Cracking up: Dead Letter Circus brings its environmental message to Geelong next month.
ERIN PEARSON
ROCK means more than just music for Australian band Dead Letter Circus, according to guitarist Rob Maric.
He said his Brisbane group was outraged about the spreading practice of hydraulic fracking, a controversial technique to tap underground rock formations for natural gas and oil.
The procedure injects a mix of water, sand and chemicals to crack open the rock, releasing the fuels.
Fracking has alarmed Maric and environmentalists around the country over the potential for environmental impacts such as contamination of groundwater.
The band’s upcoming No Fracking Way Tour would spread the message of environmental alarm during 21 shows around Australia, including a gig in Geelong next month.
“We’d feel like total pricks if we didn’t use our band to at least help spread some awareness,” Maric said.
“We’re tricked into thinking we have no power. The twist is we have all the power, we just need to voice our opinion collectively.
“This is one topic every day Australians can look into and be shocked by.”
Dead Letter Circus has earned regular airplay on Triple J radio since forming in 2005.
The band’s first album, This Is the Warning, debuted at number two on Australia’s album charts. The band has toured extensively ever since.
Maric spoke to the Independent from America where his band was supporting Animals as Leaders.
He predicted a matured show when Dead Letter Circus returned to Australia after the American tour upporting Animals as Leaders.
“We’re currently travelling the United States playing shows all the way from the west coast to the east coast and then all the way back. That’s 29 shows in 30 days,” he said.
“We left as boys, we shall return as men. Expect beards, thick beards.”
Maric said he and his band mates were homesick for Australia despite the attempts of Americans to inject Aussie lingo into conversations.
“I’ve never eaten a shrimp on a barbie but I think it needs to happen when we get home,” he said.
“Can anyone out there make that happen? We can’t wait to get home.”
Dead Letter Circus will play at Bended Elbow on August 22 with support acts Closure in Moscow and Wolves.
