AT THE SHOWINTERVIEWS

batteryboy: Band

Festival Cooridinator: Stacy Schwartz

Concert Goer #1: Leslie Plesser

Concert Goer #2: Pamela Diedrich

TABLE OF CONTENTS

batteryboy, consisting of Cobey Rouse, Shannon Frid and Eric Carranza, is new to the Minnesota scene and is releasing their first album “up for air” this summer. (Check out photos of the band in the magazine centerfold)

Give me a short description of yourself or your music.

Cobey: “Emotionally-charged” according to City Pages, and it seems to fit. Everything in our lyrics and during our performance comes from the heart.

Eric: Flying without engines or wings.

What’s your favorite thing about being a part of the Minnesota music scene?

Cobey: Everyone is so amazingly supportive, from fellow musicians to media to fans. We’ve been granted some great opportunities to share our music because of the strong support from others in “the scene.”

How does playing local shows differ from playing touring shows?

Shannon: The crowds are more familiar with the music. You see more people singing along, a feeling of community. But some other kind of energy being in different cities that makes things feel more free.

BATTERYBOY: BAND

What other artists are inspiration to you?

Cobey: Craig (Craig Minowa of Cloud Cult) inspired me to write again. Also inspired by other musicians I work with, some wave length happens when you work together

Eric: Bjork, Brian Eno

If you could pick one other local artist (music or otherwise) to collaborate with who would it be?

Cobey: I’m lucky enough to be collaborating with her already (Shannon)

What was your first performance experience like? How old were you?

Cobey: My real first performance was me on guitar with a drummer back in high school. Did a show in a friend’s barn for about ten people. Had to clear the lumber and chase the rats away first before we could play. Did a bunch of Jesus and Mary Chain songs, one by the Primitives and a few of the first songs I had written by myself.

Shannon: I was Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz in 8th grade

Eric: I was King Tut in my 5th grade history class. It was silly, I had a whole pharaoh headdress.

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FESTIVAL COORDINATORStacy Schwartz: Stone Arch Bridge Festival Coordinator

How many months in advance to you start preparing for an event of this size?

Stacy: The Stone Arch Bridge Festival draws around 80,000 people each year. We are always working on various pieces of the festival, but the main preparations begin about 7- 8 months prior to the actual festival. Stone Arch is always over Father’s Day weekend in June.

What considerations go into choosing what bands will perform?

Stacy: That’s sort of a tough one. There are a lot of things, but some things we consider are how many members the bands have, what sort of music they play, if they draw already or are a new band, how they fit into the lineup - and sometimes it’s just intuition. We’ve been really lucky that a lot of bands apply every year, so we have a lot to choose from. It gets tougher to choose every year as out-of-state bands are now applying too. There’s so much good music!

If you could pick your dream lineup who would be included?

Stacy: Oof. That’s tough. It’d be a mix of large bands that really draw mixed with smaller unknown bands. I’d toss them in a blender for lineup so that people get to

listen to everything. If I just get to choose bands I like, I’d pick something like: No Doubt, Beyonce, The Hold Steady, Frightened Rabbit, Bob Mould, Beirut, Radical Face, Arcade Fire, & The Mountain Goats. If I could go back in time I’d add Nirvana, INXS, The Hopefuls, Trip Shakespeare, Sugar, and a few others. It’d have to be a few days for sure.

What other considerations go into planning a festival besides music?

Stacy: Food and beverages, bathrooms, garbage detail and recycling, transportation, parking, security, medical staff, street permits, park permits, city permits, legal issues, promotion and publicity, sponsors, and much, much more. It’s not a job one person can do alone by any means. It takes a team that works well together and understands how everything fits. I’ve been lucky as Stone Arch is really a family. The same people come back year after year to keep working on the festival, which is honestly how it stays successful.

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CONCERT GOER #1Leslie Plesser: Frequent concert attendee

What was the first show you ever attended? What was that experience like?

Leslie: Huey Lewis and the News. I was in the the 6th grade and went during a slumber party. It was ok. My SECOND concert was a year later to see Men Without Hats. Our parents dropped us off, and after the show we snuck backstage and met the band. That was much cooler.What is the best concert you’ve ever seen and why?Arcade Fire at the 400 bar in 2003 or 2004. I had just discovered their album, and the club was so tiny. We waited outside for doors to open and it was below zero and freezing. Once inside, I had a shot of whisky to warm up, and the rest of the night was pure magic.

Who is an artist you love, but haven’t had the chance to see live yet?

Leslie: Paul Westerberg

How frequently do you attend shows?

Leslie: Depending on the time of year, about twice a week (sometimes more, sometimes less)

What makes for a good concert?

Leslie: Not only should they sound great, but they should PERFORM their music. Some bands just play. Those that perform make the difference. Also? A drunk and douchy crowd can ruin a show fast.

How does the venue effect your experience?

Leslie: It completely affects the experience. There are some clubs in town that I will rarely go to see shows at because the staff is rude, slow and the drinks are stupid expensive.

If you could pick your 3 dream bands for a concert lineup who would you choose?

Leslie: Metric, Macklemore & The Black Lips

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CONCERT GOER #2Pamela Diedrich: Frequent concert attendee

What was the first show you ever attended? What was that experience like?

Pamela: Journey with Bryan Adams opening at the St. Paul Civic Center around 1982. I sat in the first row directly behind the drummer and there was a cat walk stage that Steve Perry would walk around on. It was awesome. I was 12 or 13 years old. What is the best concert you’ve ever seen and why?

Pamela: REM at Midway Stadium in St. Paul around 1997, in lightning and rain, with trains going by with my husband. The awesomeness of End of the World and You Know It while Michael and the band kept playing. It seemed so dangerous and exciting and goosebumpy. I will always remember this show. Jim Walsh recently told me he was there too and even re-wrote his article after experiencing the end of the show. Epic.

Who is an artist you love, but haven’t had the chance to see live yet?

Pamela: Jack White

How frequently do you attend shows?

Pamela: Two or more weekly

What makes for a good concert?

Pamela: The crowd and if the music moves me (emotionally or physically)

How does the venue effect your experience?

Pamela: I much prefer an intimate show. House shows are my favorite, then smaller venues. Not a fan of stadium shows (but I’ll go).

If you could pick your 3 dream bands for a concert lineup who would you choose?

Pamela: My Americana dream line-up; Dawes, Avett Brothers and Glen Hansard. My 80’s happy dance line-up would be Depeche Mode, REM and The Cure.

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JENNA KLEINPHOTOGRAPHY