Sadness Announces West Coast Tour; Releases EP ‘Shimmer’

Blackgaze enigma Sadness, the creative vision of multi-instrumentalist Damián Antón Ojeda, will kick off 2026 with a West Coast tour (tickets), with Ojeda’s screamo unit Life and blackened prog-metallers Dawn of Ouroboros (Prosthetic Records) as support.

Founded by Ojeda in his bedroom in the suburbs of Chicago in 2014, Sadness has captivated a global cult following over the past decade. What began as an intimate solo endeavour quickly grew into one of the most prolific forces in the underground, with over 70 releases. Celebrated for its hypnotic melodies, cathartic crescendos, and emotionally immersive songwriting, the project connects atmospheric black metal, shoegaze, and post-rock.

A 2022 article from Bandcamp Daily states: “Think of rock-adjacent music’s most emotionally stirring sounds—climaxes of post-rock epics, plaintive piano melodies, life-affirming gang vocals, ambient swells, sweeping shoegaze guitars, throat-shredding wails, massive synths—and now combine them. That’s what Sadness sounds like.”

A new Sadness EP, Shimmer, is out now.

Despite the vast body of work and the widespread acclaim, Sadness did not make its live debut until 2024. In 2025, Ojeda relocated to Baltimore, where he joined forces with Billy Jarboe of Third House Label. Together, they formed a live band, furthering Sadness’ evolution from a solitary studio project into a powerful live act.

Sadness 2026 tour admat

Ojeda gives this statement about the upcoming West Coast tour:

“This tour is a huge and exciting opportunity for me, a genuine dream come true to be able to play these projects live, and it’s especially thrilling to be able to travel to places I’ve never been. I’m more than excited to see new faces and meet new people.”

Tour Dates (w/ Life, Dawn of Ouroboros):

Jan 02 – Los Angeles, CA – Post-Everything Fest (no Dawn of Ouroboros)
Jan 03 – San Diego, CA – Brick by Brick
Jan 04 – Phoenix, AZ – Rosetta Room
Jan 06 – Las Vegas, NV – The Griffin
Jan 07 – San Francisco, CA – Thee Parkside
Jan 08 – Roseburg, OR – Rosebud Theatre
Jan 09 – Seattle, WA – Substation
Jan 10 – Portland, OR – Twilight Cafe and Bar
Jan 11 – Vancouver, BC – Cobalt