Yves Klein Blue

Tue 2nd Mar, 2010 in Features

Yves Klein Blue draw attention to themselves in the best way possible, with catchy hooks that get the heart pulsing and lyrics that linger in your head for days. So it’s no surprise that everyone is reaching for their dancing shoes and Brylcreem following the announcement of their headline ‘About the Future’ tour and a brief jaunt with the Bacardi Express supporting La Roux and Art Vs Science.

The band could not be more excited by their upcoming tours. “It is going to be exceptional!” lead singer Michael Tomlinson enthuses, before noting that choosing Cloud Control and Last Dinosaurs to support them was ‘natural instinct’. “Cloud Control are really good friends of ours whom we have known forever, and Last Dinosaurs are also from Brisbane and we have been to some their rehearsals and played some songs with them, so for us it’s all about having fun with friends and enjoying music.” As for the Bacardi Express tour, Tomlinson is slightly more cautious “we are slightly worried, all these people and so little time,” but he notes that. “it is such a fabulous idea – very exhilarating.”

On the back their debut album last year, Yves Klein Blue played an extensive set of shows in the UK, before returning to Australia to play shows over the summer, such as Homebake and Falls Festival. “New Years Eve was wonderful! It was spent in Tasmania in a Mongolian shelter underneath a giant eyeball watching the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Fantastic!”

The band is excited to be playing shows back at home as part of the healthy local scene. “After playing in other countries it really makes you appreciate the diversity and individuality of local artists,” Tomlinson patriotically declares. “Musicians here are not afraid to do something different, that’s why our culture is so rich.”

Taking their name from a shade of blue created by impressionist painter Yves Klein, band have often been lumped into the art rock genre. Tomlinson, an avid fan of The Velvet Underground, is flattered by the description. “For our music to be placed under the same category as such fine avant-garde musicians is so wonderful, but for us I think we produce pop songs that mean something to people. Pop songs are quite underrated in terms of how they can affect people, but pop has been around for a long time, it can be traced right back to the days of Mozart.”

Some of Tomlinson’s favourite albums include Lou Reed’s Transformer, The Strokes’ Is This It by and anything by David Bowie or The Clash. “I am into timeless albums,” he says, “ones that I can play from start to finish numerous times, with that in mind I guess that’s what we set out to achieve with our album Ragged and Ecstatic.”

Over the past twelve months, Yves Klein Blue have been working solidly on new material, which Tomlinson feels captures their growth, “We are constantly writing and we feel the new songs have lots of life in them, so we are really excited about showcasing those.” He also adds that the recording process also helped shape their live performance, “I suppose we are a garage band with a rock n roll ethic, but after spending time in the studio, we were really able to explore our creativity and make music that is reflective of what we are. The whole process has helped us grow into better musicians and in turn, better performers.”

Reflecting on their past year, Tomlinson can’t quite believe their success and progress, “it’s just so incredible! It is hard to think back to being eighteen years old and talking to your friends about starting a band when you’re recording and performing to all these people and sharing such amazing experiences. It is very surreal.”

Yves Klein Blue ‘About The Future Tour’, proudly presented by FasterLouder.

Fri 5th March – Hotel New York, Launceston [with The Stoics; Last Dinosaurs not appearing]
Sat 6th March – Republic Bar, Hobart [with The Stoics; Last Dinosaurs not appearing]
Fri 12th March – Settlers Tavern, Margaret River
Sat 13th March – Amplifier Bar, Perth [with Scotch Of Saint James; Last Dinosaurs not appearing]
Sun 14th March – Mojo’s, Fremantle [with Scotch Of Saint James; Last Dinosaurs not appearing]
Wed 17th March – Karova Lounge, Ballarat
Thurs 18th March – Barwon Club, Geelong
Fri 19th March – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Sat 20th March – Adelaide Uni O Ball
Thurs 8th April – Waves, Wollongong
Fri 9th April – Mona Vale Hotel, Northern Beaches
Sat 10th April – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney [ALL AGES SHOW, doors at 4:30pm]
Fri 16th April – Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns
Sat 17th April – The Old Museum, Brisbane [ALL AGES LICENSED SHOW]
Sun 18th April – Neverland Bar, Gold Coast