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Our Favorite Artists On Tour Right Now

Our Favorite Artists On Tour Right Now

Public Opinion
June 13, 2024

A Note from Jack

I’ve wanted to film Track Star in England since the moment we started the show. I have this idea in my head of a country obsessed with rock and roll. Maybe because of the Beatles and the Stones and a million other bands. There are so many incredible English artists, including someone we filmed a Track Star episode with, The Japanese House. We met backstage at The Roundhouse theater a few hours before her headline show and got to talking about touring. She was in the midst of a UK tour but also getting ready to head back to the States for an opening tour with Maggie Rogers. One thing we’ve realized making this show is that the music industry is really pretty small. Anyways, below is a little bit of our conversation on touring and we’ve got some great London Track Star episodes coming up this week. Where should we go next?

A Conversation with Amber Bain aka The Japanese House

Jack: What's it like being on tour?

Amber: Um, it really depends.

Jack: Around the U.S.

Amber: I prefer touring in the U.S. It's way better than touring here, no offense.

Jack: What is it about touring in the U.S.? Like, is it driving around the country seeing all these weird, different American cities that kind of all look the same.

Amber: I find it quite odd, like a lot of it. And I think, because, well now I live in the U.S., but it still feels like a film to me. Like everything just looks like it's a fake little place or something. And the fans are quite mental in a good way.

Jack: Are you on a bus from city to city?

Amber: Yeah

Jack: So you're really like driving, putting in the miles.

Amber: Yeah, we used to do it in a van and that was intense. We did a tour once where we started Game of Thrones, like from the beginning at the beginning. And then on the last day we finished the last episode, and we averaged out at like eight hours a day of watching Game of Thrones.

Jack: After you finish the show in one city, do you leave right after the show or do you leave in the morning?

Amber: It really depends. Like I reckon tonight we'll probably leave. It depends, like in the UK, it's like a two hour drive.

Jack: What do you prefer?

Amber: Um, I prefer staying not on the bus. I don't like sleeping on the bus. I think I really freaked out, Bonnie [Kemplay], who's supporting us, she's on our bus, and I think I really freaked her out because it's her first time on a bus. And I was just like, yeah, I kind of just lay awake all night, like, wondering if the driver's falling asleep. And I feel like I have to be awake in case he falls asleep so that I can, like, run downstairs and wake him up. Obviously, that would never work. But I just feel like I have to be in control of that. I really don't like sleeping on a bus. But, I like being on the bus with my friends. That's fun. And when you have a nice bus and a nice driver, it can be quite fun. It's just the sleeping. I love sleeping in a hotel.

Jack: You're in like one of those little Japanese hotels where it's like in a drawer kind of thing

Amber: Yeah, there's like coffin vibes. I brought my dog on tour, and I found out she's really claustrophobic. She hates being in the bunk, so I had to sleep with my curtains just wide open and the door open just for her, because she would literally start like panting and shaking if I closed the curtains. So yeah, I didn't really have much privacy on that tour. And because she's gonna come on the bit of this next tour, I've actually asked that they make the back lounge into a bedroom for her.

Jack: Just for the dog?

Amber: Yeah, just for her. Cuz she rules my world.

Jack: Yeah, that's how it goes with doggies. Um, I want to come on tour with you, like, just for like one stop.

Amber: Alright, what are you doing tonight?

Jack: Yeah, well let's get on the bus, let's go.