Birds Of Tokyo may have released a number one album at the start of last year, but the rest of it was filled with navigating first-time fatherhood and a cross-country move for Glenn Sarangapany.
"We moved back [to WA] right after we had [eight and a half month old daughter) Piper – my wife and I had a bit of a mental breakdown where we were like: 'We don't know how to do. . . looking after a kid," Glenn laughs."I think like [after] three weeks of sleepless nights my mother-in-law said she was coming over to give us a bit of a hand, and then I think right before she turned up the borders shut because there was too much COVID, which is fair enough, but we were just like 'I don't think we know how to do this'. So yeah, I think that was what triggered the move back."
The band recently did a series of Symphony Orchestra shows – a tour that was supposed to roll out May last year for their 'Human Design' album release.
"I remember when everything started coming out, I remember thinking, 'Oh, the orchestral tour might be delayed by maybe a couple of weeks because of COVID'. I mean, how naive I was then," Glenn laughs.
"Again, because of COVID, everything was moved around so much and our guitarist wasn't able to make it to a few of the shows.
"Jumping up on stage and playing with an orchestra was something that we had in our minds a certain way, and it just didn't turn out like that – [however] it was the best experience I've ever had. One of the best gigs ever. But far out, it was just like being thrown into the deep end and being forced to swim immediately."
Glenn said the experience gave himself and the rest of the band a healthy dose of something else they hadn't experienced in a long time – nerves.
"The first show was in Perth, and you only get a couple of run-throughs with the orchestra – you only get two rehearsals with them – and we went through and everything was sounding really good, but as we walked out on stage, I've never been that scared in my entire life to get on stage in front of people," he says.
"I look across at [Ian] Kenny and normally everyone in the band is really calm, but everyone was dead quiet and Kenny was just looking at the floor, and I've never seen him nervous before as well.
"We were just so scared. If someone had walked up to me at that point and said 'you can just leave,' I would have just left. Just abandoned the show completely. But by the second show we were running it. We were like, 'we know exactly what to do, we're old pros at this now!'"
While Glenn normally plays keys for the band, when guitarist Adam Spark was locked down in Sydney, Glenn stepped in on guitar – and that may continue for future shows.
"Adam and I have been talking about it and I think we're going to start doubling up on the guitar parts, so it's going to be Birds Of Tokyo with two guitars, which I'm very excited about. It's like, the same thing but louder!"
The band's next performance is part of Coopers' Live, Loud & Local series at Hotel Rottnest (Perth) next month, and Glenn says the band is beyond excited for the event. "The whole band is excited to just book Taragos to get to the rehearsal room for this show," he says.
"I don't think anyone's going to be able to contain themselves. Also, I think it's the closest thing to an overseas gig we'll be doing for a while, so we'll be dining out on that. It's on a sea, so you know, it's close enough."
Birds Of Tokyo play Coopers' Live, Loud & Local series at Hotel Rottnest (Perth) 11 April.
