TGt Meets...Big Big Train - Wyvern Theatre

We heard from Big Big Train ahead of their stop in Swindon's Wyvern Theatre as part of their 2024 The Likes Of Us Tour. Read below to hear about this popular band's journey and what you can expect from their shows!

1. Big Big Train have been in the music scene for a long time now! How many tours have you been on?

Gregory Spawton: Not that many actually! We were mainly a studio-based band for a long time and only decided to get out on the road in 2015. Of course, the pandemic stopped a lot of touring for a couple of years as well, but we’re trying hard to make up for lost time now.

2. Which one of your songs from The Likes Of Us do you think will get the most high-energy response from live crowds?

Alberto Bravin: Well, we’ve already played a few and all of them inspired really different audience reactions. But I think that Love Is The Light has something special, the song has a choir part at the end where the audience can participate … and they do! When we wrote the song, we hoped that part would work in a live situation but it was only when we actually played it live that we realised “Ok, this is working!” and had big smiles on our faces.

3. Whether you’re attending or performing, what’s your favourite thing about theatres?

Gregory Spawton: We do like playing rock clubs as well, which have a different vibe, but theatre shows are special for us because people really listen. And you know when you’ve really connected because a seated audience will rise to its feet.

4. Do you have any pre-show rituals before you head on stage?

Alberto Bravin: Our drummer Nick D’Virgilio is the king of the pre-show. Before going on stage we form a circle and he gives us the energy we need to deliver the best show possible. And every time he comes up with something new about the place we are in or how the day went etc…and most of the time we end up with a loud “BIG BIG TRAIN!” cheer with our hands in the air. It really makes us feel good and it’s a little moment of crazy joy that puts each one of us mentally in the right spot.

5. Describe the sound of The Likes Of Us, is it similar to your last album Welcome to The Planet?

Gregory Spawton: For The Likes Of Us, we worked hard to make an album that was a definitive statement. The album is firmly rooted in our core influences of 70’s progressive rock, but we also make sure we bring our own sound and ideas. We also recorded it all together in a studio in Alberto’s hometown of Trieste in Italy. Welcome To The Planet is an album I remain proud of, particularly given the difficult circumstances under which we made it during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s nearly not as cohesive as The Likes Of Us, which I would place firmly as amongst the best albums we have ever recorded.

6. You’ve coming to the Wyvern Theatre for the very first time. Why did you add venues you’ve never played before to this tour?

Gregory Spawton: It’s really important for bands to work hard to reach new audiences and one way of doing that is to play in venues and towns which are new to us. And, of course, with Swindon being a famous railway town we hope that some local people may be intrigued by the name of our band!

7. Playing so many shows must blur the lines between them. How do you keep each show unique and memorable?

Alberto Bravin: The people in the audience actually make each show unique; we can just go with their flow and embrace their energy. For our part, we always try to change the set lists between gigs, but the uniqueness sometimes comes from small (or big!) mistakes or funny things that happen on stage. We all enjoy being together on stage and we try to bring this feeling back to the audience.

CLICK HERE to book tickets for Big Big Train at the Wyvern Theatre!