Alpine

In the nearly two years since their last tour, Melbourne alt-pop group Alpine have seen their profile grow and have experienced some magical moments together. The group went on an international expedition, criss-crossing their way across the United States and North America.

“I feel like I’ve seen every part of North America. We would sit in the van for eight or 14-hour drives all the way across from the west coast to the east and back,” said Lou James (vocals, percussion).

When reminiscing about their time abroad, Lou found it easiest to describe the tour lifestyle where you “drive for hours to a venue, perform, go to bed and do it all over again the next day” as “really weird but great.”

Their “weirdest, most bizarre 24 hours” for the group however came when they were given the opportunity to perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live. “I remember being so nervous for it. Richard Simmons, the 80s aerobics guy, was on the show and he was hilarious and weird backstage. He was a really ‘out there’ character, which was a good distraction to be honest. It was over in what felt like two seconds then we caught a red eye to New York and played on a pier on the Hudson River supporting Empire Of The Sun,” said Lou.

In the time since they returned home however, the group has been working on the follow-up album to their highly successful debut A Is For Alpine. The group was able to take on the knowledge they had gained from the first record and try some new ideas with Yuck, particularly in terms of the songwriting. Lou said the band was able to be more “courageous” with the songwriting and knew “not to have any fear in what we wanted to create… As a band we have a stronger sense of identity and what threads make us Alpine. So I actually had way more fun writing this record.”

This sense of fun showed in the level of excitement in Lou’s voice when speaking about the upcoming shows. “I feel like a part of me has been missing. I’ve had this time to settle back in at home and feel like Lou again rather than ‘Lou in Alpine’, but I feel like my inner pixie rockstar is just wanting to explode onto stage again.”

Fans can expect some special performances during this tour, this is an all-new production that the group hasn’t played live before so its going to be as fresh for the band as it is for the audience.

Lou described it by saying, “It’s going to be colourful, exciting, fresh and deliciously Yuck!”

Jul 11, The Metro, 624 George St, Sydney, $28.85+b.f, Tickets & info: metrotheatre.com.au