LOS ANGELES, CA- There are songs that slap. There are songs that surge. And then there are songs like “Dance, Kid, Dance” — songs that shove you headfirst into the chaos and dare you to move with it.
Shinedown’s latest single is more than just another chart-topper in their already stacked arsenal. It’s a social reckoning in the shape of a rock banger, and it lands with the kind of impact that reminds you why this band still matters. Co-written by frontman Brent Smith, bassist Eric Bass, and hitmaker Dave Bassett, the track pulses with a kinetic urgency that perfectly matches its lyrical despair.
“My education’s wearing off / My generation’s getting soft / Brain sick and so bored / That’s what you’re built for”
That’s not just a chorus… it’s a battle cry from a world numbed into oblivion.
And yeah, the “pills” referenced in the song? For me, they’re not about medication. They’re distractions — endless scrolls, algorithmic quick fixes, those hollow dopamine hits we cling to instead of confronting a world that feels like it’s spiraling. The music video — a noir rave filmed in Brooklyn — captures this perfectly: desperate souls breaking into vending machines for the pills that’ll make them dance, all while Shinedown rips through a feral, sweat-drenched performance in the shadows.
Directed by Lewis Cater with choreography by Julissa Bond, the visual is just as loaded as the lyrics, delivering high-energy escapism with a sinister edge. Brent Smith said it best in the video’s press release: “The song doesn’t let up, so it was super important that our performance as a band matched the intensity of the choreography.” And match it, they do.
Shinedown has never shied away from the big stage, and this song is clearly built for one. Good thing they’re about to take it on the road with the “Dance, Kid, Dance Tour”, which kicks off April 25th in Des Moines. It’s the band’s biggest headlining tour to date — 36 dates, featuring Beartooth and Bush (on select nights), with rising country-rock powerhouse Morgan Wade in support throughout. They’ll be hitting arenas they’ve never headlined before, including NYC’s Madison Square Garden (July 20) and LA’s Kia Forum (August 3). And with a song like “Dance, Kid, Dance” anchoring the setlist, these shows are primed to be full-blown cathartic explosions.
Off stage, Shinedown continues to flex their humanity, partnering with “Musicians On Call” to donate $1 per ticket to bring live music into hospitals nationwide. They did the same for the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention in 2023 when they donated $1 from every ticket sold during that tour to the AFSP.
The real question isn’t whether you’ll stream *“Dance, Kid, Dance.” It’s whether you’re ready to feel it — in a crowd, in your skin, in your bones — when Shinedown hits your town.
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DANCE, KID, DANCE TOUR DATES:
Fri Apr 25 | Des Moines, IA | Wells Fargo Arena +o
Sat Apr 26 | Omaha, NE | CHI Health Arena +o
Mon Apr 28 | Grand Rapids, MI | Van Andel Arena +o
Thu May 01 | Toledo, OH | Huntington Center+o
Fri May 02 | Lexington, KY | Rupp Arena +o
Sun May 04 | Little Rock, AR | Simmons Bank Arena +o
Tue May 06 | New Orleans, LA | Smoothie King Center+o
Fri May 09 | Peoria, IL | Peoria Civic Center +o
Sat May 10 | Nashville, TN | Bridgestone Arena +o
Tue May 13 | Birmingham, AL | The Legacy Arena at The BJCC +o
Thu May 15 | Daytona Beach, FL | Daytona International Speedway^
Sun May 18 | Ocean City, MD | Boardwalk Rock
Sat Jul 19 | Boston, MA | TD Garden ^
Sun Jul 20 | New York City, NY | Madison Square Garden *o
Tue Jul 22 | Pittsburgh, PA | PPG Paints Arena *o
Wed Jul 23 | Columbus, OH | Schottenstein Center*o
Fri Jul 25 | Detroit, MI | Little Caesars Arena *o
Sat Jul 26 | Milwaukee, WI | Fiserv Forum *o
Mon Jul 28 | Minneapolis, MN | Target Center*o
Tue Jul 29 | Kansas City, MO | T-Mobile Center*o
Sat Aug 02 | Phoenix, AZ | PHX Arena *o
Sun Aug 03 | Los Angeles, CA | Kia Forum *o
Tue Aug 05 | Sacramento, CA | Golden 1 Center *o
Thu Aug 07 | Portland, OR | Moda Center *o
Fri Aug 08 | Seattle, WA | Climate Pledge Arena *o
Mon Aug 11 | Salt Lake City, UT | Maverik Center *o
Tue Aug 12 | Denver, CO | Ball Arena *o
Fri Aug 15 | St. Louis, MO | Enterprise Center *o
Sat Aug 16 | Rosemont, IL | Allstate Arena *o
Mon Aug 18 | Indianapolis, IN | Gainbridge Fieldhouse *o
Tue Aug 19 | Cleveland, OH | Rocket Arena *o
Thu Aug 21 | Raleigh, NC | Lenovo Center *o
Sat Aug 23 | Greenville, SC | Bon Secours Wellness Arena *o
Sun Aug 24 | Atlanta, GA | State Farm Arena *o
Wed Aug 27 | Houston, TX | Toyota Center *o
Thu Aug 28 | Fort Worth, TX | Dickies Arena *o
Sat Aug 30 | Memphis, TN | FedExForum *o
Sun Aug 31 | Pryor, OK | Rocklahoma 2025^
*Bush
+Beartooth
O Morgan Wade
^Festival Date
