TALKING TO THIS IS THE KIT
Makers of melodic folk music that’ll leave you enchanted for days on end, This Is The Kit are finally heading out on tour to celebrate the release of the latest, highly acclaimed album Off Off On. Playing Guildford Cathedral this November, we caught up with Kate to find out more about the atmospheric night of blissful tunes that lies in wait for gig-goers this winter.
HOW GREAT IS IT TO BE GOING BACK ON TOUR?
It’s really good. I feel like I’m back in my natural habitat. I feel like myself when I’m on tour; it’s like my default mode. So it feels really good to be back at it.
But it’s not like it’s gone back to how it was. It’s a new time and a new chapter, different from how it was before. But it’s just really great to be touring and for people to be feeling a bit better about things.
HOW HAVE AUDIENCES BEEN SO FAR?
It varies from place to place. Some of the festivals that we played over the summer in the UK, there were times when I thought, ‘oh my god, this is crazy, I’m not ready for this. There are so many people partying in your face, and I feel like probably I’m not the only one to sort of not be totally ready for it because it’s been such a long time.
But it’s also really nice that everyone was together, enjoying live music and the energy of all being at a festival together.
Here in France, it’s a bit different because they’ve got strict covid passport rules, so that’s a bit of a weird vibe because it feels like a little bit of a human rights infringement, but at the same time its the compromise that everyone has to make to get to a better place in the world. But the gigs are just lovely.
YOU PERFORM AT GUILDFORD CATHEDRAL THIS NOVEMBER, ONE OF SEVERAL SHOWS YOUR DOING IN CHURCHES AND SUCH ALIKE – HOW DID YOU END UP CHOOSING THE VENUES FOR THESE SHOWS?
I really love playing in interesting places that are not your average venue. We’ve done gigs in caves before, funny little shops and hairdressers – I like that; I think it’s nice to change it up a bit.
YOU RELEASED YOUR LATEST ALBUM OFF OFF ON LAST YEAR – HOW DID RELEASING AN ALBUM DURING THE PANDEMIC DIFFER FROM YOUR USUAL PLAN.
It was nice to carry on with a plan because what good would it do not carrying on with a plan. So I think you’ve just got to go with it and see what happens. It was loads more interviews than usual. Less live radio sessions and more Zoom sessions, which was actually really nice.
Usually, I’m doing gigs and interacting with people that way, so it feels quite nice to meet people on Zoom and chat about the album.
ARE YOU WORKING ON ANYTHING NEW?
I’m not one of these people who was just churning out creativity in this funny time. I was really busy with the album release, and while there were no gigs, there was lots of admin to do. So I have been writing and chipping away at it – I’m working on stuff, but I’m not ready yet.
It feels like I haven’t finished with this one.
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH GUILDFORD AND SURREY AT ALL? ANY ANECDOTES YOU’D CARE TO SHARE?
Yes! My aunt has always lived in Guildford, so I’m looking forward to seeing my Auntie Jules when I get there. I played a few times in Guildford with Anais Mitchell in a big church and obviously The Boileroom. I love going back there; it’s always really nice. I definitely feel like Guildford is on our route.