Perth prog-rock mainstays Birds of Tokyo have released their long-awaited new single Starlights, a track guitarist Adam Spark says took “almost five years to build.” According to singer Ian Kenny, the band spent months circling the heart of the song before it finally clicked. “We spent ages trying to understand what this song was meant to be – we just couldn’t force it,” he said.
Starlights has been chosen as the soundtrack for The Starlight Foundation’s new Streamas campaign, which uses special online appearances to raise funds for the charity. To launch the initiative, Birds of Tokyo will perform the song live on social media and YouTube, with details available at birdsoftokyo.com.
The partnership carries personal weight for the band. All five members have young children, and Spark says the connection between the song’s message and the charity’s mission felt instantly right. “After half a decade of experimentation, we ultimately ended up with a song that’s about letting go of your fears and seizing the day so, as things have turned out, we couldn’t have come up with a better soundtrack for The Starlight Foundation if we had tried.”
The band will support the campaign with hospital visits and further appearances to highlight the foundation’s work. “After visiting the Starlight Express Room at Perth Children’s Hospital, we’ve seen firsthand how meaningful this support truly is,” they shared on socials. Fans who donate will go into the draw to win a signed Fender Telecaster.
Alongside festival slots at Lookout Festival in Hunter Valley and Torquay, Birds of Tokyo have announced a run of headline shows across regional centres including Northern Rivers, Coffs Harbour, Bathurst, Ipswich, Albury and Frankston, plus three Sydney dates. Tickets go on sale 10am local time on 1 December.
