Eskimo Joe embrace their sound - ready to tell their stories

Eskimo Joe bandmates Kav Temperley, Joel Quartermain and Stuart MacLeod will be performing an intimate acoustic show, where they can share tales of their 25-year long music journey as a part of their National Acoustic Theatre Tour.

Lead singer Kav said regional touring was being able to bring their music to their fans.

"We love playing city shows but the really special thing about going anywhere regional, we get to take our to people who live there and don't get to travel as much," he said.

"Music is something we've taken from granted for a while during COVID-19 and that taught us there is nothing like being in a live show. There is the significance of being in a room with a band and how that physically moves you is a whole experience in itself."

Joel said as a band it was "a pleasure" playing in regional areas.

"The hospitality is amazing, people want to show you their favourite pub, they're happy to have you here," he said.

Stuart said these types of shows were about "story-telling".

"A bit more interaction and reimagine the songs that's exiting for us which hopefully translate to the crowd," he said.

The band said over their two-decade career they've come to embrace their "Eskimo Joe sound".

Their new song, 'The First Time' came from being back playing live shows and feeling inspired by that energy.

The band first started in 1997, and Kav said the early days were about writing songs about their own experiences.

"It was a lot about opening the diary and writing about what happened to us today," he said.

"Whereas now it's about looking at our own stories and everyone else's. At a certain point in time, you can't keep hacking into your own life, you have to look at the broader story if everybody else."

Joel said the band has overcome feeling "self conscious of being influenced" by themselves.

"When we you're younger, you try not to sound like you on the next record or try not to sound like that," he said.

"A mate I've known for 25 years said 'The First Time' sounded exactly like Eskimo Joe and that was a nice thing."

Eskimo Joe's biggest hit 'Black Fingernails, Red Wine', which came out in 2006, earned the band Aria award for Single of the Year.

The song was the band's debut into the US market in 2007.

Kav said the band was featured on a few TV and music projects, including Twilight: New Moon, an episode of Gossip Girl, and Miley Cyrus rom-com The Last Song.

"We were really lucky," he said.

"We were touring America and there was particular person who liked the band who managed to get us on a couple of releases."

Kav said he has kids now who love Twilight.

"The Twilight thing was huge," he said.

As great music bands from the late 1990s to 2010s become more mature, they've been dubbed via social media trend as "dad rock", which the band seem proud to be a part of.

"I dream of being on Gold FM," Kav said.

"It's a badge of honour."

Apparently the band have popped up on a few Spotify playlists with a running theme - 'dad rock', 'divorced dad rock' and one called 'lawn mowing'.

"I feel that that fits in with dad rock," Kav said.

In 2024, would Eskimo Joe rather go viral on social media or get featured on Bluey?

"Bluey", Kav, Joel and Stuart said, without hesitation.

Eskimo Joe are performing at Civic Hall on Saturday, April 27.

Tickets available online and Ballarat Marathon participants can get 10 per cent off a ticket.