We have had a lot of great press, spins, and love from around the world with our latest release, “Throw a Fist”. We just wanted to share a few with you in case you missed it all!
From Boston to Chicago to LA! Over the pond to Mike’s home of Manchester, UK! From East to West and South to Brazil and Mexico!
With streams in 10 countries and a slew of radio hits! Everybody is “Throwing a Fist” with our latest single!
Bandcamp is a great site to support musicians.. especially us!
You can buy our tracks here:
https://northernline617.bandcamp.com/
We all have a massive love for Stereogram, a place we all know and love to hear about the latest and greatest in the music world.
Thank you for the mention, and stay tuned for more buzz!
For no reason whatsoever we’ve been on an Indie British Rawk kick. Mostly of the mid-00’s variety but we still found it plenty serendipitous the minute the newest single from The Northern Line started and it was as if we were transported a few years before all that to the mid-90’s Blur/Oasis insurgence.
Sonically, “Throw A Fist” is like the mindset of Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants-era Oasis where they were all about big, iconic anthems to lead off their albums (“Go Let It Out” here following Be Here Now’s “D’you Know What I Mean?“) while still harnessing the Indie Rawk-ness of it all. Does that make sense? Put “Throw A Fist” on and it will. The opening guitar melody from the “Mass.-chester” quintet is equally original yet timeless, with a flurry of noise surrounding it as Hammond organ sounds swirl and drums and bass crash and collide creating a cluster of cacophonous modern Brit Rawk serenity.
Much like, despite featuring the same vocalist, Looking Glass War and Parlour Bells sound nothing alike the same can be said for The Northern Line and LGW with a night and day feel while sharing guitarist Pete Zeigler (The “-chester” part of the “Mass.-chester” equation) and Mike Ackley on keyboards. Maybe it’s the charismatic swoon of vocalist Bilvox who sets that different mood in The Northern Line or perhaps drummer McG or bassist Joshh Magee? Whatever it is, this hybrid Rawk outfit is doing all the right things to insure fans keep coming back for more.
“Throw A Fist” drops on April 11th with a release show that night featuring The Chelsea Curve and presented by Britpop Social Club (With appearances from special guest DJ’s Michael V and Lady K) at Fireseed Arts in Framingham! For all the deets and tix for that show, head here, head here for all the links you’ll need to get the new single the moment it drops and then stop off here or here for the latest on all things The Northern Line.
New Show - New Single!
Are you mad fer it? Well then c’mon c’mon as Britpop Social Club presents a night of Boston-fueled British indie with The Northern Line and The Chelsea Curve on Friday, April 11 at Fireseed Arts in Framingham. We’re raising a glass to the Mass.-chester lads of The Northern Line as they unveil potent new single ‘Throw a Fist’, and welcoming back the mod-pop stylings of The Chelsea Curve as they return from a West Coast mini-tour and prime appearance at a Vegas scooter rally. Britpop Social Club DJs Michael V (the pill) and Lady K (Darktic Monkeys) spin Cool Britannia classics all night, with Fireseed serving up BYOB and 420-friendly vibes. It’s a much-needed indie dance party for the misshapes and misfits, a supersonic Friday night for the beautiful ones, arriving at a time when simply feeling alright feels illegal.
Let’s all meet up…
The Northern Line lean into a euphoric liberation with ‘Throw A Fist’
Boston indie band and Mass.-chester quintet unveil an exuberant new single about embracing the future on Friday, April 11
BOSTON, Mass. [April 11, 2025] – The golden Summer of 1995 brought about the true cultural high-point for Cool Britannia – Pulp masterfully held court as Glastonbury headliners; Oasis and Blur famously engaged in a singles chart battle; and debut albums from Elastica, Gene, and Supergrass fueled the season with a fresh sense of excitement and unlimited possibilities. Thirty years later, the sound and essence of that scene has faded from mainstream view, but taking us back to that feeling of sonic exuberance and unlimited possibilities is The Northern Line, the Boston indie band that releases expansive new single “Throw A Fist” on Friday, April 11.
With a sound unlike anything else making waves at the moment, The Northern Line filter their style of Britpop, baggy, Madchester, and acid house through an invitation urging everyone to bang a drum, throw a fist, and get on the indie dancefloor. And the invite now takes on a literal meaning.
The crisp and emphatic “Throw A Fist” gets the single release treatment on release night at Fireseed Arts Studios in Framingham, pairing up The Northern Line with Boston mod-pop trio the Chelsea Curve and Britpop Social Club, the mad-fer-it DJ team of Michael V (the pill boston) and Lady K.
After declaring arrival with anthemic debut single “Lightning Strikes” this past fall, the Mass.-chester lads of The Northern Line now settle into a delectable groove with the melodic “Throw A Fist,” with both to be featured on their debut EP set for release later this year. It’s a song fueled by euphoric liberation, indebted to memories and moments – and the ability to move on past life’s stresses. It’s a throwback in style while looking entirely ahead.
“‘Throw a Fist’ is a personal song, but it is also a song that connects with anyone who has done the hard work to move on after a meaningful relationship falls apart,” says vocalist Bilvox. “The liberation, the freedom of the ‘fist’ that’s thrown – mostly metaphorically – is throwing away the pain, the failed dream, and embracing the future.”
That kind of optimism harkens back to the halcyon days of the early- and mid-’90s, when all we needed was a melody and a dream. “Throw A Fist” serves a song that truly defines The Northern Line’s sonic exploration; it was the first track that came together after Bilvox’s prior band fell apart, and where “Lightning Strikes” declared a sort-of arrival, “Throw A Fist” is the sound of a band settling into its own creative skin and forging a true super-sonic identity.
Settling in as a cohesive unit – vocalist and guitarist Bilvox joined by keyboardist Mike Ackley; lead guitarist Pete Zeigler; bassist Joshh Magee; and drummer, backing vocalist, and engineer McG – the new single finds the quintet firing on all creative cylinders.
“Our first single ‘Lightning Strikes’ was a shot across the bows – a warning to sit up and take notice of what’s to come,” declares Ackley. “This one hits you straight on with both barrels and punches you in the face. It’s really the core of our sound – this is what The Northern Line is about.”
Adds Magee: “‘Throw A Fist’ was our first song as a band and it made sense to introduce it to the world early on to establish our sound. It shows our ‘snappy pop song’ side, whereas ‘Lightning Strikes’ zigged and zagged a bit. We like to think we’re adept at both.”
That’s because while The Northern Line’s sound is rooted in the British indie that helped raise us a few decades prior, each member brings their own version of that ebullient era – like the old import section of Tower Records or Virgin Megastore that lumped in disparate bands just because they came from England. “Throw a Fist” embodies that sort of contained eclecticism, channeling the energy of bands like The Stone Roses and The Charlatans, but doing so with The Northern Line’s own interpretations of the music that soundtracked our lives.
“I poured a lot of time, thought, and energy into the demo of this song,” Bilvox admits. “I knew it would help define the next band and project I was going to put together and the song needed to ‘go for it’. The bassline was based on some bassline earworm Mike wrote while messing about before rehearsals when we were in my previous band together. That bassline was a thread I kept pulling on as I recorded the demo; it really informed the rest of the song.”
What emerged was a rich and layered earworm that should catch attention on both sides of the Atlantic, from Ackley’s hometown of Manchester, England to the various American towns and cities that The Northern Line members once called home.
“It is one thing to demo a track,” Bilvox continues, “but as The Northern Line came together, each of the gents took that original vibe to the next level. Joshh’s bass, Mike’s keys, and McG’s drums; they all brought their best ideas. I remember the first time I heard Pete play the riff – I had an out-of-body experience. They are all so talented and accomplished, and the result is beyond my dreams… the result is an absolute banger.”
Bilvox pauses. Then leans into it: “A top-down, hands in the air, summer rocker! …Could it be the Song of Summer 2025?”
If it is, some might say the seeds of that success were planted precisely 30 years ago.
Media Contact: Please direct press inquiries to Michael Marotta at michael@knyvet.com,
and reach Bilvox of The Northern Line at thenorthernline617@gmail.com.
Pete Ziegler
Name: Pete Zeigler
Instrument: Lead Guitar
Favorite Bands: The Stone Roses, The Smiths, Curtis Mayfield, Suede, and Steely Dan.
Favorite Song: This week, it’s T.I.B.W.F. by The Budos Band. Banger! It changes daily/weekly.
Reason For Playing Music: I don’t know how NOT to. I don’t want to comprehend what life would be like if I didn’t.
Reason To Get Out of Bed in the Morning: The poetic tranquility of a spotless mind
It’s Only Rock n Roll!
We’ve been added to a great playlist…
Only Rock Radio!
So check out the play list and stream away my friends!
Thank you! For the love and review of our debut single, “Lightning Strikes’ as we look to launch our first Single of 2025!
Translated from Portuguese and featured in Brazil's Music/Art/Culture blog www.vtcontar.com.br
"Indie No Filter: Life and Rhythm
by Amanda Büttenbender
Today I bring you three tracks that demonstrate the diversity and richness of contemporary indie rock, each with its own unique personality and a singular way of telling stories.
Each of these tracks offers a different perspective on the world and music: from the caustic humour and social critique of Belgian April, to the ambition and freshness of THE LRT, and the celebration of life and infectious energy of The Northern Line. If you’re a fan of innovation and authenticity, these are the songs you can’t miss!
...
3) Lightning Strikes - The Northern Line
Hailing from Boston, "Lightning Strikes" is the debut single from The Northern Line, released on Friday, October 25th.
This track is an injection of energy, bringing to the fore influences of Britpop, baggy, Madchester, and modern alternative rock, all filtered through an American perspective.
The song is a true anthem for those who need to free themselves from daily difficulties, celebrating moments of pure euphoria – that moment when “when the lightning strikes, you feel that joy”.
“Lightning Strikes” immediately won me over wit
h its infectious, danceable vibe. It’s impossible not to get excited about this track, which definitely deserves a special place on my INDIE IS COOL playlist. The energy and celebratory spirit it conveys make it an irresistible invitation to leave your difficulties aside and enjoy the moment."
https://www.vtcontar.com.br/post/indie-sem-filtro-vida-e-ritmo
We are so very humbled, honored, and excited about all the consideration, love, streams, reviews, and positive momentum we have received from our grand introduction to this scene. We released “Lightning Strikes” at the end of October, and after a year of fantastic music released, we still made it onto your playlists and best of 2024 lists.
Thank you to ‘Everything You Know is Wrong Radio’ for featuring us on their “The Best New England Tracks Of 2024” playlist! Being in the top 24 of 24 is exciting!
Also, on MarkSkinRadio, “Christian’s Cosmic Corner Radio Show” featured us on their “Hot List of 2024.”
Listen to the playlist HERE (Spotify).
We are excited for this year ahead - more releases are coming out! More Shows! More Dancing! More Rock!
Let’s Scratch at the night until it bleeds daylight!
Tune in tomorrow night to Radio Wigwam out of the UK! We are featured on the Indie Jukebox show!
The Indie Jukebox Extra will be aired in the UK this coming Tuesday, November 26th, at midnight GMT (i.e. Monday, November 25th, at 7pm EST, 4pm PST).
Bang the drum, spread the word, and join in the fun!
We have received a lot of kind words and reviews of “Lightning Strikes”, and here is a little roundup!
”A proper British-influenced banger infused with funk and indie sensibilities. I think people would have gone crazy for this back in the Madchester days! It’s anthemic, utterly exhilarating and electric! With the comeback from Oasis, I think this one will do well!”
https://www.rockstate.co.uk/
"Lightning Strikes" is a true work of art that captivates us with its magnetic rhythm and almost hypnotic atmosphere. From the first chord, the song captivates us with a unique energy, like a lightning bolt that passes through the listener, providing a feeling of electricity in the air… This is the kind of song that, even at the end, seems to reverberate, leaving a lasting mark.
The vocals are another highlight that bring intensity and emotion to the listener, creating an immediate and personal connection.”
https://www.penhascorock.com/
”Good track with a vintage atmosphere, great vocal harmonies, and a sharp Hammond organ.”
NoEsFm Radio
"The Northern Line! Basically, the American branch of Manchester : the typical 90s sound of bands like The Stone Roses transplanted to Massachusetts, with the same desire to have fun, get high, and dance.
Graduated with full marks"
- Dischi del Minollo, Minollo Records
”Love the old-school rocky vibes of this track, really warm and catchy with solid energy.”
https://www.existentialmagazine.net/
We are excited to receive consideration and love from BGN (Boston Groupie News). The attention and love they showed our inaugural single, “Lightning Strikes,” are wonderful.
BGN, “It's very satisfying and fantastic for a first effort. We know they have more of this coming, and we are all ears.”
It's exciting to hear that Audifono Radio in Mexico City and NotYourFan Radio in France have picked up our first single.
We have also received word that we are being added to some exciting playlists, such as MoodPlaylisting's “Into Indie.”
Stay tuned for more! And if you like what you hear, let us know!
We are so overjoyed by the warm welcome our inaugural single, “Lightning Strikes,” received. Here is a quick video of thanks we recorded that sums it up!
@northernline617 Thank you!! To everyone who has streamed, downloaded, spun the track, supported us, and continue to help us build excitement for our debut song, “Lightning Strikes.” We love you and we’ve only just begun! #baggy #thenorthernline #debutsingle #lightningstrikes #alternative #madchester #bostonmusicscene #bostonmusic #numanchester #mod ♬ Lightning Strikes - The Northern Line
We are sending huge love to all the radio shows that have picked up and are now spinning our new single, “Lightning Strikes.”
From 91.5 WMFO, Boston Emissions, WKKL, WBAM, WCZR, Mark Skin Radio, Bumble Bee, and more!
We feel the love, and it sounds so good over the airwaves!!!
If you haven’t heard it on your favorite playlist or station - give ‘em a shout and ask to hear “Lightning Strikes by The Northern Line”
“The first beat drops with “Lightning Strikes,” an inaugural effort that ties together disparate scenes and statements from several decades gone by into one intoxicating cocktail of cool. The only thing that’s missing out of the gate is that ill-advised record deal brokered in a men’s room stall. “
Check out the full article from UK’s “Click Roll Boom” HERE
“The Northern Line – “Sonically, for this project, we’re looking to bridge the gap between modern vintage and vintage mod.” – Interview “
Moosic Entertainment and the band dive a little deeper into all things The Northern Line. Learn about the Boston band's moniker, sonic inspiration, and current playlist. Our debut single, "Lightning Strikes," is out now.
It’s new music Friday! and as you know we have our inaugural track released today!
Thanks to The Indy Review for the shout out and add to the New Music Friday Playlist.
Check it out!
The Indy Review:
Thanks to the folks at “If it’s Too Loud” for the review and the love!
”The Northern Line is the type of band that would have taken over my twenties if they had existed way back then.”
Awesome!
Check out their review here:
