Southern River Band back in Geraldton for Wintersun gig ‘to break the shackles of the working week’

If high-octane rock ‘n’ roll music is your jam then prepare to strap yourselves in for a night of guitar-fuelled madness when The Southern River Band tour Geraldton this week.

Fresh off a surprise gig at the AFL Brownlow medal, the Thornlie stars will be rocking the Wintersun Hotel on Friday as part of a WA tour.

Considered one of the most energetic live acts around, SRB have carved out a cult following since the first iteration of the band formed in 2015.

The hard rock group has toured all over Australia with the likes of Cold Chisel, Birds of Tokyo, Wolfmother and The Darkness.

SRB took a prolonged break from touring because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but are back to help music lovers “break the shackles of the working week”.

Chatting to The Geraldton Guardian ahead of their Wintersun gig, guitarist and producer Dan Carroll said fans could expect a “classic” SRB set.

“It’s a fun rock ‘n’ roll show,” he said.

“Some people like to take themselves very seriously these days.

“It’s a bit of a breath of fresh air for people to remember that rock ‘n’ roll is supposed to be fun.”

Carroll wouldn’t share any inside info on how SRB get themselves revved up for a live gig, joking: “It’s an industry secret.”

But he did shed some light on why their live sound was such a different listening experience to their records.

“Live is probably a bit more unhinged,” he said.

“When you are in the studio you try to dot i’s and cross your t’s — it’s a manicured presentation of the band.

“Live definitely leaves more room to be in the moment and make it more of a cranked, extreme version.”

Used to playing in front of sweaty crowds and the local pub, the blues-infused rockers had to switch gears a little when they were picked to play for a national audience at this year’s Brownlow Medal.

Carroll said the Australia-wide exposure was “massive” for the group.

“It went by like a flash of a light,” he said.

“Because it was being broadcast out of Melbourne it was militantly timed.

“We were well enough prepared but nothing prepares you for being in that environment — it was weird to go straight into fifth gear for three minutes.”

SRB turned heads with their 2016 debut album Live at the Pleasure Domeand followed it up with sophomore studio LP Rumour & Innuendo in 2019.

Earlier this year the band released their latest single Vice City II, but Carroll said the band wasn’t planning on releasing another album any time soon. “We are working on writing lots of songs without tying it into a body of work,” he said.