Charming, handsome, talented, amazing, life changing. These are all ways you could describe the wonderful boys of local indie rock band Brucemont. We were blessed enough to get to interview them about new music, house shows, and most importantly the Harris Teeter hot bar. Read the full thing after the jump and prepare yourself to fall in love.
If you could play a show with any musician/band living or dead who would it be and why?
What's the best #BrucemontApproved place to get food here in AVL?
Follow Brucemont on Instagram (@brucemont.band) / Film Photos by Audrey Keelin / Majestic Mountain Photo by Karly Hartzman
Is this on the record?
Is the street in West Asheville named after you guys or is it the other way around? Please tell me it's actually just named after you.
We get that a lot - "Radiohead" was taken, so we just looked at the closest street sign. It worked out!
You guys have all known each other since high school, so what do you think the high school would think if they saw what you're doing now?
Strangely, we have a sort of fan base of people who went to (and go to) our old high school. Not sure if it involves any of our old teachers (shoutout to Heidi Freeman tho), but a lot of people we went to school with have shown up to some of our shows. It's cool high schoolers that still go there who come, because it's the kind of stuff we did when we were younger. It would probably be uncomfortable if we played a school assembly or something though, like if the whole high school saw what we were doing now it would probably just shrug. Our principal is disappointed Julien didn't go to college.
How would you describe your sound to someone who's never heard you before?
Hope you like guitars! Actually some people have told us our recorded music sounds like The Shins and Radiohead? Like if they were worse? The new stuff is moving in a slightly different direction though and we're really excited about it.
Do you have any new material in the works? If so, please give us all the exclusive secrets.
We've actually been keeping our heads down the last couple months to focus on learning a bunch of new material - we've got an album in the works! We've also got an EP planned after that. So yes, new material is coming, and no it's no secret! We're planning a big house show on December 15th with a ton of other great local bands and artists, where we'll play through our new album as a sort of debut.
How would you describe the energy you guys have when playing a live show together?
It can really depend! When we had our run of shows this summer, we designed a setlist that was supposed to be more energetic/danceable. It works really well in small venues like the Odditorium or a basement, our shows can be really high energy. We love playing to our friends! But then we've played shows at festivals and stuff in the middle of the afternoon, and the energy is a little different. People bob their heads if we're lucky.
If you could play a show with any musician/band living or dead who would it be and why?
We think it would be really fun to play a show with Beethoven. He'd be all like "This isn't music" and "Why am I here", but he'd also shred on the piano.
What's been the coolest experience for you all since starting the band?
We played this private chef's festival that was on a lamb farm in the middle of nowhere, Virginia. It was basically a three-day orgy of amazing & free food, alcohol, country music, and then us for some reason. We also got paid more than any other show! We're still not sure if it actually happened or if it was a collective dream; either way we hope they ask us back next year.
Asheville is a 'food town', so hopefully we don't offend anyone here - but Five Points diner is probably our favorite place to hang out. It's a block away from where we practice, we've eaten there before leaving town, and before sets/recording sessions. Unofficially the Harris Teeter hot bar is a staple.
Follow Brucemont on Instagram (@brucemont.band) / Film Photos by Audrey Keelin / Majestic Mountain Photo by Karly Hartzman