New Model Army’s journey through their 40th anniversary celebrations took a bold and thrilling turn when they juxtaposed two contrasting shows in Berlin - one extravagant, the other stripped-down to its rawest form. At the Tempodrom, they delivered Sinfonia, a grand spectacle with a full orchestra, embracing a lush, symphonic interpretation of their music. But the band had other plans for the weekend. As they put it, “When the idea of doing a New Model Army concert with a full orchestra at Berlin’s Tempodrom venue was first floated, we had a thought: that if we were going to do something so extravagant, we should also do the exact opposite on the same weekend.” And so, New Model Army took to the legendary SO36 in Kreuzberg for two nights of pure, unfiltered punk energy.

The SO36 performances were everything their orchestral counterpart was not - intimate, gritty, and unrelenting. "We booked the following two evenings at Berlin’s legendary Punk Rock sweatbox, the SO36, and returned to being the simplest, stripped-down version of New Model Army we could be - without orchestra, keyboards or extra drums." Over two nights, the band unleashed 38 different songs, intentionally making the weekend a holistic celebration of their history, encapsulating the full spectrum of their evolution.

The resulting Live SO36 album showcases the unrefined power of their punk rock roots. Featuring a blistering 20-song set from July 16, 2022, this release offers a mix of fan favorites like "The Hunt" and "1984," alongside rarities that had never before graced the stage. For those who couldn’t be there, the album captures the full performance on a 2CD+DVD digipak, with the show’s video included. Meanwhile, the limited edition 2LP gatefold verson is an NMA collector's treasure.

For New Model Army, Live SO36 is a fitting counterpoint to the grandeur of Sinfonia - two sides of the same coin. It’s a visceral, sweat-soaked dive into their punk spirit, proving that no matter the setting, their music remains as vital and defiant as ever.