Cruz Are Back With New Single ‘I Get By’
By CRUZ
Start A New Deal With This Feeling Records / Lab Records With The New Single ‘I Get By’ – Listen Here
Biggest Headline Show So Far At Sheffield City Hall Ballroom On May 8th
CRUZ are on the cusp of something special, simultaneously becoming hometown favourites in Sheffield, winning new devotees at festivals across the land, and racing up the streaming stats with a handful of increasing anthemic releases. Now the band power up ahead of their upcoming second EP as well as much more to come in 2027 by sharing the new single ‘I Get By’. It sees them commence a new deal with multi-platform rock ‘n’ roll tastemakers This Feeling Records in partnership with LAB Records – home to The K’s, Seb Lowe, ALT BLK ERA and many more.
Whether you’re a fan or a newcomer, ‘I Get By’ immediately establishes CRUZ’s potential as future festival favourites. Chiming guitar melodies and an insistent, straight-to-the-point chorus beckon you in, but there’s an underlying darkness and abrasive edge that gives that instant appeal a deeper edge. Often compared to Kelly Jones of Stereophonics, vocalist/guitarist Sam Thatcher possesses a similarly gritty, arena-ready voice but with a touch of that classic Sheffield accent. His lyrics address a situationship – the relationship is officially over, but how can you move on when there’s still a slight chance of it working out?
Sam says, “‘I Get By’ is about the personal experience of coming out of a relationship, but your feelings for that person still remain the same. You’re finding it hard to accept or believe that things are over, but you’re learning how to deal with those feelings.”
CRUZ add, “We are all absolutely over the moon to sign to This Feeling Records In association with LAB Records. We recorded this EP back in May and have been really excited to get the music out there. It was just about waiting for the right people at the right time to help push it even further to as many ears as possible. This deal and EP release will take us to the next step, more opportunities, bigger festival slots and gigs here, there and everywhere. We are extremely grateful to everyone who’s supported the journey so far, whether that’s streaming or buying our music or coming down to gigs. The best is yet to come.”
While he had always been enthusiastic about performing, Sam Thatcher didn’t start playing guitar seriously until he was 17-years-old. Lockdown opened an opportunity and he went for it, working his way through classics by Oasis, The Verve and Courteeners as he practised for six hours almost every day.
He formed CRUZ when he met lead guitarist Tom Cox at university in Sheffield, with drummer Ethan Mockford joining soon after. All part of the wider friendship group, the trio bonded after a passion for The Last Shadow Puppets, The Strokes, The Smiths, The Libertines and Arctic Monkeys. Their first challenge was a three-month mission to find a bassist. Enter Jamie Scholes, a friend of a friend who had been available that entire time. Their shared commitment was intense: the band wasn’t a hobby, it was their life ambition. Sheffield was the perfect environment, a place with a strong musical heritage, a blossoming new scene, and a wealth of creatives sprawling beyond just music.
Their early potential was there for all to see with their 2023 debut EP ‘If not now, when?’, which generated big numbers for ‘Disco Colour Beams’, Sam’s sarcastic take on feeling like an outsider when going to raves as an indie kid. Raising the game with a trio of tracks in 2025, their live following flourished too, selling out Sheffield’s Network (originally booked for the city’s beloved Leadmill, which closed the day after they had 1000 flyers printed for the gig), playing shows with The Clause, The View, overpass and The Lilacs, and winning new fans with packed sets at the Isle of Wight, Truck, Tramlines, Rock N Roll Circus and This Feeling By The Sea.
CRUZ will play three shows with The Bracknall next month before flying out to Sweden for the Viva Sounds Festival. 2027 will see them reach a new landmark when they headline the 850-capacity City Hall Ballroom in Sheffield on May 8th – their biggest show to date. Remaining tickets are available HERE.
NOVEMBER
20th – Leeds, Brudenell Social Club (with The Bracknall)
21st – Manchester, Gorilla (with The Bracknall)
25th – Nottingham, Metronome (with The Bracknall)
28th – Gothenburg, Viva Sounds Festival
DECEMBER
5th – Newcastle, LowLight Festival
MAY 2027
8th – Sheffield, City Hall Ballroom (HEADLINE SHOW)