High Up is among the bands slated to play at this year’s Maha Music Festival.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

This is the fourth 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 the August issue of The Reader.

It should be noted that High Up, The Faint and Hottman Sisters are the first Omaha acts to have ever taken the Ten Questions survey, which was designed solely for traveling out-of-town bands. Still, all three had something unique to say about their home town…

High Up

High Up is the most talked about indie act to come out of the Omaha music scene since the band debuted sometime around 2015. Driving all the talk is frontwoman Christine Fink, sister of Azure Ray’s Orenda Fink (who also is in the band). With a voice reminiscent of Janis Joplin’s, Christine belts out High Up’s unique flavor of golden blues in a style Joe Cocker would admire — all jerky moves and pained expressions with a little James Brown shake thrown in to make it ultra-groovy.

After a string of local live gigs, the band hit the studio and recorded a a self-titled EP, released this past January by Team Love Records. The highlight, a smoking single called “Two Weeks,” is guaranteed to turn the Maha crowd into lifelong fans.

1. What is your favorite album?

Christine Fink: Grand Prix – Teenage Fanclub

2. What is your least favorite song?

“Centerfold” – J. Geils Band

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

Being able to connect with people on a real, emotional level, without having to maintain any kind of friendship afterward.

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

Being broke and juggling schedules.

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

Xanax

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

Minneapolis so far, but I have a lot more touring to do!

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

We played a show in Oklahoma City on the way to SXSW. The room was long and narrow, with a mirror on the other end. There was literally no one there, so I had to watch myself perform to no one in that giant mirror across the room. Toward the end of our set a member from another band heckled me and then jumped our bass player, who inadvertently sent the guy crashing into the monitors, and then my pocket-sized sister had to get in between him and the rest of the band. All of this WHILE we were playing. Oklahoma City and the club were cool though!

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?

No. I work full time and sulk a lot when we’re not on the road.

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

I’d love to be an archaeologist or historian. I’d hate to be a doctor. Too much responsibility.

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

I heard a staircase at Hummel Park counts differently going up and down, which I couldn’t verify because I can only count up to how many fingers and toes I have, and there’s way more than nine steps.

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.