COOPERS ALIVE 2009: TheWaterslides

Tue 20th Oct, 2009 in Features

The Waterslides play Jive as part of the Coopers Alive SA Live Music Showcase. The band’s Chief Strategist, Luke Eygenraam talks to FasterLouder.

What’s the latest goings for the band? “It’s been an average week in the life of The Waterslides: work continues on the debut ep Julie’s Dumplings; our DJ residency each Saturday Night at Adelaide’s Ed Castle Hotel remains unchallenged; a website is nearing completion; a short documentary movie on the group’s history is currently being edited. Actually, my electricity was cut off this morning leading to a huge delay in providing these responses for FasterLouder readers. My apologies. I just phoned Tim about it but for some reason he was wandering around a graveyard (?).”

What does it mean for your band to be playing the Coopers Alive SA Live Music Showcase? “It means somebody somewhere decided The Waterslides has potential. I won’t go into the physics implicit in such a complex scientific concept, but I can confirm that The Waterslides agrees with this person’s conclusion, and commends he or she on the choice. I suppose those groups we are performing with at the Coopers Alive event The Touch and Kytes Of Omar – might reel off for you their postulations on increased public exposure, or the opportunity to harness new audiences, or the extra production values and advertising afforded by the Coopers sponsorship … they might describe for you the giddy thrill of a capacity audience, or the value of industry experience. But they’re not here.”

Do you approach this special event any differently to a normal gig? “We approach it from the north, heading along Jeffcott Street to the River Torrens bridge. There’s often a speed camera in this area, so be wary. Take a right at Hindley Street, and Jive will soon appear on your left. It’s a lovely blue building. There is ample parking at the rear of the venue, but if you’re as thrifty as we have to be, you’ll probably find free parking elsewhere and then walk to the gig, Arriving not after 8pm so as not to miss out on any of the bands, or indeed a ticket. Incidentally, such tickets can be purchased now via Moshtix.”

Is there any extra pressure knowing that industry types might be sussing you out? “The real question is, will the industry types who wander in on the guest list this Saturday buckle under the extra pressure of realising the Coopers Alive performers they suss out are clearly superior to a lot of the crap record executives decide to sign these days?”

What can punters expect from your set on the night? Any surprises? “Basically the funding and support provided by Music SA and Coopers, that’s Music SA and Coopers, means we can splash out on the kind of things we would like to have at every gig – crazy lights, lazers, performance art, the possibility of multimedia projections. We had planned a big balloon drop as part of a three-band finale but the venue folk have put the kybosh on that idea … it certainly had nothing to do with Music SA or the Coopers. Did I mention they are the ones behind this excellent event?”

What are the plans for the band for the remainder of the year? “Since summer is our favourite time of the year (ok, except for the bass player) we will attempt to crawl our way on to summer festivals, as we have in the past at Big Day Outs, Laneways or Parklifes. Our long-awaited, repeatedly-delayed, ear-popping and painstakingly-crafted debut EP, Julies Dumplings, will also be launched and independently distributed this summer. Some kind of extravaganza is being planned for that one…”

For further information on The Waterslides visit their MySpace.

The Waterslides play Jive on Saturday October 24 along with Kytes of Omar and The Touch. Tickets are $10 at the door from 8pm.