Bands like The Go Set are few and far between.
Achieving the perfect balance between a raucous rock & roll set and the delicate and moving lyrics of Celtic folk is no mean feat, but they've been achieving this for years.2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the band, and there's no better way to celebrate than releasing their eighth album.
'The Warriors Beneath Us' combines frontman Justin Keenan's zeal for recounting and recording history with the band's flawless expertise gathered over 1,500 gigs in 28 countries.
"I've always been interested in history and geopolitics from a social conscience perspective," he says. "I like stories about people, stories about communities and cultures, particularly Indigenous history and Australian colonial history.
"Also, pivotal moments in European conflicts. Ever since I was a little kid, I've always found those stories intriguing, and I particularly found them relevant because I feel one of the things that we miss as a culture is passing down the stories of the people who went before us like more traditional cultures do.
"So I embed that in my songs. That's a staple of folk music, to tell stories of the past." 'The Warriors Beneath Us' recounts numerous historical events, as well as a slather of Keenan's personal experiences.
'Broken Bones And Hearts' details the strain constant touring puts on friendships and relationships and the time forever lost, while 'West Into The Sun' tells the true tale of young men stolen from the streets to fight in foreign wars.
"My favourite lyrics from the album are from 'Tomorrow'. It's the story of conscripted men who were forced to defend Papua New Guinea against the Japanese in World War 2.
"They were undertrained, under-equipped and no one really cared about them. This song was based on a letter that one of the soldiers wrote home to his wife knowing it was highly likely he would never see her again."
Such delicate storytelling was inspired by bands like The Pogues and The Dubliners, while The Go Set's punk sound is owed to the influence of Weddings, Parties, Anything..
"I grew up listening to The Pogues, and The Dubliners were definitely an early influence on me," shares Justin. "As I started exploring music in Melbourne in the '90s, Weddings, Parties, Anything. combined rock music and punk in that Clashesque, '70s Brit-punk vibe mixed with folk instruments, and that really rang true for me."
In an ode to Keenan's Irish history, 'The Warriors Beneath Us' was released on St Patrick's Day, however don't expect the band to play on that day anytime soon.
"We avoid it, because it gets too drunk and loose. If you've got a day where you start drinking Guinness at breakfast time, and then you don't play until 11pm, it's a fair session before you get on.
"And people are always bringing shots up, so even if you start out okay, you get to the end and you can't play your instruments. It's a challenge to keep it together." And keep it together the band has across 28 countries, with numerous highlights.
"We've built up a really good following in Germany. Germans aren't ageist, they like bands with lots of albums, and they're loyal to bands over a long period of time.
"Initially, we were playing to ten people, and now we're selling out clubs. Also Japan, I played there solo, and they are some of my most memorable shows. We would love to play Brazil. There's a big movement there for rock shows, and it's a market that accepts a lot of new ideas."
So how do these rockers wash down a show? "We progress from Guinness pre-drinks, through to beers onstage, and then it's Jamieson after."
The Go Set 2023 Tour Dates
Fri 14 Apr - Curtin Band Room (Melbourne)Sat 15 Apr - Crown & Anchor (Adelaide)
Fri 21 Apr - Altar (Hobart)
Sat 22 Apr - The Royal Oak (Launceston)
Sun 23 Apr - Kindred Hall (Kindred, TAS)
Fri 28 Apr - Moshpit Bar (Sydney)
Sat 29 Apr - Dicey Rileys (Wollongong)
Fri 5 May - Volta (Ballarat)
Sat 6 May - Barwon Club (Geelong)
Sat 17 Jun - Railway Club (Darwin)
