REVS AND REBIRTH
2011 has been a somewhat crazy year for Canberra locals ATLANTIS AWAITS. In the space of months, the band have had a line-up change (adding new frontwoman Tegan Rogers to the mix), have released a new single Rebirth through Sony/Ardline Records, and are currently in LA, recording their debut album.
In fact, Rebirth could not be more aptly titled. “Since Tegan has come on board it seriously has been like a rebirth for the band,” the guys admit. “The whole dynamic of the band has really shifted and we are working as a unit and just having a lot more fun.”
LA has been an amazing experience for the band as well – not many Canberra bands get to say they recorded their debut album in the Hollywood Hills! “LA has been fucking great. From the moment we got here we’ve seriously had the royal treatment and been lucky enough to work with some amazing people!”
And the album is sure to be a big hit with the fans, if Rebirth is anything to go by. Unbelievably energetic and fun, the band think it’s a good example of the rest of the record. “Fans can definitely expect to hear an album that is upbeat and energetic, but it has a mix of different kinds of songs too. There’s a few fist-pumping songs in there, some ‘riding in your car with the top down’ kind of songs, and others that are meant to provoke and inspire.”
With a third national tour coming up, the band are itching to hit the road again. “We’re keen to get back in the mix. There is some serious talent coming out of Canberra at the moment and it’s exciting to watch and we’re itching to get amongst it,” they say enthusiastically, though jetlag may be a dampener. “Ha, we aren’t looking forward to the 14 hour flight back to Australia but it’s nothing a couple of Valium can’t fix!”
Having recently signed to the well-known Australian booking agency, The Harbour Agency, the band will be looking to kick up a storm in the live scene more often. “Playing live shows and being on the road is what this band is about. Being with Harbour simply means we have more opportunities to do so and it opens a lot more doors for the band. If we could tour year-round, non-stop, we would!”
Well, they certainly wouldn’t get any complaints from their eager fans! Although still uncertain about how exactly they would define their music, Atlantis Awaits are big fans of the local scene, and luckily, the locals love them back. “The Canberra scene is definitely underrated,” they say. “We have trouble defining our genre, we don’t really know it ourselves. But we’ve had the opportunity to play with bands from genres of either ends of the spectrum and that’s what it’s all about. The weirder the better.”
Atlantis Awaits will play at Summernats on Thursday January 5. Tickets are available from the festival’s website.
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