An intense international and national touring schedule has been vital to the growth of The Trouble With Templeton, says mastermind Thomas Calder.
It’s been a huge 18 months for Thomas and his band, named after the eponymous Twilight Zone episode. Now a five-piece, they’ve travelled the US twice, playing with international acts like Of Monsters And Men and national heroes Matt Corby and Julia Stone. Now they’re set to tour their new album, Rookie.
“I can't speak any more highly about it,” Calder says of the record. “I’m extremely, extremely proud of the end result.”
Creating Rookie was a completely different experience to the last record, Bleeders, which Thomas recorded in his bedroom. “They're both really amazing and I think Rookie really pushed us to do different things, as it was our first record as a band and the first time working with a producer, which is always different — especially for someone like me, who is used to doing everything by themselves.”
The songs on Rookie seek to evoke a certain feeling, rather than recount specfic chapters from Thomas’ own life. “This record is a lot more about different perspectives,” he says, “and a lot more about seeing things from different people's points of view.”
The universal themes of their music are also conveyed through dramatic film clips, which stem from Thomas’ love of acting. “I grew up making films and acting was the first thing I did when I was a kid before music. Having concentrated on music for a while, the film clips are just a great opportunity to expand on the story.”
As well as touring with some musical heavyweights, TTWT have graced the stage at Harvest, BIGSOUND and Falls Festival, all experiences Thomas says was vital to the growth of the band. “I've had the honour of playing some of my favourite rooms in the country. It threw me and eventually the band in the deep end.”
To celebrate the release of Rookie, TTWT are headlining a national tour, and they can’t wait to perform in Brisbane.
“There’s always something about your hometown shows that feels like a big party, a celebration rather than necessarily a gig, because all your friends are there and it’s usually a good marker for the achievements that we’ve made.”
The Trouble With Templeton dates
Fri Aug 16 — Northcote Social Club (Melbourne) (w/ Ali Barter)Sat Aug 17 — Ed Castle (Adelaide)
Thu Aug 22 — Transit Bar (Canberra) (w/ Battleships)
Fri Aug 23 — GoodGod (Sydney) (w/ Battleships)
Sat Aug 24 — Republic Bar (Hobart)
Thu Aug 29 — Spotted Cow (Toowoomba) (w/ Holy Holy)
Fri Aug 30 — The Zoo (Brisbane) (w/ Holy Holy)
Sat Aug 31 — Winterfest @ The Brewery (Byron Bay) (w/ Love Hate Rebellion, Dave's Pawn Shop, The Halls)
Wed Sep 11 — BIGSOUND @ Oh Hello (Brisbane) (w/ Buchanan, Tales In Space, Tkay Maidza, MTNS)
