Post-hardcore fans the world over dreamed that revered Florida outfit Underoath would reunite after their untimely break-up four years ago. When the dream came true, it was only a matter of time before they hit our shores. When speaking to frontman Spencer Chamberlain about their upcoming Australian tour, it feels like no time has passed at all.
“It’s not that weird because I never really stopped playing most of these songs”, he notes. “I explain it to people as like you can see the Foo Fighters, and they play things off their first record and stuff off their new record and everything in between. And they’ve been a band three times longer than Underoath have. I don’t think it’s necessarily a nostalgic tour. That word to me just seems silly because bands that have careers are gonna be playing old stuff and new stuff. It’s kind of how it goes, you know?”
The run of shows will see the band play their best-known records, Define The Great Line and They’re Only Chasing Safety. That decision was made specifically for their fans, acknowledging the 10-year anniversary of the albums with a proper celebration. “Going around the world playing both those records back-to-back feels like the right thing to do”, adds Chamberlain.
Describing the first leg of the ‘Rebirth’ tour in the United States earlier this year, Chamberlain speaks positively. “If you’ve seen us before it’s great and all, but there’s something happening now. We’ve fixed all of our problems. It’s everything I could ask for and more. You have to see it live to really understand everyone actually wanting to be there and the passion and the fire and just all the excitement”.
As much as it’s about reigniting the present instead of reliving the past, it has been a throwback to high school days for some fans. “I would ask every night, half the audience were seeing us for the first time!”, an excited Chamberlain observes. “It’s crazy to see all shapes and sizes of Underoath fans, young kids to older dudes to everything in between, first timers to people who have seen us fifty times”.
With their lyrics reflecting the flux of self-identity and life’s big questions, the band is using their return to share their outlook on life with their fans. “It’s why I write from the heart and from experiences and things that are happening around me, and to me personally”. “I just think that life is full of ups and downs and it is always going to get better, or sometimes it’s gonna get worse. That’s what life is. And once you accept that and learn from every situation it’s really enjoyable. Even in the hardest of
“I just think that life is full of ups and downs and it is always going to get better, or sometimes it’s gonna get worse. That’s what life is. And once you accept that and learn from every situation it’s really enjoyable.”
Having acknowledged the role they’ve played in soundtracking the lives of their fans, it has been a genuinely mutual exchange when Chamberlain points out that the fans have done a lot for him. “I think for all we’ve maybe done for them with our lyrics and songs or whatever, I think they’ve done that in turn for us. They got us back together. Underoath is my family and it was broken. And the fans helped fix it because we started talking because of them. We felt like we owed it to them and how much they’ve supported us. For whatever we’ve done for them in their lives, they’ve literally done tenfold for us in return”.
It comes as no surprise that Underoath have found it easy to rekindle the fire, but there remains a looming question from fans and critics alike; are they about to release new music?
“I can answer that with a statement saying Underoath’s not going anywhere. We’re happier and healthier than we’ve ever been and we’ve fixed what was broken”. Vague as Chamberlain’s answer is, fans can find some comfort in his final affirmation; “there are no plans on walking away anytime soon”.
UNDEROATH TOUR DATES
Tickets go on sale Monday 17 October at 9am through tickets.destroyalllines.com
Friday 10 February – Eatons Hill, Brisbane – Lic AA
Saturday 11 February – Enmore Theatre, Sydney – Lic AA
Sunday 12 February – 170 Russell, Melbourne – 18+
Wednesday 15 February – The Gov, Adelaide – Lic AA
Thursday 16 February – Metropolis, Fremantle – 18+
Presented by Destroy All Lines, Chugg Entertainment and killyourstereo.com
