As the Round Mountain Girls gear up to play Live At Bond, mandolin player Chris Brooker talks all things music festival.
The boys (or Girls, rather) have played many music festivals lately, including the National Folk Festival, Woodford, Wintermoon and for four years in a row, Bluesfest. “We've been playing a lot of festivals this year, so the majority of our gigs have been outdoorsy sort of gigs. Having said that we have had pubs and clubs as our main focus over the last few years.
"But this year in particular we've been playing lots of festivals... Festivals are great because you can reach a lot of people. Having said that when we do play pubs you can get a really good vibe happening in a pub that’s more intimate.”
Between the size of the audience and the quality of the music, Chris quotes Bluesfest as the band's all-time favourite festival. “You'll be walking around backstage and pass a famous blues legend... last year we crossed paths with Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin.
“It's just a massive festival and it's such a buzz for a band like ours, where we just started out playing for fun and then all of a sudden we're walking around this massive festival.”
The Round Mountain Girls have played a variety of different shows, with anything from pub gigs to nude festivals. “We played a nudist festival a couple of years ago and even though we knew what was going to happen – everyone was naked – it was a weird thing.
“Halfway through the gig I had to pinch myself and realise what I was looking at. It was just a really bizarre scene. We walked off stage and people would walk up to us, just like normally, chatting after the gig and talking about the songs and stuff. I turn around and see the bass player standing there talking to this bearded man who was naked.”
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With plenty of live experience this year, the Round Mountain Girls are also planning to spend time working on their next album. “Next year we're planning to go through Europe on a little mission. Between now and next August we'll be writing songs for the new album and then roadtest them at all our gigs.”
The Round Mountain Girls play Live At Bond at Bond University Sunday July 20 from 2-4.15pm.
