Screamfeeder takes KittenLicks on tour

Thu 7th May, 2009 in Features

The mid-nineties was an auspicious time in Brisbane’s musical history. The Valley was home to various indie venues and rehearsal spaces where now internationally-reknowned bands honed their sound and played to ever growing audiences. It was from this hothouse of sonic activity that Screamfeeder delivered an album turgid with radio-friendly punk pop brilliance: their 1996 breakthrough triumph Kitten Licks introducing the Brisbane three piece to the world.

Thirteen years later, this iconic trio are embarking on a national concept tour where they will play the Kitten Licks album in its entirety, including the b-sides from the singles; an idea that clearly has dynamic frontman, Tim Steward, very excited. “I think we were chatting one day, me and Kellie ( Lloyd ), about all of these old bands getting together and doing this Don’t Look Back kind-of-thing and we thought, – œwell fuck, we’ve been around so long why don’t we do that?’ I think we looked at each other and realised that this actually could work and since we’ve started planning it, all of the reactions we’ve had have been really positive from bookers, journalists and fans.”

Fully agreeing with the positive response from those in the know, when noting how many FL friends and associates have exclaimed “I have that album!” upon the news of the tour, Tim’s exuberance burst through the phone line like shaken champagne, “I know! It’s so weird because all of these people are getting in touch out of the blue, really excited about it, saying that they all remember the album, what they were doing and how it means so much to them. It’s actually massively flattering because I didn’t realise there was still that resonance there after so long.”

After their recent performance at UnderExposed, there should be no doubt as to Screamfeeder’s continued popularity. The exhibition’s crowd was effusive with praise and calling for “more, more!” well after the event’s noise curfew had expired. And, although they’d agreed not to play any old tracks before their upcoming tour, after Tim, Kellie & Dean ( Shwereb ) convened to decide on a couple of encore tracks, they unleashed a blistering rendition of Hi C’s (still one of the best Brisbanesk film clips ever) as the closer; a teasing taste of what we can look forward to as their retrospective jaunt crosses the country over the next couple of months.

Listen to Kitten Licks before the show at http://www.myspace.com/screamfeederrock

Screamfeeder’s Kitten Licks tour:

Saturday May 9th – The Troubadour, Brisbane
With guests: Midget & The Butcher Birds

Saturday May 30th – Annandale Hotel, Sydney
With guests: Midget, Further, Sounds Like Sunset, The Magnetic Heads, Richard in your Mind, Grand Fatal, OxMusic

Friday June 5th – The Edinburgh Castle Hotel, Adelaide
With guests: No Through Road and Suzanne Grae & the Katies

Saturday June 27th – The East Brunswick Club, Melbourne
With guests: Midget, & Sounds Like Sunset

Saturday July 4th – Amplifier Bar, Perth