Streets of Laredo are an indie-folk outfit, yet they rock and rollick just enough to gain the attention of more indie pop audiences than those who reside in dinner theatre venues. They’ve released two EPs and are currently on tour, with an upcoming stop at Boot & Saddle on June 4th. I could tell you more about them, but I recently got a chance to chat with Streets of Laredo’s Dave Gibson, so I’ll just let him tell you.
Izzy Cihak: I must admit, there’s relatively little information available about the band (even to “critics”). Is there anything you think is especially important for fans and potential fans to know about you?
Dave Gibson: I guess the things they should know is at our core we’re a family band – me, my brother, and my wife all moved to Brooklyn two years ago from New Zealand and started playing tiny bars as a three-piece – we eventually grew to seven (including a couple of Americans, even) which makes for a pretty raucous live show.
Izzy: This is still a relatively new project so far. What would you consider to be the highlights of the early part of your career?
Dave: Playing CMJ in 2013, playing SXSW 2014 (Probably the most fun show was the Spotify Showcase.), and playing support for Albert Hammond Jnr of The Strokes a few months back.
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Izzy: And what do you consider to be your most significant influences, collective or otherwise?
Dave: Our main influences are finding a way to play music and have adventures – I read a book once called Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and its core theme was “enjoying the journey.” That really struck a chord with me and is the guiding force of this band. Musically, we all like different stuff but, speaking for myself, I’m a big fan of Sharon Van Etten, Paul Simon, Cat Stevens, War on Drugs, Tom Petty, Volcano Choir – oh and ‘90s hip hop.
Izzy: You’re going to be playing Boot & Saddle in Philadelphia next week. What can we expect of the live experience?
Dave: You can expect a bunch of friendly, affable kiwis to provide you with entertainment for the evening – with support from our Buddies from the band Mother.
Izzy: And what are you most excited about in the remainder of 2014? You have some huge dates coming up with Kaiser Chiefs. Any chance of some new music?
Dave: Yeah, we can’t wait to support Kaiser Chiefs – and we’re playing Bonnaroo too, which is going to be our first major festival – oh and playing with Cults in Canada, who happen to be a favorite band of mine, too. As for new tunes, the answer is hell yes. We’ll be in the studio in August – oh and if you wanna a secret copy of some of our secret tunes, email me at info@streets-of-laredo.com and I’ll send you a secret link… free.
