Budweiser has put its UK music tour on the road in a cool, branded bus, kicking off the nine-city series of gigs in London’s Camden with Coasts, supported by Glastonbury band Dive In. The Budweiser Live Project is currently on its way to Edinburgh and the Liquid Rooms where Coasts will give anther live performance tonight in the company of The Wombats. Next stop Leeds, writes Paloma Dios.
brand-e interviewed the band prior to the Camden show and asked lead singer Chris Caines about his influences
“Our music is definitely largely influenced by electronic music. It was even bigger when we started.”
Does this mean that your music style is changing?
“You have to be ready to evolve and allow for your musical tastes to change also. You always draw from what you are listening to at the time”
Would you describe yourself as an indie pop band?
“It’s really hard to pin down these days because people are influenced by so many different kinds of music. So let’s say ‘broad indie pop’.”
How was the reception to your concerts around Europe — like at your last festival in Hamburg — compared to on the tour you recently did in the US?
“We have a younger and more fanatical audience in the States (laughs). They came to wait for our shows at 5am and brought gifts”
Are you scared of the crowds?
Another Coasts member chips in: “Not at all, we absolutely love it. It’s much scarier to be on radio shows because we aren’t really trained for them. Making a mistake on radio matters so much more, millions of people can hear it. Radio is the same as cameras — it’s scary not knowing how many people can see you.”
Has appearing on BBC Radio 1 been a big help?
“Yes, definitely. Being one of the biggest stations has had a massive influence in attracting more people.”
Do you think it is a good platform for new artists, or that it helps bands who are already out there more?
“It can set a new band up but established bands also need it to stay out there.”
You released your records on vinyl as well as in other formats. Do you have a preference on how people listen to your music, or is it more a case of personal taste?
“It was always a dream for us to have a record on vinyl. When we got it, it was a really big moment but because of how music is consumed today, how people listen to us doesn’t really matter. We just want as many people as possible to listen to our music, the platform doesn’t matter.’
Do you listen to vinyl though?
“For me the main thing of a vinyl is having a copy of the artwork, but to be honest I listen to more music on the Internet.”
Another Coasts member chips in: ‘”When you play something on vinyl it is more like an event. When you play something on the phone you don’t really pay attention to it. When you listen to a record you need time to put it on.
“You listen even if the sound is not that good — most of my vinyls are more then 30 years old. The quality of sound isn’t that good but you kind of enjoy it because of that.”
Have you played in Camden before?
“Yes, the first time we did a proper gig was in Camden. That night we felt we were into something real.”
The Budweiser Live Project runs until end of October
Photography by Elliot Sheppard
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