Today, DC's Ekko Astral is sharing an official video for "sticks and stones", a highlight from pink balloons: popped, the CD/Digital deluxe edition of their critically acclaimed 2024 album, available now.

p: Moll Kinnunen

The music video, from animator lemonprom and visual sorceress Kate The Cursed, is a three-act play and depicts the song's three lyrical scenes: the victims of bigotry suffering, the profiteers of bigotry getting off on their power, and then the passive viewers of bigotry just...watching. By the end of the video, it is intended to be clear that you the viewer, might actually be the main character here.

The band recently teamed up with the Gender Liberation Movement to present the inaugural "Liberation Weekend", a two-day music and arts festival which took place in the nation's capital on Friday, May 30th, and Saturday, May 31st. The event, which features performances from Ekko Astral, L'Rain, Speedy Ortiz, Downtown Boys, Perennial, Pinkshift, and more, raised over 35k for trans rights advocacy.

Ekko Astral will be performing material from pink balloons as well as a host of new material from their forthcoming new album on their tour with PUP and Jeff Rosenstock (which starts tonight—see live dates below).

Jael Holzman of Ekko Astral says this about the "sticks and stones" video:

"The lyrics on 'sticks and stones' were always supposed to be a direct address to the stand-up comedy special of the same name, by comedian Dave Chappelle. The song's central conceit was always the passive consumer of modern media, essentially trapped in their seats watching cruelty passed off as comedy on full display."

"Oh, and yes, that's supposed to be JK Rowling with Dave Chappelle in the second scene. If these two can rain hell upon our communities, then, well, we can do this."

Catch Ekko Astral on tour this fall:

• 09/02/2025 - Eau Claire, WI, US @ Leona's
• 09/03/2025 - St. Paul, MN, US @ Palace Theatre *
• 09/04/2025 - Madison, WI, US @ The Sylvee *
• 09/05/2025 - Chicago, IL, US @ Salt Shed *
• 09/06/2025 - Detroit, MI, US @ Russell Industrial Center *
• 09/08/2025 - Pittsburgh, PA, US @ Stage AE *
• 09/09/2025 - Columbus, OH, US @ KEMBA Live! *
• 09/10/2025 - Cleveland, OH, US @ The Agora Theater *
• 09/12/2025 - Washington, DC, US @ The Anthem *
• 09/13/2025 - Brooklyn, NY, US @ Brooklyn Paramount *
• 09/14/2025 - Brooklyn, NY, US @ Brooklyn Paramount *
• 09/15/2025 - Boston, MA, US @ Roadrunner *
• 09/17/2025 - Philadelphia, PA, US @ The Fillmore Philadelphia *
• 09/18/2025 - Richmond, VA, US @ The National *
• 09/19/2025 - Raleigh, NC, US @ The Ritz *
• 09/20/2025 - Charlotte, NC, US @ The Fillmore Charlotte *
• 09/22/2025 - Atlanta, GA, US @ The Eastern *
• 09/24/2025 - Houston, TX, US @ White Oak Music Hall *
• 09/25/2025 - Dallas, TX, US @ House of Blues - Dallas *
• 09/26/2025 - San Antonio, TX, US @ Paper Tiger *
• 09/27/2025 - Austin, TX, US @ Radio/East *
• 09/30/2025 - Phoenix, AZ, US @ The Van Buren *
• 10/01/2025 - Del Mar, CA, US @ The Sound *
• 10/02/2025 - Hollywood, CA, US @ Hollywood Palladium *
• 10/04/2025 - Oakland, CA, US @ Fox Theater *
• 10/06/2025 - Portland, OR, US @ McMenamins Crystal Ballroom *
• 10/07/2025 - Seattle, WA, US @ Showbox SoDo *
• 10/09/2025 - Salt Lake City, UT, US @ Rockwell, The Complex *
• 10/11/2025 - Denver, CO, US @ Mission Ballroom *
• 10/14/2025 - Lawrence, KS, US @ White Schoolhouse
• 10/15/2025 - St. Louis, MO, US @ The Sinkhole
• 10/16/2025 - Indianapolis, IN, US @ Healer

* = supporting PUP and Jeff Rosenstock