PHANTOGRAM

The Treehouse | Columbus, OH | February 16, 2010

Photo Credit ED LUNA

I stared at the giant pizza from Adriatico’s, half cheese, half vegan, taking over the table in the greenroom. Awkwardly, I began comparing pizza parlors in Columbus, recommending different ones for the next time Sarah and Josh were in town. Ed started chuckling at my social awkwardness.  After a couple minutes of small talk, I started the interview.

KP: Do you guys have any crazy stories from the road, anything absolutely insane?

Sarah: This tour or any tour?

KP: Any time…

Sarah: Well, we were on tour with School of Seven Bells. And at one venue, during their sound check, one of the monitors started smoking! We found out it was because a cockroach nest set on fire.  Smoke filled the entire room… It was gross.

KP: Its good it happened during soundcheck, I guess.

Josh: It smelled pretty bad.

Josh:  I got harassed by some weirdo in Hamburg, Germany. I was walking down the street and he started karate kicking me in the legs. I turned around and was like, ‘What is your deal?’ He got one good look at me and…

KP: He backed off?

Josh: Yeah (laughs)

Sarah: (Laughs) Whoa whoa whoa!

KP: (Laughing) I thought you were someone else!!!

Josh:  Yeah. Nothing too crazy has happened to us yet. Which is good.

KP: What has been the most bizarre thing your sound has been compared to?

Josh: We get all kinds of weird comparisons. Someone said we sound like everything but The Girl? I generally think people like to read about us, and automatically say that we sound like something. Like, OH that sounds like Broken Social Scene, or that song sounds like Portishead.

KP: I’ve seen some hip-hop references.

Josh: Yeah, I actually saw a Jay-Z reference in a review. But Jay-Z can’t rap as good as Sarah.

Make sure you check out Phantogram's album Eyelid Movies, its been on repeat on my iPod since January.  They’re kicking off a tour with The Antlers on April 15th and are coming to a city near you!

PHANTOGRAM

The Treehouse | Columbus, OH | February 16, 2010

Photo Credit ED LUNA

stay tuned for part 2 of the interview tonight!

Phantogram

The Treehouse | Columbus, OH | February 16, 2010

Photo Credit ED LUNA

This being my first interview for my new project, I was a bit nervous.I hadn’t interviewed anyone since my grandmother for my 4th grade “Courageous” project. What was I thinking…? I ordered myself a Magic Hat #9 and quickly downed the first half.

My photographer friend Ed, met me at the bar with a smile.  I shot him a goofy smile back. I could hear Phantogram sound-checking in the background. This made my anxiety increase 10 fold. “This is real. This is happening,” I thought to myself.  I nervously chatted away with Ed as he assembled his camera and discussed some ideas for the shoot. “Ready?” he asked.  I took a deep breath.

We walked into the performance room at The Treehouse.  I introduced myself to Josh and Sarah. Let them finish their sound check as I walked around in circles.

The ceiling was leaking, something awful…

We stepped into the “Green Room” which, at The Treehouse, is essentially a small room with a tattered couch and a ton of equipment shoved in it. A GIANT Adriatico’s pizza was laying on the table, half vegan, half cheese.

I shakily started off the interview, rattling off my concept for the blog, brief random, goofy interview, short photoshoot with local photographer. “Alright, sounds good!” They smiled and nodded their heads… 

.To Be Continued.