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Just because Forecastle has come to end doesn’t mean the party is over. Mercury Ballroom will be keeping the momentum going this Friday, July 24, with Death From Above 1979 and The Bots. An indoor show with air conditioning might just be the cool thing to do for all you music fanatics still on cloud nine. Plus, Mercury Ballroom is offering tickets to the show for only $20 with promo code: FORECASTLE.
The Toronto-based duo, Jesse F. Keeler (bass, synths) and Sebastien Grainger (vocals, drums), are back at it again. After releasing their first record, "You're A Woman, I'm A Machine", in 2004, which went gold in Canada, the duo went their separate ways. Five years later the two resurfaced to play Coachella continuing to play shows regularly ever since. They released their first single in nine years,"Trainwreck 1979,"in 2014 and followed it with their second album, "The Physical World," which landed on the Top 40 charts.
Opening for the show is another brilliant rock duo, The Bots. Mikaiah and his younger brother, Anaiah self-recorded their first album together when they were only 12 and 15, respectively receiving a lot of attention early on, The Bots’ momentum has never slowed. The brothers played festivals from, Vans Warped Tours to Coachella and Bonnaroo. They’ve gathered a fan base that includes; Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Damon Albarn, and Norman Reedus. The group released their debut full-length album, "Pink Palms,” last summer on FADER. A portion of that album was produced by Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and Justin Warfield (She Wants Revenge).
Last Thursday Louisville.com had the opportunity to chat with the brothers before they venture their way to our fine city.
Louisville.com: Well, who are you guys?
Mikaiah: Anaiah is Anaiah.
Anaiah: My brother is Mikaiah and Mikaiah is Mikaiah.
Mikaiah: He plays drums, I play guitar and sing in the band, and we do other things within the band instrument wise. We've been a band for a while now. We've been playing together since we were little and music has been our endeavor ever since.
Louisville.com: Tell me a little bit about how you came to be The Bots.
Mikaiah: Anaiah and I bonded over music. We have a strong passion for creating music and listening to music. As you grow up you put your mind to start the things you want to excel at. You go for it. I don't try to imagine doing anything else. I guess that might be bad. People want to have a plan B, but I really don't see myself doing anything else. I don't think Anaiah would either, well; maybe he could be like a pro skater.
Anaiah: No, I can't imagine myself doing anything else. We've been into it since a young age and music was always in the house, so I guess it's just in our blood.
Louisville.com: What are your thoughts about your upcoming tour with Death From Above 1979, Incubus, and Deftones?
Anaiah: We have never toured with any of these bands before. We have talked for years how long we’ve wanted to tour with Death From Above.
Louisville.com: And now it’s happening.
Anaiah: It is. It’s so amazing. Incubus and Deftones as well, it’s just such a huge line-up and a great opportunity. It’s really a blessing.
Louisville.com: Are you guys excited to visit Louisville?
Mikaiah: Oh, yeah. We’re excited to be anywhere that isn’t home. After a while I get tired of being at home. I enjoy it very much when I am away from home. It’s refreshing to be in a new environment. Whether or not you’re really aware of it, you’re embracing it and soaking in culture or knowledge somehow. I enjoy that part of it. I like to go for walks in places that I haven’t been before. It’s something nice and I enjoy that. I really look forward to meeting the people. I know Anaiah and I are really into just hanging out, talking to people. It’s nice to talk to good people.
Louisville.com: Did you guys know that Kentucky is the birthplace of bourbon?
Together: No.
Louisville.com: Yep, like 90% of bourbon is made in Kentucky. So, maybe that's something you want to try while you're in Louisville.
Mikaiah: I'll probably sample it or something.
Anaiah: I thought it was the Bluegrass state?
Mikaiah: There are a couple of things they do.
Louisville.com: It's Bluegrass, bourbon; disco balls...See I taught you something today.
Anaiah: Yeah!
Mikaiah: I have a really weird mind when it comes to general knowledge and I didn't know that so I'm going to store that one for later.
Anaiah: But you see I don't drink.
Mikaiah: You don't have to drink to know things. What about Kentucky Fried Chicken? Is that a real thing?
Louisville.com: Yes, the Colonel Sanders is a big guy here.
Mikaiah: Is the Colonel Asian?
Louisville.com: I'm sorry, what?
Mikaiah: Asian? He looks Asian.
Louisville.com: Is the Colonel Asian? I don't think so. I've never really considered it.
Mikaiah: He looks Asian. Am I the only one who thinks this? It's a racial comment, but I'm not trying to get racial here. I'm just saying he looks Asian.
Louisville.com: You guys worked with Norman Reedus on the video for “Blinded”. What was it like to work with him?
Mikaiah: It was like working with an eccentric really weird, cool guy. Like a super hero actor-action man. He was so involved in a weird way that I have never seen anyone be involved. It takes a certain person obviously to project the imagery that we’ve all seen on the internet now.
Anaiah: He’s a great guy. He’s a normal guy. It’s like working with anyone that takes an interest in your band.
Mikaiah: It kind of put our lives into perspective. I realized how uncool we were compared to how cool he was. Everybody was all over him and that was weird.
Anaiah: He wanted to be in urban settings though. It wasn’t like it was private locations. He wanted to be on the street in the midst of everything going on. At one point we were in time square—
Mikaiah: A bad decision.
Anaiah: You’re talking about bringing a full blown huge actor into the middle of the most populated area in the city. He definitely got attacked a couple of times.
Mikaiah: We learned how vicious people can be as well. People are vicious. The human society is terrifying. I almost don’t want to leave the house and go on this tour now just because people are so scary.
Anaiah: You hear that? My brother doesn’t want to go on tour now. Thanks for that man. The tour is cancelled.
Don’t miss Death From Above 1979 and The Bots this Friday. Tickets are $20 when you use promo code: FORECASTLE. For more information click here.
