Mumford & Sons have conducted a series of secret fan previews of their forthcoming album at each of their sold-out European and UK arena tours.
The band release their sixth album, Prizefighter, on February 20 through Island Records. They have been inviting select fans from their community, Agora, backstage before each show to listen back to a selection of new tracks and to thank them in person for their support.
Fans were contacted through the Planet Fans’ digital pass system after doors opened, asking them to meet up at a certain time and place in the venue without providing any further context ahead of the secret playbacks. The tour wrapped last week with two shows at London’s O2.
Gavin Batty, a member of Mumford & Sons management team, said: “It’s been fun, exciting and hugely rewarding to watch members of the band’s fan community, Agora, listening to unreleased songs from the band’s new album for the first time.
“Bringing the initial plan to fruition involved working closely with the venues and their security teams to allocate us a suitable space backstage for the 50-120 fans that were taking part each night, and who had no idea what they were meeting up for.”
He added: “Working with Planet Fans and their digital ‘pass’ really helped, as it enabled us to send out push notifications just two hours before each show to fans we knew were already in the building. Within those two hours, they had all met up at a designated meeting spot, been whisked backstage and asked to put on a pair of headphones. Having members of the band walk in unannounced to thank them created a really meaningful moment. Witnessing fan reaction each night was amazing, so we’ll definitely be doing this again in the future.”
Mumford & Sons headline BST Hyde Park on Saturday, July 4 with support from The War On Drugs.
The band have released Hozier collaboration Rubber Band Man and the album title track.
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