they’ve since decamped to a seaside home where they can make as much racket as they please. “It got into fine territory, but I don’t think we ever paid one, so it’s fine.”
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May 13, 2025
Variety Playhouse

Variety Playhouse

6. Dorothy
Dorothy Martin’s life changed forever when she was forced to face death on her tour bus some three years ago. After her guitar technician had taken an overdose, and the light began to lift up and out from his body, Dorothy instinctively began praying for his survival. While he may have temporarily died, the technician was astonishingly, miraculously restored back to life as Dorothy and her crew formed a prayer circle near his body. It was this moment that seemed to bring Dorothy to life too. She was gifted a rebirth with a divine intervention that caused a radical and spiritual awakening in the singer, the result of which can be heard on Gifts From The Holy Ghost, Dorothy’s third studio album as front woman for the pseudonymous, blues-rock band Dorothy.
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May 14, 2025
Variety Playhouse

Variety Playhouse

7. Yola: Sovereign Soul Tour
Yola is a six-time GRAMMY-nominated artist, songwriter, and actor who has achieved critical acclaim, breakout success, and has been proclaimed as one of the most exciting and innovative artists in music today. She is championed by tastemakers including Rolling Stone, who said she is "one of contemporary pop's greatest singers" and by fans including Chaka Khan, Elton John, Chris Stapleton and Gary Clark Jr. Her critically acclaimed debut album Walk Through Fire released in 2019 received four GRAMMY award nominations including Best New Artist, and established her as a breakout star in the USA. With appearances on NPR's Tiny Desk, Austin City Limits, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Tonight Show, The Late Late Show With James Corden and break out performances at The Hollywood Bowl, Newport Folk Festival, SXSW and Farm Aid alongside artists including, Mavis Staples, The Highwomen and Dolly Parton. Yola featured in The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's The Unbroken Circle exhibit paired with Dolly Parton and performed on PBS's Great Performances: GRAMMY Salute to Music Legends show, honoring Sister Rosetta Tharp as well as featured on Ringo Star's single "Here's To The Night" alongside Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl and Lenny Kravitz.
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May 16, 2025
Variety Playhouse

Variety Playhouse

8. Deafheaven
For the past ten years, the seminal San Francisco band Deafheaven has been driven by evolution and innovation within themselves and their respective genres. With their forthcoming album Infinite Granite, available August 20th via Sargent House, they’ve taken another giant leap forward. With production from Justin Meldal-Johnsen, known for his stellar work with M83, Wolf Alice, Paramore, Metric, among others, Deafheaven embarks on a new chapter of defiant beauty.
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May 17, 2025
Variety Playhouse

Variety Playhouse

9. Ashe: The Trilogy Tour
Willson, Ashe’s third studio album, is a triumphant follow-up to her debut album Ashlyn and sophomore album Rae. (2 billion career streams, 1 million IG, 1.3 million Tik Tok) The third in the installment, and her surname, Willson is a strong return to Ashe’s songwriting roots and marks her return to Nashville, where she started her career after graduating from Berklee College of Music.
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May 28, 2025
Variety Playhouse

Variety Playhouse

10. Perfume Genius: ‘Glory’ Tour
Hadreas, a Seattle native, began his music career in 2008 and released his debut album, Learning, in 2010 via long-time label home Matador. The album immediately captured critics’ attention, with Pitchfork praising its “eviscerating and naked” songs, marked by “heartbreaking sentiments and bruised characterizations delivered in a voice that ranges from an ethereal croon to a slightly cracked warble.” These descriptors became the hallmarks of Perfume Genius - Hadreas’ unique ability to convey emotional vulnerability not only lyrically, but with his impressively nuanced vocals.
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Jun 5, 2025
Variety Playhouse

Variety Playhouse

Conclusion
The lineup at the Variety Playhouse in 2025 is a testament to the power of music and creativity to connect, inspire, and transform. Each artist brings a unique voice and perspective, contributing to a rich tapestry of sounds and stories. Whether you're drawn to the enduring legacy of Gang Of Four, the soulful narratives of Yola, or the innovative sounds of Deafheaven, the Variety Playhouse offers an experience that transcends the ordinary. It's a celebration of artistic diversity and a reminder of the enduring power of live performance.
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