After the recent release of their album Conspiracy, UK metallers The Raven Age are preparing for their UK/European headline tour to show off their new material. We caught up with guitarist George Harris ahead of the dates to hear his top tips and stories from the road!
Favourite thing about touring:
The live shows. They’re 100% why we all do this, why we started learning our instruments and what the whole point of touring is for us.
Least favourite thing about touring:
Being away from home for such lengthy periods of time, being away from my fiancé and family is by far the worst part. A close second is all the snoring that goes on from our TM and a few of the guys!
Five essentials for the road:
Ear plugs (for the snoring), practise amp so I can keep up my routine and also jam any new ideas I come up with on the road, a football so we can have a kick about and get out of the venues to get some air and daylight, books to keep my mind going for lyrical inspiration and thick skin (there’s no mercy with taking the piss and winding each other up in our camp).
Your favourite way to pass the time:
I like walking into the cities or wherever it may be just to try and see a bit of the place we’re in. I tend to get cabin fever if I stay in the bus and venues too much so I enjoy strolling about and exploring, usually with Jai our drummer as he’s pretty similar in that sense.
“The Most”
Memorable moment:
Supporting Killswitch Engage. They’re one of, if not my favourite band. Having been listening to them for so long and looking up to them as musicians, to actually open the stage for them was incredible.
Hilarious moment:
Had-to be-there moment, but for me, we were playing a club show somewhere and Jai, our drummer had a face like a slapped arse when he’s usually the happiest guy on earth. So I went over and said what’s up? He was complaining throughout our entire set that MJ our singer hadn’t announced that it was Jai’s birthday. I don’t know why but I couldn’t stop pissing myself laughing at it! It wasn’t even a big one it would’ve been his 28th. Typical Jai that is haha.
Embarrassing moment:
Whilst playing Volt Festival in Hungary I realised I had a huge rip in the crotch area of my jeans and I mean huge. I’d ripped all my other stage jeans as well, at this point I’m 8-10ft up on a massive stage with the front row staring right up that hole. I stood a few steps back from that point.
Outrageous moment:
Playing in front of 40,000 odd people in São Paulo in 2016. We had played some absolutely massive shows that year, but obviously being the opener it was half full at best. This time we walked out and there was not an empty seat in sight. A whole football stadium of Maiden fans ready to go, it was pretty daunting!
Drunken moment:
I got myself dismissed from the loading bay by the stage manager for being too drunk. The boys were all laughing and taking the piss out of me as it was quite embarrassing. I then continued to taunt them from the ground that they were working and I was standing around doing nothing with a beer in hand.
Rewarding moment:
It has to be catching people in the crowd singing back lyrics that I’ve written, it may be a generic one but you can’t beat it. It’s a strange feeling, I sometimes think of where I was and what I was doing when I wrote those particular set of words, and seeing people passionately belt them out is incredible!
The Raven Age‘s new album Conspiracy is out now via Corvid Records, check out our review HERE.
See The Raven Age live at one of the following shows:
March
Wed 20th – BRISTOL, UK – The Fleece
Thu 21st – MANCHESTER, UK – Rebellion
Sat 23rd – NEWCASTLE, UK – Think Tank
Sun 24th – GLASGOW, UK – Attic
Tue 26th – LEEDS, UK – The Key Club
Wed 27th – STOKE, UK – Sugarmill
Thu 28th – LONDON, UK – Underworld
Fri 29th – SOUTHAMPTON, UK – Joiners
Sun 31st – VOSSELAAR, BE – Biebob
April
Mon 1st – PARIS, FR – La Boule Noire
Wed 3rd – MUNICH, DE – Backstage Halle
Thu 4th – ASCHAFFENBURG, DE – Colossaal
Sat 6th – COLOGNE, DE – Luxor
Sun 7th – BERLIN, DE – Cassiopeia
Tue 9th – HAMBURG, DE – Headcrash
Wed 10th – DEN BOSCH, NL – Poppodium W2
