W.W Disposable Camera Diary 002 — Oceanator on Tour, 2022
“This one actually didn’t feel all that different show-wise,” Elise Okusami of New York City’s rock and roll road warriors Oceanator, looking back at their recent tour abroad. “I was expecting it to feel a lot different, but it felt familiar in a good way. Being in another country definitely felt different in a lot of little ways, even just in slightly different vocabulary used for stuff, but I met a lot of really sweet and kind people and had a fantastic time.”
The incredibly active and everywhere Oceanator managed to not only release the smash record Nothing’s Ever Fine last year [through juggernaut labels Polyvinyl Records in the States and Big Scary Monsters in the U.K.], but also tour seemingly nonstop — including runs with the likes of Pup, Laura Jane Grace, Queen of Jeans, and Pedro the Lion. Wormbrain World sent Okusami out with a disposable camera ahead of her solo tour across the pond and then spoke to them about their exciting year of touring, available here now as our second W.W Disposable Camera Diary investigation.
The gallery below includes nineteen from the Oceanator camera:
Following the release of their then-new album in the spring of 2022, Okusami headed out on their first tour of the year with Pedro the Lion. “That was a huge one for me because I have been a fan of that band and David Bazan for over a decade,” Elise told Wormbrain. “It was the first tour after the new album came out, too, so it was super fun to play those songs in front of an audience for the first time. Most of those songs I hadn’t gotten to play live ever because of reasons we all know.”
After that, Okusami joined Anthony Green, Laura Jane Grace, and Tim Kasher for a solo jaunt. “This was an amazing experience! Everyone on that tour was so sweet and kind, and I had a super fun time. I was really nervous beforehand to fly across the country and join a bunch of strangers but it was incredible.”
Oceanator solo ramped back up into full band mode, as their next tour “rolled right into Pup and Angel Du$t which was wild!” according to Okusami. “Another great group of humans and really fun shows. Pup fans are really nice, and we played a bunch of cities I’d never been to.”
“In August I did a solo tour in the UK!” This is the tour that Okusami documented with the Wormbrain World disposable camera, which they said “most reminded me to take photos, which I’m not always the best at. I didn’t know what to expect as it was the first time playing my songs over there and I went alone. A very nice guy named Todd drove me around and we hung out for the whole week. It’s funny to just be picked up by some stranger at the airport and then spend every moment of every day with them for 10 days.”
Finally, Oceanator ended their year in huge fashion, as Okusami told W.W, “In the fall we did my first ever headliner! So exciting! That was with Queen of Jeans who are so good and so sweet and so fun to tour with. Perfect way to close out the year really. And we ended with a hometown show in Brooklyn.”
As far as when they’ll get in the van or studio again this year, Okusami shared, “I’m really looking forward to going back to the United Kingdom, and to getting to a do a bunch of shows in Europe with La Dispute and Pool Kids next year! That’s all I can share for now! Probably no new record, but I am working on it as we speak and hopefully will record it later this year. I’m excited to share it in the future when it’s ready.”
Please keep Wormbrain World in mind for all future tour routing, Oceanator.
“I was expecting it to feel a lot different, but it felt familiar in a good way.”
“I like the one of us sitting at the coffee shop even though the light is bad and it’s grainy because I hadn’t seen my friend Sarah since she moved back to London so it was great to get to spend a little bit of time with her!”
“The one with the boat and the row houses — I played on that boat with a different band in… 2017, I think? And I remembered those colorful houses, so I was stoked to get to walk by and see them just as I had remembered them.”
“The photo walking with Apollo Ghosts. I played with them in Oxford at a really fun outdoor show. We met and got along immediately and went for a long walk. It was really nice.”
W.W: What is Wormbrain?
EO: An idea that barely starts to form in your head and when you try to catch it it’s gone.
W.W: Thank you for sharing with Wormbrain.
Oceanator’s latest album Nothing’s Ever Fine is out now everywhere on Chicago-based label Polyvinyl and Oxford-based label Big Scary Monsters.
