Having smashed a Spendour in the Grass set, avoided the sophomore album curse and with new music on the way, you’d think Kingswood would be aware of their unique musical powers.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But lead singer Fergus Linacre said they didn’t realise they were a band you could sing along to until their current national tour.
“We toured initially just as the album dropped, and the difference is now people are singing the songs that aren’t singles, the ones you’d know only if you’d listened to the whole thing.
“We didn’t realise we were a band like that, but every gig is a big sing-a-long.”
Their second album After Hours, Close to Dawn was hailed as a skillful change of direction when it was released in February.
Debuting in the ARIA top 10, Linacre said the change of pace to brass and ballads wasn’t calculated.
“That’s what we do, we’re not a band that’s just always going to do the same thing over and over again,” he said.
“It didn’t happen deliberately, we didn’t say, ‘let’s not make a rock ‘n’ roll record.’
“Our favourite bands are the ones that change and grow, so we aspire to do that.”
The band isn’t afraid to reflect on their past either, with a fly on the wall documentary released in September chronicling the Nashville recording session of After Hours, Close to Dawn.
Lead guitarist and vocalist Alex Laska has already written tracks for the next album, with the band setting a “realistic” goal of releasing new tunes in early 2018.
According to Linacre, their recent songs have taken on a new dimension right at the end of their Maximus tour.
With drummer Justin Debrincat taking time off to have a baby, Sticky Fingers’ drummer Beaker Best is filling in behind the kit.
“There are some songs where you really feel like he’s in his zone and bringing his own style,” Linacre said.
“They take on a different feel, especially when our newer songs become a bit more like a jam. It’s certainly different but it’s great and exciting.
“That said, I don’t join in on the jamming, I go and sit out the back and have a beer while they’re going crazy onstage. You can only play tambourine for so long.”
Kingswood brings their tour to Karova Lounge on November 17, with support acts The Vanns and Wharves.
Linacre said the Ballarat gig, their second-last of the tour, was like a pre-homecoming before they hit their hometown of Melbourne.
The Ballarat connection runs deep. Michael Belsar, formerly of Hunting Grounds, is on keyboard and guitar for the shows, with local Braiden Michetti on bass.
“Ballarat is sort of a second home, so it’s gonna be a huge few days,” Linacre said.
Kingswood plays the Karova Lounge on November 17. Tickets $30, book at karovalounge.com/show/kingswood
