Australian alt. country rockers Kingswood will mark the 10th anniversary of their debut album 'Microscopic Wars' with a national tour.
Draped in a QOTSA blues-rock swagger, 'Microscopic Wars' launched the band into the mainstream consciousness, earning the band an ARIA Award nomination for Best Rock Album.A record – which was produced by Vance Powell (Jack White, Arctic Monkeys) – that features such cuts as 'ICFTYDLM', 'Micro Wars', 'Sucker Punch' and 'Ohio', on this run of shows Kingswood will headline concerts in Melbourne, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sydney, Newcastle, Adelaide, Bunbury, and Perth in August.
"The 'Microscopic Wars' era was full of giant leaps into new worlds, previously just a kids dream. We embraced every moment with unbridled enthusiasm," Kingwood's Fergus Linacre says.
"Bigger shows, bigger crowds, festivals, international touring, it was a truly magical time that only fuelled our passion and confirmed our chosen path as the right one. So many friendships and memories made remain nurtured and cherished today.
"The album itself culminated many years of learning, honing, cultivating, experimenting. We threw everything we had at the chance to go to Nashville and record with producer Vance Powell.
"We also met our now long-time collaborator Eddie Spear, who engineered the album. Nashville inspired us and we've returned there for most of our subsequent records."
As they buckle up to tour Australia, here Fergus walks down memory lane sharing some tales from that era, even if they're somewhat a little hazy.
Rock & Roll Lifestyle
The Micro Wars years are to be perfectly honest, a little blurry. We did back-to-back tours over six months or so, in the original Peggy, which was a HiAce van. Now we have Peggy the bus, so she lives on in spirit.Touring was hard and fast. I play a lot more guitar now, but back then I wasn't allowed to due to lack of talent, so I was doing the run around the stage rock & roll frontman thing.
The Aussie Rock Reawakening
When the album was released there was all this talk in the media that we were 'the Aussie rock reawakening’ which pissed off a few people even though we agreed it was ridiculous.A few bands had a crack at us as if we had written these things ourselves, but maybe they'd been at it for a while without much success and we were in fact the saviours of rock & roll 😂🤣😂🤣.
Image © Ian Laidlaw
Punkd By Arctic Monkeys
We recorded the album in Nashville and our studio time got pushed back a week because the Arctic Monkeys wanted our studio. We thought by doing them a favour that it would return in good faith. They used our gear and we've never heard from them again.The experience in and out, going to the studio was inspiring and it remains our second home. Here we are in Patterson House with Vance Powell who produced the album, and Eddie Spear who was the engineer, and became our long-time collaborator.
Hitting The Road
It was the first time we played fairly big rooms and the fans really took their enthusiasm to a new level, so it was an incredibly rewarding and special time after many years of hard work. We had great crew and extended our Kingswood family along the road making friendships that we still nurture today.
Image © Kane Hibbard
Opening For AC/DC
After touring the album in 2014 and 2015, we managed to snag a spot opening for AC/DC, which remains one of the highlights of our lives.The Hives weren't allowed to play side shows but we were, so most nights on tour we'd play, then The Hives, then we'd all watch AC/DC, then we'd play a club show somewhere in town, then The Hives would DJ. Very loose tour. Holly-good fun.
"I think that's five so lastly just want to give a shout out to the founding members Mango and Juz; wonderful people, who knows maybe you'll see 'em at a show 😉."
Kingswood 2024 Tour Dates
Fri 2 Aug - 170 Russell (Melbourne)Thu 8 Aug - Coolangatta Hotel (Gold Coast)
Fri 9 Aug - The Triffid (Brisbane)
Sat 10 Aug - Metro Theatre (Sydney)
Sun 11 Aug - King Street (Newcastle)
Fri 16 Aug - Lion Arts Factory (Adelaide)
Sat 17 Aug - Prince Of Wales Hotel (Bunbury)
Sun 18 Aug - Magnet House (Perth)
