The Untitled Interview #28 – SXSW Edition: Starring Nick Furgiuele (Gringo Star)

I’m finding it hard to believe that it’s almost time once again for the annual industry hootenanny known as SXSW (the music portion of the program starting two weeks from this past Wednesday!). To celebrate the impending week of absolute havoc, Austin-style, we’ve thrown down the interview gauntlet to see what some of our favorite bands are going to be getting up to whilst down in the wilds of Texas.

Sometimes I find myself initially drawn to a band because of their name, especially if it’s clever, snarky, or super cute. Naturally, I was powerless to resist Gringo Star, because in my humble opinion their name is one of the best around. Fortunately, the band is more than just a killer name. They’ve got a groovy, saucy little rambunctious garage’n’roll thing going on, a sound that is both effortlessly appealing and damningly addictive. They’re clever and talented, and definitely highly recommended. You’ll probably want to go ahead and add them to your list of bands to pay attention to, and if you’re in Austin for SXSW write ‘em in on your schedule. If not, well, the Gringo Star-ians will be hithering and thithering after the festival, so you’ve got plenty of opportunity.

Les Enfants Terribles: How are you getting to SXSW: plane, train, or automobile?
Nick Furgiuele: We’re gonna walk down the street to where the van is, jump start it with the neighbor’s car because it has an electrical problem, and drive it to Charleston for the first show of the tour. We hope not to have to arrange any trains or tow trucks to rented vans or U-hauls before the final show in Atlanta on April 16th.

LET: Inevitably, you will forget to pack:
NF: We don’t travel with anything but what we are wearing and a toothbrush, so there isn’t much to forget or leave behind.

LET: How many showcases/parties will you be playing?
NF: We have one “official” show with our booking agency’s showcase on Thursday, March 18th at 8pm at Encore, on Red River Road, and then we are playing “Hear Ya Indie Blog and Woodsentertainment Party” at Beauty Bar on Friday, March 19th at 4pm. We get to play with a bunch of great bands…Camper Van Beethoven, Lucero, Cracker, Murder by Death, and others…And we are also attending, on Thursday, “Hurry Up and Wait,” a documentary on Gringo Star that was made over out European tour last year and is having a private debut screening at the Landmark Theatre in Austin…and then of course there is the ATL/ATX Baseball Ultimate World Series Pennant Championship that we are putting on with a bunch of friends at KRIEG Baseball Complex at noon on Thursday, March 18th.

LET: Band you’re most looking forward to seeing at the festival?
NF: The Who.

LET: What’s the first thing you plan on doing upon arrival in Austin?
NF: Mexican food to bowls to coffee to baseball game.

LET: What was the first festival you ever attended, either as a musician or member of the general public?
NF: Black Mountain Leaf Festival.

LET: Favorite thing about festivals?
NF: Outdoors, sleeping bags, twilight, music.

mp3: All Y'All (Gringo Star from All Y'All)

{photo by Jeoff Davis}