From an Instagram advert to a packed room at Gorilla, Lauren Klair explores how Culture Wars are using visual storytelling, authentic audience connection and great songs to build far more than a fanbase.
There is a particular kind of comfort in discovering music that feels both familiar and entirely new. Originating from Austin, Texas, ‘cinematic alt rock’ band, Culture Wars, occupies that space effortlessly, blending contemporary alternative rock with the emotional immediacy that defined so much of the music many Millennials and Xennials grew up on. It’s what I can only describe as modern nostalgia, not a longing for a specific band or moment in time, but a return to the feeling of discovering music that seemed to understand exactly where you were in life.
The first time I heard Culture Wars wasn’t through a recommendation from a friend, a magazine feature or a Spotify playlist. Like many modern music discoveries, it arrived via an Instagram story advert. Usually those moments pass as quickly as they appear, this one made me stop scrolling and turn the volume up. The song was Miley.
What followed was a familiar rabbit hole. First came another listen, then another. Soon, Typical Waysjoined the rotation, followed by the rest of the band’s catalogue. Before long, I was checking tour dates and discovering that the Texas quartet would be crossing the Atlantic in just a few months’ time. The Manchester date was immediately marked in my calendar.
Three months later, I found myself outside Gorilla with a camera around my neck, a photo pass around my wrist and the confidence that I had arrived comfortably early.
I had not.
Having scoured Setlist FM, I was fairly certain Culture Wars wouldn’t take the stage before 9pm, most nights had been closer to 9.15pm. Walking through Gorilla’s doors at 8.45pm, I was immediately greeted by the opening chorus of Bittersweetalready echoing around the room. So much for arriving early…
Moments later I was squeezing through the crowd (Gorilla doesn’t have a pit), throwing my bag behind the barrier, thanking the band’s sound engineer Marty for tolerating my late arrival and scrambling to get my camera ready, as Culture Wars launched headfirst into a set that would ultimately confirm what their growing online audience already seems to know… This is a band that has figured out who they are.
That confidence extends far beyond the music itself. Speaking to frontman Alex Dugan after the show, our conversation quickly turned to the band’s visual identity, something that has become every bit as recognisable as their sound.
“Especially when everything is on the internet, everything is visual,” he explained. “It’s muted most of the time so it has to look good for you to go, ‘What’s this?’”
I couldn’t help but laugh when he said it, because that was exactly how Culture Wars found me.
The advert that introduced me to Mileywasn’t loud, intrusive or desperately chasing attention. It was visually striking, instantly recognisable and most importantly, intriguing enough to make me stop scrolling. Later in our conversation, Dugan elaborated further: “Once I have your attention and you’re looking at the band, I want to give you as much to look at as possible to discover.” Again, I found myself nodding.
That philosophy extends into the live environment. On stage, the band move with the confidence of a group that has found its rhythm together. Dugan is an undeniably charismatic frontman, but one of the most striking aspects of the performance was how naturally the chemistry extends across the entire band. Guitarists Caleb Harper and Josh Harman constantly bounced energy off one another, creating a visual dynamic that felt as engaging as the music itself. Harper’s effortless cool and unmistakable silhouette made him impossible to ignore, whilst Harman brought a playful confidence that frequently drew huge reactions from the crowd. Behind them, bassist Dillon Randolph and drummer David Grayson formed a rock-solid foundation, less interested in stealing the spotlight than ensuring everything around them could flourish, which is a talent in itself.
Nothing felt forced. Nothing felt rehearsed. The performance had the comfort of a band entirely at home in its own skin. Perhaps that’s unsurprising given the journey Dugan describes. Whilst Culture Wars may feel like a relatively new discovery for many UK listeners, the foundations were laid years earlier.
“We started writing the album around 2020,” he told me. “We spent a long time redesigning the band essentially. Figuring out how to do it right and write better songs.”
That deliberate approach is paying off. Whilst Gorilla remains one of Manchester’s most beloved grassroots venues, there is an undeniable sense that Culture Wars are already beginning to outgrow rooms of this size. London, Birmingham and Glasgow had all sold out on this run, while their Instagram audience now exceeds 280,000 followers. Tracks such as Typical Ways, It Hurtsand Lieshave collectively amassed millions of views on YouTube.
More importantly, it’s what those numbers represent. In an era where artists are constantly told they need more content, Culture Wars appear to understand the difference between creating content and creating stories.
Music videos matter because they help us remember how music made us feel.
It’s a simple idea, but one that feels increasingly important in a digital landscape where artists are often encouraged to prioritise volume over vision. The pressure to constantly feed algorithms has created an environment where content can sometimes feel disposable; consumed, forgotten and immediately replaced by the next thing. Culture Wars seem determined to resist that.
When I asked Dugan about balancing narrative music videos with the demands of modern content creation, his answer reflected a band still focused on the bigger picture.
“It depends on what it is,” he explained. “Some songs make sense for a narrative. Some don’t. The album is so band-heavy and it’s all about the band playing their instruments. We wanted to put the nail on that. We play everything live, everything is actually recorded. That’s unfortunately so different and rare these days.”
Rather than choosing between storytelling and performance, Culture Wars have found ways to blend the two. Their videos often place the band at the centre of the action while still creating distinctive visual worlds around them; worlds that feel connected to the music rather than existing purely to generate engagement.
The approach is clearly resonating. With millions of views across YouTube and an audience that continues to grow across social platforms, Culture Wars has become a case study in how visual identity can amplify great songwriting without overshadowing it.
Yet perhaps the most interesting part of our conversation came when I asked Dugan about his favourite music videos of all time. His answer immediately transported us both back to the same place.
Recalling childhood trips to Europe with his parents, Dugan described discovering artists through MTV, citing Fatboy Slim’s Weapon of Choice, Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ By The Wayand The Bloodhound Gang’s The Bad Touchvideos among the visual memories that helped shape his relationship with music. The sentiment felt instantly familiar.
My own musical education happened through a television screen too, albeit in reverse to Alex’s experience. Long before streaming platforms and social media algorithms became the primary gateways to discovery, I spent countless hours from a young age watching American MTV, fascinated not only by the songs but by the worlds being created around them. The 1997 MTV VMA’s were particularly significant, with videos such as Everlong, Freak on a Leashand Criminaldemonstrating that music videos could be far more than promotional tools. They could be surreal, cinematic, provocative, funny, emotional and unforgettable. That’s without even getting starting on the magic Michael Jackon created alongside some of the best directors of all time.
They become part of the music itself.
Decades later, whilst the platforms have changed, the principle remains the same. The most effective visual storytelling doesn’t simply accompany a song; it creates a world audiences want to step inside.
Culture Wars understand this instinctively, which perhaps explains why their rise feels so organic.
When discussing the band’s growth, Dugan repeatedly returned to the idea of discovery rather than marketing. The goal isn’t simply to capture attention; it’s to reward it. To create enough depth, visually and musically, that listeners want to keep digging.
Looking around Gorilla, the results were impossible to ignore. The crowd was a fascinating mix of ages, united by a shared enthusiasm that felt remarkably genuine. Songs released months earlier were being sung back with the conviction usually reserved for established classics. Before launching into Miley, Dugan jokingly reminded the audience that “this song is not about Miley Cyrus,” drawing laughter from a crowd already hanging on every word. Earlier in the evening, guitarist Josh Harman had thanked fans, highlighting the clash with Parklife, a comment that received an enthusiastic response from an audience who clearly knew there was never any contest in that department.
The connection extended beyond the music. During the set, Dugan reflected on celebrating his first Father’s Day as a new dad, whilst Harman encouraged the crowd to call their own fathers. Small moments, perhaps, but they contributed to the atmosphere that made the evening feel less like a performance and more like a shared experience.
By the time the encore arrived, Gorilla felt less like a venue waiting for the final song and more like a room collectively willing the evening not to end. As one fan wrote afterwards on a story shared by the band on Instagram, “Wish we could do it all over again.”
As the final notes of ‘Lies’ rang out and the crowd reluctantly began making their way towards the exits, the sense of connection that had defined the evening continued long after the band had left the stage.
One of the most refreshing aspects of Culture Wars’ rise is that, despite the growing numbers, the millions of views and the sold-out shows, there remains a genuine accessibility to the band. Rather than disappearing backstage immediately after the set, the group spent time meeting fans, taking photos and chatting with the people who had come out to support them.
Having requested an interview relatively late in the day, I wasn’t expecting much luck. In truth, this piece was originally intended to be a straightforward live review. However, after a brief chat with Caleb Harper about his excellent Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventuret-shirt, I introduced myself to Alex Dugan and mentioned that I’d love to interview them sometime, but was a bit late requesting. Rather than dismissing the comment, Dugan simply asked if I could hang around while the band finished meeting fans. Once the fans had been prioritised, he was more than happy to give me his time.
It was a small gesture, but one that perfectly reflected the atmosphere that had defined the entire evening. True to his word, Dugan returned and we had a great conversation.
In many ways, that small interaction felt representative of everything Culture Wars appear to be building. For all the discussion of algorithms, content strategies and audience growth, the band’s success ultimately comes back to something much simpler: people.
People discovering a song through an Instagram advert. People singing every word back in a packed venue. People waiting after the show for a unique interaction, a photo or a handshake. People connecting through music.
People. Connection. The whole band were so generous with their time.
As our conversation drew to a close, I asked Dugan who would occupy his personal Mount Rushmore of music. His answer – Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Bono and Noel Gallagher – felt like a fitting final insight into the influences that have shaped both his songwriting and his appreciation for British music culture. When I pointed out the significance of naming Gallagher in Manchester, Dugan laughed and replied: “It’s a handicap.”
It was exactly the kind of self-awareness and humour that had characterised our conversation throughout the evening.
During the set earlier that night, Dugan offered a significant thought to the Gorilla crowd.
“We’re not a political band, despite our name,” he said. “It’s pretty simple – just don’t be a dick.”
The statement was met with one of the loudest reactions of the evening.
After spending the night watching Culture Wars connect with a room full of fans, discussing music videos, storytelling, discovery and the importance of creating something people genuinely care about, it felt like a fitting summary of both the band and the atmosphere they have built around themselves.
It’s a mantra we can all live by.
Catch Culture Wars on the remainder of their UK & European Tour! For date and tickets: https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/culture-wars-tickets/artist/5245041
Images by Lauren Klair