James Caddy says a lot of hard work has gone into preparing for the upcoming gig for the finals at The H-Fi on December 8th, and they’re prepared to put on a killer show. They’re fine-tuning their live set and have made a few changes to their set list, so you’ll have to be there the night of the show to see what goes down. They’ve got nothing but positive things to say about their experience in the festival so far, and before the big night, they sit down with Emergenza to share some of their thoughts.

SO, DO YOU THINK YOU'RE READY FOR THE BIG NIGHT?
Absolutely, we've been working hard toward this gig and are prepared to put on a killer show!

WHAT’S THE BAND DOING TO GET READY FOR THE FINALS? REHEARSING MUCH?
We're rehearsing our butts off but not overdoing it so it’s still fresh and vibrant on the night of the gig. The set list was finalised quite early on so it’s just a matter of fine-tuning for us.

WHAT, IF ANY, CHANGES HAVE YOU MADE TO YOUR STAGE SET-UP OR YOUR LIVE PERFORMANCE WITH THE FINALS IN MIND?
There's not too much we've changed with regards to our set up. We've been mindful of our performance and have changed things up regarding our set list.

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THE BIG NIGHT?
I try not to have too many expectations, if any at all. That way, no matter what happens, it's all positive for me. As long as we go out there and put our hearts and souls into the gig and have a great time playing together, I'm a happy chappy!

WHAT EFFECT DO YOU THINK WINNING WOULD HAVE ON THE BAND?
Winning for us would provide great validation in what we are doing together. It would fuel the passion, fire and drive we have to continue our musical journey and achieve our goals and dreams.

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THE FESTIVAL SO FAR? ANY FUNNY ANECDOTES FROM YOUR PREVIOUS SHOWS OR REHEARSALS LEADING UP TO THE FINALS?
Our experience with the festival has been great! Everyone we've worked with has been genuine and supportive. At the end of our last gig I introduced my song “Free My Mind” as being about a toxic person but then went on to add "this is for my brother" who was handling my guitar change over. It immediately occurred to me that I had inadvertently implied my brother was the toxic person! The crowd began to laugh and I looked quite foolish having to re-clarify what I meant. It was a great moment with the crowd!

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO MOST ABOUT PLAYING THE HI-FI IN MELBOURNE?
For me personally, I'm looking forward to playing on the same stage I've seen so many of my favourite Australian bands. To hear my songs fill this renowned venue will be a huge thrill for me!! And putting on a great show for the crowd as well.

WHAT IS GOING TO SET YOU APART FROM THE OTHER BANDS AND SECURE A WIN FOR YOUR BAND?
Throughout the festival we have maintained a great interaction with the crowd providing them some depth into the music. I believe this coupled with the honest, pure music and our command on stage together sets us apart from the other bands.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO BANDS THAT ARE CONSIDERING SIGNING UP FOR THE FESTIVAL NEXT YEAR?
DO IT!! SIGN UP!! This festival provides so many great opportunities to bands. It'll test your skills as a band not just on stage but also in your promotional and marketing abilities as well. The lessons learnt are absolutely invaluable!

IF YOU HAVE THE DESIRE TO SHOUT OUT TO ANY OF THE BANDS OR SAY ANY THANKS, DO SO HERE:
I'd first and foremost like to thank all those who have come to every round, grooved their butts off and voted us through. To the boys in my band: Sam Bracey, Simon Hudson and Alasdair Mitchell Ferguson, thank you for all your hard work and support in this journey. Special thanks to Pete Savvides for your hard work at rehearsal and filling in for us in the Gershwin Room. To Patrick Smith: thank you for always being our photographer at every gig. To my brother Mark Treloar: thank you for supporting me in every round bringing me my guitars and collaborating with me on “All I Think About”! Finally to all the managers and crew who help to put together this awesome festival – you're all legends!!