A gig to fire up local metal heads
Star frontman’s high praise for Townsville live scene
WHEN he’s not howling away on stage, Marcus Bridge is helping others of the four-legged variety keep their own howls in check.
The frontman of Sydney metal stars Northlane has a small side hustle away from music as a dogsitter, helping out family and his music mates while they’re on the road.
While things are pretty chilled as he chats and keeps an eye on his brother in law’s greyhound, Daisy, he reckons he’d have a good soundtrack for guests if he started his own doggie daycare.
“There would have to be some really low vocals, cause I can imagine there’d be a lot of barking,” he said.
“I’d have to find some Swedish death metal, or maybe put Dethklock (from animated series Metalocalypse) on … that’ll do the trick.”
It’s fair to say Bridge will need another mate to return the favour and look after his own dog, Reggie, as Northlane hit the road this month and into December, touring their ARIA no. 1 album Obsidian.
It includes stops at seven Queensland venues, including Townsville’s The Warehouse on December 3, with support from fellow NSW heavy-hitters Windwaker.
The band have also handpicked local prog-hardcore act Native Tongue to open the Townsville show.
“They’re really sick and a band that seems really passionate about what we’re doing … it’s really exciting to see them working so hard,” Bridge said.
“The most important thing for us to keep an eye on bands that no matter where they are, they work really hard to push themselves and get past any adversaries that come from being in a place that doesn’t have a large population or as big of a scene.”
Bridge said he had a lot of respect for North Queensland heavy music fans and fond memories of a “knarly” show on Australia Day eve in Cairns in 2020.
He said the band wanted to make a special effort to visit as many towns in the region as possible on this tour.
“It might be an extra flight or a three or four hour drive, and it can be difficult and expensive to do these shows, but its so important,” Bridge said.
“It really shows when you get to these places like Townsville, they (the fans) are really hungry for it and really appreciate that you made the effort.”
Local pizza chefs should also take note, Bridge has a routine of visiting local joints on tour and loves a bit of cheesy goodness after a sweaty night on stage.
“What I usually do after a show on a long tour is I’ll find a pizza place, ask for a cheese pizza and get them to smash it with garlic and oregano,” he said. “We usually have post-show pizza, so whoever’s got the best garlic cheese pizza in town, bring it along.”
Details: northlaneband.com