In partnership with the fine folks over at The Whole Music Club we welcomed over 1000 students to our fall kick off party on Friday Sept. 5. It was a night filled with art, music, food and dancing: Bohemian Press held it down and screen-printed over 400 t-shirts with their original designs, Radio K blasted jams on the plaza and Coco Wagner shared the beautiful art of Henna. If you're like us, then you can't get enough of the sweet sounds by our three performing acts: Aubades, Hippo Campus and Koo Koo Kanga Roo. Our WAMigo Hannah Germaine sat down with the bands to get an insider perspective on their process, influences and what they're currently obsessed with.
AUBADES
How did your band come together?
Ross Koeberl: Two summers ago I worked retail. After work I would go hang out with the brother of a guy I worked with and we would play guitar and drums. We were called “Take Me to the Beach” and we just did, like, punk Kanye covers. We ended up playing at the Whole last winter and then at the beginning of the summer we got an e-mail saying, “Hey, do you guys wanna play?” But he was back home and I was here. And I thought, well, I don’t want to mess up the opportunity and I’ve always wanted like a band that played more than Kanye covers. Musical people just always go, “Hey we should make a band one day!” So I just picked all of those people.
How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?
Eva Moe: I like the electro pop type thing.
RK: Noise pop.
EM: Plus violin.
Who are your musical and non-musical influences?
EM: Gorillaz for me, always.
noRK: I really like the Dismemberment Plan, Ava Luna and the Talking Heads. I try to rip off this movement in the 60s called no wave. I wish it was still around, but it’s not. So I try to rip that off all the time. Eva Moe. I’m a big Eva Moe fan.
EM: I was going to say the same about you, but I was like I’m not going to go there.
RK: Right because you’re in the band, it sounds like you’re a big fan of yourself.
EM: No, I was going to say Ross….
What is the weirdest show you’ve ever played?
EM: This is our first show.
What are you obsessed with right now?
EM: Tea. I’m really sick.
RK: I am obsessed with popular rapper Drake. I don’t care about the stigma of liking Drake. I know he’s the softest in the game, but you know what? So am I. Sometimes I’m the softest in the game. I’ve learned more Drake songs than my own songs.
HIPPO CAMPUS
How did your band come together?
Short story or long story? We were all kite surfers in Florida.
Real story!
So high school wasn’t that long ago. And we had known each other throughout high school. We all attended the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists.
*Door flies open, girls screaming*
It wasn’t until the end of senior year when we all got together because we were all in different bands. We sort of formed a super-group of two different bands. It was actually not even supposed to be serious. We were planning on joking as a band, being funny, making fun of an idea. We kind of did it to piss of our other bands. We were just like, “we won’t tell anybody that we’re in this band.” We didn’t tell anybody. We started playing shows. And people found out by the first show. But then we started playing shows and it was awesome.
How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?
I would just say, “Come see a show sometime.” But rock. Surfer. But rock. A lot of people would compare it, just right off the bat, a mix between Vampire Weekend and Two Door Cinema club. We’ve recently been telling people hypothetical pop. We don’t’ know, it changes.
Who are your musical and non-musical influences?
Celine Dion, first and foremost. Sarah McLachlan. I really like Sandy Patty.
Together as a band we’d say Little Comets, Last Dinosaurs, Bombay Bicycle Club. We all listen to different music all of the time. Non-musical influences…. Smash Bros? Travel. We all love the idea of travel. Zach has lived all over. He’s been to like 40 countries.
What is the weirdest show you’ve ever played?
The park show, in the middle of that sculpture garden. We get there, we show up, and there’s no one. Like 50 8-year old kids. 20! And like six adults.
What are you obsessed with right now?
As a band, I’d say we’re obsessed with Super Smash Brothers. The Nintendo 64 version, mind you.
Nathan Stocker: I’m probably obsessed with women.
Whistler Allen: I think my obsession is honestly doing nothing. Because this last year has been so much work. Half of it I haven’t enjoyed because it wasn’t my music. So my obsession is to try to find nothing to do.
KOO KOO KANGA ROO
How did your band come together?
We came together as college pals. We were like, “how can we make a silly different kind of show?” We were just trying to do something different, interactive high-energy. Along the way it became a kids’ band.
How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?
It’s difficult to describe even after you’ve seen a show. It’s like hyper pop. A lot of people call it Sesame Street meets the Backstreet Boys. We say we’re an interactive dance duo, not a band.
Who are your musical and non-musical influences?
Probably Spice Girls, Blink 182. We grew up listening to pop punk stuff. Dinsey’s Alladin. Disney stuff. Camp cheers. Show choir musicals. It’s a mash-up between 90s pop punk and show choir musicals. Non-musical influences… Theater. The Flaming Lips shows: the big ball he climbs in, the confetti, big giant hands. Beach volleyball, that’s important. Board games with like a community element to [them]. Nachos. Milk Duds.
What is the weirdest show you’ve ever played?
Every show. We play shows for kids, we play for adults. There were a couple of senior high school all-night parties. After the hypnotist. The kids have gone through the most emotional day of their life , they’re all hyped up on cotton candy. Then they have the hypnotist. The lights are off for like an hour, kids are sleeping. The Cat Video Festival. We opened for a bunch of people holding their cats.
What are you obsessed with right now?
Bryan Atchison: I’m obsessed with whatever the new top 40 person. Right now it’s the new Arianna Grande record. Also, I like teen pop. Do you know Five Seconds of Summer? They opened for One Direction last summer.
Neil Olstad: I’m obsessed with my new puppy. Her name’s Josie. You can follow her on Instagram.