The Untitled Interview #154 – Hopscotch Edition: Starring Michael Kentoff (The Caribbean)

If there’s one thing I love, it’s going to a new festival for the first time. And this weekend yours truly shall be heading down to Raleigh for some serious festival goodness in the form of Hopscotch. With a varied, all sorts of awesome lineup, I have no doubt this weekend will be a hot diggity dog dandy. I tracked down some of the most interesting out-of-town prospects playing Hopscotch this year to get their collective take on the joy of fests.

The world stalwart gets tossed around carelessly, but when it comes to The Caribbean the word definitely applies (and I myself have used it when referring to them). The band has been making their noisy yet melodic rock racket in DC for quite a number of years, and they're currently spreading the word of latest release Discontinued Perfume. Read on for guitarist/vocalist Michael Kentoff's thoughts on festivals, minivans, and Canadian beer.

Fuzzy Logic: How are you getting to Hopscotch: plane, train, or automobile?
Michael Kentoff: We're driving down from DC Friday night in a rented minivan, color TBA.

FL: Inevitably, you will forget to pack:
MK: Aside from Matt forgetting to pack underpants? Me forgetting to pack everything but underpants.

FL: How many shows will you be playing?
MK: We're playing two shows on Saturday -- Tir Na Nog at 3:00 as part of Friend Island/Blount Street Block Party, and at 9:00, also at Tir Na Nog, playing with Man/Miracle, Beach Fossils, and Titus Andronicus.

FL: Band you're most looking forward to seeing at the festival?
MK: Probably Earth (hoping we make it down in time).

FL: What's the first thing you plan on doing upon arrival in Raleigh?
MK: Check in and see Earth.

FL: What was the first festival you ever attended, either as a musician or member of the general public?
MK: I think the Caribbean's first festival event was in Toronto at Candian Music Week in 2003 or 2004. Everyone warned us about how strong Canadian beer was. Did we listen? Guess.

FL: Favorite thing about festivals?
MK: For us, it's generally a great chance -- whether its Hopscotch, SXSW, CMJ -- to hang with our label and labelmates. Many of these people have become close friends over the past few years and we have so much more in common with them than just music.

mp3: Mr. Let's Find Out (The Caribbean from Discontinued Perfume)

[photo by Dakota Fine]