Interview: The Blackout at Hit The Deck, Bristol

Today on The Fix we bring you another interview by Georgie Robbins who spent the Easter weekend at Bristol’s leg of the Hit The Deck festival. After mixing it up with Lacey on their tour bus she ran into Gareth and Gavin from Welsh rock outfit The Blackout. Here’s how it went down…

Hi guys! Have you ever played Hit the Deck before?

Gareth: 2011, the one in Nottingham. The first year they did it. Gavin literally hit the deck…

Gavin: Well I didn’t hit the deck, I hit three photographers.

I bet they appreciated that…

Gavin: I appreciated it – they broke my fall. I would have broken my neck otherwise.

I bet they got some good photographs from that in very compromising positions? 

Gavin: There isn’t much footage. There’s one shaky video on YouTube.

Have you had any other on stage malfunctions? 

Gareth: All the time, the last show there was at least two songs where I didn’t know where I was, someone threw a bottle of at me.

Concussion from water?

Gareth: I had no idea what was happening. Well, it could have been pee, although pee is warmer.

What else do you have planned for the rest of the year? Apart from pee testing… 

Gareth: Festivals, festivals.

Do you prefer festivals than regular shows?

Gareth: It can be a bit of a ball ache, so much organisation goes on behind the scenes, because there’s so many bands and so many things to go wrong. But you get to see a lot of bands you don’t get to see often.

Do you ever get to go out and watch anyone else? 

Gareth: If we’ve got time we try to, we saw a bit of Rat Attack earlier and Brand New.

Where has been your favourite place to perform? 

Gareth: We are so lucky to play in so many different places. Japan’s awesome, Australia’s awesome, their crowds are amazing. I like Germany in general. We played at a festival on a beach in Helsinki. That was a bit different.

Finally, before you go, what can you tell us about your upcoming show in your hometown?

Gareth: It’s called Merthyr Rocks – I think it is the 3rd time we have been there, it didn’t happen last year, I think they struggled to get financed and stuff, but it’s coming back this year. Taking Back Sunday are headlining and Reel Big Fish. Tickets are only £25, which for a festival is a real bargain.

Find out more about The Blackout at their official website

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