New Bedford Group Released Protest Album All Rise Up
The nine-member band Blood n Dreams debuted its first political album last June.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Hip-Hop and Rap
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In June 2026, a nine-member New Bedford musical group named Blood n Dreams released its inaugural album, All Rise Up. The 11-song project was created as a collective protest against federal government policies.
Why it matters
The group produced the record to voice specific dissent regarding federal policy. By utilizing music as a medium for protest, the band members sought to translate their political concerns into an artistic format.
The album features 11 original tracks written by Tom Poitras. Currently, the band maintains 6 monthly listeners and has recorded fewer than 1,000 total streams on Spotify.
The players
Blood n Dreams
This is a nine-member musical group based in New Bedford that focuses on political protest themes.
Tom Poitras
He is the songwriter responsible for penning all 11 tracks on the band's debut album.
Ron Poitras
He served as the producer and sound engineer for the project recorded at Feedback Studio.
The details
The album was recorded at Feedback Studio in Freetown, where members tracked their parts individually to accommodate their various work and personal schedules. Ron Poitras handled the production and sound engineering for the entire project.
Timeline
The band released the album All Rise Up in June 2026.
Industry Dynamics
The release of All Rise Up follows the historical tradition of protest music by using song lyrics to challenge established government policies. The band's project reflects a grassroots approach to cultural dissent, positioning local artists within the wider lineage of politically-charged songwriting.
Listeners can access all 11 tracks of the album through the band's official Spotify profile. The project provides an alternative avenue for residents to engage with local political discourse through recorded media.
The takeaway
The band demonstrated that political advocacy can be organized through independent studio work despite a lack of mainstream streaming reach. Future projects are expected as the primary songwriter intends to continue producing music focused on policy critiques.
Further reading
Learn more about local artists in the Hip-Hop and Rap section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The New Bedford Light.
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