Following their electrifying performance at the TRNSMT Festival, we had the opportunity to speak with Chasing Abbey, who delivered a remarkable set as the opening act on the King Tut’s stage. The band graciously took the time to share their thoughts and experiences with us after their performance. Here is what they had to say.
Karen (Scottish Music Network):
Good afternoon. My name is Karen, and I represent the Scottish Music Network. Today, I have the pleasure of sitting down with the members of Chasing Abbey. To begin, could each of you introduce yourselves and let us know where you’re from?
Ted:
Hello, I’m Ted.
Jonathan:
I’m Jonathan.
Ronan:
I’m Ronan – currently wrestling with my microphone, I’m afraid!
Karen:
No problem, just hold it with me for now. Is that manageable?
Ronan:
That’s actually the tricky part!
Karen:
How are you all feeling today?
Ted:
We’re doing well, thank you.
Jonathan:
We’re good, though perhaps just a bit fragile after enjoying some of the Glasgow nightlife last night.
Ted:
Scotland’s match was on, but unfortunately, we didn’t manage to catch it.
Karen:
You didn’t quite make it to the game?
Ted:
No, but it was a fantastic evening, nonetheless.
Karen:
Sometimes, the less said about those nights the better! I hope you get to enjoy the atmosphere while you’re here. Now, you opened the King Tut’s stage today –
Ted:
Yes, that’s right.
Karen:
How was your experience performing there?
Ted:
It was truly fantastic. Given the early time slot – half past twelve – we weren’t expecting a huge turnout, but the crowd exceeded our expectations. Everyone was incredibly welcoming. Opening a stage is always a special experience, and we have a history with King Tut’s; we played a sold-out show there earlier this year.
Jonathan:
Yes, that was in February.
Ted:
That’s right, February. It’s such an iconic venue.
Ronan:
It really is an incredible place to perform.
Karen:
It’s remarkable how King Tut’s combines intimacy with the energy of a much larger venue. We’re delighted to have you here today.
Ted:
Thank you so much. We’re thrilled to be here.
Karen:
I’m sure you’ve been asked this before, but could you share the story behind the name ‘Chasing Abbey’?
Ted:
Of course. The meaning behind our name has evolved over time. When people see ‘Abbey’ spelt A-B-B-E-Y, they often associate it with a church. Historically, though, an abbey was a centre for learning, technological advancement, and personal growth – a place where people gathered to better themselves. That ethos resonated with us as a band. We aim to foster innovation and support one another, both musically and personally. The name reflects our commitment to continually pursue growth and creativity.
Karen:
That’s a fascinating background.
Ted:
Thank you.
Karen:
It’s interesting, as the name can be somewhat misleading.
Ronan:
Absolutely. Many people assume it refers to a car.
Karen:
I must admit that that’s what I thought at first! It’s amusing how common that misconception is.
Ted:
We often hear guesses that it’s about a girl who broke my heart.
Ronan:
That’s the “real” story, apparently!
Karen:
How were you feeling before taking the stage today?
Ted:
Honestly, we felt quite relaxed. We knew we were opening, so we expected a quieter crowd as people were still arriving. Nevertheless, we made a pact beforehand to give it everything we had and set a positive tone for the day. Fortunately, the audience was incredibly receptive.
Ronan:
Whenever we perform – even if the audience is small – we always strive to deliver our best. If just one person is there, that’s reason enough to put on a great show.
Ted:
Today there were more people than we anticipated, and their engagement was fantastic. That’s all we can ask for.
Ronan:
This is actually our first time performing at an international festival and our first show outside of Ireland. It’s a real honour just to be here.
Ted:
It’s an incredible experience.
Karen:
Do you find performing for larger audiences more daunting than playing smaller, more intimate shows?
Ted:
It’s a very different dynamic. In a large crowd, it’s harder to establish a personal connection – you can’t see individual faces or interact in the same way as you can in a smaller venue. That said, both settings have their own unique energy and rewards. The crowd today was wonderful.
Jonathan:
Absolutely.
Karen:
Did you debut any new material during your set today?
Ted:
Yes, we did. We performed several tracks from our upcoming album, which is set for release on September 18th.
Jonathan:
That’s correct.
Ronan:
September 18th – he remembered!
Ted:
We premiered ‘Is Rud Crua’, an unreleased track that had never been performed live before.
Ronan:
That’s right, it was its live debut.
Ted:
The crowd responded very positively.
Ronan:
It was well received.
Ted:
King Tut’s even featured the performance on their social media story.
Ronan:
We also played ‘Seachain’, our latest single, which means “watch out” in Irish. This was our first time performing it live. It’s interesting how a song can transform in front of an audience – no matter how much you rehearse, performing live always brings out new elements.
Ted:
My father always says that one live performance is worth ten rehearsals, and I completely agree.
Ronan:
Exactly. We anticipated some surprises, but that’s part of the excitement. We’ll always remember the first time we performed ‘Seachain’ live.
Karen:
There’s something truly special about live music – songs take on a new life when performed in front of an audience.
Jonathan:
That’s so true. The energy is incredible.
Ted:
Absolutely. Sometimes, you have to be careful not to let the excitement run away with you.
Karen:
Indeed. How are you feeling about the upcoming release of your album?
Ted:
We’re extremely excited. It’s been a long journey for us. Although we’ve been together for some time, it took us a while to find the right direction for an album that truly represents who we are. Over the past few years, everything has come together, and we’re very proud of the result. That’s all we could wish for.
Karen:
I wish you all the best with the release.
Jonathan:
Thank you very much.
Karen:
Are there any other festival appearances in your calendar?
Jonathan:
Yes, we’re returning to Scotland in November to play at SWG3.
Ronan:
That’s correct.
Karen:
That’s a fantastic venue.
Ted:
Is it? That’s great to hear.
Jonathan:
It has an excellent reputation.
Ted:
You’ll have to come along!
Karen:
I certainly will.
Ronan:
Absolutely.
Karen:
We look forward to seeing you there. Will you be staying to enjoy the festival today?
Ronan:
Yes, we definitely plan to make the most of it!
Jonathan:
This is our summer party.
Ted:
We’re going to enjoy ourselves.
Jonathan:
If you see me later tonight, apologies in advance!
Karen:
You’ve picked the perfect day for it.
Ronan:
The weather is fantastic.
Karen:
Yesterday was a completely different story.
Ted:
It was like a swamp yesterday!
Ronan:
We’re also looking forward to catching a few fellow Irish acts. It should be a great day.
Karen:
That sounds wonderful. It’s been a pleasure speaking with you all. We’ll be following your journey closely.
Ronan:
Thank you for having us.
Ted:
Thank you.
Karen:
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Jonathan:
Thank you so much.
Interview with Karen Edmond
Photograph by James Edmond Photography
