Photo Credit: Philippa Revitt

Ahead of the first night of THE DANGEROUS SUMMER‘s UK headline tour in Sheffield, we sat down with AJ, Josh, Marcus and Nick to chat about their love for the UK crowds, what they have planned for their upcoming 20th anniversary as a band and also plans for new music in the future.

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You have been regularly visiting the UK over the past 3 years. What keeps bringing you back?

AJ: Man, you know what’s crazy? We laid some groundwork very early. We had a UK manager for a long time. He used to look after Francesqa, which was one of our first ours here. From 2008/09 we have been trying to come back at least once a year. It’s always our goal. If we can keep coming back, keep generating the fanbase out here. Luckily we play festivals like Slam Dunk last year with a few shows around that and use that momentum to come back again. Right now we are coming back again this year, where will be supporting on a tour this December which will be a big one for us. We have such good fans here, we are blown away. We always talk about the culture here. The rock gigs, it is something special. People care about our band and rock music so we will keep coming back and rip.

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This tour features some towns that are not part of the major touring circuit. What waa the decision to play these places this time around?

AJ: We were limited with the offer for 2000 Trees. We had to play some different cities that were outside of the major cities. Despite that, we always tell our agent that we want to play as many shows as we can while we are over here. Fill up our schedule so we can shut it down over here.

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Does playing in these new places create further excitement compared to bigger cities?

AJ: We are definitely excited. Have you ever been to Hull?

Josh: I don’t think so.

AJ: I am interested to see what it is like. As soon as you hear about these cities, it’s like wow this is special. From an American stand point, Liverpool is associated with The Beatles so it’s kind of fun to check out some new spots out here.

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Your latest record ‘Gravity’ recently turned 1. What has the overall reception been like over the past 12 months?

Josh: It’s been really good honestly. I feel like there has been a great response. A lot of the times we open with ‘Gravity’ and it is cool to hear people singing the newer stuff as much as the old stuff. Overall, a really good response. It has been fun to see that the new songs have become crowd favourites over the past year. It is really cool to see people discovering us from this new record and then going back. Some people that have been around a long time are excited to hear the new stuff coming out now.

AJ: It is just fascinating being a band. This thing with time, time is so crazy. I think next year will be our 20th anniversary so we’ll be doing some stuff around that. We are blown away, we are happy. We have worked out whole life to make this project and we have evolved so much. When we came to the UK last year, we were playing songs people hadn’t heard before. The song ‘Gravity’ has become a big moment for us. People are down with the new stuff.

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What changed for you as a band between the releases of ‘Coming Home’ and ‘Gravity’?

AJ: It was a very different record. Two different studios but the same producer. Coming from a tiny little house studio to then a giant multi million dollar studio in Richmond, Virginia. It was a magical moment. ‘Gravity’ had this really cool energy to it when we were making it because we were in a brand new studio with tons of space and tons of time. It felt really good, it is always an adventure through your mind, your heart and your soul where you find the magic in there. It is a really cool experience and the atmosphere is a really important thing too. It had a very unique vibe to it.

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Your 20th anniversary is next year. ‘Reach for the Sun’ turned 15 last year and ‘War Paint’ also turns 15 in 2026. Do you enjoy celebrating anniversaries and revisiting these records?

AJ: Hopefully we are going to make it special with the 20 year anniversary. Not to downplay it, but it’s just marketing. Hopefully it’s a big tour though. We aren;t necessarily going to be doing album playthroughs but we are looking at isolating some cities to do a record in full as a one off. I think to celebrate the whole catalogue, we can make it special. To celebrate the legacy and look back at the mountain we have climbed and feel that power.

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Looking back at your catalogue, what are your two favourite songs?

AJ: I would definitely say ‘The Permanent Rain’. People make songs really special. The way it echoes back to you and I think that it was a moment that put us on the map. There is some mystical power to that song. Side-by-side, I think ‘Fuck Them All’ or ‘Gravity’ were both really great moments. ‘Fuck Them All’ was another moment in time where it felt like a ‘The Permanent Rain’ moment where it needed to happen in a beautiful way. People needed it at the time.

Josh: ‘Northern Lights’ would be one. Even before I was in the band, it was one of my favourites.‘Pacific Ocean’ is a lot of fun to play live.

Marcus: I was going to say ‘Pacific Ocean’, but I will pick a different one. My favourite song by The Dangerous Summer is ‘Dream’. I will also say ‘Symmetry’.

AJ: The funny thing about ‘Dream’ is that it’s been added to the upcoming NASCAR video game which is coming out this fall. I wonder what that will do to the song or the band. 

Nick: As the newest member of the band and being a fan in general, my favourite song is ‘Starting Over/ Slow Down’ and then ‘Where Were You When the Sky Opened Up’.

AJ: Good choices.

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As a new member of the band, was it quite daunting to come into an experience where you are playing songs that you are a fan of?

Nick: It was a little intimidating at first, I am not going to lie. The guys have accepted me with open arms and made it so easy and comfortable for me to be myself and play the parts the way I feel they should be played. They don’t hold me to any kind of standard as long as I dont fuck up too bad. 

AJ: When you do though it is funny. It is great to have him with us. Nick has played in all sorts of bands over the years. I think us road dogs have been doing it since the beginning, it’s kind of like there is no ego left. It feels good to have him along and he is just as destroyed as we all are.

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Are there plans for new music already set in stone?

AJ: I wish we did. We still need to figure that out. We haven’t really sat down and done that yet. We’ll get there, it’s coming.

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What are your rider essentials?

AJ: We’ve brought it down over the years. We always make sure there is cider, beer, whiskey and water. Even so, I think we forget to mention water. We like to chill out before the show and have a few drinks. The UK got a cider love for me back in the day. Whiskey to get the throat feeling smoother and that’s pretty much it.

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How important is it to look after yourself on the road?

AJ: Its crazy. I let go of that. I think that people who focus too much on remedies are the ones who lose their voices more often. My voice is my bitch, I tell it what to do. I slap it around sometimes. You don’t tell me when you aren’t working, I tell you! No real remedies, but I like to keep it warm and loose. Alcohol helps but I imagine a doctor will tell me otherwise.

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What do you have to say to your UK fans, both old and new ones?

AJ: Man, thank you guys for coming out over the years and keep coming out. It is a joy to be here. What I love about the UK is we get people of all ages. When we played at The Leadmill in Sheffield we had a guy there celebrating his 60th birthday and he was on the front row. Your love of music is the gift you give us. We are happy to be here, keep coming out and the festivals are so fun out here. In America the festivals are a little different. There is a magic to what’s happening out here. It is the birthplace of so much great rock and roll that has led the charge. It is a beautiful place and an honour to come here. Keep showing up, we are still a band, we’re not dead yet.

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The Dangerous Summer will be back in the UK supporting Kids In Glass Houses this December. Tickets are on sale now.

14th December – Birmingham, O2 Institute
15th December – Glasgow, SWG3
17th December – Manchester. Albert Hall
18th December – London, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
19th December – Cardiff, University SU