Back in January we brought you an exclusive interview with The Vampire Diaries actor Michael Malarkey. He was in town to promote the release of his EP Feed the Flames as he performed at the beautiful Wilton’s Hall. It’s now April, filming on season six of The Vampire Diaries has ceased and Malarkey is spending his summer vacation touring.
Next up is a show at Shoreditch bar Hoxton’s this Tuesday (28th April) evening. UK fans please be aware this will be his last UK gig this year and if you’re very quick you can still get tickets.
Ahead of his performance we took the opportunity to catch up with Michael to find out how the EP is doing, how The Vampire Diaries cast and crew are dealing with Nina Dobrev’s departure, and whether we’ll ever see Enzo sing in the show.
What have you been up to since the last UK show?
Oh you know, just snapping a few necks and drinking blood.
Before the Vampire Diaries gig you lived in the UK, is it good to be home?
Absolutely. It’s always a joy to come back to London. It’s definitely my home away from home.
What do you miss most about the UK when you’re filming?
I miss being able to walk everywhere and use the amazing public transport system here. In the States you have to drive everywhere and spend half your life searching for parking.
Last time we spoke the EP had only just launched, it’s been out for a while now, how’s it been doing?
Apparently it was in the top 15 in the iTunes charts when it was released so that’s pretty cool. I don’t really pay attention to the numbers though. I’m just happy to have the chance to get my music out there and that the fans are all enjoying it so much.
You’re last UK venue, Wilton’s Hall held a special place in your heart, is there a similar story for choosing Hoxton?
I love the neighbourhood. Great bars, shops and restaurants. Plus I’m staying around the corner while I’m here so it just made sense.
Which song on Feed the Flames is the most fun to play to a live audience?
The Bells Still Ring. I don’t tend to write too many love songs so the vibe is slightly different to the rest of the set. We’ve also got a pretty epic way of ending the song with the band that is different than on the EP.
Are there any plans to treat the audience to some new material?
Absolutely. I’m practicing with the band for a couple days in the lead up to the show and I’m teaching them a bunch of the new material I’ve been writing. It’s a bit darker and more dynamic. Excited to see how it turns out!
In the States Enzo recently got to tell his origin tale, how excited were you to share this past?
Flashbacks are a great opportunity for us actors to explore a different side of our characters which is always exciting to be able to do. Really pleased with how the episode turned out.
Was it something that you have known about for a while or was it orchestrated more recently?
I heard whispers of there being an Enzo flashback episode later in the season, but they keep everything pretty shtum until they send us the scripts. It’s a safety precaution so no one gets too attached to potential storylines that may not end up coming to fruition.
Nina has now left the show, how were those last days of filming?
Definitely bittersweet. She’s become a good friend over the past couple years. We all wish her the best!
What direction do you see the show going in now? For a long time Elena has been the central character, who do you envisage taking over the mantle?
Basically, anything is possible at the moment. For a show to continue to be successful after this many years it does require certain shifts to take place so I think this is a fantastic opportunity for us all to start exploring some new ground with the show.
Enzo has great chemistry with Caroline, Matt, Stefan and Damon – which is your favourite dynamic?
I love working with everyone, but Damon and Enzo is my favourite combo. Ian and I have a great time filming together and I think that it definitely shows in the scenes.
Would you be interested in bringing your music into the show? Maybe see Enzo serenade one of the ladies?
Only if I get to choose the song.
Where can fans see you perform next?
Quite a number of shows coming up. Some dates in the states and a few more Europe shows which will be announced soon. Here’s a list of what we have so far:
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5/1 Seattle
5/2 Vancouver
5/22 Paris
6/11 San Francisco
6/12 LA
6/13 San Diego
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Don’t forget if you want to catch Michael’s last UK gig of the year get your tickets now. You can catch Michael’s alter-ego Enzo every Wednesday on ITV2 at the new time of 11pm.
