Meet The SXSW Band: Hello Mary

Hopefully you have made it through your work week without wasting too much time looking at bands and SXSW shows all day long. Even so, the week is over and we now turn towards yet another festival week full of tunes, good times, and hopefully positive vibes throughout Austin. Before we sign off for the week, we have a couple more interview for ya. This morning we bring one from Brooklyn based outfit Hello Mary. As always, hit the jump for everything you need.

Responses are from SW – Stella Wave (drummer/vocalist), MO – Mikaela Oppenheimer (bass), and HS – Helena Straight (guitarist/vocalist).

What’s the name of the band/group? Where are you from?

SW: Hello Mary. We are from Brooklyn, New York.

Describe your group’s sound using only adjectives or superlatives.

MO: Dynamic, Fun.

SW: Eerie.

HS: Satisfying.

What was your most recent release? Any planned releases for 2023?

SW: We just released our first full-length album, Hello Mary. No plans for further releases at the moment, although we do have a lot of new songs and are hoping to get back in the studio sometime this summer.

Why play SXSW? What’s the draw for the band? What about this festival will bring you to Austin?

HS: We don’t know much about SXSW since we’ve never been, but there are a lot of roles that have yet to be filled on our team and we hope to meet some awesome, inspired people and talented bands.

There are tons of bands coming into town, but if you could create your own perfect festival, who would you have playing? Would it have a sick name? Where would it take place? Feel free to disregard the rules of time and space.

HS: Fun question. I’m going to only name people that are living because otherwise it would be too complicated and long. I’d have: black midi, DIIV, Jockstrap, Big Thief, Radiohead, Stella Rose, Sleigh Bells, Alex G, Beck, Mitski, Bjork, Pinback, julie, Dinosaur Jr., Ty Segall, Flaming Lips, Mdou Moctar, Built to Spill, The Shins….. and more and HOPEFULLY HELLO MARY

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

SW: Recently, I’ve been listening to Tanukichan, Brittle Brian, DIIV, and Unwound. I think Big Thief, black midi and Radiohead are the most likely bands to be played in the car on tour.

MO: I’ve been into Jockstrap and They Are Gutting a Body of Water.

HS: I’ve been into Jockstrap, Heartworms and Deerhoof. On tour we’re often listening to Jeff Buckley, Radiohead, Big Thief, and Rage Against the Machine.

We’ve been seeing more and more artists get into the food and beverage game, whether it’s pierogis from Pavement or Deftones’ beer. If you ever got into the game, what would be your food or beverage and what would it be called?

SW: A Hello Mary brand Bloody Mary. It would be called “Hello Bloody Mary.”

HS: I really don’t like Bloody Marys, unfortunately. I’d probably want ours to be some kind of comfort food or beer. I wish we came up with pierogis cuz that’s a great one. Maybe like empanadas or something hahaha.

MO: Toast and nutella!

We thank you again so much for this time! See you in Austin!

Current show dates:

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