John Broe of Miracle Bell
What's on your rider?Usually Polish beer, apples, ham, chicken and bread. Nothing too extravagant! We'll need a few more albums under our belt before we can get picky.
What's your pre-gig ritual/ routine?After soundchecks we usually walk around like three annoying tourists, checking out whatever the "cool" sights are to be seen.
What are your favourite and least favourite venues?Favourite venue would have to be Dolan's Warehouse in Limerick; it's always amazing playing down there. The Academy in Dublin is great, and the Cavern in Liverpool had a really cool vibe to it. The least favourite would have to be Time venue in Naas. I've seen some great bands go in there and lead balloon it.
Who is the most famous person to have shown up at one of your gigs?Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins caught our set at Oxegen in '07. I think they got lost on the way to another stage, but we met them in the VIP area after and they said they loved us.
What's your crowd-pleasing number?I think it's becoming Thank You Computer Man, which was a shock because it was put on the album to give it something a bit left of centre.
What's the most you've ever paid for a gig ticket?Oxegen – over €200! I live near the festival grounds, so sometimes we can get free tickets for the "disturbance to locals" factor. But one not-so-lucky year I had to buy the ticket.
Groupies. Would you?Never. (Our girlfriends can read, you know.)
Do you like to meet and greet fans after the gig?Yeah, we really love it. It's been amazing getting to meet people from all over who respect and like what we have written. Actually meeting them face to face lets us realise that what we are doing is all worth it.
Any useful stage tips?Don't eat sushi purchased from the same place that you filled your van with diesel within 30 minutes of going on stage. A lot of people have trouble suppressing the gag reflex through a whole set.
What's the worst thing ever thrown at you?Funnily enough, that would also have to be sushi.
If you could be in any other band, which one?Crystal Swing, without a doubt.
In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea. Miracle Bell play The Academy, Dublin, tonight
