Norwegian proggers Gazpacho are back today with a superb new video for their single ‘Sky King’, taken from their latest and widely celebrated album Magic 8-Ball.
The song was inspired by Richard Russell, a ground service agent with no formal flight training who stole an aircraft and flew alone for over an hour. His conversations with air traffic control were broadcast live, and revealed a man speaking with unusual calm, humor, and clarity as the situation unfolded.
"This song is a tribute to human dignity and the refusal to conform to anyone or anything. It is dedicated to the 'Sky King' Richard Russell who performed the ultimate rejection of that mindset and reminds us that we still have wings. Fly high!"
In March, Gazpacho will be heading out on a European tour with shows penned for Germany, the Netherlands, UK, France and more. Support comes from French band Hamasaari.
GAZPACHO LIVE 2026
26/3 Zentrum Altenberg - Oberhausen - DE
27/3 De Cacaofabriek - Helmond - NL
29/3 Boerderij - Zoetermeer - NL
30/3 Spirit of 66 - Verviers - BE
31/3 Stummsche Reithalle - Neunkirchen - DE
02/4 Das Rind - R?sselsheim - DE
03/4 Petit Bain - Paris - FR
04/4 O2 Academy Islington - London - UK
30/5 John Dee - Oslo – NO (Gazpacho only, no support)
GAZPACHO ANNOUNCE SPRING ‘26 EURO TOUR DATES
NEW LYRIC VIDEO FOR ‘STARLING’ OUT TODAY, TAKEN FROM THE NEW ALBUM MAGIC 8-BALL
WATCH THE NEW VIDEO FOR 'STARLING', edited by Bart Jan van der Vorst
Gazpacho EU Tour 2026
7 February – Midwinter Prog, TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht, NL
26 March – Zentrum Altenberg, Oberhausen, DE
27 March – De Cacaofabriek, Helmond, NL
29 March – Boerderij, Zoetermeer, NL
30 March – Spirit of 66, Verviers, BE
31 March – Stummsche Reithalle, Neunkirchen, DE
2 April – Das Rind, Rüsselsheim, DE
3 April – Petit Bain, Paris, FR
4 April – O2 Academy Islington, London, UK
30 May – John Dee, Oslo, NO
TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 5th DECEMBER, BUY HERE
Following the release of their highly praised new album Magic 8-Ball, Gazpacho are back today with news of their upcoming 2026 European Tour and a new lyric video for the album track ‘Starling’. Speaking on the news, songwriter and keyboardist Thomas Andersen shared the following in his usual enigmatic fashion –
“We are adding an extra touch to the festive season and without fully disclosing all of our plans let us just softly allude to what is coming with the following clues, hints and other clever ways to say that we are going on a tour without saying we are going on a tour even if we are going on a tour which we are.
The bags are packed. Mostly with equipment as is our custom, but also with clothes to protect the gear from damage. These clothes may be worn as well. A double whammy.
Passports are freshened up and looking fantastic!
Set lists have been written, memorised and discarded and that process has been repeated many times and yes, "Starling" might still be on the list.
Our collegues and bosses have been notified and have finished complaining about the loss of "the lights of the workplace".
Tour bus is booked and they have again refused our demands for a fully stocked and staffed mexican food buffet on the bus with an open flame grill. "Safety issuses" they claim. Tequila is, after all, flammable.
That is all we can disclose from HQ so far.
How should you prepare for the secret event coming up?
I suggest buying tickets for all the people you hold dear and treat them to a night of long songs filled with stories of joy and wonder. A Christmas treat for the music lover.
See you around Europe darlings. We shall finally meet again.”
GAZPACHO RETURN WITH THEIR NEW ALBUM MAGIC 8-BALL (31st October)
SECOND SINGLE 'WE ARE STRANGERS' OUT NOW WITH NEW LYRIC VIDEO
WATCH THE NEW LYRIC VIDEO FOR 'WE ARE STRANGERS' BY MATT VICKERSTAFF
Norwegian proggers Gazpacho will release their highly anticipated twelfth studio album Magic 8-Ball on 31st October. Today, the band have shared the second single ‘We Are Strangers’ alongside a transcendent new lyric video. Speaking on the new single, songwriter and keyboardist Thomas Andersen shared –
“We Are Strangers” was born during a jam session where we were playing around with some “interesting” time signatures. The kind that makes you consider if all those late nights might have made a lasting impact on the system.
Since the song is about fate and how it randomly shows up to change everything, that instability felt right. Our fates seem to be flying around until they randomly strike, whether good or bad. Fate wears a thousand faces and blindsides us leaving everything changed in the blink of an eye. A phone call at night, a test result, a lottery ticket. All strangers until they are not anymore.
When it was finished we asked ourselves if this was a Gazpacho song or if it sounded a little like Rush had a fistfight with Godzilla and once we thought about it we decided the answer was "Hell Yeah". To both.
The title, Magic 8- Ball, ties into the idea of randomness and inevitability. Shaking something for answers you already suspect and repeating the cycle over and over. The idea of infinity is central. These stories repeat throughout the album. Different forms, same patterns always finding a way back.
Musically, the album stays true to Gazpacho’s core. Atmospheric, layered, and emotional. But more focused. No unnecessary weight. Just eight stories told with clarity and tension. The album was mixed by Thomas Juth (a-ha/Elton John/Paul McCartney/Cat Stevens) and mastered by Hans Olsson at Svenska Grammofonstudion Mastering.
GAZPACHO RETURN WITH THEIR NEW ALBUM MAGIC 8-BALL (31st October)
FIRST SINGLE ‘8-BALL’ OUT TODAY WITH CULT-INSPIRED VIDEO
WATCH THE CULT-INSPIRED NEW VIDEO FOR '8-BALL' BY MATT VICKERSTAFF
After a five-year break, Magic 8-Ball marks Gazpacho’s return with eight new tracks built around the idea of fate. How it moves without warning, and how the choices we make can slowly strip away who we thought we were. Today, the band have shared the first single ‘8-Ball’ alongside a new video by Matt Vickerstaff inspired by the suffocating and oppressive nature of cults.
Speaking about the new video, the band shared -
“We removed God and left nothing to replace him. We started believing in the void handing everything over to chance.
Magic 8 Ball is about someone who gambles everything, believing that eventually everyone gets their break.
That the universe is fair if you just wait long enough.
But the break never comes.
He loses everything and is left with the realization that it was never fate, only his own choices. His responsibility. His idea.
We didn’t become more rational.
We just found new things to believe in and built a new magical reality to replace the one we tore down.
Stocks. Crypto. Luck.
Magical ideas pretending to be modern.
The video, created by the insanely talented Matt Peaceville, is a found recruitment tape from The Cult of Infinity, who worship chance itself.
To them, the Magic 8 Ball is divine because of its emptiness.
No thoughts. No mercy. Just pure, sacred random.
The 8 isn’t a number. It’s infinity.
We’ve just been looking at it sideways.
The title, Magic 8- Ball, ties into the idea of randomness and inevitability. Shaking something for answers you already suspect and repeating the cycle over and over. The idea of infinity is central. These stories repeat throughout the album. Different forms, same patterns always finding a way back.
Musically, the album stays true to Gazpacho’s core. Atmospheric, layered, and emotional. But more focused. No unnecessary weight. Just eight stories told with clarity and tension. The album was mixed by Thomas Juth (a-ha/Elton John/Paul McCartney/Cat Stevens) and mastered by Hans Olsson at Svenska Grammofonstudion Mastering.
GAZPACHO LIVE
- OCT 20, 2023
Poppodium De Boerderij Zoetermeer, Netherlands - OCT 21, 2023
Prog en Beauce festival / Salle Maurice Leblond
Pierres, France
GAZPACHO’S INTIMATE LOCKDOWN FILM ‘FIREWORKING AT ST.CROIX’ NEWLY REMIXED FOR THE PHYSICAL RELEASE ON KSCOPE
“Plenty to marvel at in the ensemble and individual playing of these musicians” - Louder Sound
Due to reasons which most fans will be well aware of by now, Gazpacho’s “Fireworker” 2020 album tour was cancelled. Stuck with the predicament of having a well honed show rehearsed and the prospect of a long period off the road, the band had a decision to make. The idea of a live stream which would reach fans far and wide quickly presented itself and the band had a perfect setting in their very own rehearsal space in beautiful Fredrikstad.
The resulting film is a very moody trip into the world of 'The Fireworker’, captured on the 25th October 2020. No fixes, no polishes, no light show and no nothing. Not even catering. Just the pure rendition of the music along with a surprise or two for those of you who have been with the band for a while.
In Thomas Andersen’s own words “Gazpacho has always been an ‘anti band’, in the sense that we strive to do things differently. For this reason we wanted an ‘honest’ live stream where we decided not to play the gig on an empty stage with a light show. Instead we decided to perform it exactly how we play when we record or rehearse in the actual room we use.”
The original stream has now been completely re-edited and expanded with 30 minutes of additional material not included in the original broadcast, all remixed in glorious 5.1 surround sound. The Blu=Ray edition also contains 2.5 hours of bonus material including promo videos, interviews and a bonus concert filmed at the last night of the Soyuz Tour in 2019.
The band are now back on the road, but these recordings offer a fine historical nugget from the bands already sterling catalogue.
Fireworking At St Croix is out now on multiple formats all of which are available to order HERE.
- Deluxe 4 disc hardback book edition – with the whole show on double CD, Blu-Ray and DVD as well as 48 page coffee table book including extensive liner notes about the Fireworker concept and the history of Gazpacho, including never before seen photos and alternative album artwork.
- Blu Ray – which features the re-edited and expanded original stream with 30 minutes of additional material not included in the original broadcast, all remixed in glorious 5.1 surround sound. Plus 2.5 hours of bonus material including promo videos, interviews and a bonus concert filmed at the last night of the Soyuz Tour in 2019
The streamed show soundtrack will be available on CD, double LP on black vinyl and as a digital album.
GAZPACHO, THE KINGS OF ATMOSPHERIC AND AFFECTIVE ROCK RETURN WITH NEW ALBUM FIREWORKER
OUT NOW
For nearly twenty years, Gazpacho have reigned as the kings of atmospheric and affective art rock. That’s certainly no small feat, as the subgenre is full of wonderfully moody, ornate, and emotional artists; yet, none of them manage to achieve the same level of exquisite baroque resonance and hypnotically introspective weight as the Norwegian sextet. As a result, they never fail to provide awe-inspiring examinations of the human condition, and their latest observation, Fireworker, is no exception. It is undoubtedly among their greatest achievements, as well as one of the most profound pieces of music you’ll hear in 2020.
Conceptually, the album follows the band’s tradition of blending grand philosophical quandaries, stimulating literary leanings, and haunting personal turmoil. In a way, it acts as the culmination of the themes and techniques that’ve decorated earlier collections, combining the fatalistic isolation of Night and Missa Atropos; the ill-fated narrative drama of Tick Tock and Soyuz; and the hefty theological/scientific contemplations of Demon and Molok. Beyond that, its central premise (that humanity has always been controlled by an infallible and omniscient creature determined to propagate at any cost) means that Fireworker comes across like the overarching umbrella under which all of its predecessors occur.
