1. Hi, thanks for answering our questions, can you introduce the band to our readers?
Hey, thanks for the interview. On guitar and vocals is Mark, on bass is Jack and on drums is Sean.
2. You’re playing #360RAW2 this week; what can people expect from your set?
A pretty energetic and dynamic set with crashing drums, crushing guitars and impassioned vocals. We tend to go from pretty loud to pretty quiet super quickly, though, because we love that push and pull feel.
3. How did you get involved in the night?
Kind of through Adore // Repel, who we are sharing the stage with at #360RAW2. We are huge supporters of theirs and they played a regular Friday 360 Club night that we went to. We loved the room and the way the gig was run and so we spoke to Richard Watson the promoter. Then we played a 360 Club gig ourselves and Richard gave us loads of great advice which really helped us. He must have liked us because we have played three Friday 360 Club gigs and then he reached out to ask if we could play at this amazing #360RAW2 event.
4. Could you describe your sound in just ten words?
A post-hardcore / alt-rock wall of sound.
5.Could you tell us what music you have out and how people can hear it?
We have two singles out with Shoveitupyourcult Records called X Predates Y and Healthy/Unhealthy. You can buy both tracks from www.beingatigersiuyc.bandcamp.com
Both those tracks have videos out which can be found on YouTube. X Predates Y is on the shoveitupyourcult records YouTube page and Healthy/Unhealthy is on the Being A Tiger YouTube page. We also have two self-released EPs that came out before joining shoveitupyourcult records and they are on CD. Copies are floating around the music scene as we gave them all out for free. They are pretty unpolished and they basically document us finding our feet, but that’s the charm of them; they are raw and showed a glimpse of what we can now achieve.
6.What has been your most memorable gig; good or bad?
Back around 2012 or 2013 our gigs used to be huge excuses to party with bands that we shared a music scene with in Huddersfield. In particular the band The Orchid Family [who are sadly about to play their last ever show] knew how to create havoc. We were playing the now closed Student Union venue at the University of Huddersfield when they rushed the stage during our last song but also brought up part of the crowd.
It ended with Mark being off stage in the crowd whilst everyone on stage played a different part of the drum kit before the final part of the song inspired our old bass player Tom to dive right through the drum kit. And Sean got rugby tackled by Nick from The Orchid Family; that was a pretty epic ending to the set. No wonder they closed it down.
7.The #360RAW nights are designed to help promote emerging bands in the West Yorkshire area. What are your thoughts about the scene in West Yorkshire?
Having played around the country we absolutely love the scene in West Yorkshire, particularly Leeds and Huddersfield. The music has a very raw DIY approach that seems to allow for a punk element to appear in all genres. Even more experimental and elaborate bands like ilovecolour and Team Picture have an energy that other parts of the country don’t seem to have.
8.Are there any emerging bands that you think we should be checking out?
We could be here a while. We saw Hinges supporting Possum the other day at Wharf Chambers in Leeds and they were both amazing. Both those bands have pure energy with grungey-punk undertones and overtones. Then there’s ilovecolour who write just incredibly well-crafted indie/art-rock songs.
If you’re into math rock then look no further than Nova Hands. Then of course there are Adore // Repel and Skull who both have huge sounds but in very different ways. Team Picture are making waves across the country, let alone just in West Yorkshire, with their alt-anthemic songs. Bloodshake have just released some new stuff which sounds pretty damn cool; they were ace when we shared a 360 Club gig with them.
Shall we go on? Okay. Polevaulter are kings of the jarring soundscape [we mean that in a loving way]; Johnny Gibson is our alt-folk singer-song writer champion. Climbing Alice are fuzz grunge lords. Okay, we will stop now but you get the point that there is such a vibrant scene.
9. If you were trapped on a desert island, what one item would you want to have with you?
If the band was trapped collectively … a can of Ting. In our lowest and poorest state as a band we once shared a single can of Ting between us before a gig. That would probably cheer us up.
10.And, finally, what are your plans and your ambitions for the rest of the year?
We have a split 7” record coming out with ilovecolour. We are just in the process of having it pressed. We also have a video to accompany our track on the split which is called Where We Live. In the meantime, we are gigging across the country with dates in Leeds, Hull and Leicester currently booked, and Newcastle, Liverpool and Birmingham currently in the process of being booked. You can keep up to date with where we are playing by following us on Facebook.com/beingatiger or on Twitter and Instagram via the @beingatiger username.
