First Gigs, Festivals and Jamming with JACK WHITE; Life on the Road with Garage Rockers DEMOB HAPPY

It’s been a busy few months for UK garage rockers Demob Happy who having completed a Spring headline tour earlier this year, supported Royal Blood on a European run and hopped onto a few festivals, have now just kicked off a run of dates across the US with Band of Skulls. If that isn’t enough the band have now just announced they’ll be supporting The Amazons on their November UK run.

Here’s the band with their new single “Autoportrait”:

Just before they headed out to the States, we spoke to the band about life on the road and you can read what they told us here.

Hey guys, thanks for your time, you’ve got a busy Autumn ahead of you. How are preparations going ?
Demob Happy: “Great. We’ve got a week or so at home so will be writing music, cooking food and drinking beer in preparation.”

You’ve done a few festivals already to warm you up – how did they go?
Demob Happy: “We came over and had a taste of the American festival circuit this year. It was truly great. The weather was pretty crazy though – our stage lifted off the ground and nearly collapsed in extreme windy conditions in Ohio! In England it mainly just rains at festivals.”

Festivals are a good place to check out your favourite bands, did you get chance to do that ?
Demob Happy: “It’s one of the great things about playing these things, getting to see incredible acts that you love or discover new acts. We’ve been lucky enough this year to watch from the side of the stage with acts like The Hives, Foo Fighters, The Raconteurs and more. Has been peachy.”

What is life like on the road for you Demob Happy, what are the pros and cons of being a touring band ?
Demob Happy: “I mean all jobs have their ups and downs. Life on the road can be tough of course and you miss home at times or get in a funk, but the pros outweigh the cons greatly. It’s amazing that we get to do what we love.”

Check out some fan-filmed footage of Demob Happy doing what they love:

Where is your favourite venue, city and country to play?
Demob Happy: “That’s so difficult. So many things contribute to your experience of a city and of a gig. I feel like one of our best shows was at the Fillmore in San Francisco. It’s just such a legendary venue and the crowd were great to us. Plus it was also our first time in the city and we were drinking it up.”

Have you had any crazy experiences out on the road that you’d care to share with us?
Demob Happy: “We certainly have. It’s hard to pick just one to mention. There’s crazy moments we can think of that we definitely can not mention! Though most recently getting invited on stage for an impromptu jam with Jack White in Edinburgh was pretty damn incredible.”

Do you remember your first gig as a band, what was it like ?
Demob Happy: “It felt amazing, like pure hot white light burning all around us. And it probably sounded like dog shit.”

What essential items can’t you live without on the road ?
Demob Happy: “Books, notebook and pen, playing cards, tequila and a portable speaker!”

Any bad habits among the rest of the band ?
Demob Happy: “None so bad that they threaten the continued existence of this rock’n’roll union.”

How do you pass the time when you’re touring as extensively as you will be doing ?
Demob Happy: “If we are extensively touring we chill out and read books, listen to podcasts, or blast loud music!”

You’ve got a lot of touring through to the end of the year, what are your plans for 2020?
Demob Happy: “That is for us to know, and you to find out.”

Thanks for your time, last chance to plug the upcoming tour dates?
Demob Happy: “No problem, it’s been a pleasure. If anyone wants to find us in the coming months then you check out all of our tour dates at http://www.demob-happy.com/tour.”

Tour Dates:

09/06 – Solana Beach – CA – Belly Up *
09/07 – Phoenix – AZ – The Crescent Ballroom *
09/09 – Dallas – TX – Trees Dallas *
09/10 – Austin – TX – Mohawk *
09/11 – New Orleans – LA – Tipitina’s *
09/12 – Pensacola – FL – Vinyl Music Hall *
09/12 – Birmingham – AL – Saturn *
09/16 – New York – NY – Webster Hall *
09/18 – Philadelphia – PA – Union Transfer *
09/19 – Washington – D.C. – 9:30 Club *
09/20 – Cleveland – OH – Beachland Ballroom and Tavern *
09/21 – Toronto – ON – Mod Club Theatre *
09/23 – Detroit – MI – El Club *
09/24 – Chicago – IL – Thalia Hall *
09/25 – Minneapolis – MN – Fine Line Music Café *
09/27 – Denver – CO – Marquis Theater *
09/28 – Salt Lake City – UT – Urban Lounge *
09/30 – Vancouver – BC – Venue Nightclub *
10/01 – Seattle – WA – Neumos *
10/02 – Portland – OR – Wonder Ballroom *
10/04 – San Francisco – CA – August Hall *
10/05 – Santa Ana – CA – La Santa *
10/06 – Los Angeles – CA – The Mayan *
11/08 – Birmingham – O2 Academy **
11/09 – Leeds – O2 Academy **
11/11 – Nottingham – Rock City **
11/12 – Newcastle – O2 Academy **
11/13 – Glasgow – The Barrowland Ballroom **
11/15 – Manchester – Academy **
11/16 – Cardiff – University **
11/17 – Bristol – O2 Academy **
11/19 – Bournemouth – O2 Academy **
11/20 – Norwich – UEA **
11/22 – London – O2 Brixton Academy **

* (w/ Band Of Skulls)
** (w/ The Amazons)

Here’s more footage of Demob Happy on the road in their “Less Is More” video: