BIGSOUND 2019 Artist Focus: TOWNS

Answered by: Aston Valladares – vocals and guitar

Give us a short description of your music: We play fun, all-round, alternative-rock music that sounds like lots of things, like happy times and sad times, but mostly happy times.

Which acts are on your must-see list at BIGSOUND? One hundred percent want to see FRITZ, Hallie, Cry Club, EGOISM, Ivey, Lauren., Sunbeam Sound Machine, Seaside. Oh my God, absolutely everyone, please, all at once.

Why should people come and see you among the many amazing bands at BIGSOUND? Our set is 70 per cent a conversation with the audience and 30 per cent songs we’ve written – we love to ask you how your day is and we genuinely care. We’re basically kids on red cordial and we are so appreciative to be playing BIGSOUND 2019.

What music trends do you think are dominating right now, and do you have any predictions for the coming year? I’m not sure whether we’re dominating but we love 2000s culture and we believe it’s on its way back – the '90s totally had its time.

In your career to date, what have been the key watershed moments? We were lucky enough to play Spin Off festival – playing a show that big was something we didn’t picture when we started as a band. Getting to meet people in different states has really been lovely and seeing Australia’s music scene in its fullest was just so heartwarming!

What industry lessons would you like to take away from the BIGSOUND conference? I think just being around ‘the industry’ will make us feel more comfortable in these situations, when there are just so many people you wanna have these long conversations with. I think we just wanna get better at talking to industry humans.

What do you identify as the most pressing issue impacting the Australian music industry at present? Currently, we’ve seen too many venues closing down, even in the small city of Adelaide. I think people need to remember to spend $10 on your local bands to keep the venues thriving for years to come.

What is the best bit of advice you've been given to prepare for your time at BIGSOUND? I think we are anticipating being exhausted from an influx of creativity and the conversations we’ll be experiencing. The best advice is literally just to make sure we get a good night's sleep before every day and I promise we’ll try really hard.

When and where is your BIGSOUND showcase? 4 Sep, Made In Adelaide, Ric's Big Backyard, 2.30pm; 4 Sep, The Foundry, 9.50pm; 5 Sep, Crowbar Black, 8pm.