*Blog for Mr. October and Caroline Sunshine*
Ava Luna is a neo-soul/art rock band from New York
The current line-up consists of:
Ethan Bassford - Bass
Felicia Douglass – Vocals, synthesizer
Julian Fader - Drums
Carlos Hernandez – Vocals, guitar, synthesizer
Becca Kauffman - Vocals, guitar
Nathan Tompkins – Synthesizer
They were the headline act for a show at Mohawk in downtown Austin on July 31. Lean Hounds and Wild Moccasins opened for them.
After playing a fantastic set, frontman Carlos Hernandez and drummer Julian Fader agreed to let us do an interview:
How long have y'all been together?
-More than 3 years.
Who is the main songwriter for the band?
-Carlos, but others also write, and they all contribute to the sound a lot.
How did you come up with the name?
-"Ava" translates to "symmetrical", but "Luna" was just random. We had a bunch of different ideas but we just thought "Luna" sounded best.
How would you describe your sound?
-At first it was experimental, and very conceptual, but it evolved with time. The guitars, for example, came later on.
What are some of your musical influences?
-A lot of post-punk bands like This Heat and Wire, and artists such as the NY70s.
How different is the new album from your previous albums?
-Guitar!! Before, there was no guitar... Another big change is that before, our sound was very rigid, but now it's more open and dynamic.
What is your favorite song off the new album?
-There's really no favorite, but if we had to pick one it would probably be "Sequential Holdings".
What’s your favorite place to go on tour?
-Austin!!!! Also Minneapolis, and Vancouver.
What was the craziest thing to happen at a show?
-Julian likes to throw his drum sticks for some reason....we don't know why. He just throws them and grabs new ones as the show goes on. And one time when he did this drumstick throw, he hit Carlos in the head - hilarious!