NAMELESS FRIENDS RELEASE NEW SINGLE AND MUSIC VIDEO FOR “CLARA” AS CROSS-CANADA TOUR DATES HEAT UP
INDEPENDENT
With strong principles, even stronger riffs, and a healthy dose of glitter, Toronto LGBTQ+ rock band Nameless Friends are putting a visual spotlight on one of the most powerful songs from their sophomore album, The Quiet Part, Loudly, with the release of the official music video for “Clara.”
The new radio single and video arrives as Nameless Friends prepare to hit the road this fall on The Westward Hoes Tour, continuing a cross-country journey that has already taken them to St. John’s, Iqaluit, Whitehorse, and Yellowknife. By the time the tour wraps in December, the band will have performed in every province and territory in Canada.
Inspired by pioneering German chemist and pacifist Clara Immerwahr, “Clara” tells the story of a brilliant scientist whose work was overshadowed by that of her husband, chemist Fritz Haber. A committed pacifist, Immerwahr strongly opposed her husband’s involvement in the development of chemical warfare during the First World War, and her story has come to symbolize both the struggles faced by women in science and the courage required to stand against the people and institutions around you.
For vocalist and producer Number One, Clara represents “the incredible courage to stand so firmly on your own principles” in the face of injustice.
Musically, “Clara” matches that conviction with one of the album’s most emotionally charged performances, as Number One’s soaring vocals move from restraint to fury against driving guitars, shimmering organ and a rhythm section pushing steadily toward a cathartic climax.
That feminine rage carries directly into the music video, which features the real members of Hogtown Roller Derby competing on their home court in Toronto. The all-femme team provides a fitting visual counterpart to a song about being unheard, underestimated and ultimately refusing to disappear.
The song itself has another powerful all-femme element: the soaring choir heard during the bridge is made up entirely of women and femme friends of the band, recorded by Nameless Friends themselves — adding a literal chorus of femme voices to a song about a woman whose own voice was too often ignored.
“Clara” is a centrepiece of The Quiet Part, Loudly, an album that pairs sharp songwriting and irresistible melodies with unflinching observations about the world around them. The album marks the band’s first collaboration with engineer Nyles Spencer, whose credits include The Tragically Hip, Broken Social Scene and Alvvays.
Every member of Nameless Friends performs under a numbered pseudonym — a playful reminder that the music and message matter more than individual identities. The lineup features vocalist and producer Number One, guitarist Number Three, bassist Number Five, drummer Number Seven, and touring keyboardist Number Six.
Known for glitter-covered faces, bleach-dyed T-shirts and explosive live performances, Nameless Friends have also become outspoken advocates for transgender rights and social justice. What began in 2023 with the band publicly challenging Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe over policies affecting transgender youth has expanded, largely at the urging of fans, to include Doug Ford, Danielle Smith, Tim Houston and Donald Trump.
The band has since turned the ongoing “feud” into its own merch line, raising multiple thousands of dollars for Trans Lifeline and Rainbow Railroad, while their feud videos and related content have generated close to half a million views online.
“It’s important to us to talk about not only the things that matter to us personally,” says Number One, “but also, when you’ve seen that institutions and systems have been unfair through your own experience, you’re sensitive to that unfairness for other people.”
That philosophy runs throughout The Quiet Part, Loudly, which Number One describes as “a love letter with constructive criticism” to Canada, tackling everything from self-doubt and generational trauma to Indigenous injustice, human rights, gender inequality, and the darker corners of modern technology.
But despite the weight of the subject matter, Nameless Friends have no interest in sacrificing the fun.
“I refuse to make joyless, preachy music,” says Number One, “because that’s not going to be effective at anything.”
Tour Dates
September 10 — London, ON — Honey Dip
September 11 — Guelph, ON — Jimmy Jazz
September 12 — St. Catharines, ON — Warehouse Concert Hall
September 19 — Hamilton, ON — Corktown Pub
October 10 — Toronto, ON – Greenwoodstock Festival
November 4 — Squamish, BC — Trickster’s Hideout
November 5 — Vancouver, BC — Red Gate Arts Society
November 6 — Victoria, BC — The Phoenix
November 7 — Kamloops, BC — Bridgeview Theatre
November 8 — Kelowna, BC — DunnEnzie’s
November 12 — Lethbridge, AB — The Slice
November 13 — Calgary, AB — Dickens’
November 14 — Red Deer, AB — The Vat
November 15 — Edmonton, AB — Dive Bar
November 19 — Regina, SK — The Cure
November 20 — Saskatoon, SK — Black Cat Tavern
November 21 — Winnipeg, MB — Handsome Daughter
November 22 — Thunder Bay, ON — Black Pirates Pub
November 25 — Moncton, NB — Xeroz
November 26 — Fredericton, NB — The Cap
November 27 — Halifax, NS — The Seahorse
November 28 — Charlottetown, PEI — Baba’s Lounge
November 29 — Saint John, NB — Venue To Be Announced
December 3 — Quebec City, QC — La Source de la Martinière
December 4 — Montreal, QC — Turbo Haus
December 5 — Ottawa, ON — Avant-Garde Bar
December 6 — Toronto, ON — Sneaky Dee’s
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