ITMers have been buzzing ever since we announced the details of Above & Beyond’s return to Australia this September as a part of their 2011 world tour, not only as it’s the first chance local fans will have to taste the group’s new album, Group Therapy, in the flesh but also because this tour will find the UK threesome headlining their own shows and not playing in the festival setup that we’ve seen them in recent years.

That level of excitement is seemingly a mutual one, with the group telling inthemix that they too are pumped up to give Australian fans the full Above & Beyond experience this September, with Jono Grant saying that they are feeling particularly excited about doing their own solo shows over “massive festivals”.

“They both have their strengths but I think the exciting thing about doing your own show is that you kind of get a free reign to do whatever you like and make all the important decisions,” he said. “I mean, you can choose who’s going to warm up for you and that way you can decide what you’re going to play whereas at a festival you may have a limited timeslot and you don’t know what the other DJ before you is going to be playing. So having that freedom is really great for us.”

While Grant was cagey on the specific details of the Group Therapy tour, he did offer some hints as to what live elements Above & Beyond would focus on for the Australian shows.

“It’s all about the lighting, the visuals, the production…we think that is so important and that’s how we’ve moved on to where we are now, I’d say,” he offered. “We put on a show; it’s the full experience you’re getting from us.”

Above & Beyond 2011 Australian tour dates:
Friday 9th September – Metro City, Perth
Saturday 10 Sep – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
Thu 15 Sep – HQ Complex, Adelaide
Fri 16 Sep – The FAMily, Brisbane
Sat 17 Sep – Festival Hall, Melbourne