That summer, Bria and Duncan were also preparing for the September release of the Cuntry Covers Vol.1 EP on Sub Pop, the first-ever solo release from Bria Salmena (known mononymously as Bria at the time). The album featured half a dozen classic and/or underappreciated country songs (including “Green Rocky Road,” which you may have heard on the latest edition of Philthy Radio, my show for Y-Not Radio). Cuntry Covers Vol.2 followed in 2023.
March 28th saw the release of Big Dog, the debut solo full-length from the Sub Pop artist. The LP has Salmena and Jennings exploring their love of what I like to call Gregg Araki music (alternative rock spanning the shoegaze-y, dream pop-y, goth-y, and coldwave-y). Joining the BFFs (musically and otherwise) for the record was Graham Walsh (known for his production and engineering work for PHILTHY phavorites like METZ, Bully, and Fucked Up), U.S. Girls’ Meg Remy, and former Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo, who contributes guitar to “See’er.”
Earlier this month, Bria Salmena embarked on the West Coast leg of a headlining tour behind Big Dog. And this Friday, April 25th, she kicks off the East Coast leg of the tour right here at The Lounge at World Café Live. Salmena recently took some time to chat with me for a brief catch-up about what it’s like to be on a full-scale headlining jaunt.
Izzy: You recently kicked off a headlining tour. How have the dates been going so far? Any particular highlights?
Bria: Dates have been really great. I’ve been really grateful for everybody who’s been coming out. I think the highlights on the West Coast tour were Los Angeles, Pappy + Harriet’s in Pioneertown, and Seattle. Those are standouts for me. The East Coast tour’s just about to start, so I’m looking forward to all of that.
Izzy: What can be expected of the live show when you headline The Lounge at World Café Live? Honestly, I go to around 200 shows a year and I generally ask artists a question like that, but for you, I actually have less of an idea than usual (Although I just put on a YouTube video of your show from Casbah and feel like I’m getting a better idea…)
Bria: I think it’s maybe kind of better if you don’t have an idea of what the live show’s gonna be. I think that’s maybe more exciting. We’re playing as a four-piece, and I think maybe that’s all I’m gonna say about it… You’re just gonna have to see.
Izzy: I could be wrong, but it seems like most of the venues you’re playing are like “barrooms” or nightclub-y spaces, but here you’re playing a mostly seated listening room, so I’m curious how you feel about settings like that, in particular?
Bria: Yeah, we’ve been playing smaller clubs, which has been really fun to do. I really love a lot of these spaces and it’s just nice to be participating in that more local scene on a city level. I love a sweaty, packed room, but I’m also down for a listening-oriented space, like The Lounge at World Café Live in Philadelphia, so I’m down for it all. It all sounds fun to me.
Izzy: Have you noticed patterns amongst the audiences coming out to the shows? I feel like, based on your musical background, it could be any number of types of music listeners… and possibly many at the same time.
Bria: I feel like we have a really varied audience, which is nice, young to old, all sorts of genders, binaries… I’m just grateful that anybody’s coming out at all, to be honest. I don’t see a pattern necessarily.
Izzy: Are there any dates that you’re especially excited to play? Right after the North American dates you head overseas to a lot of really cool places, including a number of pretty big festivals.
Bria: Yes! Definitely looking forward to doing Europe and the UK and the festivals, as well as excited for a lot of the North American dates. It’s nice, because we’ll get to see a lot of old friends in Europe and on the East Coast of the US that we haven’t seen in a long time. So, it’s all just good vibes and everybody’s very excited.
Izzy: Finally, what are you hoping and planning for the second half of 2025? Is there anything you’re especially excited about, in addition to the festivals you’re playing in July?
Bria: Definitely excited for the Canadian festivals we’re playing in July. It’s nice to be able to be here for all of July and play all of these festivals. Other than that, we’re just excited to just keep adding shows. And then Duncan and I usually take some time in the winter to record and finish working on the next project.
*Get your tickets here.
