Riding Shotgun with Pela
I love Pela. You should love Pela, too. It really is that simple. Their hauntingly beautiful "Trouble with River Cities" has been engrained in my grey matter for months upon end. Thankfully, you too can fall in love with NYC's Pela at the DAM festival. They'll be gracing the stage at DC9 Saturday night, and my recommendation is that you're front and center. To get an insight into all things Pela, I asked guitarist Nate Martinez some questions. Read on to find out how Nate feels about the infamous underwear show, sleeping in a psych ward, and the new drink of champions (hint: it's green, tastes like licorice, and all the cool kids of the 19th century drank it). And then go see them live. Trust me.
Touring is: REWARDING.
Our first gig was: EXCITING, AND NEW
Our favorite venue to play is: THE BOWERY BALLROOM IN NYC
Hygiene on a tour is: ACTUALLY GOOD. WE MAKE SURE TO SMELL DECENT. WE ALL KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SIT NEXT TO SOMEONE WHO YOU MIGHT SAY IS 'RIPE'. ESPECIALLY IN NEW YORK.
Our favorite thing about touring is: MEETING NEW PEOPLE AND SEEING NEW PLACES. YOU ALWAYS GET AN INTERESTING SNAPSHOT OF EACH CITY. FOR EXAMPLE, THIS PAST SPRING ON OUR WAY DOWN TO SXSW WE DID A SHOW IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA WITH OUR FRIENDS RAINER MARIA. WE ROLLED INTO TOWN AND WE'RE IMMEDIATELY TOLD THAT SOMEONE WAS SHOT DEAD 2 DAYS PRIOR RIGHT OUTSIDE THE CLUB. RIGHT AFTER THAT THESE SIRENS STARTING GOING OFF ALL AROUND THE CITY. AND WE FOUND OUT THAT A TORNADO HAD LANDED RIGHT OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS. I'M NOT SURE IF WE'D HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE AS TOURISTS. WHICH MAKES FOR GOOD STORIES.
And the least favorite: SLEEPING WELL IS DIFFICULT. AND NOT DRINKING IS HARD.
City with the best audiences: OUR BEST AUDIENCES CAN'T BE CONFINED TO ONE CITY. WE'VE HAD EXCEPTIONAL AUDIENCES IN NYC, PHILADELPHIA, BOSTON, CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND DAYTON, OHIO. WE CAN'T WAIT TO MAKE THE LIST LONGER.
Band member most likely to disappear after a gig: JAVIER, HE'S OUR AUXILLARY PERCUSSION PLAYER. HE'S GOT A SEVERE APPETITE FOR DONUTS AND USUALLY BOLTS RIGHT AFTER THE LAST NOTE.
The tour bus/van smells like: A RENTAL VAN
Laundry is: a) washed regularly, b) washed irregularly, c) we go shopping a lot: ALL OF THE ABOVE
What's the most unusual item on your rider? SOCKS. APPARENTLY EVERY BAND ASKS FOR SOCKS IN THEIR RIDERS. OUR OLD ASSISTANT MANAGER TOLD US TO INCLUDE THEM SO WE DID. AND YOU KNOW WHAT- WE STILL HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY.
Who controls the music in the touring vehicle? And what do you like to listen to while tooling around on tour? WE ALL PLAY DJ. FOR HUMOR PURPOSES WE HAD VERY INTENSE LISTENING SESSIONS TO MANOWAR ON OUR TOUR THIS PAST SPRING. BUT WE HONESTLY LISTEN TO A WIDE VARIETY OF MUSIC.
Your new favorite watering hole after being on tour? And/or the best place to get greasy, hangover-curing food? HOME.
Most amusing memory from your current or most recent tour? WHEN WE WENT TO SXSW WE STAYED AT THIS CONVERTED OLD PSYCH WARD. IT WAS VERY ODD AND UNCOMFORTABLE AND WE WILL NOT MAKE THAT MISTAKE AGAIN.
Favorite tour activity (other than the gigs themselves): CONVERSATIONS.
Are there any bands you've played with that you'd like to tour with again? And/or bands that you have yet to tour with that you'd like to? WE PLAYED A FEW SHOWS WITH OUR FRIENDS DIRTY ON PURPOSE OVER THE SUMMER AND WE ALL HAD A LOT OF FUN. HOPEFULLY THAT HAPPENS AGAIN. AND AS FAR AS BANDS WE WOULD LIKE TO PLAY WITH - MANOWAR. THEY'RE ELECTRIFYING. I AM JOKING. REALLY.
Please name the city you wouldn't ever play in again? CAN'T SAY THAT THERE IS A CITY WE'VE BANNED. YOU HAVE TO GIVE EVERY PLACE A FEW CHANCES REGARDLESS OF A BAD CIRCUMSTANCE THAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED. IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.
Or, if not a particular city, which venue (if any) makes your skin crawl? CAN'T THINK OF ANY.
What's with the Infamous Underwear Show? And will there be an Infamous Underwear Show II? IF WE OUTNUMBER THE CROWD THEN WE'LL PLAY IN OUR UNDERWEAR. THAT'S THE MOTTO.
Apart from the obvious cd, what's the merch item of yours you think people should shell out for? WE HAVE PRETTY NICE T SHIRTS AND THEY'RE VERY COMFORTABLE.
What do you have against river cities, eh? NOTHING. THEY'RE WONDERFUL AND WE ALL COME FROM THEM. IT'S ABOUT SMALL TOWNS AND THE DESIRE TO ESCAPE THEM.
Festivals: fabulous conglomerations of the musically gifted, or just plain old overcrowded rock shows? Discuss. BOTH. AS A KID THEY WERE THE BEST, MOST EXCITING THINGS TO GO TO. WHERE ELSE IS A KID LIVING IN A SUBURBAN, OR RURAL SETTING GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE CURRENT MUSICAL LANDSCAPE? MANY BANDS DON'T PLAY IN SMALLER CITIES AND LARGER TOWNS OUTSIDE OF THE 40 OR SO MAIN CITIES IN THE U.S AT LEAST. BUT, AT THE AGE WE ARE NOW THERE REALLY ISN'T AS MUCH A DESIRE TO GO.
Have you been to the top of the Washington Monument? NO. IS THIS SOMETHING WE SHOULD SEE?
What would you like people to be saying about Pela in 50 years? NOW THAT'S SOME GOOD MUSIC. I WISH THEY WOULD JUST KEEP THEIR PANTS ON.
Please recite a line of poetry: 'IN PENTAGON GIANT MACHINES HUMM AND BLEEP IN NEON ARCADES, BUTTONS CLICK IN SOCKETS AND ROBOTS PENCIL PRESCRIPTIONS FOR ACID GAS SUNSETS' -ALLEN GINSBERG, VIOLENCE, FROM THE FALL OF AMERICA. I JUST GOT INTO THIS AND IS AMAZING. And finally, it's BigYawn's round. What's your poison? CURRENTLY ABSINTHE.
Need more? Of course you do. Hit www.pelamusic.com, or www.myspace.com/pela to find out more.