"We've been getting more upbeat in our live shows. After being locked up in the van all day we're ready to have a good time and rock as hard as we can. I think we definitely wanted this record to be a more upbeat, rockin' experience."- Jim James
(JamBase interview, January 2004)
The live show
"It’s funny, when I see “Okonokos” [live 2006 DVD] or something like that. When I actually see clips of us playing, it’s like 'Oh wow these guys are pretty good.' It’s so strange. Well I guess it’s not that strange. When you’re in the middle of it and you’re doing it you just have no clue. But even when I saw Patrick and Carl play with Bobby Bare Jr. in Austin a couple of years ago I was like “Holy shit,” watching them play. I understood. Not being a part of what they were doing and watching them play as individuals. There was a weird energy and a magical thing that happened. It’s hard to describe. I don’t know, it’s weird. Years ago when we were touring on At Dawn live shows were so different. It was like we wanted to be, I don’t want to say we wanted to be a metal band, but that’s what it felt like when we got on stage. Like we were Metallica in the ‘80s or something. (laughs). It wasn’t even something we talked about. It was just like that was what we did. I guess it was what we had grown up listening to and watching all the time. Hardcore and metal and stuff like that. I guess that really seeped its way into the live show, whereas the recording was a totally different world. Maybe that’s where it comes from. Just that music we were listening to growing up."- Tom Blankenship
(The Aquarian Weekly, June 2008)
"It's amazing, I’ve been in this band for a while now. It's still amazing. It's everything anybody would it imagine it to be. For me, growing up outside of Louisville- the biggest city in Kentucky which isn’t even that big, you always have these dreams of being on stage or just playing music in general. I still have that feeling when I’m on stage that I’m in my bedroom and I’m 13 or 14 years old and I’m listening to a Zeppelin record or I’m 16 years old and I’m listening to some Louisville hard core. Those air guitar moments, that’s really what its all about you know? That feeling of being a kid or adolescent. You have fun on stage in that way. "- Tom Blankenship
(College Tower interview, June 2005)
The audience
"We try not to care about group divisions as far as audiences and stuff like that because that's just silly," he says. "We welcome anyone at our shows. The great thing about music is that it can bring people of all walks together. We tour a lot and play festival dates when we can. That's usually very fun because it allows you to play to a larger crowd than you might be used to and sometimes you get to watch your heroes perform from the side of the stage. I mean, I've seen Bob Dylan, Neil Young and the Flaming Lips all within pissing distance!"- Jim James
(Jonk Music, June 25 2005)
"I think we just like to have fun and try to convey that to the audience as well, without losing all the meaning."- Jim James
(Pitchfork interview, August 2002)
Dangerous moves
"I've fallen into the drum kit a few times, just not paying attention. I've definitely hurt myself. It kind of scares me to see clips of myself playing."- Tom Blankenship
(Rolling Stone interview, October 2005)
Records vs. live performances
"We've always wanted it to be two different experiences. The record would be this timeless thing that we hope will live on far after we are gone. The live performances are just us having fun and us living out our thirteen-year-old fantasy of air-guitaring on our beds."- Tom Blankenship
(Rolling Stone interview, October 2005)
Touring
"They treat us nice over there, and we always like to crank it up a couple of notches. We like to blow the doors off a bit when we play live."Jim James, talking about touring Europe (Netherlands)
(CMJ New Music Monthly interview, June 2002)
What is the atmosphere like when you are on tour? It sounds like it can be pretty exhausting and hectic.- Tom Blankenship
Yeah, it definitely can be. We’re all in pretty good spirits most of the time. It’s definitely exhausting. It’s all how you pace it, how well you take care of yourself. Try not to drink every night, try to get some sleep. Same kind of stuff. It’s no difeerent than working a normal job in a lot of ways. Trying to take care of yourself and making sure that you have some time to yourself.
(College Tower interview, June 2005)
