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BAND: The Answer

WHERE: Manchester Academy

WHEN:  Wednesday, November 25

The Belfast band are about to make their dreams come true, headlining the sort of venues they always dreamed of playing.

“For us, every step is fulfilling an ambition,” says bassist Micky Waters. “Growing up, this is where we wanted to be. So, to get the chance to do this tour is amazing.”

The Answer have spent most of the last year touring the world with AC/DC, an experience which has proven invaluable for Waters, frontman Cormac Neeson, guitarist Paul Mahon and drummer James Heatley.

“When you go out touring with a band that massive, you learn so much about stage presence,” adds Waters. “In the end we did 118 shows with them. After the last one, they took us out to dinner and gave the band a special Black Ice plaque. It was great to get time with them.”

After doing so many support slots, The Answer are having to adapt to being a headlining act again.

“We’ve been doing 45 minutes, so now we’re adding in a lot more songs, especially from our most recent album, Everyday Demons. There are a couple of tracks on there we’ve never done live before.”

The band might also cheekily throw in a cover or two…

“We did work up Riff Raff, and were contemplating doing it on that last night with AC/DC. But then, we’d have probably been wearing those plaques! But you never know, we might put it in the set, and have other covers possibilities as well.”

Supporting for the whole tour are the hotly tipped Black Spiders. Aussie crew Mammal were due to be on the bill as well. However, they split up a couple of weeks ago.

“That was a bummer. They’re a really hot band. Now, we’re just gonna use a local act everywhere to make up the three-band bill. The Black Spiders are great to have along, though. Should be a good way to end the year.”

The rest of the shows on the tour are Glasgow ABC November 26, Edinburgh Picture House 27, Newcastle O2 Academy 28, Sheffield Corporation 30, Nottingham Rock City December 1, Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall 2, Bristol Academy 4, Oxford O2 Academy 5, Portsmouth Pyramid Centre 6, Cambridge Junction 8, London Kentish Town Forum 9, Liverpool 02 Academy 10, Dublin 02 Academy 12, Belfast Ulster Hall 14.

For further details, go to www.theanswer.ie