The Brisbane five-piece have experienced a meteoric rise since they formed in 2011, playing at renowned festivals such as Splendour In The Grass and Parklife, as well as becoming the twelfth most played band on Triple J Unearthed in 2012.
“We've never had the opportunity to play an under-18s or even all-ages gig because our show is more based in a club culture, that kind of vibe, so it's really exciting to go out there and play for a different audience and I think that's an audience that can really get behind the band,” says bass player/ keyboardist Chris Paget.
“Being able to have an all-ages fan base, it's a completely different platform so we're really excited about it,” he adds.
Pigeon will perform at Live It Up in April, and Chris says the band jumped at the chance to finally perform to their younger fans.
“We'd been talking about it for a while but the right one hadn't popped its head out yet,” he says. “We thought we could put on some all-ages gigs here and there but the right opportunity hadn't come along, and then when we heard about Live It Up it was like it was the perfect platform for us to play to an underage audience.”
Pigeon will share the bill with an eclectic mix of artists, including alternative rockers The Getaway Plan and hip hop artist Pez. Chris says this varied mix of genres is synonymous with the style of live show that Pigeon pride themselves on.
“I've always been a fan of having mixed bills. Even when we put together our support for Pigeon we always try to throw in a different mix — we try to have a rock band or a hip hop artist just because when you go to a gig and everyone's playing metal or a gig where people only play hip hop, you end up competing with one another … whereas if you go to a gig where there's different genres you can appreciate things for what they are and that makes it more enjoyable.”
The band is also looking forward to performing alongside Gympie post-hardcore outfit, The Amity Affliction. “I’m excited, Amity Affliction is a band we never saw ourselves playing with and we're massive fans of that style of music.”
Despite the clashing musical styles of the festival line-up, Chris isn’t worried about how the band’s respective fans will mix in the crowd.
“I definitely think it will be interesting to see how their fans react with a different style of music. We'll mix it up and make it fun, though our live shows are about having fun and having a dance and a party, so hopefully that's something those people can relate to.”
And fans of the group’s cheesy-yet-irresistibly smooth ‘80s saxophone solos can also rest easy.
“We'll definitely have the '80s sax jams going on and a few dance tunes. We're not scared of committing a bit of sax crime every now and then.”
Pigeon play Live It Up Festival at the RNA Showgrounds Saturday April 13.
