Radio Free Alice on Their Debut Album and Opening for Geese
Melbourne trio Radio Free Alice sat down with NME backstage after their 2pm slot on the Gallery stage at Reading 2026. Singer Noah Learmonth, drummer Lochie Dowd and guitarist Jules Paradiso discussed the packed tent, their debut album What's In Between — due out in roughly two months — and their run supporting Geese in Australia earlier this year.
A packed tent at Reading
Learmonth said the tent was still full despite the band's early 2pm slot. He noted that for Australian bands, Reading and Glastonbury carry a presence unlike any other UK festivals — pointing to legendary sets like Nirvana's at Reading as giving the festival a weight others don't have.
It's been a packed year for the band: a run of festival dates over the summer, plus recent singles "Kick In The Shins" and "Crying For You" picking up solid traction on indie radio and online. The band also mentioned they're considering relocating to London.
Sharing a bill with Geese and Cameron Winter
Early in 2026, Radio Free Alice opened for Geese across Australia. Learmonth described Cameron Winter and Geese as a constant presence on his phone, making it surreal to actually meet him backstage — calling it a rare chance to share a bill with "the most talked-about band in the world."
He also shared an anecdote: the night before, Winter played a solo show in Melbourne. Local rules required a support act, but Winter's solo shows never have openers — so he brought in a 10-year-old piano prodigy to play a piano concerto before he went on. Learmonth called it a very "Cameron Winter" solution.
The sound of What's In Between
Paradiso explained that the album's songs weren't written in one period — some were finished two years ago, others just a month ago, and many weren't originally written for the album at all but grew out of improvised passages from years of touring, giving the record a hybrid feel. He said the finished album still sounds close to what the band has already released, though the direction has shifted slightly — the melodic sensibility remains, but the songwriting is more deliberate and self-aware.
The band has previously told NME that the core of their sound draws on the shared influence of New Order, The Jam and The Housemartins, moving closer to The Smiths and The Cure in their more euphoric moments. Dowd said the band's attention is essentially sealed inside the van they tour in, so they don't really notice whether people outside are paying attention to them. Paradiso added that since the album was announced, they have felt a bit more attention — a feeling that's both exciting and anxiety-inducing.