Q & A with This Way North

Victorian band This Way North have released a new EP and touring the east coast in April/May. They're bringing the show to the Solbar in Maroochydore on Sat 5th May before heading overseas to tour, so this is your last time to catch the duo in quite some time.

Cherie caught up with drummer/vocalist Cat & guitarist/vocalist Leisha for a few questions in the lead up to their visit to the Coast...

G’day Cat & Leisha, good to see you are making your way North to QLD for a couple of shows one being at our very own Solbar ;)

Leisha, how’s Hector the van going? I imagine you would have to live pretty minimalist life touring in a van? What are the five things you cannot travel without?

Van lyfe is a dream, but it can get a little squishy so we do need to make sure we take only what we need. Five things we can’t travel without:

1. Coffee cups.. because.... coffee
2. Eye mask.... somehow I have really thin eyelids so need lots of black out help
3. Yoga mat .... #touringinyour30s
4. My own pillow... memory foam oh yeh
5. Gas cooker so we can eat dinner out the back of the van when ever we get hangry!

Cat, you are a woman after my own heart with your love for Cowboy boots. I own a pair of Ariat boots I bought many years ago and I have danced thousands of hours in them, including hiking through the Carnarvon Gorge in them. How did you acquire your boots and where is the most unusual place you have worn them?

I acquired these gems at an Op-shop in Edmonton, Albert. They were brand spanking new, hand made and only $50, hands (feet) down the best shoes I’ve ever bought. The most unusual place I’ve worn them would be wearing them to Woodford Music festival as gumboots and they still rocked hard core.

Leisha, I read that you grew up in a very small country town. Do you feel most at home doing gigs in smaller towns or do you enjoy the larger shows?

I did grow up in a small country town, no traffic lights or fast food joints. I enjoy doing the small town gigs because people are really grateful when you take the time to come and play music in their small communities. But I do love being able to rock out to be big festival crowd, nothing really beats that.

Cat, if John Farnham asked This Way North to tour with him, describe your reaction in less than five words.

“Oh, my, god” THUMP (faints).

Leisha, what is an instrument you would love to master that you don’t currently play?

The DRUMS! But they are already taken in our band :(

Cat, I heard your mum is quite the knitter and even has her own Etsy store. You can get lost on Etsy and spend hours on there. If you were given $100 to spend on there what do you think you would buy?

I have a current fascination with gemstones so probably a load of rocks.

So the rumour is the you both met in Canada at a festival while you were both touring in different bands and then discovered you lived extremely close by to each other in Melbourne. Do you both believe in fate or think it is a load of hogwash?

Well we’re both pretty pleased that we met, so maybe fate I guess. I definitely think that all the moments, decisions ect that cause people to meet around the otherside of the world is pretty cool.

Thanks ladies! We look forward to seeing you soon
 :) Cherie Harmony

Catch This Way North at Solbar on Saturday, May 5th, before they head over to New Zealand and Canada until the end of August.