Last year at UTOPiAfest in Utopia, TX, Sonicbids artist The Giving Tree Band took in the beautiful Texas hill country and met a great deal of new friends. With two slots reserved in 2012, and $500 compensation promised to each of them, we thought we'd check in with the band on how they got the most out of their UTOPiAfest experience.
Utopia, TX isn't the world's most recognizable destination for live music, what made it unique?
UtopiaFest is unique because it's tucked away in the beautiful hill country and still draws many of the passionate music fans from Austin. It has a real family atmosphere and everyone is friendly and respectful. So, we got to spend time getting to know the fans and other artists.
Lots of the Sonicbids folks are big fans of Dawes and Blitzen Trapper as well, what were they like to share a bill with?
Some of our band is well acquainted with Blitzen Trapper and really enjoy their music. So it's always nice to be on a bill with an arist like that. Dawes is a band that we'd been hearing a lot about and recently been compared with, so being at the same fest with them was also exciting. There were many other talented artists there that we got to meet like Keller Williams and Avi Buffalo and we had been touring in Texas with our good friends, Cornmeal, who were also at the fest.
The wide open Texas hill country must be awe-inspiring, what kind of lasting impression does performing in a place like that make on your band?
The scenery was way beyond what we could have expected. Surprisingly, it rivaled some breathtaking views at a fest we played near Missoula, MT which says a lot about the Texas Hill Country. The weather was perfect which helps when you're coming down from Chicago in October. The lasting impression is a perfectly clear night illuminated by so many stars.
What's the next big thing on the docket for you guys?
We are currently finishing our fourth studio album with details of release coming soon. We will be on tour this summer including many music festivals. We recently released a music video of the Grateful Dead's "Brown Eyed Women" and it has been featured on all the Dead's official online sites and the band commented on their facebook, saying: "Beautifully executed on all counts. Kind thanks to The Giving Tree Band!"
