Melbourne alt-pop duo Big Scary have announced they will be touring nationally this April in support of their latest single ‘Phil Collins’, the first taste of their forthcoming new album Not Art, due out mid-year, and the sequel to their critically acclaimed full-length debut Vacation.
The towsomet’s first headlining national tour since their sold-out Vacation Tour in May 2012, these upcoming dates will see Tom Iansek and Jo Syme expand their live set-up to include an additional player, hinting at the fuller sound to be found on Not Art.
“Although we’ve enjoyed adapting a lot of our songs for two people on stage, the newer songs really require someone extra to do them justice,” says Iansek. “Some, not all of our old songs will also be given a new energy with a third part,” he adds.
Having spent much of 2012 touring internationally following the success of debut LP Vacation, including appearances at music industry events like SXSW and CMJ, as well as Gotye’s expansive US tour, this April Big Scary will make their long awaited return to Aussie stages, joined by special guest Caitlin Park.
Before their national jaunt Big Scary will also be touring with MuteMath as their national support for the band’s tour in March 2013.
The Melbourne band’s April tour is in support of their latest single, ‘Phil Collins’, and its “stark sonics… owes more to Springsteen’s Nebraska than the man who gave us ‘In The Air Tonight’,” as our Tone Deaf reviewer put it. “The newest entry to Big Scary’s impressive songbook proves to be another essential addition.”
It is taken from the band’s forthcoming album Not Art which was almost entirely produced and engineered by the band’s own Tom Iansek, and from ”the first tracking to the final master it was about nine months in the making, finding time between travel, work and touring.”
A recently released album trailer intersperses video of the pair playing a brand new tune with found footage of life abroad (and of a new game the pair developed called ‘hook-ring’).
Speaking about the sonic direction of the new album, the band write: “There are a bunch of influences which led us into the sound for Not Art, but the main spark was discovering elements of hip-hop production and applying it to what is essentially pop music.” To that end, the Melbourne duo also enlisted the services of Grammy Award-winning mixer Tom Elmhirst, who has worked with the likes of The Black Keys, Amy Winehouse, and Adele, who worked on Not Art at New York’s famous Electric Lady Studios.
Big Scary Australian Tour 2013 Dates
with special guests, Caitlin Park
Tickets on sale 9am, Monday 4th March 2013
Thursday 18th April: Mojos, Fremantle
Tickets: www.heatseeker.com.au
Friday 19th April: Amplifier, Perth
Tickets: www.heatseeker.com.au
Saturday 20th April: Jive, Adelaide
Tickets: www.moshtix.com.au // 1300 (GET TIX) 438 849
Wednesday 24th April: Goodgod, Sydney (ANZAC EVE)
Tickets: www.moshtix.com.au // 1300 (GET TIX) 438 849 presented by FBi
Friday 26th April: Alhambra, Brisbane
Tickets: www.oztix.com.au // 1300 762 545
Saturday 27th April: The Corner, Melbourne
Tickets: www.cornerhotel.com // 1300 724 867
