SXSW 2014 Interview: Boogarins
Today’s SXSW Interview comes to you via Brazilian band, Boogarins. While the country is often known for its tropicalia and dance stylings, you’ll get something a little bit different from these lads; they’ve got a composition that compiles varying elements of loops and sounds into a tightly-knit piece of psych-pop for their album As Plantas Que Curam..a must listen in my book. We’re definitely excited to catch these guys, and maybe even talk a little bit of football (South American style); here’s the responses from Benke.
ATH: For a lot of bands, this is their first time coming to SXSW, Austin, or even the United States. What are you anticipating for your arrival into our town? Anything you’re really hoping to do while you’re here?
Benke: Man, I’m just getting crazy with the number of concerts that I want to watch during SXSW. SXSW is one of the most famous indie festivals down here in Brazil, so we already heard and read a million of stories, about how crazy things are, how many great artists you find on every corner… I mean, people told us about that, now we’re excited to live it!
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?
Benke: That’s basically the same duration of any Brazilian festival concert, so we’re pretty used to it. So the plan is attack directly to neck, hehe.
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?
Benke: Barbeque and Beer, for sure. Just get some cachaça for our lead-singer, Dino Valente, and everything will be ok.
ATH: Describe the music community where you come from? Does everyone work together? Is there lots of competition?
Benke: It’s a pretty competitive community for sure, but not only in a bad way. There is a lot of different music being produced here, good studios, great pubs, great festivals (some of them completing two decades of activity)… But rock bands can’t live just being a “rock band” yet. The big money goes to the country music.
ATH: What are a few bands we might not know about, being in the States, that should be on everyone’s musical radar?
Benke: For SXSW there’s two rock bands from our hometown that’ll be playing in Austin also. Black Drawing Chalks and Hellbenders. From the US, right now, I’m really into this band called Quilt, I think they’ll be playing at SXSW also.
ATH: Let’s say your band has been booked an official showcase at a pop up venue somewhere in the middle of 6th street (where a lot of shows are set up). 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?
Benke: No bad time with us man, hehe, just look how large we smile while playing.. but if the crowd got really angry, our bassist, Raphael, was almost graduating in Psychology… he may put everybody in line and solve their problems.
ATH: What’s your favorite album to come out in the last year? What’s playing in the tour bus/van?
Benke: Hobo Rocket, by POND, heavy stuff.. but also listened a lot to the last Ducktails album. The album that most played while touring was Minas, by Milton Nascimento.
ATH: The digital age is upon us, like it or not. What are your band’s thoughts on streaming services like spotify, pandora, etc.? Blow em all up? Or embrace the future?
Benke: I just love everything that makes songs get new listeners..
ATH: Clearly coming over to the States to play shows is something a lot of bands are excited about, but what are some other life or musical highlights for you this year? We’d like to get to know you.
Benke: Man, there is Austin Psych Fest in May, which is a festival that I’ve been looking at every lineup since 2010, when I discovered it. At that time I just could think, “shit, when will I get to watch some cool festival like this…” Now that we’re playing on it, it is awesome for me, really. Everybody is quitting jobs and college for “only” being in a band right now, it’s a huge step for us also.
ATH: This is important to us, although a lot of music people scoff at sports. Do you have a pick for the winner of this year’s up-coming World Cup? Also, is it rude for us to assume that everyone loves soccer/football outside of the US?
Benke: Maybe Brazil or Argentina, I don’t know. If Argentina wins it would be funny, hehe. I don’t think it’s rude at all to assume that. I mean, at least in Brazil, soccer is probably the only sport that open TV are interested in. Sometimes we hear something about Volleyball or Basketball… but people are really into soccer down here.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/102184641″ params=”color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]