Bipolar Empire
What's on your rider?Water, beer and a good location for a good night out after the gig.
What would be on your fantasy rider?Unlimited drink, smokes, Subway subs, four quad bikes, bending limo with a heli-pad on the roof and sauna in the back of it, just for the craic. Oh, and four jet packs.
What's your pre-gig ritual/ routine?Warm up voices, couple of beers and run over the set list a few times.
What's the best gig you've been to?Muse in the O2. The gig was amazing. It really inspired me to want to push the live ideas further.
And the worst?Bipolar Empire's first gigs!
What are your favourite and least favourite venues?The Academy is an amazing venue: cool-looking room, great backstage area and the stage is great to play on.
Least favourite?I guess Doran's when it was about.
Who is the most famous person to have shown up at one of your gigs?Mike Mills from REM came to one of our gigs in LA when we were recording the album.
Most embarrassing on-stage moment?Playing in The Academy, tripping up over a lead at the start of the set, then trying to have a little bit of swagger, but then knocking over the guitar before the gig even started.
What's your crowd-pleasing number?Feel That You Own It always gets received really well.
Chatting between songs – good or bad?Off stage we can't shut up, but on stage all that manages to come out is "thank you, cheers, thanks again, cheers, thank you"!
How many roadies does it take to change your light bulbs (ie, how big is your entourage)?We have none, really. We have to show up with our gear, set up our gear, take down our gear, get drunk and lose most of the gear!
Any useful stage tips?Just get yourself hyped before the gig and use your nerves to your advantage. Know your set, warm up your voice and have fun.
Who's invited to your aftershow party?Kevin Godley, Pat McCarthy, Mike Mills, Buzz from Home Alone, David Bowie and Damon Albarn. That doesn't mean any of them will ever show up, but they're invited anyway!
In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea.
Bipolar Empire play Galway on Saturday
