The Untitled Interview #61 – SXSW Edition: Starring Matt Hines (The Eastern Sea)

The days are getting longer, the nights are getting shorter and sweeter, and that, my little vixens, can only mean one thing: it's getting close to being almost time for the one and only SXSW. And of course, that means I had to ask some questions of the bands I'd sure want to see if I was heading down to Austin for the 25th annual SXSW-stravaganza.

Part of what makes SXSW so awesome, in my humble opinion, is the sheer volume of local (or general Texan) bands that get on the bill. Let's face it, Austin is just one of those places that is swimming in talented bands. And The Eastern Sea is one of those such talented Austin bands. They call themselves Folk & Roll, and that's a pretty good way of describing their purty, purty sound. They bring the folk, they bring the roll, and when you put those two together, my loves, great things tend to happen. Here's Matt Hines, opining on what the SXSW experience is like for a local.

Les Enfants Terribles: How are you getting to SXSW: plane, train, or automobile?
Matt Hines: Bicycle/Car. It’s twenty minutes by bike, five by car. Sometimes I'll just walk. The festival will be all around me. And oh my, we're even throwing an after-party show in the workout room of my apartment complex. Can't beat that kind of convenience.

LET: Inevitably, you will forget to pack:
MH: Everything...that’s the one perk of living in Austin during SXSW. All my stuff is already here!

LET: How many showcases/parties will you be playing?
MH: Many. Last year we did around seven. We may break ten this year. Fingers crossed. It’s exhausting but really worth it.

LET: Band you're most looking forward to seeing at the festival?
MH: Well there are a bunch of bands I really want to see, can I list a few? Is that breaking the rules? Here goes: Twin Shadow, Fat Tony, Freddie Gibbs, Givers, Hospital Ships, The Strange Boys, Surfer Blood, UME, Voxhaul Broadcast, etc...

LET: What's the first thing you plan on doing upon arrival in Austin?
MH: If I take this question too seriously I think my head will spin, so let me be unnecessarily abstract about answering it: The first thing I'll do upon arriving in Austin is walk around downtown acting like a stranger. That’s my traditional way of ringing in the SXSW week, I ride my bike all the way down South Congress and watch people flex their credentials and secretly hate that I've become invisible in my own home.

LET: What was the first festival you ever attended, either as a musician or member of the general public?
MH: I really can't remember the first music festival I ever attended. I believe I should count the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo because it’s a staple of Texas' musical roots. The first festival The Eastern Sea ever played was the Free Press Houston Summer Fest in 2009. That was insane.

LET: Favorite thing about festivals?
MH: My favorite thing about festivals is that you never know who you'll run into. I like seeing old friends, so it’s nice to have an excuse to bump into them.

mp3: The Snow (The Eastern Sea - Buy Stuffs!) (cheers, Sucka Pants)