Formed by brothers Alex and Austin Ward in the small town of Fort Scott, Kansas, The Noise FM plays melodic, beat-driven indie-rock. The trio (with Barry Kidd on bass) now lives in Chicago, but everyone can tell they’re from Kansas because of their accents. Sometimes the band’s tunes get really loud with fuzzed out synthesizers and gnarly riffs. Other times, it gets quieter — all grooves and sexy vibes. Regardless of the volume, people tend to dance.
As a lead-up to South by Southwest, The Noise Room is talking to bands and artists performing at SXSW. Here’s what The Noise FM had to say:
What do like most about playing at SXSW?
There is no better place to discover new bands and have some interesting adventures than SXSW. It’s a crazy jumble of music and people, but everyone at SXSW is there because they appreciate music. It doesn’t matter where or what time of day we’re performing — there always seems to be an appreciative crowd of people listening to us. Also, the free beer.
Are you out promoting anything?
We recently released our new full-length record “Attraction” on The Record Machine label, and we have a new music video for our single “Keep Me in the Dark.”
Are there any bands or musicians that you are looking forward to checking out?
After 5 years of attending SXSW, we’ve come to the conclusion that the best way to enjoy the experience is to go in with no plans, and just spend the day walking into random venues in hopes of finding new bands.
What are the challenges for you or your band when playing at SXSW?
With hundreds of bands competing for attention, it’s hard to stick out. We make it a point to put on the most energetic performances we can possibly muster to get people to notice us. But really, the biggest challenge is finding parking.
Do you have any survival tips for those attending SXSW?
Clean bathrooms are a rarity. Make a mental note of some of the less-crowded bars because you’re going to need to post up in their bathroom at some point. And don’t bother trying to use your phone. Reception is non-existent and your battery will die in 15 minutes anyway.
Are you more “stick around, check out music and enjoy the scene” or “play as many shows as possible then get out”?
We try to pack as many shows into the couple of days we’re at SXSW as physically possible. If we have any free time to check out other bands, that’s a bonus.
What are your SXSW Show Times?
Thursday, March 13, 8pm @ Shangri La (1015 E. 6th) for MidCoast Takeover
Friday, March 14, 9pm @ Wahoo’s Fish Taco Showcase (509 Rio Grande Street)
Saturday, March 15, 8pm @ Burnside’s Tavern (413 E. 6th Street) for Music Gorilla
What is the best way for people to contact and connect with you?
www.thenoisefm.net
www.twitter.com/thenoisefm
www.facebook.com/thenoisefm
