SXSW Interview: Deserta

SXSW is here! Well not literally here, but it is getting ever closer as the days go by. I know it’s hard to believe, as many of us feel like we just recovered from the week long fest yesterday. Well it’s here people and it seems like a perfect time to start preparing. As usual, your friendly ATH staff will be providing previews, playlists and our much anticipated SXSW interviews/questionnaires. Now we send these out to a lot of bands in the hopes you can pick up some varying perspectives on the vast amount of bands coming to town and how they approach the week. Our very first interview this year comes by way of Los Angeles based Matthew Doty and his project known as Deserta. Hit the jump for questions and responses from Doty.

All responses were given by Matthew Doty (MD).

ATH: Whats the name of the band/group? Where are you from?

MD: Deserta, Los Angeles

ATH: Describe your groups sound.

MD: You’re standing at the mouth of a cave and somewhere deep inside, you can make out the theme from the X-Files playing.

ATH: What was your most recent release? Any planned releases from 2020?

MD: Black Aura My Sun released January 2020 via felte. Instead of releasing more records in 2020, we’ll actually be taking some records into captivity. Records that just really shouldn’t be heard by humans any more. We plan on beaming them to a dimension without sound for everyone’s safety.

ATH: For most SXSW sets, you get 30 minutes to leave a lasting impression. Whats your plan of attack? You have a set list mapped out yet?

MD: Hopefully no one remembers the set so that they can be pleasantly surprised every time they hear us in the future.

ATH: Lets say your band has been booked at an official showcase at a pop up venue somewhere in the middle of 6th street. The lineup features thrash metal, hip-hop, spoken word, and you. The sound is horrible, the lineup is not your style, and the crowd is growing ancy. How would your band deal with such a situation?

MD: Release a pack of Golden Retrievers into the crowd. Anyone who is still in a bad mood when surrounded by Goldens will be arrested for being objectively evil.

ATH: There are tons of bands coming into town. Of the 1000+ bands coming into town, who would you ideally like to play with. Which band friends will be here?

MD: Pretty sure I had to answer this same question when I applied for college. There is a whole crew from the Echo Park area that you can catch skulking around bumming cigarettes outside the venue and I’m sure if we find enough of them we’ll just settle down and start a Lassen’s Organic Grocery Store.

ATH: What has everyone in the band been listening to, or, what plays in the tour van/car/bus?

MD: Usually words, sometimes with music behind it and sometimes on it’s own.

ATH: Describe your perfect festival, real or not? Whos headlining? Wheres it take place? Etc.

MD: No one headlines, or even plays, it’s just all my friends and my favorite bands hanging out in a huge pool in the Bahamas with a swim up Daiquiri bar.

ATH: Whats on the bands rider? If were bringing you food and booze, what can we bring you?

MD: This band runs on the two T’s, Tiki and Tacos. bring us to your favorite Tiki bar, let us float off to the sounds of Exotica by Martin Denny and finish up at a great taco truck.

ATH: The band gets to create their own taco pop-up shop at SXSW? Whats the name, and what sort of tacos will you have? Any sides?

MD: It would be called Jar-Jar’s tacos and it would be Gungan themed tacos. We’d have a sand taco, and a taco full of water and one made out of that huge bug monster that attacks their weird water spaceship. Basically, we want everyone to hate us and no one to come to our taco cart so that we can sneak off to the Tiki Bar instead of having to run a restaurant.

Thanks again for making the time!

Right now Deserta only shows one show booked for the week which is on Tuesday, March 17th at Barracuda Backyard. Keep in mind this will be an official showcase so badges & wristbands will be required.

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