By Natasha Jordan --Staff Writer, Pacific/Southwest
The band Fun is compiled of three members, Nate Ruess, Andrew Dost, and Jack Antonoff. They are a group of guys who enjoy making some pop music that has a wide variety from influences, from mainstream music all the way to Broadway. These guys are hitting the road this summer with Panic at the Disco, and they are finishing the recording process on a new LP that is due out this fall. You may have heard one of their songs being used on an Expedia advertising campaign and if you haven’t you should definitely look these guys up. Their tour started this week, but there are plenty of dates to still get to, so get your tickets and go have a Fun time!
Nate Ruess from the band Fun took a few minutes to answer some questions about what is on the horizon for him and his band mates. Get a glimpse into their ‘Fun’ plans for the future.
Interview:
Natasha Jordan: Okay, let’s start off with an introduction
Nate Ruess: I am Nate (Ruess) and I play in the band Fun.
NJ: Awesome, do you play any instruments?
NR: I do not, I only sing.
NJ: Who are the other guys in the band, so we can include them as well?
NR: Jack (Antoff) plays guitar, and Andrew (Dost) plays keyboards.
NJ: Awesome, so you guys are starting the Panic! Tour at the end of May. What goes into the preparation for a tour?
NR: Usually just a lot of rehearsing, a lot of just kind of figuring out what is going to be different from the last tour. You know, and having to do things like buy a new trailer because your other one fell apart.
NJ: Ouch, what are some must haves for the road?
NR: I have to have my video game laptop so I can be playing video games when I am waiting around. There is a lot of just, waiting, on the road.
NJ: Are you guys traveling by bus or by van?
NR: I believe by bus.
NJ: Awesome.
NR: So that will be our first tour with a bus, so it will be nice to be able to just spend some time song writing, and doing things we usually don’t get to do because we are always just driving in a van.
NJ: So is that how you guys are planning on spending most of your travel time? Writing and hanging out? Or are there any particular ‘Fun’ games that you guys play?
NR: I think we feel like you know, in order to have a bus, since it’s kind of a costly thing, we feel it’s in our best interest to actually be working. Which I think we all think is a really good idea any ways. I mean, we all enjoy each other’s company so I’m pretty sure we will find some exciting things to do, you know, when we’re not doing things as treacherous as writing music.
NJ: Sounds exciting! You guys just played Coachella, right?
NR: Yes.
NJ: What was the best part of that performance?
NR: I think it was, on one end being finished and being able to get some water because it was really hot. I think on the other end it was really cool to be there, and see what it was all about. And it made us feel good about ourselves when we were playing, because it felt like there were lots of people who knew who we were. And it didn’t feel so much like we were playing a festival, it felt a lot like it was our own show.
NJ: Have you played any festivals before, or was that your first one?
NR: I believe that was our first one.
NJ: Are you looking forward to any particular show on the Panic! Tour?
NR: I think I am excited for them all. I always love being home in New York, and playing. That’s always a good feeling, and New York fans are amazing. I think there are great pockets everywhere. It’s not really like East Coast, or West Coast or Midwest. I think it’s a good 80% of the venues you go and play.
NJ: What makes the 20% not exciting?
NR: Usually, feeling uncomfortable on stage, or boring, or if the crowd’s reaction isn’t that great.
NJ: So what’s next on the album front for you guys? Are you working on a new record?
NR: We are working on a new album right now?
NJ: Are you still writing? Where have you pulled your inspiration from for the new music?
NR: We are almost done with the recording process. We have been inspired by so many different things. I think we have been inspired by, more than anything, just to progress. Progressing our sound and find new things that we maybe haven’t done before, or been able to put in previous songs. And I think it’s always easier when you just come in with a really good song that could almost work in so many different styles, and so many different ways, I think it affords me the liberty to explore so many different facets in this art.
NJ: So for people who have never heard you before, what would you say you sounded most like?
NR: To me it’s just, pop music. It doesn’t get too weird. Sometimes it can get theatrical, but it’s just pop music. We’re just having a good time.
NJ: What was your most memorable show to date that you guys have played together?
NR: I think it was NYC on our last tour. It was a headlining tour and it was really wonderful show. And I think it was a crowning moment in our careers to see that many people, and have that good of a show, and that good of a time, and kind of just put our nerves aside and just have a wonderful show.
The passion for music and the drive to be a better musician definitely shows in the questions I asked Nate. Go and check them out this summer, they are opening for Panic at the Disco, and be look out for news on their new album.
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Here are the tour dates for fun:
MAY
22 Boston, MA House of Blues
24 New York, NY Terminal 5
25 Hartford, CT Webster Theatre
27 Atlanta, GA The Tabernacle
29 Pompano Beach, FL Pompano Beach Amphitheatre
31 Charlotte, NC The Fillmore
JUNE
2 Norfolk, VA Norva Theater
3 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE
4 Detroit, MI The Fillmore
5 Toronto, ON Sound Academy
7 Cleveland, OH House of Blues
8 Chicago, IL Riviera Theater
9 Columbus, OH LC Pavilion
10 Milwaukee, WI Egyptian Room @ Murat Center
11 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
12 Kansas City, MO Beaumont Club
14 Dallas, TX Palladium Ballroom
15 Houston, TX House of Blues
17 Tempe, AZ Marquee Theatre
18 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues
19 San Diego, CA House of Blues
21 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
22 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre
24 Seattle, WA Showbox SoDo
26 Boise, ID Knitting Factory
28 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
29 Omaha, NE Sokol Auditorium |
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