See the sights: Grinspoon plays Geelong next month.
ERIN PEARSON
ROCK band Grinspoon will be the guests of two former AFL legends when they roll into town next month.
Bassist Joe Hansen, guitarist Pat Davern, drummer Kristian Hopes and frontman Phil Jamieson are heading to town as part of their new year Verano Fantastico tour.
But they won’t be heading straight home after their performance; instead Cameron Ling and Tom Harley will show them the sights.
“Cameron ‘Lingy’ Ling and T Harley said they’ll take us out and show us a great time so no doubt we’ll have a ball,” Jamieson laughed.
“We’ve been playing in Geelong since we were kids at the Barwon Club and alike.
“The town’s always been kind to us.”
Jamieson said the band was looking forward to a return to Geelong.
The Victorian coast was a “classic run” for Grinspoon who are looking forward to tapping into the post-Christmas holiday period, he said.
The tour follows a challenging year for Jamieson, who tested his skills with a solo tour before adventuring to the UK and New York.
Grinspoon’s popularity rose fast after claiming Triple J’s inaugural unearthed competition in 1995.
The band’s goal has always been unwaveringly clear – to write a great album – and Jamieson said it remained top priority.
He said the band was in “no rush” to churn out another, instead choosing to focus on a “rock solid” production come February.
“In the current climate people know who we are so we’re not in a rush at all,” he said.
“Promoting an album when it comes around is like a circus, we go into months of training, so we’re taking our time.”
But before tackling the east coast tour or album production, Jamieson said getting through his first Christmas at home in a while would take up most of his time.
“Next is getting the prawns cooked and the food ready at home in Port Macquarie. I cannot wait.”
Grinspoon are at The Pier on January 5.
