Back with their first album in 19 years, the return of pop/indie/rockers Del Amitri happened in 2014 with the first of their sold-out reunion tours.  Gaining fan and critical praise both the bands album and live shows prove that good music really does rise to the top.  Damian Robinson caught up with guitarist Iain Harvie ahead of their show at Newcastle City Hall to find out more about the album and tour.

Congratulations on the album Iain, why was now the right time for a new Del Amitri album?

Yeah, it’s funny, we’ve been touring since 2014 again as Del Amitri and there was always writing going on and we just sort of put songs or ideas to one side in a folder until the time was right.  Gradually we started to realise that we had some really good songs and that they fit together well.

So there was never any real plan to rush an album?

Not at all, if anything we weren’t really thinking about an album, we were just writing songs for the enjoyment of playing music together.  If we’d have rushed an album it wouldn’t have been right for us.  By the time we put the record together and it was ready to be released it was almost unbelievable that it’d been 19 years since our last release.  Sometimes you turn round and time moves so fast.

So the tour will be an album tour?

Yeah, probably, we’re getting the set list together now.  The past few tours have been more of a greatest hits tour but we’ll certainly be playing new songs from the new album.  But we’ll still be playing the hits.

Del Amitri always seem to be having a blast on stage when you play, does it feel as good to you as it looks?

Oh absolutely.  We’re a bit older now so there’s less hangovers and more sleep, which helps, but also a lot of the venues have got really good PA systems, which some venues didn’t used to have.  Small things like a good PA often help take some of the pressure off a band playing live as they mean you can relax and concentrate on your playing.  In the past we may have been on stage worrying about if the venue’s PA’s could make it through the set.  You can’t help but enjoy yourself when you have a good PA.

Anything you can tell us about your Newcastle show?

Usually Newcastle tends to be one of the first shows on the tour but this time it’s right at the end so we’ll be fully warmed up by the time we get to Newcastle and it’ll be nice to play Newcastle when we’ve worked the set out and are raring to go.

22nd – Newcastle, O2 City Hall