“We’ve just started work on our next record,” Danny O’Reilly says, “but right now, we’re mostly looking forward to a few good breakfasts and some sunshine.”
The Coronas frontman is speaking from Dublin, where November’s cold and grey – the polar opposite of what’s waiting for the band on their fourth straight Australian tour. “Honestly,” he adds, “it’s one of my favourite places in the world to tour.”
This November, the Irish trio of O’Reilly, bassist Graham Knox, and drummer Conor Egan will hit Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth, playing a mix of new tracks from their seventh album, Thoughts & Observations, and the singalong favourites they’ve road-tested over years of touring. “We pride ourselves on putting on a good show,” O’Reilly says. “High energy, arms in the air, positive vibes.”
The band just ticked off the iconic Glastonbury Festival, and with more international dates on the horizon, plus new music in the works, you’d think they’d be running on fumes. But The Coronas are buzzing. “There’s just something about Australia,” O’Reilly says. “The people, the atmosphere, the coffee… it’s like a warmer version of home.”
Before they touch down for another visit, we caught up with the band to chat Aussie breakfasts, karaoke playlists, and why you’ll never hear a Coronas protest song.
The Coronas’ Australian tour hits Melbourne, Sydney and Perth this November. Tickets are on sale now here.
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Rolling Stone AU/NZ: What keeps bringing you back to Australia each year?
Danny O’Reilly: The crowds! We’ve been blessed to see our audience grow steadily since our first tour in Australia. We’ve always been welcomed and embraced by the Aussies.
Conor Egan: Yes, as Danny says the crowds are always great in Australia. They bring a great energy to the show.
You’ve mentioned Australia feels a bit like home. What makes it feel that way?
O’Reilly: I think the people. Aussies know how to have a good time, just like the Irish. They love their music too. We love our coffee too!
Graham Knox: Yeah, I think the cultures are pretty similar also… apart from the weather that is!
Have you been listening to any Aussie artists lately?
O’Reilly: I love Gang of Youths, they are one of my favourite bands. [Gang of Youths’ 2017 album] Go Farther in Lightness is still an album that I go back to a lot. I’m still yet to see them live though. Hopefully one day.
Knox: We love Crowded House, obviously, and would listen to them a lot on the tour bus! I’d be a big fan of Tame Impala and INXS, and John Farnham would definitely be on the karaoke list!
What can fans expect from your shows in November?
O’Reilly: High energy, arms in the air, singalong, positive vibes! We’ve been touring a long time now and we pride ourselves on putting on a good show.
When you’re not on stage, how do you like to unwind? Anything in particular you’re hoping to do while you’re here?
O’Reilly: November is so dark, cold, and wet at home, we love heading to Australia at that time of year. So yes, some sunshine will be welcomed. We’ve got some friends living there too that we’re looking forward to catching up with. Couple of beers, maybe a game of pool, and some good breakfasts is always exciting too!
Egan: My ideal day off on tour is probably a run or swim at the beach followed by a nice Aussie breakfast and coffee. And as Danny says, we have a few friends living there so we’ll try to meet up with them for some dinner and drinks.
Knox: I always try to visit Juan Taco by Luna Park if we have time in Melbourne! Luckily we are back playing Prince Bandroom in St Kilda so I’m sure I’ll be swinging by. We had a few days off in between shows a couple of years back and we were staying in Coogee Beach, so really enjoyed just chilling out on the beach and doing a few of the coast walks.
You’ve put out seven albums now. Has your approach to writing or recording changed over time?
O’Reilly: I’d say it has evolved for sure. We still try to write honest, melodic, and emotive music, like we did since our very first record. But we’ve grown musically, sonically for sure. As our influences have changed too, and as we’ve grown up our tastes have changed. I would say our music has a little more depth than our early “student-y” songs.
How’s touring with Thoughts & Observations been? Does this tour feel different from previous ones?
O’Reilly: It’s been great. It’s always nerve-wracking releasing new music, wondering how the audience will react to it, but as long as you’re happy with what you’re doing that’s the main thing. Thankfully the traction has been great. All the new songs have been going down so well and fitting nicely into the set alongside the older stuff.
Egan: It’s always great to get on the road with new material. It’s great to freshen up the set with some new songs, but it always makes creating the setlist a bit harder.
You’ve got Glastonbury coming up — how are you feeling about playing such an iconic festival?
O’Reilly: We’re buzzing, it really is a bucket list thing for every band I think. We’ve never even been there as punters so we’re just so excited to be attending, never mind performing! There’s plenty of Irish acts on the bill too, so there’s loads of artists we’re excited to see!
Egan: Can’t wait for it. It’s been the one festival we’ve been trying to play for years. You always hear so much about how great it is, and of course there’s so much live footage shown from it every year on BBC that makes you want to be there.
Knox: Yeah, I can’t wait! Really looking forward to just roaming around and soaking up the vibe.
With new music already underway, is there anything new you want to explore musically or thematically?
O’Reilly: I try not to get too caught up in overarching themes when I start work on new songs. They usually appear themselves without me actively trying. We always try to let the songs guide us sonically, and are happy to try any style or arrangement that suits the song. One thing we won’t be writing about is politics though. Our music is an escape from how messed up the world can be, and I think that’s because that’s the music we love too.
Knox: Danny’s voice is so strong [that] even if we did a total left turn sonically I think it would still sound like a Coronas song anyway, so fans don’t have to worry too much about our sound changing drastically!
