THE lead singer of a band which has just completed its first overseas tour has described the experience as “an absolute dream come true”.

Altered Sky, which includes Haddington’s Ana Nowosielska and Amy Blair, swapped Scotland for a 19-date tour of the Far East during September and October.

The rockers played their last gig last Tuesday in Tokyo before jetting back home.

Lead singer Ana told the Courier: “It was absolutely a dream come true.

“I have wanted to go to Japan since I was about five years old and the fact I went over there to perform songs with Altered Sky was great.

“Everyone just made us feel very welcome.”

The tour started in the Philippines on September 21.

Eleven concerts later, they moved on to Japan, where they played in the country’s capital Tokyo.

Ana said that there was a difference in the vibe and feel of the gigs in the two countries.

She added: “The best way to put it is the Philippines is still a developing country.

“There are not a lot of Westernised bands that come across to play shows in the Philippines.

“The vibe in the Philippines was outstanding, though, and some of the shows we had armed guards and armed security.

“It was crazy – I had a security guard in front me, leading me through the crowd to get away after the show.”

Whilein Japan, the venues provided more of an advanced feel in terms of the technology on offer.

Ana, who grew up on Haddington’s Alderston Meadow, spoke to the Courier last Friday – less than 24 hours after the band had touched down back in Scotland.

The lead singer is joined in the band by drummer Amy, who grew up on the town’s Long Cram and attended Knox Academy.

Ana, who was schooled in Edinburgh, met Amy during a night out at Haddington’s Mercat Hotel, with the band, completed by Ross Archibald, Ryan Zdrojewski and Tara Behran, forming soon after.

Altered Sky are not hanging up their microphones and drumsticks for a rest just yet. They are performing at The Bridge Centre in Haddington on Saturday at 7pm.

Ana told the Courier that the near-month-long tour had given the band the travel bug.

She said: “The flight in itself was 24 hours’ travel on the way back. I don’t think I have heard from any of the other band members since but it has made us realise that music does not just stop in the UK or in Glasgow.

“It is a massive, huge world out there and it is definitely the start of us touring around.

“We want to go to Germany and Poland and we have had connections with people suggesting we go to Vietnam and Thailand next.

“That is on the cards and we definitely at some point want to go to the USA.”

See www.alteredsky.com