"We have had some great live reviews come out of [SXSW]—it’s a great way to get good press." Photo courtesy of Jaclyn Campanaro.
Pack the Van: Utah Hits SXSW
Music Interviews
Polytype
Jared Price – Bass/Synths
Mason Porter – Vocals/Samples
SXSW Additions:
TJ Nokleby – Guitar
Aaron Anderson – Drums
SLUG: This is your first time going to SXSW—how did it feel when you received the invite?
P: It was exciting. The last few years during SX, I’d be at home and see all these pictures coming up on my Twitter feed from friends and other bands who were there, and I remember thinking, “One day …” So it has definitely been a goal for us to experience SX. And now, to be able to play an official showcase, that makes us happy.
SLUG: Ultimately, what do you hope to get out of SXSW?
P: We want our performances to have an impact on listeners. We want to make people curious, make them wonder why they haven’t heard of Polytype before. We’ve been so lucky to have a warm response from people here at home, and we definitely want to start spreading that outside of Utah.
SLUG: There are thousands of bands playing the festival—how do you plan to stand out?
P: We always try to have some visual element to our performances. We’ve done projections, videos on screens, synchronized lights, etc. SX is a bit different since you have to get on and off the stage so quickly, so we’re not sure exactly what we’re going to do this time. We won’t have the luxury of setting things up beforehand or taking time between bands. Projections and/or lights aside, however, we just have to deliver high-energy performances and get people into the music.
SLUG: Any bands playing that you’re hoping to catch while you’re there?
P: I (Mason) want to see Gary Numan, Machinedrum, SOHN, London Grammar, and, of course, all of our Utah buddies who will be out there.
SLUG: What’s a must-have road trip item for the band?
P: Peanut M&Ms—for me, at least. We also like to take some board games. We were playing a game called Wiz-War last time we went on tour. It gets pretty intense. Just a bunch of wizards chasing each other around the board, casting spells and stealing treasure!
SLUG: Top 5 songs on your road trip playlist?
P: Oh geez. I don’t know if I can pick five songs. We’ll probably all take turns being the DJ on the drive. I bet we’ll probably listen to that new Beck album a bunch, though.