Close Counters
We were lucky enough to host Close Counter’s as part of their live Australian tour in 2023. They headlined a sold-out two stage warehouse party, which we threw in celebration of Holy Pav’s second birthday. Five months later they took to the stage at Strawberry Fields Festival, we caught up with them after it all went down…
How was Strawberry Fields for you?
Finn – We had a great time, it’s our fourth time being there, and we feel right at home. It’s just a great time to see all the local acts and friends play there as well as international quality artists.
Allan – We were chuffed to be playing after Ezra Collective, they’re a world class act. It’s a great location for a festival, it’s a good meeting point for people from Victoria and NSW.
Finn was saying it was the largest live set you’d done in terms of crew on the stage!
Finn – Yeah it probably was, in terms of the band size. We had eight people, it was a real reunion, we hadn’t done a big live set in a few months since our headline in Melbourne at the Corner Hotel, it was a really nice time to get back together with everyone and play a dusty doof.
Does it get the heart racing jumping on stage in a format that might not be as tightly rehearsed?
Allan – Everyone we pick are such good confident musicians, we’re so lucky to have such good players. We had Robyn on percussion, we had two really good rehearsals with here, but even if we hadn’t, I’d just trust her wholeheartedly to carry it.
Finn – We’ve played with Lucky, Matt Hayes, Allysha Joy, we had Ryo on guitar, Annalisa on backing vocals and we’re trusted family so we can take those risks and know that it’ll fall in some shape or form.
That’s wild, a full line-up of Melbourne’s heaviest. Also, congrats on the Music Victoria award a few weeks back, you must be psyched on that!
Finn – Thanks, yeah it was a big surprise. Allan was there to claim our bit of granite. We’re claiming that the Music Victoria Awards is more important than the Grammy’s.
Allan – (laughs) I was lapping it up all week. I had the silliest week of just taking the award with me wherever I went, to the pub and other inappropriate places, I took it on an award tour.
Where do you find the most recognition in music, is it awards or other places?
Allan – We never really set out to win an award. I think doing some of those special live shows and song writing sessions are some of the more ‘pinch me’ moments.
Finn – The award is just helps boost moral really; it also gives everyone that’s supported and developed the project an opportunity to celebrate together. It’s certainly a moment for the mums to share on their Facebook! But our favourite moments are often those of creativity.
And I know it’s a tough one, but can I ask you about your favourite live show? Both on stage and as a punter.
Allan – I’d say Meredith, it ticks the box of the most people we’ve played to, it was midnight, we were after Liam Gallagher which we always laugh about. If I could include a second fun one, we also got to play half-time at the Reclink Community Cup at 1PM to thousands of kids and families. I saw Björk with the Aurora Orchestraat Royal Albert Hall in London. One of the most special performances I’ve seen.
Finn – I’m gonna go for a completely different vibe, Joe Hisaishi, composer of lots of the Studio Ghibli soundtracks, that was one of the more nostalgic performances I’ve seen. Any fans of those works, Spirited Away or such, it was one of those crazy moments.
Thanks heaps for the yarn, hope you swing down this way again.
Finn – Yeah, appreciate you touching base, it’s nice to keep in contact and keep the community growing, which is something you’re obviously so much a part of. Hopefully next time we come down we can make the show bigger and better for everyone!
