The Evening Son rising

The Evening Son, are genuine diamonds in the rough, and are at the forefront of a movement that is taking the “Newcastle Sound” to the nation. Courtney Fitzsimmons spoke to them about the release of their new EP Open, and what the road has taught them.

“People can hear honesty, they just know when you’re being fake”, exclaims Drummer, Sam Petersen. “Music is all about being passionate and wearing your heart on your sleeve. You have to remember, audiences are smarter than you think.”

“People revisit the 90’s, their inner child”, asserts vocalist, Jared Campbell with an impassioned glint of pride in his eye as he describes the bands sound. “People hear something that’s a space that they recognize, that they feel comfortable with”. Guitarist Cain Horton highlights how “seeing a band with their own sound is refreshing for the punters and you find more people relate to you.”

All Aboard the Boat Wherever is the bands first single from the EP and the boys recently shot a film clip in the cambo carpark with a whos who of newies muso socialites, groupies and hangers-on all making cameo appearances. The EP’s title track is the one out of all, as lead singer Jared Campbell describes, “has open arms to any message conveyed in all the lyrical content, it was named that to open up to people and the rest of the songs are calling to open up.”

The bands continued success has seen them spending more and more time on the road. Recently completing a whirlwind run of east coast shows with progressive heavy weights, and triple J darlings, Dead Letter Circus. Jared explains that when he gets “into the van to go and play with the people I love, and the people I love making music with, it is really satisfying and where I am supposed to be.” A sentiment shared by Luke whom expresses “it feels like going home.”

The experience of playing and working with professional bands such as Dead Letter Circus and Mammal has been a reassuring affirmation of the hard work the boys have put in over the last 5 years. “Time with these kinds of bands give you a new appreciation and understanding of how the industry works and how to be successful, you learn from people who have made the mistakes and done the hard yards before you. It’s a long way to the top”, so “being close to others who are on the same wavelength, doing the same thing and doing it together feels fun and really cool” shares Sam. “It feels comfortable, comfortable is home and its what you’re supposed to be doing – like you know you’re not wasting your time. Oh, and swapping merchandise too.”

Jared explains how “walking in and meeting these guys operating as a body each working together and making everything happen. At the mammal gig, the way they operated with their systems and dynamics and each knew their own role.” Sam relates to how each of them were “independent and doing it all on their own back”. Guitarist Cain Horton highlights how they “felt like an in house kind of unit, they did everything themselves and it was so organized.” Sam emphasises simple “prep stuff, like getting things like merchandise sorted before hand. It is just natural sometimes, you just know what needs to be done.” Cain pointed out how “we were more prepared after touring with Mammal, they had their own people designated and taking care of each part. Everyone just has to keep in mind the things that need to be done, we saw how a tour manager would take that little bit of pressure off you so you can think about performing.” Jared identified how effective it really is to “share the weight of responsibility across the roles.”

“Its about how you operate, to set yourself up for the next level.” States Horton.

Open is out in October through MGM.