The Coopers Alive SA Live Music Showcase is shaping up to be a beauty and one band worth checking out is Like Leaves. Daniel Varricchio is looking forward to showcasing the band as he explains.

What’s the latest goings for the band? “Like Leaves have been busy of late behind the scenes. A few months back we laid down the bulk of our debut album at Broadcast Studios with the excellent Evan James manning the faders and pushing the buttons. Phase two of the recording has seen us making some changes to our home studio where we’re putting on the finishing touches; laying down some more vocals, exotic instruments and layers to augment the basic tracks. Other than that, we’ve been working on some new tunes for our live set, and gearing up for a big weekend of music in October as we’re headlining the Ed Castle Coopers Alive show and supporting our mates Tame Impala from Perth over the following two nights! Craazzzy times!”

What does it mean for your band to be playing the Coopers Alive SA Live Music Showcase? “Getting asked to headline the Ed Castle show for Coopers Alive makes us all warm and tingly! It’s a very positive sign that our type of eclectic music is touching people and getting recognition among both audiences and the industry. The whole Coopers Alive concept is a great initiative to foster the wide variety of music Adelaide has to offer, so kudos to Coopers (and the other sponsors) for their extensive support. On a personal level we’re stoked to be playing with some of our favourite local bands in Thunderclaw + Bronze Chariot; to share the stage with those guys will be amazing.”

Do you approach this special event any differently to a normal gig? “Indeed! Ideally when we’re up there for any show we aim to play every note like it’s our last; that said, this gig is going to be very special, as everyone who comes to show will be given access to a free download film clip from each of the bands performances. When we found out that we’d be playing alongside great bands like Thunderclaw and Bronze Chariot, we knew this show would be a big one in terms of energy and vibe, so we thought the best way to celebrate this would be to document the whole affair and offer a memento of the gig as a thankyou to the punters for their support. In the past, I’ve worked with local film company Urtext Studios on a number of film projects (as a sound editor and composer), so we have two of their camera operators on board to film the whole night’s shenanigans. On the sound front, local engineer Matt Hills will be in charge of FOH, as well as running a fully independent multi-track live sound recording rig for the best professional results, so the fans will have something special to take home from the show, and get a chance to actively share in the whole experience with us. It’s going to be a wild night, that’s for sure!”

Is there any extra pressure knowing that industry types might be sussing you out “Not exactly. We would be playing this show regardless, but that said, some industry attention is more than welcome! As an independent band, Like Leaves are open to all offers and suggestions that come our way, and if we get some as a result of Coopers Alive, that would be great! If on the other hand, we get none, it wont deter us in anyway, we’ll keep on doing what we do. With the music industry the way it is at the moment, I think (or hope, at the least) that bands with talent and tenacity are going to last the distance. As a band of serious musicians with a lot of years playing behind us, I think it’s safe to say we’re all pretty much “lifers”, so if someone out there can see our work ethic & creative potential, then that’s cool! Playing and recording our music is the most important thing though; we’re passionate about our art above all, everything else is gravy.”

What can punters expect from your set on the night? “The full Like Leaves live experience; we like to keep our sets dynamic and eclectic, but if you can imagine psych rock played with electric violin & soaring guitars slashing away, some deft drumming & hypnotic bass grooves, and three distinct vocalists weaving in and out of the mix, you’re pretty much there. We’ll be pulling out a new tune or two that we’ve been working on to keep it fresh for the familiar faces. There may be also be costumes & capes involved, but nothing’s confirmed at this stage!”

Any surprises? “For the first time at one of our shows there’ll be an official – œlighting guy’ for the night, so that’s something to look forward to! There may also be a few tasty visual treats courtesy of local artiste Luku, who designed the awesome poster for the show. Of course, the most exciting part of the night will be the roving camera crew recording all the goings on throughout the performances….when you point a few cameras at a bunch of people having a good time, who knows what kinds of spontaneous things will happen? There may also be capes!”

What are the plans for the band for the remainder of the year? “Our main focus for the remainder of the year is to finish the mixing and mastering of our album, & getting it out there to the wide world. For now we’re an independent band so the release date is contingent on a few factors (time and money being the most pertinent, as always!), so we’ll do our best to get it out soon, if not this year then very early in the new year. To everyone that’s been waiting, hang in there guys! Following that, the plan is to hit the road hard to tour and visit our friends interstate, who’ve been patiently waiting for us. Once the album is out there it will be open season with live shows basically, as we cast our net further and wider. We’ll keep writing new tunes over the summer while the going’s good and hit the ground running. Onward and Upward!”

For further information on Like Leaves checkout their MySpace.

Like Leaves play the Ed Castle on Friday 16 October along with Bronze Chariot and Thunderclaw. Tickets are $10 at the door from 8pm.