An Evening With The Midnight

The Grammy Museum is thrilled to welcome acclaimed synth-pop duo The Midnight to the Museum’s intimate 200-seat Clive Davis Theater for an evening celebrating their latest album, Syndicate, out now via Ultra Records. Moderated by renowned radio host, DJ, and music curator Jason Bentley, the conversation will explore the band’s creative evolution, songwriting process, and the making of their most ambitious project to date, alongside a special live performance. The event arrives as a special kickoff moment ahead of the band’s first North American headline tour in support of Syndicate, The Midnight: Time Machines Spring 2026.

After teasing fans with ominous imagery, lush keyboard washes, and cryptic nods to classic science fiction, The Midnight returned last fall with Syndicate, their fifth studio album and most expansive work yet. Released via Ultra Records, the 17-track project pushes The Midnight’s signature blend of nostalgia and forward momentum into bolder territory, further cementing their status as one of the most musically and lyrically ambitious acts to emerge from the modern synthwave movement.

Syndicate unfolds across a cinematic sonic landscape. “This is our ‘making peace with the apocalypse’ record,” says singer and lyricist Tyler Lyle. While Syndicate’s lyrics embrace the unsettled, sometimes paranoid side of the 1980s, Lyle’s creative partner Tim McEwan brings undertones of anxiety and even doom to the lush synth washes and hooky yet unexpected chord progressions that fans of The Midnight have come to know and love.

The band was born in spring 2012 from the meeting of two distinct musical sensibilities. Atlanta-born Lyle emerged from the folk-inflected Georgia scene surrounding the legendary Eddie’s Attic. “I came to LA thinking I was gonna be the next Mumford and Sons,” he laughs, recalling how he was paired with Danish songwriter and multi-instrumentalist McEwan in what he calls “a songwriters’ blind date.”

The two quickly discovered their shared creative language in the moody, synthesizer-driven sound that surged in popularity following the cult thriller Drive and its retro-1980s inspired soundtrack. The pivot required adjustment from both artists. “Up until then I’d been moving in more traditional pop circles,” McEwan recalls, “and I really had to unlearn those tendencies.”

Despite its often expansive themes, Syndicate ultimately feels less like an ending and more like a beginning — a forward-looking journey into the unknown, as Lyle puts it:

“Everything is ending, so let’s get started now.”

About the Moderator:

Jason Bentley is a Los Angeles–based DJ, producer, and longtime KCRW music director and host, best known for shaping the influential program Morning Becomes Eclectic. Widely respected for his deep knowledge of electronic and alternative music, Bentley has become a trusted voice in contemporary music culture and artist conversations.

BAG POLICY: please note that only bags 9 inches x 6 inches and smaller will be allowed for this event. Vinyl, memorabilia, gifts, etc. will also not be allowed inside the building.  

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Member Check – In: 6:30pm

Nonmember Check – In / Doors: 7:00pm

Show Time: 7:30pm

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BAG POLICY: please note that only bags 9 inches x 6 inches and smaller will be allowed for this event. Vinyl, memorabilia, gifts, etc. will also not be allowed inside the building.   

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