Priests are among the bands playing 2017 Maha Music Festival. Photo by Audrey Melton.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

This is the second in a series of Ten Questions interviews with bands performing at the Maha Music Festival Aug. 19 at Aksarben Village. For the printed version of all interviews, pick up a copy of this month’s Reader.

Priests

The post-punk band (proudly from DC) has been ripping out their socio-poli-fueled anthems since 2012 but caught fire this year with their angst-driven full-length debut, Nothing Feels Natural (2017, Sister Polygon). The album captures a dark, stark world of haunted capitalism, anxiety and glum modernism bouncing along to a surf-rock beat. Vocalist Katie Alice Greer sings, howls and spits out lyrics atop the quick-pulse rhythms and jittery bass-driven arrangements that sound like ’80s post-punk Debora Iyall/Romeo Void territory, upbeat and often angry. This is the nervous sound of tomorrow.

What is your favorite album?

Drummer Daniele Daniele: it changes all the time, but Lanquidity by Sun Ra is an album I come back to over and over again.

2. What is your least favorite song?

Guitarist G.L. Jaguar: Journey, “Don’t Stop Believing.” Fuck that song.

3. What do you enjoy most about being in a band?

Bassist Taylor Mulitz: Answering interview questions 😉

4. What do you hate about being in a band?

Vocalist Katie Alice Greer: Anything directly in opposition to making music, there’s a lot of distracting BS you gotta wade through sometimes

5. What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)?

Daniele: Sunshine

6. In what city or town do you love to perform?

Jaguar: DC ’cause of the home turf advantage.

7. What city or town did you have your worst gig (and why)?

Greer: New York City. We’ve played there a lot, had some of our best gigs there, too. But one time I was taunting the audience, expecting that we’d put on a really fire gig and blow them away. Instead it was a set rife with technical difficulty, I was totally embarrassed!

8. Are you able to support yourself through your music? If so, how long did it take to get there; if not, how do you pay your bills?

Greer: I do some other odd jobs, but I’m getting there. It’s taken five years at least.

9. What one profession other than music would you like to attempt; what one profession would you absolutely hate to do?

Daniele: I would love to be a weaver! Or textile designer. I’d hate to have a job where I had to carry a gun.

10. What are the stories you’ve heard about Omaha, Nebraska?

Greer: Haha. In the movie The Wizard Of Oz, at the end the wizard is in a hot air balloon headed for the Omaha State Fair…. that, and the steaks. But I’m vegan, so Omaha’s a bit of a mystery to me. Looking forward to exploring.

The Maha Music Festival is Aug. 19 at Aksarben Village. The day-long concert runs from noon to midnight. Tickets are $55. For set times and more information, go to mahamusicfestival.com.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.