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RADIO 4
FRI., DEC. 10
PHILPOT
FRI. & THURS.,
DEC. 10 & 16
I KNOW PHILPOT are from Indiana, but I'm expecting to be calling frontman Kentz Ward in an Indianapolis suburb. Instead, the phone is answered with a hearty flatland twang announcing that I've reached the florist shop. No name given, since Tucker, IN—pop. 900—doesn't have that many florist shops. Ward works at the shop, where the band also rehearses their bizarre punk-blues-raga rock. A band this great in a location that obscure would usually toil in sad obscurity. Instead, Philpot's gotten lucky with a minor rock-star connection and a hype machine ready to roll. The band deserves a shot, too, especially since the Brian Jonestown Massacre dropped the ball. They're heading to London in January, but this week has them making their second trip to New York City.
You're a bunch of unknowns, but—in addition to rock clubs—you're set to play a lot of hipster nightspots. Yeah, and it's hard for us to even get gigs around here where we live. I've taken our CD up to Bloomington a few times, and it's hard to get gigs. Nine times out of 10, I don't even think the clubs take the time to listen. We're very grateful to be playing in New York City. I just got a call from someone telling me we were mentioned in the New York Post. I think it's just because we're a really good band that reaches out to every kind of audience. It's really wild. We didn't expect that things would be taking off right now—sort of.
It doesn't hurt that you've got the support of Travis Meeks from Days of the New. Yeah, that was really a cool opportunity. We first met the band doing a church benefit. They were raising money for a new church, and we'd been asked to play with Days of the New. A band of that stature doesn't usually stop through to play a benefit like that. And then we got to play with them again in Kentucky. I guess they really liked our music.
Do you feel fortunate to be away from any kind of real music scene? That's what's good about us. We work in our little space and do our own little thing. I probably haven't bought a CD by any new bands in about a year now. When we play in somewhere like Fairmount—which is our nearest big city—they have, like, Battles of the Bands. We don't get into any of that stuff. It's no competition. What we do is great.
Dec. 10 at Snitch, 59 W. 21st St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-727-7775; 12 a.m., $15. Dec. 16 at Arlene's Grocery, 95 Stanton St. (betw. Ludlow & Orchard Sts.), 212-358-1633; 7, $8.
J.R. TAYLOR |
