Col3trane hit Australian shores for the first time late last month as part of the Listen Out festival circuit, with a handful of headline shows that blew our minds. Having recently filled us on his slinky-as-hell debut mixtape ‘BOOT’, the UK native took a break from the tour to crack a cold one with us at one of our favourite Sydney haunts and fill us in about what he really thought about the most charming — or least, depending on how you roll — quirks of our Great Southern Land.
Best Before: What was your first impression of the accent and slang or lingo in Australia?
Col3trane: It’s pretty similar to what I know. There’s nothing that’s jumped out at me. The accent is kind of funny though, like it’s different and not something that I’m used to. I don’t know though, I can’t really think of any slang or words that have jumped out. It’s all kind of the same as the UK.
Australians don’t really pronounce ‘r’. Like my name is Lars…
Oh yeah! Haha. Australians do a really long ‘a’ sound, but… I don’t know! Is there any slang? I can’t really think of any.
What do you think of the weather?
Oh man, it’s so good! It’s so nice. Even when it’s cold it’s still sunny. Yesterday was a bit shit, but it’s been really nice otherwise. Much better than the UK!
First impression of architecture around the city. Have you been around many cool areas so far?
I haven’t been here for too long, but I was… Was it here where the houses had those, like, indents in them? Kind of Like New Orleans?
Yeah, around Surry Hills?
Yeah it’s interesting, it’s cool. They’re these houses and, I don’t really know how to describe it, but they’re kind of indented, and they’ve got these long balconies that stretch across. It’s mad cool.
So, the streets. Obviously we’re on the wrong side of the road.
Yeah, is it the same side as America?
No, opposite. We’re the same as the UK.
Haha, oh man I don’t even know anymore. One thing my mum always told me growing up… oh, shout out to my mum! I have to shout her out in every single interview haha. She always said that when you’re driving – I don’t drive – but she always said, you as the driver should be in the middle of the road, so you can never forget which side of the road you drive no matter which country you’re in.
I used to drive Uber, once upon a time…
Ah see, you were on the wrong side of the road.
Maybe once or twice haha, maybe that’s why I didn’t get the five stars. Anyway, first impressions on the fashion here?
Fashion here is cool, people know how to dress. There were some cool fits at my show. People can really dress here. Obviously fashion is better in places where the weather is kind of shit because you can just wear more clothes, but it was raining yesterday so people got out their swag. People had some shit going on!
Have you tried any Aussie foods? Vegemite?
Nah, nah.
It’s a very acquired taste. Either you love it or you hate it.
We have Marmite, but nah, I don’t do that stuff.
Drinking culture is pretty big in Australia.
Yeah, yeah, it’s cool.
Did anything shock you about us?
Schooners! That’s crazy. That’s wild, it’s like two thirds of a pint, right? I don’t really drink beer but I had a schooner just because I’d heard about it, so I was like, I’ve got to have a schooner.
Do you know what a shoey is?
Nah.
It’s this massive trend that started a couple of years ago where the crowd would throw a shoe at the artist on stage, and they’ll yell out, “Do a shoey!” So it’s basically, get your drink and take a drink out of it.
Oh yeah, yeah.
Post Malone does it.
That’s gross, man! I’m not trying to do that, that’s fucking disgusting!
Yeah, Australia’s really done that.
Someone tried to give me their hat yesterday.
That’d be hard! There’s all these gaps in it.
No, no. Not to drink out of! Someone just tried to give it to me to wear.
What’s your first impression of the shows here, and live crowds?
It’s cool. It’s been my first real festival experience, and people are wild. It’s crazy that people come in from the festival and they’re like, “I’ve got to go see Col3trane!” Definitely a good first impression!
Listen to ‘BOOT’ here:
Photos by Lars Roy.