Four score: Geelong’s Cast Iron Pinata.
By Cherie Donnellan
CAST Iron Pinata’s European tour luggage allowance had been reduced to “hair gel only”, joked bassist Jim Grace.
All four members of the Geelong rock band spoke to the Independent this month in the lead-up to the seven-week tour.
“We were promised a big baggage allowance and it’s fallen through,” drummer Khale Lewis explained.
“Given that we have instruments to take over, that means we’ll have to neglect other things,” lead singer Pepe Raye interjected.
“Yeah, can’t shave off half the guitar,” guitarist Nathan Henschke joked.
The band will be packed in tight in its tour bus alongside American “sex rock” band Lord Bishop Rocks.
“Sex rock is their term, not ours,” Lewis clarified, “but we’re excited to join them.”
The quartet was excited about its first overseas tour, comprising 36 shows across eight countries.
Henschke and Grace, leaving Australia for the first time, said they were ready to impress the overseas crowds.
Lewis believed the band was “well-prepared” to meet touring demands after completing two national tours.
“We’ve travelled to a lot of places and we’ve learnt a lot about professionalism and the differences in playing to a different crowd every night,” he said.
Henschke and Grace agreed.
“We’ve learnt to always put on a good show,” Henschke said.
“Showmanship is important,” Grace added.
“It’s about entertaining, not just (playing) the music.”
Raye observed that the band was “a bundle of energy” on stage.
“There are parts of certain songs where we like to get into sync,” he noted.
“We feel the music.”
“To state an old cliché,” Grace jokingly interjected, “but our (practice) jams are definitely animated.”
Cast Iron Pinata drew a large crowd to its farewell show last month, which manager Steve Nichols labelled a “big success”.
The band planned to release its debut album in Australia after returning from tour.
“People have asked us ‘Can’t we get a copy of the album before you leave?’ but we’ve left our fans with our new single to enjoy until we get back,” Raye smiled.
