SPILL MAGAZINE PRESENTS ’77 MONTRÉAL TEN QUESTIONS WITH ANTI-FLAG AND STEVE IGNORANT
QUESTIONS FROM SPILL MAGAZINE’S LUCY SKY & MARK DEAN
ARTIST NAME: ANTI-FLAG
1. When playing a festival like this, do you curate a heavier based and unique set, or do you stick with the same setlist as the rest of the tour?
We use the same setlist, but sometimes a certain song may not be relevant to that particular time or it might not have worked at a previous gig – so sometimes we’ll put in a different song.
2. Would you say the fact that the festival is directly geared towards heavy music has an impact on your performance style?
No – it makes no difference to me what kind of gig I’m performing at.
3. Have you played ’77 Montréal before? What was your experience like? If not, are you expecting ’77 Montréal to be similar, or different than other festivals?
Never played ’77 Montréal before so I’m intrigued to see what it is like. Looking forward to it.
4. What has your experience been like playing Canada in comparison to the rest of the world? If not, what are you expecting from a Canadian crowd?
I found that the Canadians always give a great response and are incredibly supportive.
5. Who are you most excited to share the stage with?
All of them – it’s always great to meet new bands and new people and share experiences over a beer.
6. This year’s festival lineup is diverse as usual. What band are you yourself most looking forward to seeing? What was your own personal introduction to their music?
I don’t think I’ve met any of these bands so I can’t really comment on that. As I say I’m just looking forward to meeting them.
7. Festivals are more multi-genre than they used to be. Can you share with us a band that you first saw at a festival that was sufficiently different and grabbed your attention?
Yeah a long time ago, in 1982 perhaps, there was a small festival in London and the band called Dead Man’s Shadow were playing and I was riveted by their set. Absolutely brilliant – raw and full of passion.
8. Festival foods have much improved in recent years since the festivals back in the eighties. Outside of the traditional festival food of burgers and fries, can you share your favourite culinary festival dish? What was it, and where did you have it?
Again I happened to be in London and there was a small community festival of different cultures in Islington. It ranged from Asian to Middle Eastern and I discovered falafel. I’ve never tasted any as good since.
9. Scheduling at festivals is always tight and sometimes things overrun. Has that ever caused any particular amusing incidents or indeed any accidents for you personally?
Not for me personally no. There’s always one band that runs overtime but I don’t mind, it means that I don’t have to work as long – Ha Ha!
10. Outside of the great lineup here at ’77 Montréal, including your own band what would be your ideal festival lineup? Let’s think old-school one day festival lineups and narrow it to five other acts?
Rubella Ballet, Poison Girls, Toots And The Maytals, Joni Mitchell and Miles Davis.
Well you did say ‘Old School’ 🙂
ARTIST NAME: STEVE IGNORANT
1. When playing a festival like this, do you curate a heavier based and unique set, or do you stick with the same setlist as the rest of the tour?
I think for us, the set is always about what will connect with people and further our collective agenda. At a punk rock festival like this, people will know that Anti-Flag is a band that uses our vocation to challenge racism/sexism/homophobia/transphobia/islamophobia and bigotry of all kind. Our focus will be on celebrating the fact that many people in the audience understand this and we have each other’s back in this fight against neo-fascism and hatred.
2. Would you say the fact that the festival is directly geared towards heavy music has an impact on your performance style?
Not really. We put ourselves into every show, regardless of the lineup, or if there are thousands of folks or hundreds. This has been the way we’ve operated the band for the last 20 years. People connect with honesty. We want to be true to ourselves and our audience at every show.
3. Have you played Heavy Montréal before? What was your experience like? If not, are you expecting Heavy Montréal to be similar or different than other festivals?
We have never played Heavy Montréal. We are playing ‘77 festival, but we’d happily play Heavy any year.
4. What has your experience been like playing Canada in comparison to the rest of the world? If not, what are you expecting from a Canadian crowd?
Canada and specifically Québec have always been at the forefront of supporting and championing punk rock music. It’s always an honour and a privilege to play to such well-versed and educated audiences.
5. Who are you most excited to share the stage with?
Interrupters. We haven’t played with them yet and crossed paths many times. Even had Kevin from the band play organ on our last record.
6. This year’s festival lineup is diverse as usual. What band are you yourself most looking forward to seeing? What was your own personal introduction to their music?
Those are kind of the same question. But we’re kicking off our tour with Rise Against and AFI, and both bands are great inspirations to us, so seeing them is going to set the bar very high for the tour.
7. Festivals are more multi-genre than they used to be. Can you share with us a band that you first saw at a festival that was sufficiently different and grabbed your attention?
I mean I go all the way back to Warped Tour 1999 and seeing Eminem. I was a fan of the record but to see it live was phenomenal. I think I’m the era of iPods and the instant gratification of every song ever being on your phone. The live music world should reflect that diversity.
8. Festival foods have much improved in recent years since the festivals back in the eighties. Outside of the traditional festival food of burgers and fries, can you share your favourite culinary festival dish? What was it, and where did you have it?
In Europe there is a company called Just Like Your Mom that makes incredible all vegan comfort food. Any festival site they’re on, that is what we eat.
9. Scheduling at festivals is always tight and sometimes things overrun. Has that ever caused any particular amusing incidents or indeed any accidents for you personally?
We tend to be punctual and try not to make anyone mad at us, so our sets usually start and end on time even if we have to suffer because our sound on stage isn’t right. We had a crazy thing happen this summer in Germany where the PA over heated and went out, so we turned our monitors on stage around to face the crowd. We didn’t have sound on stage, but the show isn’t for us, it’s for them, so we carried on.
10. Outside of the great lineup here at ’77 Montréal, including your own band, what would be your ideal festival lineup? Let’s think old-school one day festival lineups and narrow it to five other acts?
I’m gonna go all Canadian:
Billy Talent / Propagandhi / Fucked Up / Bedouin Soundclash / Anti-Flag
Festival Links
SPILL FEATURE: ’77 MONTRÉAL Q&A: CELEBRATING 40+ YEARS OF PUNK ROCK
