If you haven’t yet heard the name Eat Your Heart Out, it’s time to start paying attention. The shows these Newcastle alt rock noise-makers have been playing just get bigger and bigger – and for their trouble, they were just this month revealed to be a part of Australia’s inaugural Download Festival.
With the US tour and their fantastic Mind Games EP in their back pocket, plus that appearance at Download Festival looming, we caught up with frontwoman Caitlin Henry for a chat.
With their eyes set on Download Festival and the next big release, we caught up with Eat Your Heart Out frontwoman Caitlin Henry.
HAPPY: Hey there, how are things? What are you up to at the moment?
CAITLIN: Hey, good thank you! Right now I’m just at home trying to stay cool because it’s about 35 degrees outside.
HAPPY: Your US tour looked amazing, was it your first time over there? Were there any cities or states that really stood out?
CAITLIN: Thank you, it was really incredible and blew all our expectations out of the water! The crowds over there were amazing and so receptive to us. It was our first time in the US as a band but I had been there a few years ago with my family. We all really loved Portland and Seattle, and for me personally I really liked New York. I would definitely like to go back and spend more time there because we only had about 12 hours there which definitely wasn’t long enough!
HAPPY: You also hit up BIGSOUND this year. What did you think of 2018’s alt-rock/heavy contingent?
CAITLIN: I thought it was great to see so many alternative and heavy bands on BIGSOUND, because it’s such a cool opportunity and gives you the chance to meet artists that you wouldn’t usually find in the same circles as yourself. Some of my favourites from the heavier side of BIGSOUND were Sleep Talk, Slowly Slowly, The Comfort and Windwaker.
HAPPY: It’s been a good year since you dropped Mind Games, how are the inner-band feelings on that release a year on?
CAITLIN: I think we feel like we had a good year but like every year, we wish we got to do more, and we are very ready for our next release to start rolling out and hopefully lead us to bigger and better things! I think we all know now that we can push ourselves further than we did on Mind Games and our next release shows that.
HAPPY: What do you think has had a bigger effect on the next batch of music you’ll release, playing these big support slots or just living with the EP for a year? How so?
CAITLIN: I think both things have had an impact on the new music, I definitely studied how the vocalists of the bands we’ve recently toured with do their thing and tried to take some tips and learn and grow from that. Mind Games helped us to find where we want to go with our sound a little more and as I said before, I think we know now that we can push ourselves further and do more than we did on the EP and we hope our next release shows that.
HAPPY: Is there anything else you feel will really influence your direction going forward?
CAITLIN: I think we are constantly learning new things and finding new inspiration from bands we’re touring with, people we’re meeting or new music we’re listening to, and I think those things will always continue to influence us to different degrees.
HAPPY: Congrats on the add to Download Festival, that’s going to be huge. Is it safe to say this was a wishlist festival for you?
CAITLIN: Thank you! We are very excited. Obviously Download UK has been massive for years, so when we saw Download coming to Australia in 2018 for the first time it was added to the wishlist pretty quickly!
HAPPY: Any hot tips for the day?
CAITLIN: Make sure to drink plenty of water, wear sunscreen (especially if you’re as pale as me), always look out for your friends and don’t wear white shoes!
Catch Eat Your Heart Out at Download Festival or supporting Luca Brasi on their upcoming regional tour:
Thu 21 Feb – Panthers, Port Macquarie – with Luca Brasi
Sat 23 Feb – Byron Bay Brewery, Byron Bay – with Luca Brasi
Sat 9 Mar – Download Festival, Parramatta Park, Sydney – Tickets
Mon 11 Mar – Download Festival, Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne – Tickets