Crobot, by Omar Cordy/OJC Pics Photography

Pennsylvania rockers Crobot have been tearing up the road, repping their new album Welcome To Fat City nightly. They have been playing shows and festivals in the USA like this weekend’s Louder Than Life Festival, and are gearing up for a huge tour of Europe with Volbeat. True to form, the band rages both on stage, and off. Check out this exclusive behind the scenes video with guitarist Chris Bishop and drummer Paul Figueroa discussing some shenanigans with their crew, from their last tour:

Ghost Cult also caught up with Bishop, Paul and frontman Brandon Yeagley at the recent Rock Allegiance Festival where we drank some beers while chatting about the making of Welcome To Fat City, working with acclaimed producer Machine, and their upcoming tours.

Welcome To Fat City is really a great example of capturing your bands’ live essence on tape:

Bishop: I think the first record (Something Supernatural), Machine did it as well, But for this record we approached it to try to make it a little more raw, a little more live feeling. Especially for the guitar performance. We didn’t over-layer things. The entire record is just one performance, two amps running at the same time.

Did you guys factor in production values when you were demoing material, or did you wait until you headed into the studio?

Paul: It definitely helps thinking about that stuff going into the studio, a little bit. You are bringing in gear with you. You want to have a basic idea. Just something to build off of with the songs, before going in to record.

Bishop: Or at least, brainstorm with Machine first. You might have had something in mind, but he might have even better ideas. It’s a cool, creative process with him.

Machine is awesome and has a great track record, but his personal style is apparently not for everyone..

Bishop: I think the bands that say that are at the complete opposite end of the spectrum from him. If you are a big heavy metal band, like Every Time I Die, and brutal and screamy, and blah blah blah; maybe they weren’t happy with that record. But looking back on it, that is one of their biggest selling records they ever had. So you can’t have it all. It depends on what you want to do. For bands like us, Clutch, Kyng: bands that are groove-orientated, funk-driven, heavy bands; he’s perfect!

You guys are touring with Volbeat and Airborne and also playing some festivals right now. That is going to be huge with the new album out.

Paul: We were just talking to some of the Volbeat crew guys in the lounge and apparently almost every one of those shows is sold out! It’s crazy and it’s going to be an insane, good time.

It seems like there are a lot of great, throwback-style rock bands right now. Maybe fans are putting down these other sub-genres and are ready to jam out more.

Brandon: It’s the nature of the cycle right now.. There is no money in it, so the bands that love to do it are still doing it. So that is going to create a scene in and of itself.

What are you guys feeling lately for the set lists?

Bishop: I think we just pick what we want to play, we don’t think to hard about it or care too much.

Brandon: Lately our set has been mostly new songs. It’s just because we are so excited play them,. Selfishly, that is the most important, because if we are having fun, then the fans will have a good time too.

You can purchase Crobot’s Welcome To Fat City now at this link:

Crobot Tour US tour dates:

Sep 30: The Sandlot – Green Bay, WI* with Like A Storm
Oct 01: WJJO Sonic Boom – Janesville, WI
Oct 02: Louder Than Life Festival -Louisville, KY

Crobot – European tour dates with Volbeat.
Oct 19: BOXEN – Herning, DK
Oct 20: Malmö Arena – Malmo, SE
Oct 21: Scandinavium – Goteborg, SE
Oct 22: Ericcson Globe Arena – Stockholm, SE
Oct 24: Hartwall Arena – Helsinki, FI
Oct 26: Oslo Spektrum- Oslo, NO
Oct 27: Forum Copenhagen – Frederiksberg, DK
Oct 28: Barclaycard Arena – Hamburg, DE
Oct 29 : Mercedes-Benz Arena – Berlin, DE
Oct 31: Olympiahalle – Munich, DE
Nov 01: Tipps Arena – Linz, AT
Nov 02: Stadhalle – Vienna, AT
Nov 04: Olympiahalle – Innsbruck, AT
Nov 05: Arena- Vernier, Switzerland
Nov 07: Schleyerhalle – Stuttgart, DE
Nov 08: Hallenstadion – Zurich, Switzerland
Nov 09: LANXESS Arena – Koln, DE
Nov 10: Festhalle – Frankfurt, DE
Nov 12: Arena – Leipzig, DE
Nov 13: Koenig-Pilsner Arena – Oberhausen, DE
Nov 14: Forest National – Forest, BE
Nov 15: Ziggo Dome – Amsterdam Zuidoost, NL
Crobot UK tour with Airbourne
Nov 17: Rock City – Nottingham, UK
Nov 21: O2 Institute – Birmingham, UK
Nov 22 O2 Academy – Leeds, UK
Nov 23: O2 Academy – Newcastle, UK
Nov 24: Barrowland – Glasgow, UK
Nov 25: Brain Freeze Festival – Ebbw Vale
Nov 26: Ritz – Manchester, UK (SOLD OUT)
Nov 28: Electric Ballroom -UK
Nov 29: Electric Ballroom – UK

Tickets for all shows are available here! 

Crobot are:
Chris Bishop – guitar, vocals
Brandon Yeagley – lead vocals, harmonica
Paul Figueroa – drums
Jake Figueroa – bass

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