Taste of India at Dunsborough Tavern
British India vocalist and guitarist Declan Melia describes his band's upcoming gig at Dunsborough Tavern as "being in a dark room with a load of drunken idiots banging heads together".
That is how The indie rockers are touring their new album Nothing Touches Me - their fifth studio release since 2007.
Speaking from his Melbourne home during a rare break, Melia told the _Times _ the band was psyched to be coming to Dunsborough.
"We've been there before, but it might have been a while," he said.
"It could as far back as the Avalanche tour four years ago, so it's well overdue.
"Small venues are where we cut our teeth.
"It's the atmosphere in which we learnt to play. It's not something we've ever forgotten."
Since they first exploded onto Australia's garage scene some eight years ago, British India have established themselves as one of the country's most blistering guitar-driven acts.
Previous albums Guillotine, Thieves, Avalanche and 2013's Controller have seen them mature as songwriters, while new release Nothing Touches Me sees them returning to their roots.
Melia said the band listened to a lot of great guitar albums by the likes of REM, Radiohead and Powderfinger to help them rediscover their groove.
"Before we were almost fighting against the British India sound, maybe a bit embarrassed about it because that wasn't the sound of the scene at the time," he said.
"Now we're more comfortable in our own skin.
"We got tired of pleasing others before ourselves.
"When we recorded this record we knew what we wanted to achieve and we've done it."
Once this tour is over the band will head to Japan for some winter shows, followed by the CMJ Music Marathon in New York in October.
But it's the upcoming small gigs like Dunsborough which Melia is most excited about for the time being.
"The west is one of the places which showed us love early on, so we feel at home there," he said.
"People should expect to party. It will be about getting loose and having a dance and a good time."
British India play at Dunsborough Tavern on May 15.
