Seattle indie rock band Minus the Bear is back with big news. After breaking up in 2018, the band has reunited in 2025 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their popular album Menos el Oso. They will be playing the album in full at the Best Friends Forever festival in Las Vegas this October and touring across the U.S. throughout the fall.
Along with the tour, Minus the Bear is releasing a special 2xLP deluxe vinyl edition of Menos el Oso on August 22 through Suicide Squeeze Records. This new version includes the original album, five unreleased demos, and a hand-drawn etching by bassist Cory Murchy. One of those demos, an early version of the song “Hooray,” is now streaming for the first time.
Fans will also get a 24-page photo journal called Los Archivos Del Oso, filled with images from the band’s personal collection. The journal offers a look into their early years and behind-the-scenes moments from the making of the album.
Singer Jake Snider said that making Menos el Oso was a big step for the band’s sound. “We came into our sound on this record,” he said. “Revisiting demos and hearing how these songs started takes me right back to our practice space in the early 2000s. And now we’re rehearsing in that same space again. It’s wild!”
Guitarist Dave Knudson added that Menos el Oso changed everything for them. “Once people heard ‘Pachuca Sunrise’ and saw the video, the album spread fast,” he said. “This record helped shape the future of the band, and I’m thankful we get to celebrate it with everyone now.”
Knudson also reflected on the music itself. “We tried new things—glitchy samples, breakbeats, and more electronics. Even now, 20 years later, it still feels new, and I’m proud people still love it.”
Tour dates and vinyl pre-orders are available now.
https://www.minusthebear.com/
Minus the Bear Tour Dates:
10/04/25 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater (SOLD OUT)
10/06/25 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades (SOLD OUT)
10/07/25 - San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom *
10/08/25 - San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park (SOLD OUT)
10/10/25 - Las Vegas, NV @ Best Friends Forever Festival
10/11/25 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco (SOLD OUT)
10/12/25 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco (SOLD OUT)
10/14/25 - Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
10/16/25 - Austin, TX @ Emo’s Austin (SOLD OUT)
10/17/25 - Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater (SOLD OUT)
10/18/25 - Austin, TX @ Emo's Austin (SOLD OUT)
10/21/25 - Orlando, FL @ The Beacham (SOLD OUT)
10/22/25 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade (SOLD OUT)
10/24/25 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore (SOLD OUT)
10/25/25 - Boston, MA @ House of Blues *
11/04/25 - Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club *
11/05/25 - Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club (SOLD OUT)
11/07/25 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel (SOLD OUT)
11/08/25 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza (SOLD OUT)
11/09/25 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza *
11/11/25 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Roxian Theatre
11/12/25 - Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues *
11/14/25 - Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre (SOLD OUT)
11/15/25 - Chicago, IL @ Metro (SOLD OUT)
11/16/25 - Chicago, IL @ Metro (SOLD OUT)
11/18/25 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
11/19/25 - Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theater
11/21/25 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre *
11/22/25 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
11/23/25 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
11/26/25 - Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
11/28/25 - Seattle, WA @ The Showbox (SOLD OUT)
11/29/25 - Seattle, WA @ The Showbox (SOLD OUT)