According to their press release (yeah, we went there) Kid Kenobi reckons Surecut Kids are gonna be the “next BIG thing! Style, skills, musical knowledge, and an invaluable sense of humor = all the ingredients of superstars in the making. Surecut Kids are surefire winners. Plus they have the word Kid in their name. Awesome.” Okay, Kid Kenobi. Settle down there, feller. Anyways, Benji and Mikey have purportedly been “pushing the boundaries of how much time two people can stand to be near each.” Sounds like our office. Har har. Check out what the boys have got to say as they reminisce about festivals in the first installation of our Festival Of The Sun spotlight. Yeow!
What was the first festival you ever went to?
Benji: Maybe a punk festival back when we were underage little whippersnappers. Maybe Vans Warped Tour?
Mikey: Yeah, it was the Vans Warped Tour for me too. I was 14 and I got so drunk beforehand trying to impress my older friends that I spewed scrambled eggs all over this guy’s house and passed out and missed the whole festival until about 7pm.
Share with us your most memorable non-musical festival moment – either as a performer or a punter.
Benji: Once two young individuals got very physical in a sexual way in the front row of the dance tent. I think they thought no one could see but it was very clear what they were doing from on stage [laughs].
Mikey: I can’t top that. That was truly amazing. Fingerbanged in the front row. It was so romantic!!
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Now give us the best ever musical moment.
Benji: Playing a packed Boiler Room at Big Day Out was pretty amazing. Also some of the acts I’ve got to see over time that have blown my mind.
Mikey: We’ve played the Big Day Out twice and they were two of our very best gigs, but I have to say that this year’s Parklife set was equally as fun for me. The crowd was just so up for it and the whole experience was just a dream run.
If you could curate your own festival who would you book to play?
Benji: Oh GOD!!!!! That would take me song long to choose. [laughs] Maybe Rage Against The Machine, Wu-Tang, Major Lazer, SBTRKT, Port O’Brien, 12th Planet. I could go on forever! It would be diverse that’s for sure.
Mikey: I would have us playing at the start of the day before anyone really had arrived, just so we could say that we’ve supported these people: Spank Rock, XXXchange, Santigold, Rye Rye, SBTRKT, Rusko, The XX, Ratatat, Sleigh Bells, and of course… Portishead.
Location is everything when it comes to staging an incredible festival event. If anything was possible, and no damage lasting, where would you stage your dream festival?
Benji: Festival Of The Sun have it pretty locked down, practically on the beach is a amazing place to have a festival. Maybe Bali?
Mikey: Yeah, give me sunshine and access to a body of water and I’m a happy man. Maybe on one side of a rivermouth that opens up to the ocean. So you could party on the beach or drift along in inflatable pool toys or have a surf and still hear the music. Hastings has a pretty good setup for that sort of thing.
Festival Of The Sun has an amazing lineup this year – who are you looking forward to seeing yourself? Are there any of the artists that you’ve performed with before (and can you tell us a sneaky secret about their backstage antics??)
Benji: I’m keen to watch Guineafowl and of course Art Vs Science will be a ball tearing party!
Mikey: Yeah, Art Vs Science are such an incredible live act. I saw them at Neverland a couple years ago and it was one of the best live gigs I’ve ever been to. The guitarist tipped a beer all over himself during one of the breakdowns and then for about the next 6 months I fantasised about doing that on stage. Never happened though! [laugh]
When you’re Rolling Stones Big, what are you going to request on your rider: don’t be shy. We want specifics!
Benji: Some quality booze and couches for us and our friends. Big requests don’t excite me that much.
Mikey: We heard that this DJ (I don’t want to say who) requests a special toaster at every festival because he brings his favourite type of bread with him everywhere. Whoa! For me it would be a bottle of nice tequilia, a case of cold Coopers Pale, and food… that’s the main thing. Food! We had a good food rider at a gig 2 weeks ago and I was just in heaven! I ate three dinners, all the lamb cutlets in the tray, 3 bread rolls, a few serves of both types of salad… Gaaaaahhhh!
Do you camp or flee when playing a festival? What are you festival must-haves if you’re staying the weekend?
Benji: Oh camp for sure!! We love to watch other acts play and check out what they do. Must have – toothbrush & coffee!
Mikey: Camping 100%. Must have a warm sleeping bag and comfy pillow.
Check out the boys at Festival Of The Sun in Port Macquarie on December 9 – 10. They’ll be performing alongside loads of other awesome acts including Art VS Science, Ladyhawke, Hungry Kids Of Hungary, FLOATING ME, Brothers Grim and Guineafowl. For more info get along to the FOTSUN website!
