INTERVIEW: Spacey Jane On Tour Setbacks, Sporting VS Music Events, New Music and Rics and Blutes!
Credit: Daniel Hilderbrand.
After over a year of postponed shows, Spacey Jane made their highly anticipated return to Brisbane with their biggest headline to date.
Proving to be well worth the wait, the Perth four-piece played two huge sold-out shows at the Riverstage to their adoring Brisbane fanbase.
But, just as the past year has treated us all, it didn’t come without its hiccups.
After touching down in Brisbane, ahead of their scheduled performance on April 24, the band was told there was a possibility they would have to isolate due to the recent COVID outbreak in their hometown.
Reacting to the news immediately each member took seven rapid tests that all came back negative and planned to establish ‘bubbles’ at the venue to play safely.
But Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young denied their requests for leniency or exemption.
The band was forced to reschedule both shows and endure a two-week quarantine period in Brisbane, all while sporting arenas across the nation remained packed.
Ungrained spoke to Kieran Lama, who doubles as the band’s drummer and manager, about their Brisbane isolation period, the disparity between sporting and music events, and of course, partying at Rics and Blute’s karaoke bar…
First up, let’s talk about the dreaded isolation period you all had to endure before your Brissie shows… How did you cope, what did you get up to and how did you pass the time? Surely there was some Mario-kart play…
K: Oh you know, it wasn't so bad. Lots of board/card games to pass the time. Maybe a little too much Netflix… Strangely enough, no Mario-kart! I think we overdid it during the first lockdowns last year so now we don’t play it very often hahaha!
No Mariokart… SHOCKED. So what were the highlights and downfalls?
K: BIG highlight - it was our sound guy/tour manager Jeremy’s birthday on the Sunday so we had a bit of a hotel room party, kind of great honestly.
Downfall was trying to ask delivery drivers/hotel reception to pretty please deliver our endless uber eats orders to the room because we thought we weren’t supposed to go down there.
Credit: Daniel Hilderbrand.
That sounds like a vibe! Now, these COVID restrictions have caused you to reschedule your Brisbane shows 3 times now, talk us through that – how frustrating was it being constrained by something so far out of your control?
K: Oh god it was the worst feeling. Just another level of helplessness, it was incredibly frustrating – we felt like we were letting so many people down, yet we couldn’t even do anything about it. We’re so relieved to finally have played the shows and grateful that people could still come down and be a part of it all.
Not to mention having to reschedule again just a couple of hours before kick-off, it really was a shame you’re not a footy-team… What’s your opinion on the discrepancies in treatment for sporting events compared to music events?
K: Yeah it’s sad to see how undervalued music and the arts in general are by State and Federal governments, at least compared to certain other industries. We were really disappointed that every attempt we made to make the shows by all intents and purposes ‘covid-safe’, were thrown out the window. It felt like there was a serious lack of willingness to work with us, whereas a few other sporting events could manage to get ‘all-clears’ in similar situations seemingly without problems.
But – it is what it is, and we’re grateful to be able to play at all. We’re getting used to the hiccups along the way, hopefully things iron out over time and we start seeing some real support for the Arts, from the top down.
So, asides from all that mayhem, how was the gig last night? Was there a special energy in the air?
K: It was unreal. Easily one of the best shows we’ve ever played. The Riverstage is such an iconic venue and the view from the stage was unreal. Also, the crowd was soooo loud.
How did it feel to finally perform to your Brisbane fans?
K: Bloody amazing, Brisbane’s always looked after us so well. It really feels like the first place outside our hometown that welcomed us with open arms. We’re always so comfortable here – a few nights of the old Ric’s + Blute’s karaoke combo and we’re sorted.
Now onto the topic of your huge achievement this year… what did coming 2nd in the Hottest 100 year mean to you and how has life been post Hottest 100?
K: It meant everything to us! That was likely the best day of all of our lives (so far). To have our family and friends there with us on the day was seriously special – we’ve been riding that high for a few months now. Things have definitely stepped up since that result – so much cool stuff has come from it and we finally feel like we’re having a solid crack at doing this music thing possibly forever!
Lastly, what’s on Spacey Jane’s agenda for the rest of the year? We heard whispers of a second album…
K: Don’t wanna give too much away but we’re definitely working on new music! You’ll be hearing more about it very sooooon…
After their 14-day isolation period Spacey Jane performed two thrilling sold-out shows at Brisbane’s Riverstage.
Check out our review of the show here.
Credit: Daniel Hilderbrand.