Band Future Islands back in Australia for third tour in just over a year

FUTURE Islands are known for the intensity of their shows — so how are they coping after 20 months on the road, as they start their third Australian tour in just over a year?

Is this the longest rock tour ever?

AFTER bursting onto the scene with one of the most memorable television performances in recent history, Future Islands haven’t stopped.

Thing is — they’ve been doing it much longer than many expect — almost ten years.

They never stopped until they arrived — and now they have arrived, resulting in the Baltimore band’s third tour of Australia in just over a year — the end is in sight for front man Samuel Herring and the crazy ride that the band have been on.

“We’ve been on the road 20 months now which is crazy,” Herring says.

“After we come out of Australia we’re basically off the road until we make another record so that’s what we’re going to be focusing on following this tour.”

What’s next though is anybody’s guess for Herring and co.

“There is no blueprint about what is going to happen and I think that is the most exciting thing. We do our best as to keep thinking as far away from our music as possible,” he says.

“We’re coming in with a clean slate and are going to jump into our rehearsal space in Baltimore which is really exciting because we’ve only had a couple of weeks of making music together because we’ve been on the road so much.”

Playing four shows in November in Australia ... Future Islands are back for the third time in just over a year.

Despite living in vans, and buses for a heroic amount of time over the last 20 months, Herring admits the bond between band mates is unbreakable and the battles are behind them.

“Luckily we’ve been together for so long a lot of the complaints have already been worked out,” he laughs.

“We have such a good idea of who we are as people we learn to understand each other. We know how to cut right to the bone and you either know when not to go there — or go there and both laugh about it. The relationships go from 13-17 years and we’ve had our battles but there’s a lot of joking and laughing — we’re brothers.”

Brothers who struck musical gold with 2014’s Singles, the three piece’s finest album. It took not only the world by surprise but the band too.

Herring does his best to pin point why it connected with so many.

“From every record you learn something from the process,” he explains

“I think knowledge helped — it’s the most clean and accessible record for us.

“I think some of our older songs are more powerful and better than the songs on Singles but as a whole Singles is easily our best pure pop.”

There is a short silence before Herring continues with the obvious reference to THAT performance.

“Of course I can’t discount Letterman,” he laughs.

“Which as far as indie rock music goes became a viral thing and really continued to push us through the last couple of years. It helped people understand the truth of what we’re about which can only be felt and seen live.”

Sam Herring’s dance moves are always something to behold. Picture: Tim Saccenti (Dew Process)

That live presence truly has to be seen to be believed. Sam cuts a striking figure onstage — particularly when he lashes out at himself. Night after night he leaves nothing on stage, giving it all and becoming a staple of the band’s show — this at any cost.

“I’m almost certain I’ve given myself mild concussions,” he laughs.

“It happens from being in the moment and being really intense.

“My body physically I’m having problems with — it’s draining to pull through these emotions every night but it’s what you have to do and no matter how we feel we push through because if four guys feel beat up on stage but there’s a thousand people in the audience then those four guys and how they feel is the least important thing.”

MELBOURNE: Future Islands perform with Mumford and Sons, Sidney Myer Music Bowl, November 12. Sold Out;

ADELAIDE: Future Islands, The Gov, Hindmarsh, November 13. Oztix;

SYDNEY: Future Islands perform with Mumford and Sons, The Domain, November 14, Ticketek

BRISBANE: Future Islands, The Triffid, November 16. Oztix.

Originally published as Band Future Islands back in Australia for third tour in just over a year