Melbourne band Northeast Party House set off last week on an extensive national tour.
After recording their latest album ‘Any Given Weekend’, which was released last month, guitarist Mitch Ansell is looking forward to performing some live shows. “Recording is great, it’s just a lengthy process. Live is a lot different with the energy that you can convey on the stage, and when you're recording you don't really have that reaction instantly from people. You look into the crowd and the people are singing along if they’re feeling it and it makes everything definitely worthwhile.”
The band’s debut record features a collection of newer songs mixed in with a few older ones. “It's a debut album so it sums up where the band is at, and probably where we're at as a collective. I think it takes a lot of each of our inspirations and our influences ... It just mirrors that situation that we're in at the moment.”
Mitch lists the album’s final track, ‘Embezzler’, as one of his personal favourites. The song was originally recorded in 2010 and was also the beginning track from their EP. The band decided to finish the album with this song as a way of “neatly tying off the knot on the last few years of work”. “We've been playing it live for probably a year and a half and it's just really fun to play live. I love how there's a slow progression and then it peaks, like a remix would develop. That’s a fun one. And people can sing along by the second chorus, because it’s a pretty monotone, repetitive chorus. So that’s really nice to see when you’ve got new people singing along.”
Mitch and the boys find music festivals to be a big inspiration when writing music, with the album title in particular reflecting their love to go out and have a fun time. “Each member has their own unique part in the album ... [But] what we get up to at festivals is a big inspiration. Whether it's seeing bands or the antics that happen at the campsite, whatever they may be.”
The lads have noticed some differences in performing since their days playing warehouse parties. “I think at warehouses the crowd, people are there to have a good time and drink, and if they want to engage in the music they do, whereas if we play a show people are there to see us so that’s a nice difference. It’s nice that however many people come to a show they are all for the band.”
Although playing fewer warehouse parties at the moment, Mitch is hopeful to get back into that kind of atmosphere in the future. He prefers performing for crowds of under 1,000 people to keep the feeling of playing a party rather than a festival.
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While Mitch is not a founding member of Northeast Party House, he has been with the band for three years. The band has had a few changes in members over the years, but the group has meshed well together. Although they may sometimes have different ideas about their music, which can become “a bit of a mess when it all comes together”, the resulting product of their teamwork is something that can please them all. “We've all connected. It’s been great,” enthuses Mitch.
“I think we all have the same aspirations within the band, and we're all pretty much on the same level which is really nice. It’s a really nice position to be in, especially going forward with the tour and we'll be writing again in six months or so.”
After the tour the band is looking at taking a break to work on some individual side projects. “You have your main band but you've always got maybe another style that you want to [explore]. I think we've all got some ideas going on . . . I want to release an EP of my own by the end of the year, so that's a little project that I'm personally working on.”
Written by Darcy Stephens
Northeast Party House Tour Dates
Wed Jun 25 – Beach Road Hotel (Bondi)Thu Jun 26 – Rad (Wollongong)
Fri Jun 27 – Transit Bar (Canberra)
Sat Jun 28 – Newton Social Club (Sydney)
Sun Jun 29 – The Lair (Sydney)
Wed Jul 2 – Small Ballroom (Newcastle)
Thu Jul 3 – Alhambra Lounge (Brisbane)
Fri Jul 4 – Sol Bar (Maroochydore)
Sat Jul 5 – Spotted Cow (Toowoomba)
