By: Valerie Milano & Judy Shields
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 4/27/22 – After an epic weekend of performances, interviews, new music, and unique art installations, Coachella weekend 2 was all that we expected and more. Here’s our recap of the festivities.
On Friday we had a chance to check out MEUTE, the German Techno marching band. They gave an electrifying performance, hypnotizing the audience with their drums and brass. Their set involved no Dj or computers which set their performance apart from anyone else we seen that day. During our time in the press lounge we had an opportunity to speak with Thomas and Jhonny, two out of the eleven band members. Here’s what they had to say:
MEUTE
VM: When you tell people you’re a techno marching band what is their first reaction?
MEUTE: They are amazed at what we are doing with our instruments. It’s interesting for them to see because they are used to seeing this kind of music from an electronic side.
VM: How do they rehearse? How often?
MEUTE: In fact, we don’t rehearse very often – we play so many concerts, that we mostly rehearse during the soundchecks.
VM: Would there be a chance for a female to be a part of the Band?
MEUTE: We are open for all genders, and we had some female musicians on some concerts already.
VM: What do they think about collaborations with Singers?
MEUTE: Collaborations with singers are not planned yet. Who knows what the future brings.
VM: Who is always late at rehearsal and what´s the penalty?
MEUTE: Everybody is on time and there is no penalty 😊
VM: What’s next for you?
MEUTE: We are going back to Germany to gear up for a summer full of festivals all over Europe.
Alec Benjamin
During the evening we were able to catch Alec Benjamins debut performance at the Outdoor Theatre stage. His performance was centered around the release of his new sophomore album (UN)Commentary, which released April 15, via Elektra Records.
VM: Did you see a difference between last weekend and this weekend?
Alec: No, not really. People seem a little tired the 2nd one.
VM: Can you talk about what you did in between last weekend and today.
Alec: Yes, I’m on tour right now, so we have been doing shows in between weekend one and two. I had a show in New Mexico, and I have fifteen more shows to do after Coachella.
VM: What is your favorite show to perform?
Alec: It varies from crowd to crowd, but I’m most excited to sing what people are most excited to hear. Lately, my favorite one to sing is Devil Doesn’t Bargain. It has been fun because we have a cool arrangement for it and a drum solo.
VM: Do you feel like you’ve connected with the crowd here at Coachella?
Alec: Yes. I think it’s important to establish a connection with the crowd because every performance is unique to that particular crowd.
VM: Did you get a chance to see any other acts?
Alec: Yes, I watched Doja Cat, some of the Weeknd, Pink Sweats. I have asthma and it’s a bit dusty especially with all the performances coming up, so I’ve been trying rest up.
VM: What would you like your audience to know about your sophomore album?
Alec: I want them to listen to the lyrics, in a lot of my songs I’m asking questions and I hope they develop their own question and answers.
Nathy Peluso
We were able to catch up with 6x Latin Grammy nominated singer, songwriter Nathy Peluso. She is currently the leading artist on the international scene with 145 million streams on her debut album Calambre . All her success led her to receiving best alternative album at the Latin Grammy Awards.
VM: How do you feel about female representation at festival?
NP: We can always do more. When I started my career eight years ago there was less, but now I see more. We have to normalize women being here.
VM: Is playing a festival like this different than other places you’ve performed?
NP: I’m used to it. This crowd is quite little compared to others.
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