THE ACACIA STRAIN Frontman Checks In From European Tour
April 24, 2007, 17 years ago
Massachusetts' THE ACACIA STRAIN is currently on tour in the UK, as direct support to HATEBREED, to continue supporting their latest release, The Dead Walk.
Frontman Vincent Bennett has issued an update from the road:
“I know it’s taken me forever, but here are some things from The Acacia Strain’s first trip to Europe:
- Everyone speaks English, but I can hardly understand anything anyone says. Between the heaviness of the accent, and the slang, it’s almost impossible. "Cheers, mate" is said to me about 600 times a day.- Everyone here rolls their own cigarettes. My first day here I thought everyone was smoking weed, and one kid told me that he came to America and got "nabbed by the coppers" because they thought he was rolling a joint. Smoking age - 16. And yes, they do call cigarettes "fags" here... and no, it’s still not funny.
- There is a whole lot of "rapeseed" growing everywhere at all times. I don’t know what it is used for, but I do know that it’s fucking yellow and smells like shit. I’m not quite sure where it got its name, but I am sure that the word "rape" has meant rape since before they named the stupid plant.
- There are roundabouts every five fucking feet.
- I was pretty sure they used the metric system over here, which they do... but they still use miles and feet…but that’s it. They buy their gas in litres, but they have to drive a mile to get it.
- One out of every five girls here is taller than me.
- Drinking is a way of life here, bars open at like 9 AM. And the drinking age here is 18, which doesn’t really matter, because they don’t really ID anyone. So, it’s like a high school party everywhere.
- Our money isn’t worth shit anywhere; a British pound is worth $2.11
- No Taco Bell.
The shows have been phenomenal. Hatebreed is amazing, and we played in a church that was built 200 years BEFORE Columbus first sailed off for the West Indies. Every venue is packed and the reaction has been amazing and every once in a while during our set I forget we are in a different country. There are some brutal kids out here, this is really starting to catch on. More fun facts soon!"
The Dead Walk was recorded with producer Adam Dutkiewicz (KILLSWITCH ENGAGE) and saw a summer 2006 release. Since then, the band toured relentlessly alongsid the likes of SOILENT GREEN, THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD, Hatebreed and is now locked in to tear across North America as one of the bands featured on this year's Sounds Of The Underground tour.
Prior to that, however, The Acacia Strain will tour the States in May and June with Hatebreed, GOD FORBID, EVERGREEN TERRACE, TERROR and AFTER THE BURIAL, as part of the Monsters Of Mayhem 2 tour.