We sat down to talk to Cub Sport, an independent alt/pop band from Brisbane, Australia, to talk about their sophomore album, “BATS” and some facts you may not know about them! The official music video for BATS’ gospel infused first single “O Lord” breaks down traditional ideas of beauty, masculinity, and sexuality. The deeply personal song was written by singer Tim Nelson in the wake of coming out as gay and in a relationship with band mate Sam. They previously toured with The 1975 on their Australian arena tour.
Concert Crap: Your new album, “BATS” came out this month. Any song that stands out and makes you extremely proud?
Tim Nelson: I’m really proud of the whole thing. This is our first release since Bolan (Sam) and I got together and came out as gay, so it feels like a big step personally being open and proud of our sexuality. Two really special songs on the album are Bats and Solo III – they perfectly capture what it felt like for me to be freshly, openly in love for the first time.
CC: Were there any heavy influences in “BATS”? What or who inspired the new album?
TN: The album maps out my personal journey over the last couple of years – from the moment I admitted to myself that I was gay, to coming to terms with being in love with my best friend/band mate Bolan, finally acknowledging the situation a year later and to then coming out and getting together. A lot of BATS was inspired by Bolan. Musically, I found Frank Ocean’s Blonde really inspiring. It feels considered but raw and real – that’s a vibe I really love.
CC: If you wrote music in any other genre than the Indie/Alternative spectrum, what do you think it would be?
TN: R&B/Pop – it’s always been my favorite genre of music and I feel myself gliding further into that territory with my writing.
CC: Your outfits are so beautifully put together. Who’s your style icon, and anyone who influences your life?
TN: Thank you! We often collaborate with Brisbane-based stylist and photographer Rovel Hagos, we aim to put together striking but soft looks – that’s what we’re vibing at the moment, radical softness.
CC: What’s your favorite decade you’d want to live in? Does this decade influence you personally?
TN: The 60’s sounded cool but I’m all about the 2010’s – it’s a terrifying time but it’s also incredibly exciting seeing people who have been silenced throughout history finding a voice.
CC: Describe your dream tour opener and venue you’d love to play in.
TN: Touring with Frank Ocean is the ultimate dream – imagine getting to watch Frank’s set every night, it would be heaven. I love playing in beautiful, historic venues. One of our favourite venues to play is Paradiso in Amsterdam – it’s a multi-level venue with beautiful details throughout the interior. Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
CC: Anything you’re listening to now?
TN: I’m listening to a lot of SZA, Frank Ocean, Perfume Genius, Lorde, Solange, Cloud Control, Moses Sumney and Future.
CC: Any tour plans? What can we expect from Cub Sport for the rest of 2017 and 2018?
TN: We’ve got some relaxed beach-side shows happening in Australia with Middle Kids through October/November as well as a couple of festivals, then we’ve got our full-scale headline BATS tour in Australia through February/March 2018. Stay tuned for US updates – we’ve got something in the works!
CC: Would you like to add anything else to fans reading?
TN: If you’re reading from Australia, just a reminder to vote yes in the same sex postal vote!
All questions answered by vocalist Tim Nelson.
upcoming 2018 tour dates:
April 3rd — Atlanta, GA @ Eddie’s Attic
April 4th — Nashville, TN @The High Watt
April 6th — Washington, DC @ Union Stage
April 7th — Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry
April 8th — Boston, MA @ Middle East Upstairs
April 10th — New York, NY @ Berlin
April 11th — Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere (Zone One)
April 13th — Toronto, ON @ The Drake Underground
April 14th — Montreal, QC @ Petit Campus
April 17th — Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
April 18th — Pontiac, MI @ The Pike Room
April 20th — Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
April 21st — Chicago, IL @ Downstairs at Subterranean
April 24th — Denver, CO @ Lost Lake Lounge
April 25th — Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
April 27th — Los Angeles, CA @ The Moroccan Lounge
April 28th — San Francisco, CA @ Hotel Utah
April 30th — Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar
May 1st — Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern
May 2nd — Vancouver, BC @ The Fox Cabaret
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
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Post and interview by Stella Sanchez
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