Of Mice & Men's Favourite Things About Touring Australia

American hard rock outfit Of Mice & Men will return to Australia next week with special guests Dream On, Dreamer and Sienna Skies, playing to fans down under for the first time since 2018.

When they were last here, the Back To Me rockers performed at the inaugural Download Festival Australia, joining headliners Limp Bizkit for a bunch of sideshow support slots. Of Mice & Men have enjoyed a longstanding touring career in Australia since 2011, making their debut in intimate Aussie venues before returning for the biggest-ever Soundwave Festival in 2013.

They played at Soundwave festival again in 2015 before the 2018 dates. To say that fans down under have been waiting to see one of the most solid, prolific acts in metal/hard rock is an understatement.

Of Mice & Men are touring in support of their eighth album, Tether, which arrived last October. Throughout their career, they’ve achieved multiple Billboard #1 albums and toured with the likes of heavy music icons Metallica, Linkin Park and Slipknot.

In a statement, lead vocalist Aaron Pauley said about their latest record, “With this one, we weren’t really focused on how it sounded as much as we focused on how it felt. And that’s a weird thing to do when all you’re working with is sound. But that was really the goal. And we walked away from making it feeling like we’ve accomplished that.”

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The Music interviewed Pauley in early 2018, discussing the departure of original lead vocalist Austin Carlile and continuing as a band ahead of their Download Festival Australia dates. “We just take it show by show,” Pauley said. “I know where I'm going to be, like, in a few days, but I don't really look too far into the future anymore.

“I used to be that guy that was looking two years ahead trying to figure out where we're all going... Now, I don't know; it's just too much. The best-laid plans of Of Mice & Men often go awry. We live our band name on an almost daily basis.”

With eight albums under their belt and a long time since they last visited Australia, The Music caught up with Of Mice & Men drummer Tino Arteaga to discover the six things he misses the most about touring down under.

The Fans:

Having the opportunity to play for the fans in Australia is amazing! I feel that because we don't get to visit as often as we'd like, every time we play is super memorable, and the fans take it to another level with their interaction with our music. From mosh pits to them singing along, it's such a great vibe!

The Travel:

Though the flight out to Australia is very long, getting to fly into the different cities we play shows in and see the outback from an aerial view is magical! Also, being greeted by fans at the airport gives us such an immense feeling of gratitude; they really know how to make us feel welcome and appreciated!

The Weather:

We've had some amazing memories getting to enjoy the beautiful weather whenever we travel there. We'll be coming in the summertime, and it reminds us so much of home in California, getting to spend so much time in the sunshine.

The Wildlife:

In the past, we've had the opportunity to visit some of the animal sanctuaries out there, and it's something I hope that we can make time for upon our return. Our schedule is pretty tight this time around, but hangin' with the animals is a very therapeutic break from the madness of touring.

The Food:

There are so many different culinary options out there that are different from meals we get to experience here at home. I'm especially looking forward to trying all of the delicious vegan and plant-based options while visiting, so if anyone has any recommendations, please send them my way!

The Music Scene:

Australia has such a rich and diverse alternative/metal music scene that is so incredibly inspiring! Many of my favourite groups come from there, and the music they create really resonates with me.

Of Mice & Men are touring Australia next week with special guests Dream On, Dreamer and Sienna Skies. You can buy tickets via Teamwrk Touring and The Phoenix. Listen to ‘Tether’ here.