FRENTE are bringing their sound to Berninneit on Friday, October 3, with Angie Hart and Simon Austin performing live with Sophie Koh on their regional tour.
In an interview with Angie, she mentions that she and Sophie have a history together through their choir, Lady Choir, and Sophie contributed to Angie's upcoming solo album, but for the regional tour, Frente are coming out as a trio.
Angie and Simon have worked together since Angie was 16. “We were pretty foolhardy when we went into things, and that's what makes great music, when you're young, you don't think twice. “Bringing Sophie’s talent with vocals and keys on the regional tour is exciting; it’s always great to work with talented individuals who share your artistic vision.”
Angie shared that Frente’s touring style has evolved as they explore regional venues and experience intimate performances. Some venues have been around since Simon and Angie first hit the road in the early '90s. “We’ve performed in little bars that squish everyone in, but then there are others that bring the community together, and you can still smell the fresh carpet.”
“We were talking just the other day about how difficult it is to dance to Frente songs because they change all the time mid-song. So yes, we can really leave people in the lurch,” Angie laughed. “So, there is nothing wrong with a seated venue; it’s great to see culture centres come alive and bring people together through live music.”
As a band, Frente’s sound remains distinctly pop, yet Angie discusses the ongoing evolution of their art. “We generally can’t escape the pop label, but we’re also incorporating new elements. Simon’s been experimenting with the nylon string and baritone guitars, which gives us an interesting texture.”
Angie shared her songwriting approach, which involves both lyrical and melodic elements. “Simon and I often build songs from the ground up, a bit like a jigsaw puzzle. I tend to start with lyrics when writing solo. In contrast, Simon has a more melody-first approach, so we really get a feeling for the emotion of each song – maybe something we’ve read or something political that we can make personal, but we often write looking outward to help others relate.”
“When I’m writing my own music, it's much more about my own personal trials and tribulations, and things that I’m mulling over,” said Angie.
As the conversation circled back to the band's extensive career of over 37 years, Angie noted how much has changed, yet how much their passion for music remains. “We were quite naïve when we began,” said Angie. “Yet that youthful exuberance gave us confidence.”
With the passing of time, Angie said that some songs are difficult to play, but there is a delight in rediscovering our older material, and it’s refreshing to challenge and connect with our music.”
Angie said that ranging for that amount of time, they have quite a catalogue of music. “So, for the regional tour we've curated our favourite songs from our time of making music, and we are writing at the moment, so at some stage we’ll be brave enough to bust out some new songs. It could happen by the time we get to Cowes.” Live at Berninneit, there will be songs that fans remember and maybe some they haven’t discovered yet, plus plenty of sing-alongs.
