The Round Up – A Pre-tour Interview with Two Ways Home
Two Ways Home are about to take their highly successful and hugely popular show The Round Up on tour for the first time. Before they set off, Isi and Lewis told us about what we can expect.
Hi guys! Firstly, how excited were you to play at C2C this year, and how was the experience?
We were so excited to finally get to play C2C at the O2 Arena. What an amazing show to have on the performance CV. We really enjoyed ourselves. Like with any festival where there are mega quick changeovers, you never quite know what the sound will be like, but we really enjoyed playing and being part of this iconic weekend.
What has it been like playing to audiences again post-pandemic?
We love playing live shows. That’s really where we excel and we love interacting with our audience in real time so it’s amazing to be back on stage.
You’re about to embark on a tour with The Round Up for the first time. For anyone who isn’t familiar with the format, could you tell us what it is and how it came about?
The Round Up is a Nashville-style Writers’ Round. The traditional Writers’ Round started in Nashville many decades ago, and it entailed several songwriters sharing their songs on the same stage at the same time, one after another, often facing one another in a circle. Nowadays, the songwriters often sit next to one another in a line as this makes it easier for the audience.
When we first went to Nashville in 2012 we saw a few rounds and we really liked the format. We had never seen this style of show in the UK before so, when we got back, we decided to start a regular night to shine a light on amazing songwriters in the UK and further afield. We have had some really amazing artists and writers join us over the years, including: Laura Oakes, Lainey Wilson, Kenny Foster, Jake Morrell, Twinnie, Charlie Worsham, and many more.
What was the inspiration behind taking it out on the road?
After 7 years of hosting The Round Up solely in London, we decided it would be great to take it around the UK and make it available to people who are unable to make it to a London show. Each place has at least one local act on the bill and is bringing new faces to new audiences. You can expect an evening full of great songs and the stories behind them.
Is there anyone you are particularly excited to be playing alongside?
All the acts we have chosen are amazing and we are so grateful to be able to play alongside each and every one of them.
Who would be your dream artist(s) to have for a Round Up show?
We’d love to have Ryan Tedder, Sheryl Crow, Justin Vernon, or Ingrid Andress. All of these writers are incredible, with some of our favourite songs having been written by them.
What else does 2023 have in store for you guys, musically or otherwise?
We are really excited to be releasing new music, and we will be playing our first headline show in a while on 8th June at the Green Note in London. We are also planning a full-band tour for later in the year and are playing a bunch of festivals over the summer. We are also getting married this year so, all in all, a big year at camp Two Ways Home!
Well, all of us at Belles & Gals wish you well for the big day! Good luck with the tour, and thanks for your time!
The Round Up Tour kicks off in London on March 24th before going around the UK through until May 5th. Click here for info and tickets.
Interview conducted by Gareth Williams (twitter.com/lostinbluejazz1)
