News SXSW 2010: You Say Party! We Say Die!: It’s Pretty Scary

We were able to catch up with Krista from You Say Party! We Say Die! for a few minutes this afternoon. After quite an intense evening before, they were reluctant to appear on film, so instead we have an easy chat outside of the Moonshine Café on Red River.

Have you played SXSW before?
Yeah, four years ago we were here.

Have you noticed anything changing over the last four years?
I feel like it’s a little bit less… no, actually no. I was going to say I feel like it’s less chaotic but last night, my friend almost got hit by a car and then saw like maybe three people die and then there was some sort of weird fight, possibly a shoot out behind the club we were, it was pretty scary. The night before I was like ‘oh yeah this is crazy but not as bad as before’ but I need to scratch that statement.

Apparently SxSW is almost 25 years old, so we’re interested in how the festival has changed over that time.
Yeah, I think it’s basically the same. I mean, our experience is a lot different this time because we are a different band than we were four years ago. In some ways it’s better this time because we sort of know a lot more about being in a band and about the industry than we did four years ago so in a way we’ve been able to enjoy it more. Before it was totally hectic, like oh my god! What’s going on! But now its more like ok, I know what’s happening.

Ok, so Austin is a town of food and obviously the two biggest rivals are BBQ and Tex Mex. What is your favourite?
Oh I am very much in the middle of that.

What is your favourite BBQ joint?
I have only eaten at Iron Works and Moonshine Café and they were both really good. I had tacos from some stand, and from a place way down on Congress, like a real Mexican stand where they didn’t even have an English menu and that was like the best tacos I have had, maybe ever.

What is your favourite venue to play in Austin?
Probably actually, we played this KEXP thing yesterday and that was the best sound, the best, it wasn’t even really a show, there were like 4 people there ’cause it was a radio thing. But I think that was my favourite venue to play because we actually get a sound check!

Which do you like playing better, the day time shows or the night time showcases?
Night time. Definitely. It’s hard sometimes to get it together in the afternoons.

But outside shows must be really nice…
Yeah, we played the Canada Blast BBQ on Wednesday and that was pretty fun and outside and that was nice.

Have you seen a lot of Canadians around?
Yeah there are a few, but I haven’t really had a chance to go see anything really… we don’t really have time to get out. I might see something tonight, but I might not. We did six shows in three days and I feel like a zombie.

The motto of Austin is Keep it Weird. In the spirit of that, what is the weirdest thing that has happened to you here?
My roommate from home is tour managing another band and she came into our show last night and was like, ‘I just almost got killed’! And I was like ‘what happened!?’ There was this guy just wasted driving a truck, barreling down the street, everyone in the street was screaming and leaping out of the way and then he hit one of those bicycle rickshaw things.

Wow, that’s completely awful. Um… What’s next for you after this.
Well, we drive to Memphis. The tour continues!