The two infamously stripped down to their birthday suits in a crowded, and chilly winter’s day in New York’s Times Square for a music video for their song Lessons Learnedback in 2009.
And while it earned them significant attention at the time, it’s their music and live show vibe which has kept and earned them new fans as they continue a habit of playing the festival circuit.
The pair from Brooklyn were in Pemberton in mid-July for the Pemberton Music Festival, and Matt (Matt Johnson) said he and Kim (Kim Schfino) are looking forward to their first visit to Richmond and headlining a brand new event.
“I do know people have different expectations if they’ve been to a festival before and are coming back again,” Johnson said in a telephone interview. “But it’s kinda cool that it’s (Richmond World Festival) fresh and new and we’re coming in not knowing what to expect. So, I’m sure they’ll (crowd) knock it outta the park.”
So, what will they see?
Johnson said to expect a party going full tilt as he and Schfino spread their creative talents to encompass their playlist, which has something for everyone.
“There’s some bands that I feel are really great, but you have to know all of their songs to really enjoy their live shows. Me and Kim are not that kind of band,” Johnson said.
“I feel we do great in a festival setting, whether you know a song or two, nor any, I feel we’re always able to win a lot of people over.”
And that can make them hard to pin down in terms of style.
“We’re somewhere in the indie spectrum, but even that is so broad,” he said. “I love hearing people who are generally a fan of one type of music, even if it’s in an extreme area say, ‘I usually only like metal, but for some reason I really like you guys.”
At the root, though, is a high-octane stage presence that is intentionally infectious.
“We put out a certain type of energy that people seem to connect with,” he said. “I mean, Kim is usually standing on top of her kick drum, screaming as much as she’s playing it. Plus, we integrate little bits of cover songs.
“Generally, we just try and activate the audience as much as possible.”
Often, they get asked, with just two people in the band, how do they generate the type of vibe that gets their crowds going?
“I say, it’s not just two people,” Johnson said. “At a festival it could be like 10,002 people. It’s about every person who’s there. And I’m one of only two people in the world who can’t see my band from the crowd’s perspective. But I can only know what people have told me. And the bottom line is me and Kim love doing it, and we show that. And people seem to connect to that.”
And that feeling is reciprocal as they drive home the party atmosphere.
“We try and bring as many balloons and as much confetti to make a mess,” he said laughing. “We try to make it as fun as we can.”
Joining Matt and Kim on the bill will be Grammy/Juno award-winner, Alex Cuba whose smoky vocals and masterful guitar-work is said to cross genres and cultures.
Born and raised in Cuba, and now living in Canada, he has launched a successful career performing his own original works, as well as song writing with major label artists such as Sheryl Crow, Nelly Furtado and Jason Mraz. Cuba’s latest album, Healer, launched in March of this year.
According to the City of Richmond, other confirmed festival acts performing include Bhangra chart toppers, En Karma; Kata Kata Afrobeat Group; Songpati Latin Band; Purple Rain; and Roku Sichi Taiko drummers.
The Richmond World Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Accompanying the live music is the Festival of Flavours featuring 35 international food trucks, and the Richmond Centre Culinary Stage, with notable local chefs including Master Chef Canada contestant, Tammy Wood.
Other festival attractions include the Global Village, with interactive cultural activities and performances; Wide World of Sports, showcasing culturally unique sports from across the globe; Kids World, with fun and educational activities for children; World of Poetry; Artisan Marketplace and more.
For more festival news, visit www.richmondworldfestival.ca and for updates, contests and more fun follow facebook.com/richmondworldfest, @FunRichmond on Twitter, #RmdWF.
