Ahead of their trip Down Under for New Bloom Fest in March, Jon Simmons of Balance and Composure chats all things getting the band back together.
Over the last five years, the world has shifted on its axis, undoubtedly changed in innumerable ways. The beginning of 2019 was a time before the most unprecedented of times. Cities weren’t locked down, problematic politicians weren’t yet re-elected, the smoke of faraway bushfires hadn’t yet blanketed foreign skies. And Balance and Composure were still a touring band.
Only just, anyway. From March until May of that year, the Pennsylvanian rock outfit played their final shows on a farewell tour, waving goodbye to a dedicated following of fans after twelve years of music. Or so they thought.
New Bloom Fest 2025 dates
- Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane – Saturday, 8 March (18+)
- Roundhouse, Sydney – Sunday, 9 March (18+)
- The Timberyard, Melbourne – Monday, 10 March (public holiday) (18+)
- Tickets to New Bloom Fest here
New Bloom Fest lineup
- Basement
- Balance and Composure
- DRAIN
- One Step Closer
- Sweet Pill
- Glitterer
- Primitive Blast (Brisbane only)
- The Others (Brisbane only)
- Colourblind (Brisbane only)
- Deadshowws (Brisbane only)
- Wifecult (Brisbane only)
- Masochist (Brisbane only)
- Secret World (Sydney only)
- GLOAM (Sydney only)
- Feel The Pain (Sydney only)
- Horsepower (Melbourne only)
- Wayside (Melbourne only)
- Crawling (Melbourne only)
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
“I was kind of devastated when the band broke up,” Jon Simmons tell me over a video call from his home in Philadelphia. “I took it like a relationship breakup kind of thing, was kind of a mess without it. A lot of it [was] just not having an outlet anymore or having, like, the human connection that we had with this family we’d made. It was a big piece of me.”
The world of Balance and Composure shifted along with everything else over that period of time. They played their final shows, then a year later barely anyone the world over was playing shows at all. Everything slowed down, some things stopped, balances were thrown out of whack.
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What did come, though, was time, distance and growth. All invaluable tools to get over a breakup. Or, for some, to realise that you should get back together. “Oh, I knew. I knew the guys would miss it, so I had hope for sure,” Jon says about the band’s fateful reuniting. “I didn’t want to put any pressure on them, so I let them come to me and come to the group and everyone kind of felt the same way. It was a beautiful thing.”
Now, with a new album out in the world – with you in spirit – and back on the road again, Balance and Composure seem to have found the right stride they want to take it all in. “It just feels fun, and, I don’t know, we’re really happy right now,” Jon says. They’ve rediscovered a sense of balance, a new pace for their world to turn on its axis at.
“We’re back in our groove”
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Along with Jon on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, the boys of Balance and Composure also include Andy Slaymaker (rhythm guitar, vocals), Matt Warner (bass), Erik Petersen (lead guitar) and Dennis Wilson (drums), replacing Bailey Van Ellis who was on drums in the band’s original iteration.
The band may be touring again and back playing shows, but Jon says they’re making sure they go about it all in a more considered way. “I don’t think we’re going to tour as much anymore as we used to. We kinda just wanna keep everything fun and light.”
“It feels natural again. We’re back in our groove,” he continues. “[But] we’re not touring like 300 days out of the year anymore. Which makes it, when we play, it’s rare, more fun and special.”
Rare, fun and special are all exactly what a fan of any band would want from a beloved group of musicians, although for Australian fans, rare often means that Northern Hemisphere artists don’t make it all the way Down Under. But Balance and Composure aren’t letting that be the case.
“We love it there, we’re in love with Australia,” Jon says. “The first time we went over there we fell in love with the place, and people are great and the shows are terrific. So, we’ve made it a point to always come here. With every album we’ve done it. It’s very important to us.”
A rock and roll vacation on Aussie shores
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The American rockers are being brought to Australia by New Bloom Fest, a festival that will be spotlighting hardcore, rock and alternative artists at its three instalments across the southeastern seaboard. Only in its second year running, New Bloom Fest has already secured some massive names for the March 2025 edition in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
“We can’t believe that’s the lineup,” Jon says, referring to bands such as Basement, Drain, Sweet Pill, Glitterer and more. “We’re shocked and so happy about it. It just worked out and we feel very lucky to be a part of it.”
The Balance and Composure boys are good mates with fellow Americans Glitterer, Jon says, and also know the rockers that make up the brooding British band Basement, but says that he and the band are “excited to meet everybody else.”
Surely that means it’ll be nothing but party vibes when the band finally comes back to Australia? “Responsible party vibes,” Jon corrects me, laughing. “I think it’s just gonna be a fun rock and roll vacation for us, you know? I’m looking forward to it. I feel like many memories will be made.”
You can get tickets to see Balance and Composure at New Bloom Fest in Melbourne on March 10 here.
