Concrete Surfers have had a huge year.
From the release of their relentless skate-punk barrage 'My Life On Repeat' to playing BIGSOUND, Concrete Surfers have been keeping busy and bringing the energy from the get-go.But they're not bowing out on 2019 just yet. The Brisbane-based quartet have been added to the Byron Bay leg of Falls Festival. “It's huge!” says lead guitarist, Sean Foster.
“We've gone to Falls for the last couple of years, and it's always been a dream to actually be able to play there – to actually be performing is so cool.”
The Concrete Surfers lads are no strangers to the festival stage, having swept through Crafted Beer & Cider Festival and BIGSOUND. The latter of which, they attribute to their inclusion in the Falls line-up.
“I think it was because of having played at BIGSOUND. The booker came to see us at the Crowbar show. . . Then we got an email from them a couple of months ago [offering a spot on the festival bill]; just goes to show how much BIGSOUND is a good networking tool.”
If you've ever heard Concrete Surfers, you'd know their particular brand of surf rock/ skate punk boasts an unmistakably unique sound. With the full-throttle, high energy of Skegss, the spine-tingling sonic fuzz of Nirvana, married with the grungy vocals and slick guitar of The Strokes; and that doesn't even come close to nailing their likeness.
Sean attributes their eclectic sound to a messy amalgamation of influences and then cutting the fat ad hoc. “We all have different influences. But we all meet in the middle somewhere. I'm into a bit more heavier music [than the rest of the band], but we were actually just listening to some James Brown before we got on the phone with you.
“Yeah, we venture a bit in the way of styles, but whenever we play together, we always bring our own things to the table. I guess a lot of it stems from just blending all of these weird and wacky genres.”
Their latest release, 'My Life On Repeat', has fleshed out what is quickly becoming the band's signature sound. And with studio time booked early in the new year, Sean says Falls punters will receive a sampling of some new Concrete Surfers (unreleased) tunes.
“There’s one more in our arsenal which is yet to be released. We've been sitting on it for a while, just waiting on the right time. . . waiting to seize the moment. But Falls will definitely cop some new sh.t! We've got new concepts, wacky ideas, I think the new song is even a bit better than the one we just released!”
“I wholeheartedly think it's a fantastic song, and I hope everyone likes it,” adds bass player Trent Courtenay.
The boys have spent a chunk of their year touring with Byron Bay's PLTS and Melbourne's DIET, respectively. Sean affectionately recalls the bonds he and his fellow musicians formed.
“The PLTS and the DIET boys are all such fun to play with. It was kind of the first time we had ventured outside Brisbane for quite a bit. . . it was so much fun. Even just travelling to and from – just sitting in a car together with all of our gear, squashed up like little sardines. Just hanging out with new people with the same interests. The DIET boys were nice enough to have us stay at their family's house.”
“It's good because you're networking,” adds Trent. “When DIET played their Brisbane show, they stayed at our rehearsal space, so they had a place to stay in Brisbane. So it's cool to make all of these new friends and just be sorted.”
Upon inquiring what the new year has in store for Concrete Surfers, the laid-back larrikin Sean switched to a more stoic and mysterious tone: “Studio. Aeroplanes; hopefully not cars. . . Aeroplanes. And good times.”
