A Sunny Day in Glasgow

A Sunny Day in Glasgow

13 May, 2010
by: Robmccallum

A Sunny Day in Glasgow are purveyors of the most beautiful dream pop you might ever imagine to hear. We chat with Ben from the band before they hit London town

Just to save the confusion A Sunny Day In Glasgow aren’t actually from Glasgow, they aren’t even from Scotland; they reside over the other side of the pond in sunny Philadelphia. However, the band described as the Fleetwood Mac of the new weird America - who released their EP ‘Nitetime Rainbows’ on March 2 following last years critically acclaimed full length ‘Ashes Grammar’ – stand somewhat alone as a global export from the state with their hazy sonic explorations of pop. We caught up with Ben Daniels to talk all things tour.

Check out the bands somewhat absurd new video for 'So Bloody So Tight', taken from their 'Nitetime Rainbows' EP, below.


Due to a bit of a freak accident, you guys have seen a bit of a roster change of late.

Well, the accident was just one of the things that happened while we were recording Ashes Grammar.  But our bassist at the time, Brice, was literally taking some things out of the boot of his car so he could put his amp and bass in there when he somehow slipped on some wet leaves and fell in such a way to break several bones in his leg, in several places, the x-ray was horrific.

Are the changes permanent?

Yes

You come to the UK off the back of a pretty gargantuan tour of the States. How has the reaction been so far?
 
Very positive!  The shows in the US we've just played were the best ones we ever have, lots of sell outs and really enthusiastic crowds.

You played quite heavily at SXSW, how important do you feel that is?
  
Having done it now, I don't really know why a band would do it for any other reason than having a good time.  I guess a lot of music fans go to SXSW to discover new bands and being there provides them with a chance to see you, which is great, but yeah, I don't really know the point of it anymore.  We had a great time though.
 
You guys are coming to the UK for the first time in April. Are you excited to see what the reaction will be?

This will actually be our 3rd time in the UK.  The first time it was just me, my sister and Brice with an iPod playing drums.  We sold out a show in London and I felt so bad because shows with an iPod drummer are the worst and I think the crowd agreed with that assessment.  We also played a show in Glasgow on that trip and it was just as bad but the people were so nice about it up there.  The second time we were here was much better.  We had a full band and it was great.  Stephen Pastel and members of Teenage Fanclub came out to see us in Glasgow and that still kind of blows my mind.
 
Ah, sorry about that. You’re playing The Luminaire in May following a more intimate show at The Windmill earlier this year. What can fans expect from an ASDIG live show?

We played The Luminaire before and loved that place.  We’d never been to The Windmill before but our live show is maybe more rocking than our records.
 
I was originally going to pen this as a new band feature, however with two full studio albums and a range of EP’s I feel I may be a little late.  How have you kept off the radar so much in the UK?

No idea.

OK, the music you guys make is pretty lucid in its structures.  What’s your approach to writing and recording?

I don't know that there is an approach.  We just keep working until it sounds done or right.
 
Philadelphia seems to have quite a rich roster of artists coming through at the minute – what do you feel has led to such a rich scene?

Again, I have no idea.  Philly is a wonderful city with lots of college kids and cheap rent (or at least a LOT cheaper than NYC), so lots of people are living there and doing interesting things because it's so easy to live there.
 
Finally, you sound like a band that would be quite suited to a festival – do you have any such plans here in the UK?

We love playing festivals but I don’t know that we have anything lined up in the UK now.  If Glastonbury is reading this though, can we play at your festival?

ASDIG play the final UK date of their European tour at The Luminaire on Thursday May 20th, unless they get asked to come back and play Glastonbury . . .

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Robmccallum