NXNE Q&A with Monokino

Ladies and gentlemen. Here is a Q&A with  the Amsterdam-based band, Monokino!!!

Kanae (K):Monokino has been touring North America since June. It's now halfway done, how do you like it so far? Any interesting stories or anecdotes to share?

Monokino (M):The tour's been going great. First stop was Montreal, immediately after arrival in Montreal we noticed people are super- friendly unlike Amsterdam (Holland) or Brooklyn (New York). The Canadian shows were the best so far as well. We loved the festival in Cleveland (weapons of mass creation) and the show at the Music Hall in Rochester as well. We spent a day in Buffalo, which is as weird as the 'Buffalo 66' film with Vincent Gallo. The chicken wings were just so-so.

K:You guys have landed three appearances at NXNE. Anything special that we can anticipate from these shows?

M: We'll play a short set featuring our best songs (incl. new ones). Our drummer will be running from his drumset to his sampler. if the distance between those 2 instruments is long enough the show can get quite energetic. We'll play Rancho, Now Lounge and the Garrison.

K: Any acts at NXNE that you yourselves are looking forward to seeing?

M: Wild Nothing, Dum Dum Girls, Deerhoof, Devo, Twin Shadow, HohneeHohnee (from Montreal - great band). There's a lot more we want to see.

K:The recent video "New Kids", directed by Erik Alkema, is such a fun video to watch; it reminds me of the world of Grimm's fairy-tales. Tell us about your experience filming this, and how the ideas came about.

M:The video is shot by Erik Alkema, a renowned Amsterdam-based artist, who initiated the idea of a marching parade of characters encountering different slices of modern-day society along the way. By watching the sequences, you feel the group is moving like a train on an endless rail without noticing the world that is constantly changing. A typical Dutch landscape has been chosen for the surroundings to lay emphasis on the song lyrics. The artist has worked with puppets a lot, which is why the characters are shaped the way they are. It was a lot of fun working on the video, although it had to be shot in two days and it rained a lot!

K:After your North American tour wraps up, what's next?

M: We'll be working on the next album, of which some songs are already finished and others are on the way. It would be great if we can release it during the autumn, together with a new video. At the same time we'll be doing as much shows as physically possible.

K :Finally, would you like to share a message with the Toronto audience?

M: We're extremely excited to play here and would love to meet as many people as possible during our stay here, so don't be afraid to knock on our Amsterdam-looking shoulders!

Thank you Monokino for taking the time to answer questions.

Monokino is performing during NXNE at:

Rancho Relaxo Friday, June 17 @ 10PM 
NOW Lounge Saturday, June 18 @ 12AM 

 
The Garrison Sunday, June 19 @ 9PM 

The below are the rest of Canadian dates:

20 June – Toronto – The Hideout

23 June – Calgary – Sled Island Festival – Venue: Bamboo *

24 June – Calgary – Sled Island Festival – Venue: Undermountain*


* Performing with Minus The Bear, An Horse, Blondie Redhead, Dum Dum Girls, Of Montreal, Buzzcocks, & Dandy Warhols.