You Me at Six

Last time they were here English rockers You Me at Six promised to come back for a round of headline shows. Not only have they kept their word, they’ve gone one better by signing on to be part of this year’s Groovin the Moo. “We couldn’t wait to come back – we can’t stay away,” admitted bassist Matt Barnes. “When these shows were suggested we said, ‘Do you even have to ask? Just book the bloody shows!’” he joked.
With arguably the best line up ever – Hilltop Hoods, Flight Facilities, DMA’s, Broods, and the list goes on – GTM 2015 will help ease post-summer festival depression and withdrawals, while placing a spotlight on some of the most idyllic scenery Australia has to offer. “Basically we’re seeing it as a mini adventure holiday. It won’t be the standard stay, you know – staying in the same hotel, getting pissed at the same bars. It’ll be a taste of wilderness and a chance to see what Australia is really all about.”
“We took an Aussie photographer out with us on our last tour of the US and he played Grinspoon the entire time,” Barnes continued. “He was like, ‘You’ve got to listen to this, man’ and we loved it. So we were stoked to hear Phil Jamieson will be playing and I think he’s hosting too.”
The Grinners aren’t the only home-grown talent on YMAS’s radar – the Apple Isle’s own Luca Brasi were hand-picked from a pile of hopeful local acts to open their Melbourne show. “They remind me of a cooler-sounding Hot Water Music [Florida-based punk band], mixed with straight-up, proper old-school pop punk. They’re so good, I can’t wait to meet the guys and watch them play.”
Barnes says that he and the guys love to support local, up and coming bands wherever they go and believe in grassroots music. “In the UK there’s an initiative called Independent Venue Week – essentially it’s a chance for music lovers across the UK to come together and support their local music venues that are threatened with closure,” Barnes explained. “In England at the moment the council are trying to shut down all these little clubs we grew up playing, back in the day. You know the deal – people have built flats next to them and now they’re complaining about the noise.”
“The argument is where will newer bands go to play, show their talent and gain an audience? Also where will young music fans go if these clubs no longer exist?” Barnes says, not afraid to show his passion. “So we wanted to show our support for the scheme by playing our old local – the Guildford Boiler Room. It’s literally 15 minutes drive from all our houses when we were kids, and one of the first venues we ever played. So we loaded up the van and drove down together with all our gear in the back – proper old-school,” he smiled.
YMAS recently celebrated their 10 year anniversary, so it was no surprise that Barnes was in a nostalgic mood. “It’s only natural, but we’re a little bit more serious these days. Back in the day we didn’t have a worry in the world – we all still lived at home with our parents and had part-time jobs. So we’d save up just a little bit of money so that we could just jump in a van, go up to Scotland, play some shows (sometimes to 20 people) and get pissed. Now we’re a proper band, I swear!” he laughed.
You Me at Six’s fourth album Cavalier Youth is out now.
When & Where: The Hi-fi, Melbourne – April 30 & Groovin’ the Moo, Bendigo Showgrounds – May 2
Written by Natalie Rogers