SXSW Interview: Strawberry Runners

Last year’s In the Garden, In the Night EP made huge waves across the music landscape, cementing Emi Night as a songwriter to keep your eyes upon. Strawberry Runners are making a return to SXSW this year, and we caught up with them real quickly to give you a glimpse into their expectations coming back into Austin.

 

ATH: Every year there is a lot of hubbub concerning corporate sponsors and pay to play and what not at SXSW. As a band, what’s your reason for coming to play at the festival? What do you hope to get out of it?

SR:To answer this question, Im going to start off with a quote from the late, great Prince: The music industry is a matrix that is counter to what is natural and right. However, we all need a respite from our cold northern isolation and were trying to address our enochlophobia head-on seeking sweaty, muggy, teeming refuge, lousy with freaks in the deep south.

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

SR: Well let the music speak for itself. If that doesnt work well pass out coupons for Wendys.

ATH: The festival caters to music fans, but food and booze are an important aspect of the fans and the bands. What’s your band’s food and beverage of choice?

SR:Free is the finest of the flavors – closely followed by deals.

ATH: There are tons of bands coming into town. Who would you ideally like to play with of the 1000s of bands gracing our city? Make your own optimal line-up.

SR:Ideally, we would play with bands that make us look like we know what were doing. These are RARE, so truly, whoever is most famous.

ATH: We are partial to SXSW obviously, but what festival do you feel is the best around? Are there any you see yourself wanting to play?

 

SR:t
Top three:

3. Our music doesnt really fit the bill right now, but Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig, Germany i.e. Dark Festival, Goth Fest, or Medieval Convention because it sounds legit freaky: Pagan rituals, Viking re-enactments, medieval markets, and gothic romance, – Nylon

 

2. This is possibly a cult: Obonjan – a deserted island retreat in Croatia where you can study astronomy, take boogie board yoga classes, meditate in bikinis, and sometimes listen to music. Judging by their website they might only allow supermodels to attend.

 

1. Underwater Music Festival – Actually underwater. In the Florida Keys. Music is played on shells and transmitted through underwater speakers. Proceeds promote reef conservation.

 

ATH: Let’s say your band has been booked 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 seems angry at the world. How would your band deal with such a situation?

SR: When a man is denied the right to live a life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw Nelson Mandela for situations like this we usually defer to an engaging Powerpoint presentation illustrating appropriate audience behavior and festival safety. Time permitting, for the last few minutes we might offer a lively Q&A session.

ATH: What’s your favorite album to come out in the last year? What’s playing in the van/bus?

SR: This ones a little older, it came out in 2016 but it was an instant classic its the debut self-titled album by Whale Song. its a very great album of whale songs that really gets me goingwhy should our music tastes be limited to our own species? Give it a listen. https://open.spotify.com/album/1aG1eNe04lzjSuQ9lJlCLa

ATH: Who wins the World Cup this summer?

SR:

Odds To Win 2018 FIFA World Cup

COUNTRY ODDS TO WIN

Germany 9-2

Brazil 5-1

France 11-2

Spain 7-1

Argentina 8-1

Belgium 12-1

England 20-1

Portugal 20-1

Colombia 25-1

Uruguay 25-1

Russia 30-1

Croatia 30-1

Poland 40-1

Mexico 60-1

Switzerland 80-1

Denmark 80-1

Sweden 80-1

Serbia 150-1

Japan 150-1

Egypt 150-1

Senegal 150-1

Nigeria 200-1

Iceland 200-1

Peru 200-1

Costa Rica 250-1

Morocco 250-1

Iran 250-1

Australia 250-1

Tunisia 500-1

South Korea 500-1

Panama 1000-1

Saudi Arabia 1000-1