Black Mountain will begin a 17-city tour next week on the heels of its unexpected handpicked selection as the opener for the first half of Coldplay's summer outing. Those shows found the Vancouver-based group playing in amphitheatres instead of the small clubs it usually frequents.
"It was fun and definitely an experience," lead singer Stephen McBean tells Billboard.com. "But we're pretty excited to get back to the clubs and something more low-key. It was just a weird environment this summer."
Black Mountain's hard, guitar-driven psychedelia was an odd pairing with Coldplay, even in the eyes of McBean. "Coldplay's guitarist Jon Buckland had our record and really liked it and we were on a small list [of possible openers] that they had put together, and we just got picked from that," he recalls. "It was almost comical to us, and it happened so quick."
He adds, "some shows were more on fire where others were not. We had to quickly adjust to playing places where the sound goes on forever, and also looking at dots up on the lawn. Also, we are not accustomed to playing during the daylight."
Throughout this heavy touring year, Black Mountain has also found time to write more songs. Several members participate in side projects and the new songs "came from a point where the band was active and developed material together instead of sitting around and letting stuff linger," McBean says.
When asked if they would stick with Indiana independent label Jagjaguwar after receiving much more exposure, McBean says enthusiastically, "Definitely. There has been no ups and downs with them and they are having a great year, and there is a similar excitement that exists that we are feeling too. Usually the first ride is the most fun, and it seems that it's going that way for both of us."
Black Mountain plans to head into the studio when it returns from a European tour this fall.
Here are Black Mountain's tour dates:
Sept. 13: Vancouver (Richard's on Richards)
Sept. 20: Minneapolis (7th Street Entry)
Sept. 21: Chicago (Schuba's)
Sept. 22: Bloomington, Ind. (Second Story)
Sept. 23: Louisville (Uncle Pleasants)
Sept. 24: Youngstown, Ohio (Cedars Lounge)
Sept. 25: Philadelphia (the Khyber)
Sept. 26: Washington, D.C. (Warehouse Nextdoor)
Sept. 27: Hoboken, N.J. (Maxwell's)
Sept. 28: New York (Mercury Lounge)
Sept. 29: Boston (Middle East Upstairs)
Sept. 30: Montreal (Theatre National)
Oct. 1: Toronto (Lee's Palace)
Oct. 2: Detroit (Magic Stick)
Oct. 3: Madison, Wis. (High Noon Saloon)
Oct. 4: Winnipeg, Manitoba (Royal Albert Arms)
Oct. 5: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Amigos Cantina)
"It was fun and definitely an experience," lead singer Stephen McBean tells Billboard.com. "But we're pretty excited to get back to the clubs and something more low-key. It was just a weird environment this summer."
Black Mountain's hard, guitar-driven psychedelia was an odd pairing with Coldplay, even in the eyes of McBean. "Coldplay's guitarist Jon Buckland had our record and really liked it and we were on a small list [of possible openers] that they had put together, and we just got picked from that," he recalls. "It was almost comical to us, and it happened so quick."
He adds, "some shows were more on fire where others were not. We had to quickly adjust to playing places where the sound goes on forever, and also looking at dots up on the lawn. Also, we are not accustomed to playing during the daylight."
Throughout this heavy touring year, Black Mountain has also found time to write more songs. Several members participate in side projects and the new songs "came from a point where the band was active and developed material together instead of sitting around and letting stuff linger," McBean says.
When asked if they would stick with Indiana independent label Jagjaguwar after receiving much more exposure, McBean says enthusiastically, "Definitely. There has been no ups and downs with them and they are having a great year, and there is a similar excitement that exists that we are feeling too. Usually the first ride is the most fun, and it seems that it's going that way for both of us."
Black Mountain plans to head into the studio when it returns from a European tour this fall.
Here are Black Mountain's tour dates:
Sept. 13: Vancouver (Richard's on Richards)
Sept. 20: Minneapolis (7th Street Entry)
Sept. 21: Chicago (Schuba's)
Sept. 22: Bloomington, Ind. (Second Story)
Sept. 23: Louisville (Uncle Pleasants)
Sept. 24: Youngstown, Ohio (Cedars Lounge)
Sept. 25: Philadelphia (the Khyber)
Sept. 26: Washington, D.C. (Warehouse Nextdoor)
Sept. 27: Hoboken, N.J. (Maxwell's)
Sept. 28: New York (Mercury Lounge)
Sept. 29: Boston (Middle East Upstairs)
Sept. 30: Montreal (Theatre National)
Oct. 1: Toronto (Lee's Palace)
Oct. 2: Detroit (Magic Stick)
Oct. 3: Madison, Wis. (High Noon Saloon)
Oct. 4: Winnipeg, Manitoba (Royal Albert Arms)
Oct. 5: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Amigos Cantina)
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