Under The Southern Stars just can’t stop with the mind-blowing line-ups! This time they’re going all out for the Rock Carnival Festival Series which will see three massive, rock defining acts of the ’90s enter Australian shows for a huge evening of live entertainment. For live acts you can’t get any bigger than Pennsylvania multi-platinum showstopper, Live, co-headlining with UK giants, Bush and San Diego saviours, Stone Temple Pilots.
“We’re so excited,” exclaims Live frontman, Ed Kowalczyk. “Last year we did, I think, 70 concerts with Bush co-headlining all over North America and became good buddies with them. Then we got the call for this tour to be with Bush again and then Stone Temple Pilots who we’ve never toured with so we just jumped at the chance!”
Australian’s are more than ready for their return. You can’t go to a pub on the weekend without hearing the seminal track, ‘Lightning Crashes’ with chorus cries of ‘Oh I feel it coming back again’ booming through the bar. Their Australian chart record speaks volumes with seven Top 5 albums, three of which topped the charts at #1 for a total of ten weeks, and a string of top 40 singles.
“Every time we get together to put together the battle plan of where we’re going to go all over the world, as soon as we see Australia it’s just like yes! It’s always been that way; really since the early ’90s since we first came down under it was really apparent that we had hit a nerve with people over there. There was a beautiful relationship beginning and it really hasn’t moved at all since then,” says Kowalczyk.
“Australians really appreciate bands like Live who get up there and play like it’s their last one we’re going to do every night. People know when they come, they know what they’re going to get and it’s going to be something special that they can take with them in their lives and be inspired by that.”
But there was a point of anxiousness and finality for fans. In 2009, lead guitarist Chad Taylor revealed that their two-year hiatus looked to be permanent. Kowalczyk left soon thereafter and while 2016 saw the reunion, unease clouded over fans. While in 2018 the reformed original band released EP Local 717, it hasn’t been enough to stamp their permanency – until now!
“I hope we’re waved that anxiety now because we’re committed to touring now. I mean our band is called Live, you know! We’re looking forward to touring this year and making a new record this year and for those years following! Onward and upward,” Kowalczyk confirms.
The album which will be released smack bang in the middle of two major album milestones for the 90’s rockers; last year’s 25th anniversary for Throwing Copper and 30 years of Mental Jewelry in 2021. Their plans for album number 10 is spicy.
“The EP Local 717 was a little taster of the new flavour we have available to our creative thing. I’m hoping because it’s a full-length album that we can take the gist of Local 717 and expand on it and have some different types of songs. There were no slower songs on the EP so there will be room for that, so it’s all exciting!”
If that’s not evidence enough that Live are well and truly back then I don’t know what is. Catch them at Under The Southern Stars at Hastings Foreshore Reserve, Mornington on Saturday 11 April or at Yarrawonga Showgrounds Sunday 12 April 2020.
Tickets via www.underthesouthernstars.com.au/
Written by Tammy Walters
