SXSW Interview: Mimicking Birds
SXSW is in full swing down here in Austin, and we’ve got another interview to drop with you today, hoping you might get out and see Mimicking Birds. We caught up with Nate from the band, and gave him our little set of questions.
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?
MB: We’re looking forward to enjoying a bit of southern warmth and going wild in Austin, exploring new relationships, and reconnecting with so many familiar faces!
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?
MB: We plan to just burst out there with the heaviest of hitters, show a little skin, really make em hoot and holler and get the town talkin.
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?
MB: We like breakfast foods (esp breakfast tacos in Austin). Iced coffee and pedialyte.
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.
MB: Far too many bands to say for sure, but we are very excited about seeing some familiar faces at the Portland Party and joining up for a short tour with our hometown buddies Haley Heynderickx for SX and a few shows on our way to Treefort Music Festival in Boise, Idaho!!! (Denton, TX, Denver, CO, Ft. Collins, CO, and Provo, UT)
ATH: We are partial to SXSW obviously, but what festival do you feel is the best around?
MB: Treefort!! But SX is def on another level!
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?
MB: This does sound familiar.. We always find a way to make the best of it, learn from it and give it the wiser go in the future! Having a quieter, more down-tempo sound can be especially troubling in such a scenario. But also just knowing that the spoken word act has prob got it much worse with that crowd haha jk..
ATH: What’s your favorite album to come out in the last year? What’s playing in the tour bus?
MB: Right now we’re listening to Tinarowin … favorite album in the last year (or close to it anyway) is probably A Tribe Called Quest – ‘We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service’
ATH: Who wins the World Cup this summer?
MB: May the best team win. Baseball and Basketball fans over here.. (clenched teeth face emoji).