The next band to be featured on our Aussies at SXSW series is Canberra’s very own Drawing North. With the annual music and arts festival just around the corner, the boys have been busy practising back home in Australia before heading off to play their first SXSW show in front of the eager American masses!
Who are you, what band do you play in and what do you do in said band?
My name is Jake and I play in Drawing North.
Have you played SXSW before? If so, how many times?
We could not be more excited to come to Texas and play at SXSW; we have heard a lot of crazy stories about the festival from both Americans and fellow Aussies. We are expecting to play some killer shows and meet a lot of great people.
And of course, eat a lot of meat and drink a lot of beer.
What are you hoping will come out of this year’s event for you?
This year is a big one for us, we are really focusing on building our American profile. So far our experience in the USA has been nothing but positive and we are really excited to continue to grow our American fan base, as well as meeting a lot of industry reps and fellow artists.
Why should SXSW attendees come and see you?
We have been playing music together for a long time, we really pride ourselves in putting on the best show possible. Our live performance is really fun and energetic – if you like attractive Australians playing great music, I highly recommend our show.
What would be a track that you think best represents where your band is right now, and what audiences can expect from your sound and your set?
The song was written about a strong relationship and one half being burned by betrayal. The lyric and title, “Fire Eyes”, was taken as a reflection of the intensity of the relationship and the betrayal that followed. Being through a few tough break ups we wanted to tell a story about the intensity that surrounds cheating and betrayal.
What made you want to showcase at SXSW?
We jumped at the opportunity the second it presented itself. SXSW has always been high on our list of places to perform, we really want to show the US what we have to offer.
Do you have any dream collaborations?
We’d love to do a song with The Weeknd. That would be a dream. He’s one of our favourite artists!
How much more US touring is on the cards for this year?
As much as we can. We’ve just got back from a five-week stint in the US. We are also planning on coming back over in June for four months to tour as many places as possible. We love coming here and playing music, it’s a completely different experience than performing back home.
How do you think/hope the American crowd will receive your music?
So far we have had nothing but positive feedback from American crowds, I don’t know if it’s our sexy accents or that our music is good. But we hope that we continue to impress our American audiences.
What other Aussie act playing SXSW would you recommend the rest of the world needs to see?
I’m personally really keen to see a duo called Vallis Alps. Their music is phenomenal and one of the members is actually from our home town. I also find it funny that the first show of theirs I’ll see will be in Austin, Texas.
March 17th | Anacrusis Stage
March 18th | Aussie BBQ (6pm)
You can find more details on the SXSW site or our Facebook!
—
Drawing North will be releasing their first single “Save Your Love” through Universal on March 4th.
———-
