Ball Park Music are well versed in the art of the Aussie festival, but Adelaide’s Summer Sounds will be the first one they’ve played in some time.
Dean Hanson, guitarist and backing vocalist in the five-piece that comprises Ball Park Music, is buzzing to get back on stage after last year’s many performance cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s the uncertainty that’s been the worst part,” he says.
“Everything we say yes to in terms of shows is always a 50/50 as to whether it’s even going to happen … just to be there and strap on our instruments and be ready to go on and perform is going to be a great feeling.”
Summer Sounds is a concert series of more than 20 shows at a specifically designed outdoor venue, approved as COVID-safe by SA Health. Ball Park Music is playing two dates, Thursday 28 January, and Friday 29 January, accompanied by Western Australian band Spacey Jane, and Adelaide’s Jess Day.
When asked about the Summer Sounds set list, Dean says it will likely include the singles from the band’s recently released, self titled album, and some Ball Park classics.
The album’s third single Cherub has been an undeniable success, placing fourth in this year’s Triple J Hottest 100. Unsurprisingly, Dean is eager to play Cherub for a live crowd, and a festival crowd at that.
“It’s one of those magical songs that we tossed and turned about whether or not it should be a single,” he says.
“It’s a bit of a slow burner and we ended up kind of saying, let’s give it a chance.”
Whilst Ball Park’s Summer Sounds shows look to run smoothly this week, Dean says the band were worried about getting to the festival when Brisbane’s COVID-19 cases jumped earlier this month.
“It’s hard not to be pessimistic,” he says.
“You start to feel like … that’s an opportunity that’s going to go, which is sad … we’d been so looking forward to it for so many months.”
Dean says for a time, the band were going to have to quarantine in Adelaide, with an exemption purely to perform the show, after which they’d head back to the hotel, and then home to Brisbane. With the border restrictions between the states now eased, Ball Park will be free to explore South Australia.
“Someone has invited us to go out the day before and visit a winery,” says Dean, also mentioning the band has a few favourite bars and cafes around Adelaide they are keen to visit.
“We always go to the Grace Emily,” he says.
Dean has only good things to say about support act Spacey Jane, whose runaway hit Booster Seat took out second place in this year’s Hottest 100.
“They’re such lovely people … we’ve loved their music just as much as everyone else has this year,” he says.
“Everyone has needed that meaningful shoegaze, pop/rock this year … no one was going out wanting to consume club bangers … I’m excited for them.”
Dean sounds optimistic about 2021, musing that the band’s goal is to play as many shows as they can, ideally including a national tour. He reveals Ball Park has also been working on some new music.
“There’s not a lot to do at the moment … we’re putting some new tunes together … we might have stuff ready to go sooner rather than later,” he says.
“It’s strange times, and I think anything that we can do to adapt and keep ourselves busy, we’ll be looking to do.”
Grab one of the final tickets for Ball Park Music’s Thursday 28 January Summer Sounds gig, alongside Spacey Jane and Jess Day, at moshtix.com.
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