Matt Hewson
Local band Seal Prince and the Roof Rats are going back to where it all began when they play the Barwon Club next weekend.
On Sunday, December 10 the five-piece folk-rock band will return, almost one year to the day later, to the venue where they launched their 11-track debut album Threads to Follow in 2022.
In addition to core members Lachie Chomley (vocals, acoustic guitar), Josh Docker (electric guitar, vocals), Georgie MacLucas (fiddle, vocals), Martin Cyster (bass) and Tom Allen (drums), the band will be joined by a three-piece horn section and four extra vocalists for the celebratory gig.
Chomley, the band’s primary songwriter, said the band was excited to return to the iconic Geelong bandroom.
“It’s a year to the weekend (since the album launch), so the idea was to get back together at the same venue and do it all again,” he said.
“We’ve got a couple of new songs people haven’t heard before that we’re doing with the big band. For this gig we’ve been rehearsing with four other singers and a brass section, which we’ve never done before. That’s pretty exciting.”
With a strong lyrical focus on connection, both to the land and other humans, Chomley said Seal Prince and the Roof Rats were all about engaging people to think about “where humans are at the moment, and how far from ideal that is”.
“It’s quite conversational; there’ll be stories about the meaning behind the songs and inviting people to connect with what each song means to them personally,” he said.
“There’s a strong message of empowering people to create the changes that they want to see in the world.
“(But) our set is full of equal amounts of playfulness and seriousness. There will be many opportunities to dance!”
Seal Prince and the Roof Rats will be supported by the Bellarine’s own queen of the ukulele Sarah Carroll with one of Australia’s premier guitarists, Shannon Bourne, as well as local guitar phenom Finnigan August. Doors open at 5pm.
