Interview - Relient K (Kent, WA; Late Autumn, 2009)
Relient K played the ShoWare Center in Kent, WA as part of the Winter Wonder Slam on Saturday December 12, 2009. Although billed as a Christian punk/pop band, tonights offerings were lighter fare, given that their lead guitarist Matt Hoopes was unable to make the last half of the tour. With a few changes and borrowing artists from opening acts, Matt Thiessen, Ethan Luck, John Warne and John Schneck rocked a little softer than the younger people in the crowd would have liked, but their parents certainly appreciated it.
Thiessen is in his element when he immerses himself in playing joyful music, whether it be traditional Christmas carols or cuts such as the title track from Forget and Not Slow Down. It’s obvious that he loves playing to a live audience and fills the spaces between songs with light conversation.
Forget and Not Slow Down is the band’s sixth album, and the first one with new drummer Ethan Luck.
Luck sat down with me after the show for a chat.
melophobe: You’re running a little shorthanded tonight.
Ethan Luck: Yes, we are but we didn’t want to cancel so we asked a couple of the guys from the other bands to fill in and did some acoustical songs and it worked out.
melophobe: Was it a shorter set?
EL: Only by about five minutes. Matt [Theissen] added in some Christmas songs and we selected songs that would work better acoustically. We normally play about an hour and fifteen minutes in clubs anyway.
melophobe: How did the new album come about?
EL: [Theissen] started writing in February, then Toby (TobyMac) offered us a cabin in southern Tennesee. It was the dead of winter and no one else was around, so Matt got a lot of thinking and writing done. Matt [Hoopes], John and I would drive down occasionally and work with him, getting the arrangements done, adding our ideas. Everyone has their stamp on it.
melophobe: Most of the tracks are pretty upbeat, but “Therapy” is a little more serious.
EL: It definitely is. That was the first song that Matt wrote. It’s kind of like a reflection of everything that has happened since the last album. Stepping back and looking at what you have and have lost, experiencing life. There are other serious songs on the album such as “Sahara,” but overall the record’s message is one of hope.
melophobe: Relient K has been making music for over 10 years. Do you think your fan base has changed?
EL: I hope so! They certainly got older. This kind of show is different for us. I think most of our dedicated fans would like to see us in clubs, longer sets, more songs. Every band has fans that grow with the music. Some don’t like that you’re doing something different, some don’t like that it isn’t different enough.
melophobe: But you have a lot of experiences to draw material from.
EL: We certainly do. Four of us are married and two of the four have kids as well, so there is a lot of common ground. We want to be easy to listen and relate to. On our solo tours, we like to play the clubs and be as personal as possible with the fans.
melophobe: Thanks, Ethan.
I’d look forward to a smaller venue with Relient K as the only band if only to get more of the music that has earned them a Grammy and two Dove awards. Mainstream audiences like the reality of the lyrics and the musical arrangements that rock harder than a typical “Christian” band but don’t make your ears bleed. The new single “Therapy” fits that bill exactly by lamenting need and loneliness and celebrating change. hey are lyrics that certainly fit these times we live in.
The band stops in Salem next, then California and finishes in Phoenix. They will be off for a couple months then back to writing and producing.
Oh I see. I was wondering if you were talking about the picture. Really glad you liked it. Have you checked her out yet?
by Colin on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 02.29 pm from the entry: Interview - Kelli Schaefer (Portland, OR; Winter, 2010)
yes! The interview is great, and the photo shows off the glow
by Ian on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 01.29 pm from the entry: Interview - Kelli Schaefer (Portland, OR; Winter, 2010)
Great post! Really digging the new record a lot. The Rainwater LP has some gorgeous moments - definitely recommend checking it out. There are 3 of the new songs up on the myspace page: myspace.com/citizencope
by MattKlomp on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 03.16 am from the entry: Citizen Cope - Paradise Theater (Boston, MA; Feb. 27, 2010 )
haha is that a compliment?
by colin on Sat Mar 13, 2010 at 06.49 pm from the entry: Interview - Kelli Schaefer (Portland, OR; Winter, 2010)
love that melophobe has more “couples” reviewers, and more “Ian/Ion/Ian/Iain” than the average site…
by Ian on Sat Mar 13, 2010 at 06.48 pm from the entry: sevendust + drowning pool + digital summer + the flood - showbox market (seattle, WA; Mar 07, 2010
you’re positively glowing in this interview, Colin
by Ian on Sat Mar 13, 2010 at 06.46 pm from the entry: Interview - Kelli Schaefer (Portland, OR; Winter, 2010)
Hey Merseilles did a live web show at sonicbirds office gig on Friday that was pretty spectacular. Can anyone find a copy of that?
by Smallweed on Sat Mar 13, 2010 at 11.40 am from the entry: SXSW Send Off Show - Visqueen + Hey Marseilles - Neumos (Seattle, WA; Mar. 5, 2010)
