Chat In a Hat: Hastings
Photo & Interview courtesy of: Carolyn Lederach
The rules are simple...there's a hat, the hat is filled with many questions ranging from the personal to the offbeat. We pass the hat, and artists get a chance to answer the question they choose from said hat. Fun is had by all.
If you’ve been on the search for a new songwriter with some super addictive bops, look no further than Hastings. I’ve had “Heart’s Not In It” on repeat since my first listen last year. We sat down with Matt in Philadelphia on the last show of his first tour, opening for The Band Camino. It’s hard not to instantly enjoy his live set, which consisted of his recently released self-titled EP, Hastings. We can’t wait to see where the bright future of Hastings goes from here.
Without further ado, here's our Chat in the Hat with Hastings:
Favorite album?
Vice Verses by Switchfoot or Continuum by John Mayer.
Outside of music, do you have any hobbies?
I like to play basketball. I play basketball like twice a week. It's not competitive at all. I played in high school and quickly fell out of love with it because everybody got taller than me.
If you could create one holiday, what would it be?
You know how you always had those pajama days in school? I feel like that would be cool.
If you could be an animal for the day, what would you be?
Leopard! I would feel like I would want to run super fast or something. I've always loved those.
Do you have any tour souvenirs?
Not so many souvenirs, but I've got some tattoos. I got one in Chicago. It's a crying eye. And then this is our tour tattoo. So, everybody got that one, which is cool. Some of them got the red around them, like the sun, but I didn't really want any color.
So if the apocalypse is tomorrow, what's the last thing you would do?
Skydive. I've never done that. And I've always been afraid of heights. I feel like I just want to knock that fear out.
What is your zombie apocalypse plan?
That's a great follow-up question. I've had so many conversations about this and I would probably have like six or seven of my friends. We would just post up. I feel like during the zombie apocalypse, you just want people you trust.
Favorite, scary movie.
Midsommar
Your guilty pleasure song.
Probably something from Wiz Khalifa.
If you could eat anything right now, what would it be?
Full breakfast meal. I love breakfast. Like biscuits, gravy, bacon, the whole deal. That's my favorite type of food for sure.
Chat In a Hat: Julia Wolf
The rules are simple...there's a hat, this hat is filled with many questions ranging from the personal to the offbeat. We pass the hat, and artists get a chance to answer the question they choose from said hat. Fun is had by all.
Julia Wolf is currently set out on her first tour opening for the wonderful Fletcher. Not to mention, all the shows are sold out, not a bad start! We got to catch her at her Philly show and do a little catch-up since our Quarantine Profile with Julia back during lockdown times. Since then she’s been busy releasing more new music including her debut album Girls in Purgatory and her latest single “RIP to the Club”. So many exciting things to come, and can’t wait to see where she goes next!
Without further ado, here's our Chat in the Hat with Julia Wolf:
What's the stupidest thing you did in your teens to look cool?
It wasn’t high school, but every day in elementary school, I wore a tie because I was obsessed with Avril Lavigne and, you know, had to represent.
Would you rather change the past or be able to see into the future?
Absolutely see to the future! I wanna know everything. I have no issues with past experiences.
If you could invite two people to a dinner party, who would they be?
Definitely Jack Harlow. Cause he's my favorite of all time. And the second one, I’d have to say Robert, Pattinson, because Twilight forever.
If you could have any superpower, what would you want?
I think I'd want to be invisible.
The apocalypse is tomorrow. What's the last thing you would do?
I would do a whole trip back to my hometown and just do all the cute little things that we used to do on Long Island. We can bring Malfoy, our dog.
The last thing that you've done, that you deserve a Highfive for
Soundcheck!
What is your favorite album?
Jack Harlow That’s What They All Say
If you could eat anything right now, what would it be?
Gnocchi
Chat In a Hat: Christian French
The rules are simple...there's a hat, this hat is filled with many questions ranging from the personal to the offbeat. We pass the hat, and artists get a chance to answer the question they choose from said hat. Fun is had by all.
Christian French recently finished up a US tour after having to previously cancel his 2020 tour as COVID lockdown took its hold. He’s released a couple of bops in the meantime such as “Avalanche” and most recently “Oh Well”. We got to catch up with Christian at his Philly show. Read on for our interview, live photo gallery, and the latest music video for “Oh Well”.
Without further ado, here's our Chat in the Hat with Christian French:
Who is your biggest influence?
I think musically John Mayer definitely is my guy. I've been listening to him since I was three years old and my mom's just always had his CDs playing. I've always followed his albums and then a couple of years ago really started to get into his interviews and I was seeing who he was for the first time and I just really respect how well-spoken he is. So he's someone I really look up to a lot both as a person and a musician.
What was the first record you ever bought?
I got really obsessed with Queen when I was little and my sister asked me what I wanted for Christmas and it was that and an iPod touch that I wanted really bad and she's like you have to pick one. I picked the Queen’s Greatest Hits album, so I didn’t buy it, but it was the first cd that I owned. So I was definitely obsessed with Queen and then the Usher’s Confessions album was my next one that I just absolutely loved.
If you can invite two people to a dinner party who would they be?
I mean I hate to repeat John Mayer but I would love to see him there. And then Rick Ruben who is a crazy crazy talented producer that also I think is really well-spoken and really tapped into like kind of the spiritual side of things that I feel like a lot of people mess. So I would learn a lot from those two in even just 20 minutes.
What would your Wild West outlaw gang name be?
Zombie Runaway Gang. We decided last tour cause of COVID we wouldn't go home and just keep playing to zombies since there was an outbreak.
what's the last movie you cried to?
I absolutely bawled at Marley and Me and I recently watched it again and I cried again. The animal ones always get you the hardest.
What is my guilty pleasure song?
“Love Song” by Sara Bareilles. I don't know if a hit counts as a guilty pleasure song, but I love that song.
What is your favorite song on your record / EP?
I got this song called “oh well” coming absolutely loved. I wrote it just in the middle of the pandemic when I was going through a super shitty time and instead of writing this super snippy sad song I tried to have fun with it and that’s what we came up with and I love it. Then a song that’s out I'm really proud of is “Head First”, and I'm really really proud of “Avalanche”.
Would you rather have the superpowers of fly or to become invisible?
I've always wanted to fly and every once in a while you get those dreams where you do fly for a second and it's a blast.
If you could be an animal for the day what would you be?
I mean if it's forever I would be a dog cause they just get to vibe and love you and that’s about it. I don't know I would want to be deep in the jungle but also not be an animal that would get eaten.
Outside of music do you have any hobbies?
I love cooking I'm like the house Chef for my roommates and I love being in nature so we go camping every couple of weeks. I played ice hockey my entire life and I haven't recently because of COVID. I’m in a men’s league playing with some 40/50-year-olds. Then I like to read as well.
What is your favorite song and or album right now?
I am currently in love with the War on Drugs. A Deeper Understanding is just one of the best albums I've listened to in a long time, but I just found it a few months ago. My favorite songs off that are “Pain” and “Thinking of a Place”.
Favorite scary movie:
Insidious.
What is your zombie apocalypse plan?
We're stuck in the Sprinter van. Set up all the gear in the trailer then drive and play at the same time and shoot lasers at the zombies from the guitars. We will fix the zombie apocalypse
In Focus: Guitarists
Cover photos by (left to right): Ana Santos, Joanna Glezakos, Violeta Alvarez, Edwina Hay, Carolyn Lederach
In Focus is a Photo Ladies collaborative photo series that showcases our members’ favorite photos, focusing on a different theme each month.
Guitarists will often steal the show with their prominent stage presence, but we decided to dedicate one of our In Focus features to them anyways. From small local venues to large festival stages, from names you’ve probably never heard before to Lenny Kravitz- we’ve got it all in the gallery below.
Check out our previous In Focus galleries here: Drummers | Keyboardists | Bass Players | Jump Shots | Crowd Surfing | Shot on Film | Epic Mic Shots | Festivals
ⓒ All photos are subject to copyrights and cannot be used without the photographer’s permission
In Focus: Epic Mic Shots
Cover photos by (left to right): Ana Santos, Gili Dailes, Annie Lesser, Jordan Hefler, Ana Santos
In Focus is a Photo Ladies collaborative photo series that showcases our members’ favorite photos, focusing on a different theme each month.
When thinking about iconic mic poses, one of the first people that come to mind is Freddie Mercury, who has set the bar high with his famous mic-stand poses. Photos of him with his iconic mic grip have become a symbol of an era.
We’ve put together a selection of our very own epic moments in this month’s In Focus: Epic Mic Shots.
Check out our previous In Focus galleries here: Drummers | Keyboardists | Bass Players | Jump Shots | Crowd Surfing | Shot on Film
ⓒ All photos are subject to copyrights and cannot be used without the photographer’s permission
QUARANTINE PROFILE: CLOVER
We’ve launched a profile series to highlight how artists are spending their time during the quarantine. Several times a week we’ll highlight a new artist across the globe and see how they’re keeping busy during COVID-19 lockdowns.
A magical fav of ours over the last couple of months is CLOVER! She’s spent her quarantine on a journey from New York to California (or wherever the road takes her). More cool factors include all her eco-dyed merch and clothes, which you can check out more about on her Instagram. She recently released her latest single ”Sunman” (which you can check out the incredible video for below). CLOVER will be doing a Virtual Concert 5/27 @8pm EST (feat. New + Unreleased Songs) - Link to join: https://zoom.us/j/6476304524 **Suggested Donation $10** (venmo: @clovermusic)
CLOVER Online: Instagram | Website | Patreon | Spotify | YouTube
Where have you been spending your quarantine?
My quarantine story is not the norm, as I’ve had many quarantine locations. When the pandemic hit I was living in Brooklyn with my partner, Dani. Both of our jobs went remote so we decided to go live in a tent in Upstate NY on our friend’s property, using the house during the day for work and then heading back into the forest at night. Once it started getting too cold to camp, we took advantage of remote working and started a cross-country road trip. We took our time and busked along the way, bringing live music back to the people in the safest way possible. I am now quarantining in Ojai, CA, and experiencing my first warm winter ever!
How have you been staying busy during quarantine? (or not keeping busy is totally fine too)
I have started a lot of new creative projects including painting journals to sell while busking and botanically dyeing clothes with onion skins and avocado pits and skins. I’ve always felt conflicted about merch because a lot of it is not made sustainably. Painting journals and thrifting/dyeing/screen-printing my own shirts has allowed me to make merch that I feel is sustainable and valuable. The journals can be used for someone’s creative practices and the t-shirts are made without any waste - each one unique and made with so much love and care!
What’s something new you’ve cooked/baked?
Some quarantine food-related experiments have been sushi, oat milk, and microwaved chocolate lava cake.
Go to quarantine snack: Hummus, pita bread, olives, baba, labne - boom
This is a picture of the most beautiful outdoor bball court I've ever had the pleasure of playing on. This is where I spend some of my time after work in Ojai, CA. Most people are surprised when they hear this, but basketball has always been a huge part of my life and continues to be no matter where I travel.
Song (or album) you’ve had on repeat: “Hypotheticals” by Lake Street Dive. It’s on repeat on my Spotify and in my head.
What is keeping you happy?
Sunshine, my partner Dani, my many craft hobbies, baths.
What’s something you miss the most right now?
Hugging people when I meet them. I feel anxiety around meeting new people because of COVID. I feel like I can’t fully be myself or interact with them the way that I would naturally and that’s really complicated. I definitely miss the people that I know and love and haven’t seen in a while, but I also really miss interacting with strangers - especially while traveling. I’m living in a new place and I want to get to know the locals, but there are so many added layers of caution that it’s exhausting.
What do you hope we take away from this?
I hope we have all received clarity on who and what is important to us. The pandemic has provided us with the space and time to re-evaluate the way we live our lives, what we do with our time, and who we spend it with. I hope that we all come out of this with healthy new habits, new self-love practices, creative joys, and hope.
Anything new we should know about that you’re working on?
I have a new song and music video coming out in April that I am SO excited about! I wrote the song “Sunman” for my partner Dani’s birthday. He was born on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, and also has a super sunny personality. We made the music video while I was quarantining in Upstate NY in the fall. I was lucky enough to be quarantining with a group of artists whose creativity knows no bounds so we were able to make a stunning video in the mystical woods of Hudson. I was quarantining with enough people that I was even able to have some backup dancers - you definitely don’t want to miss this one!
In Focus: Crowd Surfing
Cover photos by (left to right): Jenny Ramone Photo, Mallory Turner, Annie Lesser, Gili Dailes, Victoria Ford (Sneakshot Photography)
In Focus is a Photo Ladies collaborative photo series that showcases TPL members’ favorite photos, focusing on a different theme each month.
As concert photographers we always wait for an exciting moment to happen on stage so that we can capture it, but sometimes we are treated to an exciting moment off the stage. This month we are giving you our favorite Crowd Surfing photos, with the hope that we can soon return to witnessing such epic moments safely
Check out our previous In Focus galleries here: Drummers | Keyboardists | Bass Players | Jump Shots
ⓒ All photos are subject to copyrights and cannot be used without the photographer’s permission
Ashe by Mallory Turner
QUARANTINE PROFILE: Fast River
We’ve launched a profile series to highlight how artists are spending their time during the quarantine. Several times a week we’ll highlight a new artist across the globe and see how they’re keeping busy during COVID-19 lockdowns.
The band members are: Corey Durkin, Canyon Sharits, Dylan Cochrane, Andrew DeNicola, Daniel Caravella and Douglas Dejong.
Where have you been spending your quarantine?
Canyon: In our 900 sq ft apt!
Dylan: My fiancé and I bought our first house last April, and we have barely left since. But mostly spending my time in my temporary in-house studio, and Home Depot.
Andrew: Mostly at home, practicing/composing music, keeping in communication with my friends and family, and working part-time. Also exercising like hiking, jogging, biking, and Qi gong.
How have you been staying busy during quarantine? (or not keeping busy is totally fine too)
Canyon: I have two jobs in addition to being a musician and momma. So, aside from last March when lockdown first started, it’s been busier than ever before.
Dylan: I have a 1.5 year old son Odin who keeps me pretty busy but other than that working on music and small house projects. I built some really crappy shelves a few months ago :)
Doug: I've been practicing as much as possible and picking up a few new instruments. I've always "played" drums but now with quarantine, I figure my neighbors are more hesitant to knock on my door so I've finally been playing every day.
Dan: Playing an excessive amount of golf.
Anything new you’ve learned? / Something new you’ve done:
Doug: I started a hockey podcast - "Tougie's Take" - and spent a lot of time learning to mix and edit spoken word. There were a lot of subtleties to producing a podcast that I wasn't expecting, but roughly 100 youtube tutorials and 20 articles later, I'm pretty happy with the results I'm getting.
Dan: Learning how layer 1 through layer 3 networking works and how to consistently hit a cut or a draw on the golf course. Andrew: How to make different types of espresso drinks, recording my own music, and getting a personal trainer to learn new workout exercises.
Corey: I learned the difference between a leaf blower and a chainsaw.
Go-to quarantine snack:
Dylan: Double Stuff Oreos and milk all day every day.
Doug: String Cheese. I'm up to a 2-stick-a-day habit that I might need to kick when I finally go outside again.
Dan: Black forest ham/American cheese rollup with some dijon for dipping
Andrew: Knokkerbread crispbread crackers with hummus
Corey: Sourdough toast with butter wherein the toast is really just a vehicle for the butter.
Canyon: I went through a SERIOUS trail mix obsession in the beginning... like... serious. I was buying tons of different mixes (when I could find them from the bare-shelved store) and got to the point where I was combining different varieties (think dill pickle & cherry/chocolate). It got weird.
If you could only watch one film or TV show for the rest of time what would it be?
Canyon: Dateline!
Dylan: That 70’s Show
Doug: The Simpsons
Corey: West Wing
Andrew: The rest of Stanley Kubrick’s movies.
Dan: Lord of the Rings
What’s the best advice you’ve received during this time?
Dylan: Never leave your guitar pedals on the ground when you have a child. You will never find that "one" sound ever again.
Canyon: Do the opposite of what your brain tells you that it wants to do. If I’m ever scared/intimidated/overwhelmed by the idea of doing something... I force myself to do it so that my “fear brain” doesn’t win. I’d rather LIVE life than sit it out but man, it’s a CHOICE!
Doug: If you learn from your mistakes, they were investments.
Dan: When golfing, for every 10mph of wind in your face assume a 10% loss of club distance…for every 10mph of wind at your back, assume 5% increase in that clubs distance. Invaluable advice.
Andrew: To take your time with what you're doing, sharpen the tools that you already possess, and keep reaching out to people even if it feels difficult.
Corey: Dan told me to focus on details like 'picking a chord progression and tuning your guitars.' He wasn't wrong.
What’s something you miss the most right now?
Canyon: hugging people!
Dylan: Going to concerts and baseball games! I would give a lot to pay 12$ for a hotdog at a ballpark right about now.
Doug: It sounds like such a small thing, but I really miss those ridiculously oversized club sandwiches that pubs serve. Why are their sandwiches so much larger than other places? I don't know but I sure would love to eat one. Right now, even.
Corey: Watching my friends play shows.
Dan: I miss my friends the most, not seeing them all for months at a time is very new (in the grand scheme of things) and has certainly left a massive gap in my life.
Andrew: Performing live shows.