TOKYO on Thursday, Hitchin on Saturday – ah, the adventures and excitement of a world tour. Or so it is for Chris Chinchilla, former Art Brut guitarist and now a third of newish outfit Macaca Mulatta. Fresh from a solo tour of Europe, Australia and Japan

TOKYO on Thursday, Hitchin on Saturday - ah, the adventures and excitement of a world tour.

Or so it is for Chris Chinchilla, former Art Brut guitarist and now a third of newish outfit Macaca Mulatta.

Fresh from a solo tour of Europe, Australia and Japan, Chris will once again be joining fellow band members Jim Rhesus and Arran Lovechild at the Wide Awake Club night at Shorty's Sports Bar in Hitchin this Saturday evening.

I caught up with Chris to find out more about his return to the UK and the band's plans for the future.

"I'm excited that my first gig back with the band is in Hitchin. I love playing smaller towns, they're always more fun and the audience more up for getting into the music - the last gig we had together was in Winchester where the crowd went mental," said Chris.

"This last year has been a hard one after leaving indie darlings Art Brut, watching them becoming more and more successful in America as I struggled back at the bottom again with new material and a new band, but the past few months things have really started picking up with some radio sessions and busier gigs.

"In December and January we will be in the studio recording tracks for an album, hoping to release something early next year on my own label Antescene.

"Oh, and our drummer spent a few years of his childhood in Hitchin, so come out and support a local boy."

In addition to Macaca Mulatta, the other beautiful people who will be vying for your love and adulation at Shorty's will be Matt and Owen Ltd, Ardent Kicks, Exit Avenue and Violet Martinez.

The whole shebang will kick off at 7pm with tickets at £4.