The third installment of the New Orleans Indie Rock Fest is this Friday and Saturday and we are of course a proud sponsor. However, with me in New York, I wasn't too sure about the full details this year so I decided to talk to Mark Heck with the collective over AIM about it.
Mark Heck: sure
WS: So whats new this year? or should I say this time.
MH: This year we have most of the bands from the sampler cd on the festival, where as in the past we have had all 8 bands do both. Some schedules shifted and we couldn't get things worked out with everyone. Also we will have Zack Smith presenting one of his newest photograph pieces called Faces of Rock
WS: So who is on the CD that isn't playing?
MH: Clubs of the Sons, Generationals and The Buttons. We have, however, brought in some bands to round out the shows, including MNIJM who played the first fest and Givers from lafayette. We had such a good time bringing in the Peekers last year as a more regional featured band, that we decided to do that again with Givers
WS: This Zack Smith thing sounds interesting. Anything else I should know about that?
MH: He came out to a show back in August that Big Rock Candy Mountain, Smiley with a Knife and Caddywhompus played and photographed everyone at the show through a box that he had cut a hole in. The premise is that Zack, and ourselves obviously, see a lot of energy in the younger indie rock scene in New Orleans and he wanted to capture that in some way. So he chose this standard system of taking everyone's photo and is going to putting them together in some interesting way and projecting it at Blue Nile on Saturday
WS: That sounds amazing. How can one get the sampler if they aren't able to get out to a show this weekend.
MH: We will have a digital download available just like in past years. Also we will continue to distribute the CDs at future events that we put on, as well as the bands will have copies to distribute themselves. The digital download will go up on our website (www.neworleansindierock.com) after the fest this weekend
WS: Is there a way I can maybe get one of your favorite tracks on there to give away with this post?
Mark Heck: yeah, i can email you an mp3. You have a preference?
WS: Which song is it going to be and why? Like is there a band that will surprise us this time around It seems like every Fest I find that there is one band that really jumps out at me as someone I haven't gotten to really give a chance to but ends up being someone I really start to pay attention to. Like the Pharmacy. You guys do a great job for these artists for that reason, btw.
MH: The track is Holden by Gamma Ringo. This is a young group of guys that we worked with for the first time actually just about a year ago. Over the last year, they have grown tremendously, both in their recorded music as well as their live show. They are definitely still a young band who has a lot of room to grow in the New Orleans scene, but they are definitely off to a great start.
WS: Awesome. Well I think this is great. Is there anything we missed?
MH: I think that is about it. Friday and Saturday night (November 20 & 21). 4 bands a night. Zack Smith's photos on Saturday. $6 a night or $9 for both nights. Oh yeah, and Supertronatron will be DJing both nights.
WS: Sweet. Well I wish I could go.
MH: We will miss you good sir, but keep on rocking that Yankees hat proudly and I will see you in Brooklyn in less than a month.
WS: Indeed.
MP3: Gamma Ringo - Holden
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1 comments:
Gamma Ringo rocks!
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