Project Description

Interview with

CARAVANA SUN

The iconic Caravãna Sun, have just hit the road once again with their National tour; Playing on home grounds, to thousands of fans, at their sold out shows across Australia. Laura Tedder was fortunate enough to catch up with the Drummer of Caravãna Sun, Alex Dumbrell, for a chat about their new music, life on tour, and what the future looks like for Caravãna Sun.

What inspired you to begin writing music as a group? How did your career begin?

We started out touring up and down the East coast of Australia and from early on the fun and special experiences we had on the road started creeping their way into the songs. The inspiration for songs have ebbed and flowed in different ways over the years but the essence of why we do it has stayed the same. Touring was about playing in places we always wanted to go, surfing breaks we’d always heard about and taking our music to communities far and wide that resonated with the tunes we were creating.

For new fans, how would you describe your music?

A tough question to answer but summery surf, rock is how our mums tell their friends haha so lets go with that?

What was your most memorable show and why?

One that pops straight in my head is a show we played in Germany last July. We were on a summer tour of Europe, playing a bunch of festivals and outdoor events and had been driving and flying back and forth across Western Europe and the UK for 9 weeks and we were all starting to get a little exhausted. Finally, it was the last show of the tour, it was my birthday AND we were doing a support gig with this really well known Bavarian brass band called LaBrassBanda to 6,000 people. They were doing a tour across southern Germany to all these big beer tents (Germans know how to do it right!) and were lovely enough to have us come play with them. I had one of those surreal moments on stage where you realize where you are and what you’re doing and I think it really sunk in just how lucky we are to be doing what we do. EPIC!

You’ve had the opportunity to travel around the world, where was your favourite place to visit and why?

Hmmm another tough one but probably Broome, WA. For such a remote little town, the surrounding country and people of Broome have always held such a spell over me. The raw colours, the sunsets, the amazingly supportive community, the shows and the adventures up the Cape aren’t even the tip of the iceberg of what The Kimberley means to me.

You’ve just released the single ‘Beauty & the Pain’, what is the message behind the lyrics?

The song is about knowing that in the shit times, there’s always a splitting ray of beauty, like the fierce glow of your angry lover. It’s the cheeky smile you can’t help but let out, it’s the knowing that where there’s pain, there’s beauty.

Where do you think Caravãna Sun will be 12 months from now?

Hopefully still doing what we are doing now….writing, recording and touring our music around the world, finding people that resonate with it and having an adventure along the way.

Are there any particular songs you are looking forward to playing on your upcoming tour?

Definitely pumped to perform the new single ‘Beauty & the Pain’ and see how audiences react. It can be a nerve racking time when you start performing a song you’ve crafted in a safe, creative space to people outside of your immediate circle. Also, we’re just about to head into the studio to finish recording our new EP, so I’m also excited to road test some other new songs too!

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What are the worst parts about going on a tour? Do you ever face any difficulties?

Touring has sooo many positive points to it, especially being able to live and breathe performing and live music for weeks at a time with your best mates. Though, often we are away for a couple of months at a time and the time away from our partners and families can be the toughest part of touring. As silly as it seems, our phones are the only window into keeping in touch with our loved ones so I find myself on my phone so much more than when I’m home and I start hating the routine of living life through a phone or screen.

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You released your first album ‘Rising Falling’ back in 2011, looking back over the years, is there anything you would want to change?

No immediate regrets, I learn so much each time we head into a studio, whether it be the process of recording and creating, or the specific way each producer we work with functions. The only thing I now know and realise is that we have a habit as a band of being too concerned with perfectionism and getting stuck on decision making early in the creative process. We now try to separate the two processes, be creative and let the ideas flow first and worry about being critical at a different time.

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Besides music, is there anything else you are passionate about?

I’m passionate about surfing and trail running. Growing up in the south of Sydney I was lucky enough to have plenty of amazing trails right on my door step in the Royal National Park and some awesome surf spots just down the road. In between tours you’ll find all the guys from the band surfing, we’re really so lucky here in Australia to have such a beautiful coastline.

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If you had the chance to tour with anyone in the world, who would it be?

Oooooo probably Foals, this awesome band from the UK. Not just for the performances themselves, but when you tour with a band it’s the hangs backstage after the show and the connections you make over the course of the tour that’s so special. I think Foals are a band we’d all love to meet and rack their brains on their creative processes and nerd out over our similar love for music.

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Is there any plans to release new music, or maybe a new album in the near future?

Our latest recording is our brand new single “Beauty & the Pain”, we recorded it with Steven Schram down in Melbourne’s Sound Park Studios. It was such a challenging but fun recording process for us working with Schram, so we booked in to do the rest of the upcoming EP with him in a few weeks time….excited!

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What advice would you give to musicians who are just starting out?

Trust your gut instinct when it comes to playing music, don’t worry about others when it comes to bands you like or music you enjoy. It’s supposed to be fun! Let go, express yourself and be confident in your abilities.

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It was an absolute pleasure interviewing Alex Dumbrell from Caravaña Sun. Be sure to check them out. Tickets for their tour are now on sale, and can be purchased from their website.

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‘BEAUTY AND THE PAIN’

AUSTRALIAN TOUR

FRI 25 MAY | CLANCY’S FISH PUB, FREMANTLE WA | 18+
Tickets 

SAT 26 MAY | DIVER’S TAVERN, BROOME WA | 18+
Tickets 

FRI 1 JUNE | THE NIGHTCAT, MELBOURNE VIC | 18+
Tickets 

SAT 2 JUNE | THE LANSDOWNE, SYDNEY NSW | 18+
Tickets  | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets

THURS 7 JUNE | SOLBAR, SUNSHINE COAST QLD | 18+
Tickets  | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets

FRI 8 JUNE | BLACK BEAR LODGE, BRISBANE QLD | 18+
Tickets  | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets

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‘BEAUTY AND THE PAIN’

EU / UK TOUR

THU 5 JUL | BIERZELT TOUR 2018, Buch AT | ALL AGES

FRI 6 JUL | MADNES FESTIVAL, AMELAND NL | 18+

SAT 7 JUL | ROCK OYSTER FESTIVAL, CORNWALL UK | 18+

WED 11 JUL | SUGAR FACTORY,  AMSTERDAM NL | 18+

THU 12 JUL | HÄKKEN, HAMBURG DE | 18+

FRI 13 JUL |  GASTFELD, BREMEN DE | 18+

SAT 14 JUL | BALMERS HERBERGE, INTERLAKEN CH | 18+

WED 18 JUL |  UFO, BRUNECK IT | 18+

THU 19 JUL | LENDHAFEN CAFÉ, KLAGENFURT AT | 18+

FRI 20 JUL | BIERZELT TOUR 2018, PERCHTING DE (SOLD OUT) | ALL AGES

SAT 21 JUL | LOST WEEKEND, MUNICH DE | 18+

SUN 22 JUL | BIERZELT TOUR 2018, MAINZ DE | ALL AGES

THU 26 JUL | FARSONS BEER FESTIVAL, TA’ QALI MT | 18+

SAT 28 JUL | DER KRATER BEBT FESTIVAL, MEGESHEIM DE | 18+

FRI 3 AUG | REGGAE SUN SKA FESTIVAL, BORDEAUX FR | 18+

SUN 5 AUG | BESTIVAL, DORSET, UK | 18+

TUE 7 AUG | WATERING HOLE, PERRANPORTH UK | 18+

FRI 10 AUG | KOBLENZER SOMMERFEST, KOBLENZ DE | 18+

SAT 11 AUG | ZANDSTOCK FESTIVAL, ‘T ZAND NL | 18+

SUN 12 AUG | BIERZELT TOUR 2018, BAD BRÜCKENAU DE | ALL AGES

TUE 14 AUG | BIERZELT TOUR 2018, DETTENDORF DE | ALL AGES

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Follow CARAVANA SUN

INSTAGRAM     FACEBOOK      TWITTER      SPOTIFY      ITUNES       APPLE MUSIC        YOUTUBE

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AMNPLIFY – DB