Fast forward to 2022 and both bands are gearing up for a co-headine tour that will traverse Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria before heading west to play shows in Perth and Fremantle that's been made possible thanks to the support of Australia Council.
Both bands released studio albums last year (Paris' debut album 'Lost Familiar' and Last Quokka's 'Unconscious Drivers', their fourth LP) and this run of shows is there first proper hit-out to roam the stage and peer-out at an actual live, organic audience.
To say they're pumped would be missing the point of how excited both camps are; Plaster Of Paris' Sarah Blaby (guitar, bass, co-songwriter) sits down to join all the dots together. You better boil the kettle; it's an in-depth read.
The band is about to embark on a joint tour with your Perth mates Last Quokka; given everything the last two years... the feels must be pretty special a week or two out from the shows?
[Sarah] It feels huge! And daunting and exciting! We are so thankful to Australia Council for backing this crazy idea to tour Vic and WA bands together – what were we thinking!?
How did Plaster Of Paris become friends with Last Quokka? Is there an epic back story we should know about?
We've never met them actually; they better be nice! Ha!
We were both meant to meet in 2021 in Brisbane to play Sonic Masala festival (a 4ZZZ benefit with some other shows around it), but as Melbourne came out of lockdown, Brisbane went into one and WA got kept locked in at the border, so the whole thing went pear-shaped.
But we all stayed in touch and dreamt up a grand plan that the 'punk rock show must go on!'. We knuckled down and started planning a larger tour for 2022 and here we are.
With the lack of touring opportunities for anyone recently, how many band practice sessions are booked between the start of the tour and now to get the band match fit?
Well, I can't speak for Quokkas but for Plaster band jams are few and far between.
As the country has opened, all of our workloads have increased tenfold. We now have to see actual people and plan outfits to wear and do this thing called make-up and don't get me started on bras. Let's just never wear them again ok.
We have a few lead-up shows pre-tour in Melbourne with legends Custard and The Fauves so that should get us in shape for the Quokka attack.
While the bands maybe a little rusty, any advice for punters heading along who maybe haven't been to a gig since early 2020?
Be kind to each other. Let people do what they feel comfortable with whether it's masks or elbow handshakes or faux hugs. Everyone is entitled to do what they need to do to get back out and support the show and as we travel the states, we know there has been a lot of differing experiences.
As Melbourners, just leaving our 5km zones can feel like a lot. Also buy merch, pre-sales, and music – we really need to show support to keep live music and touring alive in this country.
Is there a particular place you're looking forward to playing the most on this run of shows?
Going to Perth is a dream come true. As an east-coast band, it's just something you don't consider because of the costs involved.
We're heading to the Rainbow Coast town Albany as well which is so beautiful. We'll be staying in Fremantle where Last Quokkas are from and definitely sinking some Little Creatures bevvies, and we'll be flying our queer colours to the rainbow coast that's for sure.
Does the band plan to visit Rottnest Island to see real-life quokkas up close and personable?
You mean Last Quokka aren't actual quokkas? Wait a minute. . . we gotta re-assess this whole thing!
The tour is in support of both band's most recent album releases; being able to showcase studio material to an audience, playing in a live setting it's what most bands strive for – not being able to have that outlet particularly given the extended lockdowns in Melbourne, has it reinforced your love for live music and all the associated feels?
There is nothing like hitting the stage and seeing those smiles and dancing with everybody.
We just played a country queer festival called Chillout in Daylesford, Victoria with a band from Norway who were on Eurovision (!!) and we had a full smoke machine, lighting show and the wind was blowing in our hair, and it was a great reminder of the power of music and visibility for women and LGBTQIA+ people especially in a regional area. It just doesn't get better.
Having said that, we also had a huge appreciation for making music and connecting with people during COVID via the album release and videos and interviews all over the world.
We have a remix coming out soon from Jimmy Cass who we met online and who has become a real ally to the band, and we also made a queer Estonian fan online, Starlight Maker, who has really connected with our singer Zec's artistry, and they have been planning more collaborations.
So, we have so many feels lately about the power of music and connection in difficult times, and we are blessed to have had and continue to have it in our lives, physically and digitally.
Let's delve a little into the band's debut album 'Lost Familiar', which you released last year ten years after originally forming; how did that collection of songs showcase the band particularly given the decade-long wait for a LP?
Oh my, how did it take so long!? The seeds of the band were ten years ago. Once we met newer drummer Nicola, we restarted the band after a hiatus (that included two of us sadly losing a parent and our house burning down).
Around 2017 Plaster recorded five tracks with the amazing Casey Rice (Tortoise, Liz Phair) in Castlemaine and released the singles 'Oh Wow' and 'Newcomer' with a plan to finish the album soon after. But unfortunately, Nicola had to have ankle surgery that took her away from music for 18 months.
During this time, we started another band (Double Vanity) and then miraculously Nicola recovered enough to play punk rock again! Plaster Of Paris re-grouped slowly while she did physio and started playing live shows.
Then we decided Castlemaine was too far away and that we would need to finish the album in Melbourne. In 2019 we enlisted Paul Maybury (Rocket Science, Cable Ties, Grace Cummings) to record the next six tracks and then Nao Anzai (Teskey Brothers, Cash Savage) to bring both recordings together and make it all sound like one album.
The final day of recording in March 2020 was the day Melbourne's first lockdown started (at midnight). We didn't know what was in store, but it felt ominous. Maddy Mac added the baritone saxophone that day and Amy Chapman added synths and from there we spent all of the Melbourne lockdowns working with Paul on the mixes.
And we did it! Finished by the end of 2020 and released June 2021. We are so proud of the resulting 'Lost Familiar' LP (with beautiful artwork by Luke Fraser) and the feedback has been overwhelming, including a nomination at the Music Victoria Awards and the cover of The Age/ Sydney Morning Herald Spectrum feature article.
And now an Australian tour. It's been a blessing to have a project like this to work on together. Faux hugs all round! Who's still reading?
The next record. . . any movement on that front you can share with us?
The Double Vanity debut, full-length LP is next and set for release this year through Psychic Hysteria. And then we write another Plaster Of Paris album.
You have a couple of support shows with Aussie indie legends Custard. . . what's your favourite Custard song/ memory?
I feel like Custard's 'Apartment' came out right when I was first moving out of home and adulting around Fitzroy and attending the first Big Day Outs, so let's say that one. I am also pretty excited for other act on those bills, The Fauves. I caught some crazy shows by them back in the day – always unpredictable.
Footy season is about to lift off; which colours do Plaster Of Paris support, wave scarfs etc?
Ew football!? I think we are split between the Rockdogs and the Megahertz in the Reclink Community Cup. Our sax player Maddy will be representing PBS FM in the Megahertz again this year.
The rest of 2022 for Plaster Of Paris... any concrete plans?
Renovating a new jam space. Woman always need a (rock) room of one's own.
Thanks for your time; anything else you'd like to add?
Last Quokka and Plaster Of Paris tour is going to rock so hard! Grab a ticket. Support live music and venues, they really need us all.
Plaster Of Paris & Last Quokka 2022 Tour Dates
Fri 1 Apr - The Outpost (Brisbane)
Sat 2 Apr - Eleven Dive Bar (Sunshine Coast)
Sun 3 Apr - Sonic Sherpa (Brisbane)* instore appearance
Thu 7 Apr - The Servo (Wollongong)
Fri 8 Apr - The Lansdowne (Sydney)
Sat 9 Apr - The Old Bar (Melbourne)
Sun 10 Apr - Barwon Club (Geelong)*arvo show
Fri 6 May - The Bird (Perth)
Sat 7 May - Yardstock! (Fremantle)
Sun 8 May - The Shed (Albany)
This story originally appeared on our sister site, scenestr.
