“We’re really excited,” he says. “We’re about to re-brand the show today. We’ve been holding off on doing it to get it all ready, but it’s pretty much an album showcase. It’s only going to be in Melbourne. We’re going to treat it as a whole new experience. Mostly new songs, and our old singer’s coming back for an old song. It’s all really exciting.
“We’re playing a lot of the samples on a lot of new equipment, like keyboards and pads, and implementing a completely new experience to see us live. And it’s a one-off show where you’ll get to hear most of the new album before anyone else.”
The show is designed as a means of saying thank you to the band’s hometown fans who’ve stuck with them over the years. “We really wanted to do something that was unique to Melbourne,” Jarratt says, “because we wouldn’t really be anywhere without the local Melbourne scene. And it’s been a while since we did a local show.
“We’re going to have some screens on stage that will be playing music videos that won’t be out yet throughout the set [which features] a lot of imagery that’s going to be throughout the album. There’s pretty much no other way to see this unless you come to this show. We’re just trying to give back to Melbourne.”
It’s an even more exciting prospect given the show is an all-ages event, and an excellent and varied lineup of supports are joining Storm The Sky. “It’s great, everyone can come,” Jarratt says. “And we’re really stoked to have the Trophy Eyes boys and Luca Brasi on. There’s a really cool rapper doing his EP launch as well, he’s been really excited. It’s really cool to have a mixed bill showcasing local talent and some really big national bands who are nice enough to play underneath us to make this show as big as we can make it.”
It’s been a year and a half since Storm The Sky’s last album Permanence. The follow-up, which they’re showcasing at this gig, is complete and ready to go, and will be released in the next few months. “I’m absolutely stoked, it’s my favourite thing we’ve ever done. I’m cranking it on the walk home by myself and not feeling arrogant. I’m loving it so much. The release will be rolling out quite quickly after this show.”
For all the band’s rabid fans waiting impatiently for the album, Jarratt says it contains a few surprises, but there’s something for everyone. “The next single we’re releasing is still heavy but it’s definitely heading in a different direction. It’s more of a punky, raw vibe, less polished than our previous album. The biggest thing that I can say – and I know a lot of bands say this, but I truly feel like this is spot on – is that you can pretty much like any genre of music and like this album. There’s just so much going on, and so many different vibes. That’s the beauty of it.”
BY ROD WHITFIELD
