For Liam Gough, heading to SXSW isn’t exactly foreign territory but this year, he (and The Teskey Brothers) will be performing at the music festival for the first time. As part of our pre-event series, we checked in with Liam to see how the trip and the band’s ensuing American tour was sitting with the group, already one of Australia’s most popular acts currently on the road…
“We haven’t played SXSW before but I have been a few years ago, helping a friend’s band as a roadie! It was wild!”
How are you anticipating it this year?
I believe we are playing five shows at SXSW this year. I anticipate it being chaos, like last time I was there! Every tiny shop and space becomes a live showcase venue in Austin whilst SXSW is on!
How crucial do you think the opportunity to perform at and attend an event like this is for an Australian artist?
I see SXSW as a major international launching pad for Australian music. It is the most credible music conference in the world, and I’ve seen a lot of Australian bands take off after they attend SXSW. People come from all over the world to discover new music.
What are you hoping to get out of the experience this year?
We’re very passionate about blues/soul and rock and roll and are keen to meet people that have the same love for the music we play.
What’s the most important element of SXSW for your band to experience or learn from?
We’re so excited to get to see some of the best performers in the world and are going to be working our butts off to make a killer impression too!
Are you performing elsewhere around the US?
Yes, we are playing a bunch of shows…
March 17th | Thousand Oaks, California (supporting Los Lobos)
March 18th | Chapman University, OC (supporting Los Lobos)
March 19th | The Echo, Los Angeles
March 21st | Great Scott, Boston
March 22nd | Rockwood Music Hall, New York
March 23rd | Dawson St. Pub, Philadelphia
March 24th | Ramshead Live, Washington DC
March 25th | Jamin Java, Vienna VA
March 26th | The Regent, Los Angeles
Which other artists are you looking forward to catching?
We are looking forward to seeing the Night Beats – who are from Austin – perform in their natural habitat! Also other awesome Australian/NZ bands we love such as Marlon Williams, RVG, and Totally Mild!
What kind of show could you guarantee an American crowd coming to your set for the first time?
We like to play with dynamics as much as we can in our live show, really pushing it at some points and then pulling right back to let it simmer before hitting it hard again!
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SXSW runs from March 9th – 18th. Find out more about The Teskey Brothers’ showcases here!
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