Don your green, white, and orange and get “what’s the craic?” locked into your vocab, because Ireland’s finest are about to charm Australia this November. That’s right — cracking open a Corona with The Coronas, the beloved Irish band is flying back into familiar territory for three electric nights: Melbourne on November 21, Sydney on the 22nd, and closing things out in Perth on the 23rd. They won’t be going it alone — Aussie powerhouses Kathleen Halloran and Haley Holgate are along for the ride, making this a tour you won’t want to miss. We caught up with frontman, lyrical soul, and resident beard connoisseur Danny O’Reilly to talk Irish love, backing the one and only Bruce Springsteen, and how it felt finally ticking Glastonbury off their bucket list just a few weeks ago.
Australian Tour
Your Australian shows almost feel like an unofficial gathering spot for the Irish, especially with Conleth McGeary supporting last year, beer in hand (and fittingly, a Corona). What’s it like getting that little slice of home, even when you’re halfway across the world?
It’s so nice to see groups of Irish at our shows. It seems like the further away from home they are, the more Irish they feel. There’s definitely more Irish flags at our shows in Australia than there are at gigs back home. And that’s really nice to be part of; part of something maybe familiar that they might miss, being so far from home.
Funny enough, you’re playing the Magnet House again in Perth—only this time it’s on the 23rd of November instead of the 24th like last year. Feels like some kind of synchronicity. Do you read into those little coincidences, or is it more of a ‘whatever the tour schedule throws at us’ kind of thing?
Personally, those sorts of things go over my head. I like to be just told where and when I need to be, the diva lead singer that I am! But we can’t wait to get back to the Magnet House and back to Perth. It’s such a lovely vibe there.
You’ve got a bit of a tradition of bringing other bands along for your Aussie shows—last year, True Tides’ Cian even jumped on stage for ‘Write Our Own Soundtrack.’ How do these kinds of collaborations help breathe new life into the tour, especially for you, performing these songs night after night?
Ah, we would be silly not to use the full talents of our live band. They’re part of The Coronas family, and Cian co-wrote that song with us, so it feels right to have him more involved. Those little different moments in the set really help the show flow.
One of the fun things you do is dive right into the crowd, sometimes even making your way up to the balcony. How do you think that kind of spontaneous interaction shifts the energy or breaks up the flow of the show?
That’s exactly it. The spontaneity and chaos of me surprising people in the crowd really shifts the energy up a gear. We try to do things like that, if the venues allow. Someone said to me once that The Coronas are all about moments, and that can be another fun moment in the set.
Big Festivals, Even Bigger Musical Peers
You’ve played for everyone—from the drunk phone-waver at the back of the room to former President Joe Biden. At this point, you’re basically musical chameleons. What’s the one skill you’ve had to hone to adapt so effortlessly to such wildly different crowds?
I think just being authentic is key to playing to different crowds. If you try too hard to adjust, it will come across as contrived. We try to just be ourselves and enjoy the music we’re playing. If you’re authentic, you have the best chance of connecting to anyone.
Since we’re name-dropping—Bruce Springsteen is another big one, with you supporting him at Hyde Park. That’s a major festival in its own right, but what stands out most in your memory from that show?
We had a great crowd, and we got to watch the boss do his thing, which was so cool. It amazed us how long his set was, and how good his voice sounded—such a great show.
You’re about to hit another huge milestone with your first-ever Glastonbury appearance—massive! As music lovers yourselves, has there been a particular Glasto set from past years that really stuck with you? Whether it inspired you from a performer’s point of view or just blew your mind as a fan?
I watched Coldplay on TV a couple of years ago from there, and it was so good. I’m such a fan of theirs. But we’ve never been before this year in person, and it really was an amazing weekend. The atmosphere and vibe in the festival it’s just so different to every festival we’ve played at before. Haim’s surprise set this year was my favourite performance of the weekend. Our set was fun too!
Glastonbury’s already close to your heart—you filmed the ‘That’s Exactly What Love Is’ video there. When you think back on the town, what formative memories come to mind?
The beautiful weather and gorgeous countryside, of course. But really, what comes to mind is Gabrielle (Aplin) and Alfie (Hudson Taylor)’s hospitality and warmth when we stayed with them while filming the video. They are the loveliest, most talented people.
New Music And Playlists
You’re already working on the next record, but with a twist—you’re not doing it in a traditional studio session. Instead, you’re writing wherever the tour takes you. We’re guessing that soaking up all those different places keeps the muse sharp and fresh?
Yeah, I used to not write on the road at all, and although I still do most of my writing in Dingle Co. Kerry when we have time off touring, I’ve started to do a little bit more recently. It’s nice to have some ideas stored up as we’re on the road to work on when we get home.
Finally, spreading a bit of that Irish love—if you were to put together a mini-playlist to spotlight some fellow native singers, who would make the cut?
Roisin O, All Tvvins, True Tides for a start. Three great acts that we work closely with. Also, Ye Vegabonds, Bell X1, Soda Blonde, Kingfisher, and Amble! So much great music coming out of Ireland at the moment.
Don’t be that Irish mate scrolling through everyone else’s photos the next day, wishing you’d been there — be the one nursing a glorious “we-lived-it” headache instead. Snag your ticket now, and then hit us up on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook with the Coronas song you can’t wait to hear live. Go on, give it a lash.
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