PHOX, a seven piece collective from Madison is making waves in Wisconsin and is taking their fun, artsy show on the road as openers for Hey Marseilles this summer, including a stop in Columbus, OH (home of IATU). The large group seeks to entertain and move you, and hopefully reading our short interview with the Matt Holmen of the band will give you an idea of the mood they set. Hint: it is lighthearted but with substance.
The band will perform June 18th at Rumba Cafe in Columbus, OH among a smattering of other dates. If you live in Ohio and miss this one, catch them at the Midpoint Music Festival in Cincinnati this fall alongside The Head and the Heart, Foxygen, Youth Lagoon, and several others.
Hey Marseilles, a self-described “folkestral” band ought to move its listeners in much the same way as Phox, but with a touch more formality.
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Ryan Getz (IATU): So, what exactly is post-chilldub-bro rock?
Matt Holmen (PHOX): Actually it’s prog-funk Neapolitan now. In a hotel the other night, I noticed the clock-radio had genre buttons on top. They were as follows: pop, folk, rock, world. That’s it. We’re a little of each, like that flavor of ice cream that melts together into a grey soup if you leave it out too long.
If PHOX were a beverage, what would you be?
A rye whiskey Old Fashioned sweet. A Wisconsin classic, muddled properly with ginger bitters. I don’t even know if it would taste good, but you’d end up making it different every night anyway.
Summed up, what can concert goers expect from a Phox performance? What makes your show different?
For as many hours as go into any collective project, we think it’s best not to take it too seriously. We actually have fun, and find our songs are in this fertile ground where they can be interpreted with new life every night. Plus there are seven of us daycare circus freaks/zit-twins to look at if you get bored.
What trend in music business should we be paying attention to?
Synthesis. Don’t worry too much about EDM, or the Americana revival. Just look what’s in between the two. Not just an average of the two popular aesthetics, but the intuitive common ground which is developing the native tongue of our generation. Look for artists.
What are the best/worst things about being a touring musician today?
Well, you can watch Arrested Development in the van, but the new season is something of a whiff.
What food has been your life-fuel on the road?
We’ve dubbed this the Salad Tour. Last time we all gained 10 pounds from delectable regional delights. This time, the McDonald’s employee is like “Hey Krystal, where’s the side salad button?”
What would be your dream lineup, both to watch and to perform with?
Well, let’s see. Is a three band bill ideal? Probably two, but we’ll be the opener. How about Feist and Dirty Projectors? Or Brandi Carlisle and Bon Iver? But really, though We Are The Willows and Daredevil Christopher Wright, duh.
What is dominating your playlists these days?
Angel Olsen’s breathtaking howl can be heard from all corners of our home/van.
Thanks, Matt, for the interview!
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