Interview with Jasmine Marceau.
“I then jumped down into the crowd, and honestly the floor felt like it was going to collapse.” Anna Shields
It’s Thursday, the first full day at 2000Trees, and we’ve sat down with Anna Shields and Liam Adams of Dead Pony before they play the Neu stage.
You’re playing on the Neu Stage later, how are you feeling?
Anna: Excited.
Liam: Yeah it’s our first time here.
Oh yeah, what do you think of Trees now you’re here?
Anna: I love it – it’s very rock ’n’ roll. I think it’s the first time we’ve ever played a proper rock festival. So it’s just nice to be around rock bands, and be on the line up with some unbelievable bands as well.
Yeah it’s a great atmosphere here. Do you enjoy playing festivals compared to gigs?
Liam: They both have their special traits.
Anna: I guess touring and playing gigs is more comfy than touring and playing festivals because when you play a festival you usually don’t get a dressing room, somewhere to chill out and all things like that. The atmosphere of festivals is always amazing, plus when you’re at a gig, unless it’s a support gig, you’re only ever playing to your fans. Whereas with festivals we are usually playing to new people.
Do you have any funny gig experiences?
Anna: When we played Paris with a band called Mother Mother, we did a mini tour with them, it was a 2,000 cap old theatre, three stories high, and we came on and it was one of our first European shows. It was sold out, their fans are really young girls, so precious and lovely, and we went on and it was a new song where we wanted everyone to jump, we played it and I swear to God every single person in that theatre was jumping up and down, on the top floor as well. I then jumped down into the crowd, and honestly the floor felt like it was going to collapse.
Liam: They had to hold the sound desk.
Anna: Yeah, and then one of the security guards was like ‘We have never seen a crowd react like that before, we thought the venue was about to collapse.’ It was so funny watching the tours back and looking at the whole crowd, it was amazing.
We’ve had crowds that have done similar, but not to the point where we’re thinking the venue is going to collapse!
You released your most recent single MK Nothing earlier on in the year, as well as a Nelly Furtado cover of Maneater at the end of last year, your latest music since your debut EP War Boys – does that mean there’s more new music on the horizon?
Anna: We’ve actually been working on an album, which we don’t really know when it’ll be coming out, but we reckon’ next year. And up until then we’re just going to be releasing singles, touring and playing shows.
You’re back in Scotland tomorrow for another festival, right?
Liam: Yeah first thing in the morning.
Anna: Yeah we’re leaving tonight and driving to the borders, staying overnight then driving the rest of the way to Glasgow. We’re opening the main stage, I’m so excited to see Pulp.
Liam: It’s a one time festival too, there’s a few friends on the stage as well which will be nice.
Anna: Yeah I think it’s just going to be a good day of friends.
It’s great to have a rock and mainstream crossover. You’ve got your first ever headline tour this year, are you working on the set list?
Liam: Buzzing for it – set list, we haven’t even figured that out yet.
Anna: I guess we’ll need to add music to it, because our festival set list at the moment is only 30 minutes long because we’re doing support slots and festivals. So we’ll definitely add some new songs in there, and maybe if we’ve got any new singles out by then we’ll add them in.
Where do you see yourselves in three years time?
Liam: Heading the Barrowlands, that’s the main goal for me.
Anna: I really want to headline the Barrows, I want to release our album, and work on a second album, and also going on an American tour, whether that’s supporting or headlining. Also a European tour, also we’d love to play a gig in Japan, so if any Japanese people are listening, take us on tour.
Catch Dead Pony on tour, tickets available here.