popwreckoning

I got the chance to see the magnificent David Ford open a sold out show for Rachael Yamagata and Sara Bareilles late last month at the TLA in Philadelphia. When I arrived, the TLA was surprisingly packed. Even for sold out shows at the TLA, the opener only sees about a quarter of the place full, but the balcony was full up and the floor was packed for from the stage halfway back to the balcony’s pillars. The crowd went wild as Ford took the stage and launched into the current single “Go To Hell” from his latest album Songs For The Road.

The passion and intensity with which Ford performs in entrancing and inspiring. Following “Go To Hell,” Ford introduced two “fellow countrymen,” one of whom would play the “electric suitcase” and other of whom played guitar. Knowing from a previous interview with PopWreckoning that Ford finds the idea of a band silly, I was shocked to see the other two Brits take the stage, but Ford explained, “We decided to form the band at 3PM. [pause] How are we doing?” His question was met with a roar of cheering from the audience, which he had in the palm of his hand. Following the crowd’s applause, Ford looks at his new bandmates and announces, “We’ve made it!”

The three on stage broke into “Train” and afterwards, Ford informed the audience that he was told to get the crowd riled up by shouting, but it isn’t in his British nature to be so loud and outgoing. He’d brought a small, silver service bell along and let the crowd know that when he rang the bell, it was their cue to go crazy. Testing this approach, he rang the bell and the crowd exploded with noise as Ford began “Decimate.” He followed with an impromptu cover of The Four Seasons‘ “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night).” The audience loved it and sang along with every word.

Running short on time, Ford closed with “my version of the State of the Union address” (“State of the Union from 2006′s I Sincerely Apologise For All The Trouble I’ve Caused) in which he recorded himself and put it on loop so that he didn’t need to use his backing band. It was truly amazing to watch as Ford moved from instrument to instrument, playing a short progression on it and leaving it to loop over and over and he moved to new instruments creating an overwhelming clusterfuck of sound the simply shredded.

The crowd loved David Ford, and it’s easy to understand why. His passion for music and the intensity in his live performance is astounding. Although his stint with Yamagata and Bareilles has ended, you can catch Ford on another US tour with Augustana starting this coming Tuesday, May 6th (dates below). Definitely catch Ford live. It will blow you away.

more @ flickr

Tour Dates:
May 06 – Wonder/Portland, Or.
May 07 – Showbox/Seattle, Wa.
May 08 – Big Easy/Boise, Id.
May 09 – Aavalon/Salt Lake City, Ut.
May 10 – Gothic/Denver, Colorado
May 12 – Fine Line/Minneapolis, Mn.
May 13 – Metro/Chicago, Il.
May 14 – St. Andrew’s Hall/Detroit, Mi.
May 15 – House of Blues/Cleveland, Oh.
May 16 – The Mod Club Theatre/Toronta, On.
May 17 – Les Saints/Montreal, Qc.
May 19 – Paradise Rock Club/Boston, Ma.
May 20 – Maxwell’s/Hoboken, Nj.
May 21 – Bowery Ballroom/New York, Ny.
May 22 – 9:30 Club/Washington, Dc.
May 23 – The TLA/Philadelphia, Pa.

David Ford: website | myspace | interview

[where: 334 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147]

Brooklyn pop rockers Hello Tokyo kicked off a tour in support of their new album Sell The Stars in Philadelphia at The Fire on Friday night and totally owned the place. The band arrived not long before their scheduled set time, but managed to change, talk with friends and family, greet me, and set up all with time to spare.

Normally a trio, Hello Tokyo added two more for the live show and played a high-energy set, showcasing the great material from the new record. They opened with Sell The Stars‘ closer “I Spy,” asking, “Do you think you want me?” atop Vince‘s driving guitar riffs and a thumping bass line from John. The poppy “Run To You” and “Midnight Snack” found their way into the middle of the set as Kat pumped her fist in the air or dancing around the stage to Sam‘s beats and Eavvon‘s melodic keys.

Hello Tokyo ended their night with the bouncy and infectious single “Radio.” Kat kicked into high gear, jumping around the stage, interacting with her band and amping up their energy just by being near them. If Hello Tokyo is east coasting near you, get yourself to the venue and dance around to their delicious brand of upbeat pop dance rock. Be sure to chat up the band, as well — Kat is toothache sweet and Sam kept everyone laughing. Hello Tokyo is a great group of musicians making great music that is definitely worth your time.

more @ flickr

Tour Dates:
Apr 30 – New Brookland Tavern/West Columbia, South Carolina
May 01 – Smith’s Olde Bar/Atlanta, Georgia
May 03 – Indy500 Festival/Indianapolis, Indiana (SOLD OUT!)
May 04 – Dirty Jack’s/Cincinnati, Ohio
May 07 – Club Cafe/Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
May 08 – Brother Bean Coffee House/Seneca, Pennsylvania
May 12 – Oasis/New London, Connecticut
May 16 – Dr. Watson’s Pub/Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 28 – Stranded In Stereo Presents../New York, New York
Jun 14 – Memories Lounge/Richland, New Jersey
Hello Tokyo: website | myspace | Sell The Stars review

[where: Girard Ave, Philadelphia PA 19124]

I am not the kind of chick who waits by the phone for a guy to call, unless that guy happens to be the wonderfully charming Craig Whitaker of Philadelphia’s Quick Step John. Wednesday night, there was a bit of mis- communication about what time he was supposed to call, but everything worked out and I got to chat with Whitaker about the band, their album The Multiple Personalities of Last Week and Next Year, podcasts and Jesse and the Rippers. Yep, Uncle Jesse. Check it out:

Jessica, PopWreck(oning): Hey what’s up, Craig?
Craig Whitaker: Oh not too much. How are you?
PW: I’m doing well, thanks.
CW: Am I on time?
PW: You’re a little late, but that’s OK. No problem.
CW: It was 7:30, right?
PW: I think you said 7 in the email.
CW: Oh, shit. I just opened up my email and saw that it said 7. I’m sorry!
PW: Don’t worry about it, it’s fine!
CW: OK. I was all excited, I thought I was gonna be right on time.
PW: You’ve been involved with Quick Step John since the band formed in 2001. How long before that did you begin playing music?
CW: I guess I first started when I was around 17.
PW: What inspired you to start playing and what did you first start playing?
CW: I saw a kid in high school, he was senior and I was a freshman or a sophomore. He was playing all these Van Halen songs on the guitar and I was like, ‘Holy crap! What is that?!’ I went to Sam Ash and bought a guitar and all these Van Halen song books. Kind of a lofty goal for someone who’s never picked up a guitar, but I just forced myself to learn how to do it. For months and months and months, which became years and years, and just taught myself how to play.
PW: So how did the five you of get together and decide to form Quick Step John?
CW: Well Ed and I worked at a store in Cherry Hill [NJ] called Mars Music, which isn’t there anymore. I recorded a couple songs on acoustic guitar to get some news songs done, not for anything but just because I was writing and I wanted to record. He heard a tune and he really liked it. There were some other guys…it’s funny, we got a drummer from the drum department and a bass player from the bass department. We thought we’d play these songs just for fun and we had this bug July 4th party at the store so we played these songs and thought, ‘That was fun. We should record three songs as a whole band.’ So that weekend, we recorded in my kitchen.
It was so, so silly. We recorded three songs in my kitchen and they got into the hands of a talent buyer for Clear Channel and he heard it and was like, ‘Wow, you guys are good. You guys should play a show.’ He put us on a show at the Electric Factory with Pat McGee. That was it. It went from nothing to something in a couple weeks. It was really strange.
PW: Yeah, the Electric Factory is a bigger venue in Philadelphia, so that’s an impressive place to play your first real show.
CW: It was realy weird, ’cause I’d seen many show there growing up. Just the fact that I was even there was cool to begin with. Then I was like, ‘Wow, I get to be backstage. That’s pretty cool.’ Then it was, ‘Shit, I get to play?! That’s pretty cool!’
PW: Yeah, to get to be on stage and not looking at the stage.
CW: Yeah, it was just a whole weird thing. I was 21, Ed was 16. It was ridiculous. We’ve had band members come and go over the years but about a year and a half ago, met up with the current line-up and it’s been that ever since.
PW: You guys have been compared to influences you list, like Counting Crows and Ben Folds, and while those bands are obviously huge and awesome, do you appreciate those comparisons or do you wish that critics and listeners would see past that and take your sound for what it is itself?
CW: No, because our sound is a combination of all the bands we like. I think that’s natural. If you grew up listening to Mozart your entire life, and then you sit down at the piano, chances are…or hopefully, if you’re not doing something wrong…it’s gonna have resemblance to that. I think that’s just natural, to sound like the people you associate yourself with and listen to. If somebody said, ‘Quick Step John’s influences list the Counting Crows and Jimmy Eat World, boy those guys have a long way to go,’ that would kind of suck. As long as people are saying we sound like our heroes, that’s the most flattering thing in the world.
PW: I know some artists get upset that critics think they sound like certain other bands.
CW: I think that’s lame. It’s pompous.
PW: It’s just pretentious.
CW: Yeah, it’s silly.
PW: I’m glad you’re above that.
CW: Yeah! I don’t understand how you can be. It’s like, ‘Dude.’ You listen to, I dunno, The
Clash your whole life and then somebody says you sound like The Clash and you say you don’t, that’s stupid. Of course you do.
PW: So the new album, The Multiple Personalities of Last Week and Next Year, came out last October. What’s the significance of the title of the album?
CW: I felt like the songs were taking…and this is totally an afterthought. I didn’t sit down and try to write this prog album at all. But after we started listening to all the songs I’d written for the album, I started to realize they were either about one of the two things: things in your past, like coming back and creeping up on you — things you thought were permanently gone, or they’re about looking to the future and hopes, aspirations, dreams, all that stuff.
So that’s kind of how the title came up: I realized the songs were split in between one of two things.
PW: It’s a great album, I really like it a lot.
CW: Thank you so much!
PW: How did the process of creating the new album differ from The Life In Our Years EP and then those [laughs] early demos in the kitchen?
CW: Hopefully they sound better [laughs] as we progressed. If the album sounds as good as the 3-song demo did in the kitchen, I’m gonna quit. All the songs, even back from the 3-song demo back to the new album, I either wrote on an acoustic guitar or a piano. Just sitting around by myself, goofing around. Something just comes out. A lot of these songs were written on my soon-to-be in-laws’ piano.
We’d be over my soon-to-be in-laws’ house after dinner on Sunday, someone doing the dishes and I’m just sitting at their piano while everyone else is watching TV. We’re just kind of goofing around, I’m just doodling around on my fiance’s parents’ piano and the majority of songs were written on that piano and recorded into my cell phone so I could remember them when I got home.
PW: Well, ongratulations on soon having in-laws!
CW: Thank you, thank you very much.
PW: Are you currently writing songs now…are you excited to get back into the studio for a follow-up album, or do you want to ride Multiple Personalities for a while?
CW: I do. You’re in the studio so long making an album that when you first go out to play it, you’re like, ‘Oh my god, I just don’t wanna play these songs anymore.’ You’ve heard them everyday for 8 months. So for the first couple you’re out touring after the record comes out, you’re so sick of it.
But then, after you get through that initial 8 week period, or 3 months, whatever it is, and the record’s been out for a while and people start listening to it and know it… Now when we go out and play places… We played this charity gig for Temple [University] a couple weeks ago and there were 20 people in the front two rows who were singing every word to every song. That is the most touching, flattering, amazing, lucky thing I could ever possibly ask for.
Now it’s like, ‘Wow, I wanna keep playing these songs’ because they’re being received well and people like them.
PW: So I guess that’s the most rewarding thing having created music.
CW: Yeah, it’s cool because if people put your song as their default song on their MySpace page and people take quotes out of your songs and make them their quote on their MySpace page. I’m like, ‘You people have got to be kidding!’ This is the coolest thing. It’s soooo flattering. I just feel really lucky.
PW: Well, it’s all because of your hard work and obvious skill and musicianship
CW: Aw, thank you.
PW: Not long after the CD came out, the single “One By One” ended up on an episode of “ER.” How did that happen? ‘Cause that’s pretty cool.
CW: It was weird. It’s so awesome. A guy sent us a message on MySpace and I know that sounds unbelievably lame. I should have a cool story like, alright, “I flew out to L.A. ’cause I was hangin’ out at The Viper and John Stamos was there and he was like, ‘Yo, Craig! I heard your record and I think it should totally be on my show.’ How about that?
PW: Nice! Too bad it couldn’t have been on “Full House,” because they would have rocked out to that. Uncle Jesse.
CW: Now back to reality, which is not nearly as cool as John Stamos asking me to be on “ER” in The Viper Room.
PW: I’m sure he would, though, if he met you.
CW: That would be awesome! I would be like, ‘Uncle Jesse, can we please have our song on your show?’
PW: ‘And can you play with us? Bring, uh…’ Oh, what was the name of his backing band?
CW: Oh my god, hang on! [yells to fiance] Carla!
Carla: Yes, honey?
CW: What was the name of Uncle Jesse’s back up band on “Full House?”
Carla: The Rippers.
CW: You are awesome and that’s why I’m marrying you! [Ed. note: Adorable!!]
PW: Yes! Nice. Get Jesse and the Rippers to play with you guys.
CW: That would be so cool. A guy on MySpace sent us a message and the record had only been out for like, two weeks. He asked, ‘Who did your licensing? I heard your songs online and I think you guys could be on network TV and feature films.’
I’m like, ‘Oh, sure.’ I figure he’s gonna try to sell us the Brooklyn Bridge or some shit like that. But we’re like, ‘OK, dude. If you’re at all legit, you’ll send us a contract and we’ll go from there.’ And by the end of the week, this guy had a contract out to us! It was completely legit. We were, ‘Alright, we got nothing to lose. This guy is either crazy. We’ve got the contract, we’ve got nothing to lose.’
He calls like a week later and says, ‘You’re gonna be on “ER” on Thursday.’ I was like, ‘Uh huh…? You’ve got to be kidding me.’ It was down to us and one other band, like two or three days before the music supervisor had to make a decision between us and another band. That was good enough for me: I was totally content to just be like, ‘Holy crap! The music supervisor narrowed it down to us and one other band.’ I would’ve been happy just with that, ’cause at least I would’ve known we could’ve had a chance somewhere else, you know? Then he calls and says, ‘You guys are gonna be on Thursday.’ Unbelievable. Just the weirdest shit ever.
PW: So did you get everyone you know together for a viewing party?
CW: Absolutely did! I remember watching it all excited and jumping up and down. I remember thinking, as we were sitting in my house, everyone came over my house, in my living room, I was thinking, ‘Holy crap, I recorded this song and wrote this song 12 feet away upstairs.’ Obviously when that was happening, nobody was thinking in a few months that we’d be sitting downstairs watching it on national television. Just thinking it went from my studio upstairs to 14 million people, or whatever it was, it’s just such a bizarre chain of events.
PW: Did you tape it, or did “ER” send you a copy since you were in it?
CW: They never sent us a copy of it, but everyone DVR’d it and we just ripped it off our DVR and put it up on our MySpace page. I saved it for as long as I could. We had a big family party, an engagement party at my house for me and my fiance a couple months ago and her family had never seen it. I was like, ‘You guys gotta see this! It’s so cool!’ I went to play it and it wasn’t there.
PW: [laughs] Oh no!
CW: I felt like the biggest bullshitter. It was so funny. ‘No, I swear to god! Go to our MySpace page!’ and they were like, ‘Uh huh. Alright, we’re gonna get some coffee.’ I was just like, ‘Nooooo!’ Damn you DVR! It was funny.
PW: You guys have played with some really great musicians, Matchbox 20, Pat McGee you mentioned earlier, Gavin DeGraw, but if you could put together your dream tour, whether you opened or headlined, who would you have on tour with you?
CW: Oh mygod, that is the most difficult question I have ever been asked.
PW: [laughs] We ask the hard-hitting questions here at PopWreck(oning).
CW: That’s awesome, I like that! I would probably want to be the opening act on a U2 tour. OR…wait, is this like, living or dead, or past/present?
PW: Just run with it. Wherever it takes you.
CW: OK, opening tour, Led Zeppelin, 1974 when they’re touring Physical Graffiti.
PW: And how old were you in 1974?
CW: Negative 4. Yeah, I was negative 4. But I would want to play guitar on “Ten Years Gone.” Sitting in, me, “Ten Years Gone.”
PW: That would be sweet. I would go to that.
CW: I would totally go to that, too. Hopefully I’d be playing.
PW: You guys play a lot in Pennsylvania and Virginia, but where would you like to play that you haven’t had the opportunity to play yet?
CW: Everything we’ve done has been Mid-Atlantic, from North Carolina to New York. I like it here but I actually really, really, really love L.A. and San Diego. A lot! I’m a warm weather guy, so if we had the chance to do some touring in L.A. and up the coast to like San Fran or down to San Diego, that would just be phenomenal.
Unless Cabo Wabo down in Mexico was still having bands, I dunno. We gotta call Sam Egger. I’ll have to talk to him and John Stamos.
PW: So other than playing, have you been to any concerts recently that you’ve gone to see rather than play at?
CW: I saw Augustana last time they came around. I’m trying to think who we saw recently. We saw Death Cab [for Cutie]…god that had to be a year ago at this point. I think Death Cab, Augustana, those are the last two shows I’ve been to.
PW: What are you listening to lately?
CW: I’ve been listening to free podcasts. Everything from “Learn Italian” to photography podcasts. I am really showing my true inner nerd right now, aren’t I?
PW: No, that’s cool. One of my writers is starting to do features on different podcasts. If you have any you’d like to recommend…
CW: Oh, absolutely!
PW: …give it a shout out right here.
CW: But yeah, I’ve been listening to a lot of podcasts lately. And I don’t know why. Just so much free, cool
stuff you can listen to.
PW: You know, I actually don’t think I’ve ever listened to a podcast at all.
CW: It’s unbelievable how much stuff is out there.
PW: I think that’s why. I’m a little overwhelmed by it.
CW: Oh, it’s easy! I’ll send you some links to some cool ones.
PW: OK. If you send me some links, I promise I’ll listen to them. But I won’t keep you any longer, thank you for giving me a call.
CW: You’re welcome I really do appreciate your time.

Sweet and charming, right? Right. Well you can chat up Craig and the rest of Quick Step John if you head out to Burlap and Bean tonight in Newtown Square, Pa. (more dates below). I recommend it!

Tour Dates:
Apr 25 – Burlap and Bean/Newtown Square, Pa (All Ages!)
Apr 26 – The Escape/Bristol, Pa (All Ages!)
May 02 – Dr. Watsons/Philadelphia, Pa
May 08 – Havana/New Hope, Pa
May 09 – Firehouse Grill/Fairfax, Va
May 10 – Colonial Tavern/Fredericksburg, Va
Jun 07 – Appalachian Brewing Company/Harrisburg, Pa
Jun 20 – The Blue Room/York, Pa
Jul 19 – Steel City Coffeehouse/Phoenixville, Pa (All Ages!)
Aug 10 – Musikfest/Bethlehem, Pa (All Ages!)

Quick Step John: myspace | live review

John and Peter’s, a tiny bar tucked away on Main Street in New Hope, Pa. has featured live music 7 days a week, 365 days a year for over 35 years. Famous acts such as Norah Jones, Mary Chapin Carpenter, George Thorogood and Ween have all taken the stage downstairs at John & Peter’s as up-and-coming acts. This past Friday night was my first time in John & Peter’s and I had the pleasure of seeing up and comers Setting Sun. Gary Levitt, who plays guitar and provides lead vocals, is joined by Erica Quitzow on the violin, also lending backing vocals. The New Paltz, Ny. based duo are both band and labelmates twice over — the each have their own projects, Setting Sun and Quitzow, respectively, but both play in each other’s project and share their own label, Young Love Recordings.

Joining the pair on Friday night were Topu Lyo (Skidmore Foundation, Domestic Mosquitoes) on cello and Miles Kennedy on drums. It always impresses me to see a band with classical string instruments, so I fell in love before even the first note was played. The four previewed most of Setting Sun’s forthcoming album Children of the Wild (due in June), almost in its tracklisting order. Their opener, “What We Wanted,” drew cheers from the crowd as the energy on stage radiated from Levitt and Quitzow, who then launched into the dark yet driving and incredibly catchy “No Devil me no More.” The drum hook gets you. Go to Setting Sun’s myspace page (open in a new tab, thanks) immediately and stream this song and just try to not play it over and over and over. Really. Go.

A sugary sweet violin part stole the show on “How Long,” a rather jaunty tune, minimal on percussion but maxed out on awesome. Following the bouncy tune, Levitt informed the audience, “We’re gonna try to calm down a little bit.” Slow it down they did, with “Carry me Away.” Quitzow and Lyo harmonized in a low key on their respective string instruments and Levitt matched with almost baritone vocals. Quitzow then pulled off beautiful and melodic riffs on her violin as the song ended.

Levitt introduced the next song, “Slob,” saying, “This is a song about being a very messy person.” The crowd laughed as Setting Sun launched into an upbeat tune with Quitzow picking up a tambourine in lieu of her violin, and the foursome proved their skill as musicians, playing very tightly. The band looked back to 2002 as they played “Holy Days” off Setting Sun’s debut Holed Up. “Holy Days” started off as a typical singer/songwriter tune, but soon took a dark and heavy turn atop a driving beat. It during this song that the lights at John and Peter’s flickered, alerting the audience to last call.

The flickering of the lights wass ignored and Quitzow told the sound guy to “Turn up the drums for this one!” as the band broke into the intensely melodic and driving “Happy Joy.” The set ended just as bouncy with the upbeat love song “The Only One” from 2005′s Math and Magic and “Overjoyed”. On the former Levitt sang, “You’re the only one I had to be there for / There’s a absence and a spark that I cannot ignore / You’re the only one,” over a driving snare drum and smooth riffs.

Though short on time, Setting Sun managed to fit in their entire set list by speeding up each song a little bit to fit within their time constraints. Levitt and crew have a ridiculous amount of energy that kept me in love with them throughout the entire set. I had a great time seeing Setting Sun and wouldn’t hesitate recommending you catch them live as often as possible (tour dates below). Their spirit and energy is infectious and you’ll leave the show a happier person, even if just for the night.

more @ flickr

Setting Sun will be releasing their new album, Children of the Wild, on June 10th. We have a copy (which we’re stoked about!), so check back for a review!

Set List: What we Wanted, No Devil me no More, How Long, Carry me Away, Slob, Holy Days (Holed Up, 2002), Happy Joy, The Only One (Math and Magic, 2005), Overjoyed

Tour Dates:
Apr 26 – Bacchus/New Paltz, Ny. (w/ Verdes)
Jun 24 – The Khyber/Philadelphia, Pa.
Jun 28 – The Spazzatorium Galleria/Greenville, Nc. (w/ Quitzow)
Jul 02 – Murphy’s/Memphis, Tn. (w/ The Warbles & Quitzow)
Jul 07 – The Atomic Cantina/Albuquerque, Nm. (w/ Bellemah & Quitzow)
Jul 12 – Jambalaya/Arcata, Ca. (w/ John Ludington & Quitzow)
Jul 16 – Neurolux/Boise, Id. (w/ Quitzow)
Jul 21 – Mac’s/Lansing, Mi. (w/ Quitzow)
Jul 22 – Von’s (aka Vault 13)/Detroit, Mi.
Setting Sun: website | myspace
Young Love Records: website | myspace

Tyler, Texas native Sherri DuPree (center), of the wonderful Eisley!, was sweet enough to answer some questions for me in between preparing for their current headlining tour to promote the record Combinations. She’s a witty bitty, so check out what she’s got to say about tour, her new shoe, and some great bands to check out! And be sure to catch Eisley on tour this spring (dates below)!!

Jessica, PopWreckoning: Hi Sherri! The staff members at PopWreckoning.com are big Eisley fans and we appreciate you taking some time to answer some questions for us before you and the rest of the band heads out on tour.
Sherri Dupree: Noooooooooo problem! Thanks for taking the time to do this for us!
PW: This tour, to promote sophomore album Combinations released last year, plays 45 shows in 55 days — how are you feeling about such a hectic schedule? What can fans expect in their cities?
SD: It’s definitely going to be nuts as far as the non stop schedule is concerned but we’re psyched. This is the first real headlining tour for Combinations so it’s just in everyone’s system to get rowdy and put a lot of energy into it. HOO HA! Just kidding, but we are more comfortable onstage now so hopefully we don’t just look like bumps on a log up there onstage.
PW: What’s the dynamic of the band like when you’re all on tour, in such close quarters with your siblings all the time?
SD: We all are really close obviously, so it’s literally so fun and comfortable between everyone. Weston and Garron entertain us by being complete idiots who think they are brilliant. But don’t tell them I said that. I’m joking anyways…….really….hmm. We honestly don’t argue really unless it’s over who gets the last snack-sized bag of Doritos.
PW: How did you go about deciding on the opening bands (The Myriad, Vedera, The Envy Corps)?
SD: Well we’ve been HUGE fans of The Envy Corps for awhile now. We met them at once when they came to our show in the UK (they were living there at the time). I think they’re just brilliant and I am literally in love with their new album. I listen to it non-stop. So they were a hands-down choice. Vedera we met through our booking agent (girl lead singer!!) and The Myriad guys we met through mutual musical friends. We just fully support and love all of their music, so we’re psyched they could all do this tour because it’s such a special tour to us. And having bands that you love their music is so crucial to a happy tour. We completely lucked out.
PW: You’ve recently provided artwork for a MacBeth shoe, the Eisley Bronson (pictured). How did you get involved with that project?
SD: We’ve known the Macbeth crew for awhile now and have always wanted to do a shoe with them, so when they asked us we just said “heck yeah!” and I sent them the artwork and we worked together on putting it all together. I think the shoes are cute, though I can’t wear them, technically, since it’s my own personal artwork and don’t want to look “mad with power” as we say…(aka, an ego maniac).
PW: How do you balance your artwork with the band — is it more of a hobby or do you see yourself pursuing it more aggressively in the future?
SD: I’ve always just done it because I love doing it, but now that I’ve grown into it more, and kind of defined my own style I would love to get involved with more projects. Maybe illustrate a book or graphic novel with someone. Either way, even if I don’t get to do those things, I’ll always keep drawing because I like making up odd creatures. To me they each have their own personality and story. So they entertain me just fine.
PW: Eisley performed at the Sundance Festival this year, and appeared on VH1′s “Best Week Ever” while in Utah — what were both of those experiences like?
SD: Both were great experiences and we were totally honored to be involved with both. Sundance was awesome but fairly scary since our performance was being shot by 5 cameras for Fuse TV in front of film moguls and industry people. We did tons of press in those 2 days – VH1 was great.
Doing press is always slightly uncomfortable and awkward no matter HOW much you do it. I think it’s just the fact that someone is focusing solely on you and asking you questions about your life and it’s nerve-inducing. But It’s totally part of the package and it’s so important that fans have the opportunity to know more about you and your personalities because it’s always cool to know more about people who create something that you respect. I was reading an interview by Paul McCartney the other day on The White Album and really geeking out and thinking about how thankful I was I could find out all the reasons his songs came about because I love them so much.
PW: Who were the last few bands that you’ve seen live that you weren’t performing with that night?
SD: We had the chance to see Feist in like, Brooklyn, I think it was, not too long ago. She’s incredible and so, so talented. We don’t get a lot of chances to see other artists live, but we try when we can. The
best live show experience I’ve ever had was seeing The Arcade Fire in the UK at Leeds Festival. I was moved to tears it was so incredible. LOVE that band. (Take us on tour *cough*…did you hear something?).
PW: What are you currently listening to, or what do you plan to listen to while you make your way across the country on tour?
SD: I’m currently listening to The White Album a lot, by the Beatles. I’m revisiting it and it’s wonderful. A friend recently got me into these two bands; I’ve been listening to them so so much:
1.) And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead – I really, really love their album So Divided; so inspiring and creative.
2.) Manchester Orchestra…they’ve got an album out called I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child – SO good!!
AND last but not least this band I that found called
3.) Hail Social. Stacy and I have been jamming out to them NON-STOP for months now. Check out all those bands. Not stuff you might think we would listen to but – all SO brilliant.
PW: Thanks again so much for talking to us! Good luck on tour — we look forward to seeing you!”
SD: No way – thank YOU! This tour is gonna be a blast so don’t miss it!

Tour Dates:
4/04 Oklahoma City, OK/Conservatory
4/05 Tulsa, OK/Cain’s Ballroom
4/07 Lawrence, KS/Liberty Hall
4/08 Sauget, IL/Pops
4/09 Nashville, TN/City Hall
4/10 Southern Pines, NC/The Sunrise Theater
4/12 Atlanta, GA/The Loft
4/13 Birmingham, AL/Zydeco
4/16 Orlando, FL/The Social
4/17 Fort Lauderdale, FL/Culture Room
4/18 St. Petersburg, FL/State Theatre
4/20 Carrboro, NC/Cat’s Cradle
4/23 New York, NY/Highline Ballroom
4/25 Philadelphia, PA/First Unitarian Church – Sanctuary
4/27 Boston, MA/Paradise Rock Club
4/28 Montreal, Quebec/Club Lambi
4/29 Toronto, Ontario/Lee’s Palace
5/01 Detroit, MI/The Shelter
5/02 Chicago, IL/Park West
5/03 Milwaukee, WI/The Rave Bar
5/04 Minneapolis, MN/Fine Line Music Cafe
5/05 Des Moines, IA/Peoples Court
5/07 Boulder, CO/Fox Theatre & Cafe
5/08 Salt Lake City, UT/Avalon Theater
5/09 Boise, ID/Big Easy Concert House
5/10 Portland, OR/Wonder Ballroom
5/13 Sacramento, CA/The Empire
5/14 San Francisco, CA/Great American Music Hall
5/15 Los Angeles, CA/El Rey Theatre
5/16 San Diego, CA/House of Blues
5/22 Dallas, TX/House of Blues
5/23 San Antonio, TX/Scout Bar
5/24 McAllen, TX/Cine El Rey Theatre

Be sure to make it to a show near you!! And not just because Sherri is my new favorite person (she’s such a doll!), but because Eisley puts on a great live show! PopWreckoning‘s Molly will be in attendance at the Atlanta show so check back for a review!

Eisley: website | myspace | MacBeth Eisley Bronson