Deaf Havana are embarking on their first UK tour since becoming a duo – playing their favourite place in the north.
The alternative rock band, who recently released the album The Present Is A Foreign Land, are playing at Manchester Academy on November 11.
This is the first UK tour the band have done since splitting in 2021, leaving brothers Matt and James Veck-Gilodi as a duo.
Matt, the band’s guitarist, said: ”Manchester is my favourite place to play in the north, so suck it, everyone else.”
He added: ”It’s always good fun and I feel like everyone knows a bit more about good music there.”
The band’s split is the most noticeable change for the band, with singer James stating that The Present Is A Foreign Land is the start of a completely new change for Deaf Havana.
When asked about how this tour will differ from their past, Matt said: ”Hopefully it’ll be better, always improving, we’ve got a really cool setlist coming up.”
”For me personally I’m playing lots of keyboard, which I’m a little bit nervous about, but it’s good, I’m just trying to be a much better musician.”
The breakup of the band coincided with the coronavirus pandemic, which was damaging for many aspects of live music, yet Matt believes this time helped him as he began to take music seriously and started writing every day.
Simultaneously, James went through his worst time, drinking heavily and taking drugs.
He said: ”My entire life collapsed; Matty wouldn’t talk to me, everyone hated me, and for good reason.”
The band’s new song ’Trying Falling’ was written by Matt to inspire James through this journey, as the two reconciled following James’ first AA meeting in April 2021 and subsequent sobriety.
Now the band are excited for the comeback, stating that it seems to mean a bit more to people now getting out and seeing live gigs again.
When asked what he’s most excited for, Matt said: ”The opportunity to grow as musicians and songwriters and to get out and play to more and more people.”
The band stressed how the priority now is to write for themselves rather than appease others, as that has always been an issue for them in the past.
They described their 2018 album Rituals as an attempt to write pop songs and rip off Justin Bieber, always apologising before playing people his music for the first time.
Now, he’s said: “There won’t be an apology before showing people this album.”
He added: ”I never expected to do anything other than play the village hall, so anything on top of that was a bonus.”
