The Hold Steady new single

Band of the Summer festivals, THE HOLD STEADY release their new single on 22nd October. It's called 'Massive Nights' and features girls, guys, drinking, dancing, friends, fights and rockin' music. THE HOLD STEADY know all about Massive Nights, having had a few themselves, and provided many for anyone who's come to their phenomenal shows.

Also in October, THE HOLD STEADY headline the NME's first Rock'n'Roll Riot tour in the USA. Support acts for the tour are 1990's and Art Brut. Eddie Argos has made no secret of his love for THE HOLD STEADY, and 1990's hung out with Craig Finn in New York recently. It's going to be some tour – expect loads of tales. Between now and then THE HOLD STEADY will be finishing writing their fourth album, due out in 2008.

THE HOLD STEADY stole the summer with their festival slots, being called 'Band of the Festival' at Glastonbury and Reading/ Leeds various publications including NME and The Guardian. When the ferry carrying THE HOLD STEADY and several other bands from Ireland to Scotland was severely delayed, it should have meant they missed most of their allocated set time, but they saved the day by playing an impromptu acoustic set with keyboardist Franz Nicolai on accordion. It went down really well with the crowd, who could tell the band were desperate to play. Franz is now rivalling Eugene Hutz of Gogol Bordello as the coolest moustachioed accordionist around.

THE HOLD STEADY plan to return to tour the UK in December to cap a triumphant year for the band that has seen them go from relative unknowns to everyman heroes acclaimed for their startling albums and their staggering live shows.document.write(unescape("