In the Scene with Lydia
Photo by Gabrielle Hall
8.8.18 | by gabrielle hall
Back on tour with their sixth studio album, the indie rock trio, Lydia, rocked out in Orlando, Florida to celebrate the July 13th release of “Liquor”. Performing their sixth show of the “Liquor” tour, the boys were feeling ardent, as they were to grace the stage following cultivated artists, Cherry Pool and Jared and the Mill.
Taking time to chat with us beforehand, Leighton Antelman, Matthew Keller, and Shawn Strader spilled the beans on their favorite type of liquor and chatted about the new album.
ASHLEY, SCENE: Okay, so how is the tour so far?
LEIGHTON ANTELMAN: It’s been good. We’re only like four show in. So, I don’t know, it’s not a lot to go off of so far. But it’s good.
SHAWN STRADER: I feel like, it finally feels like we’re on tour. Takes like a week and then you’re like, “fuck, here we are!”
SCENE: And you’re ready to go home, right?
SHAWN: Oh no, no. It’s here…
LEIGHTON: No, it’s more like it kicks in that you’re just like, “all right, here we are.”
SHAWN: It’s like, “holy shit!”
MATTHEW KELLER: It’s a different state of mind. None of us want to go home. We love touring.
SCENE: Oh that’s awesome. Very rare.
MATTHEW: And we just started.
LEIGHTON: Yeah. Hit us back in like…
SCENE: …seven days?
LEIGHTON: Yeah, hit us back in like 3 weeks.
SCENE: All right, so you guys recently came out with “Liquor” just this past month. I’m a big fan…
LYDIA: Thank you!
SCENE: It’s really different from, like, anything you guys have done before.
LEIGHTON: We try to do that.
SCENE: Why?
LEIGHTON: I don’t know, we try to do something different on every record, ‘cause, like, who wants to make the same record? I know we get that a lot, like they’re like, “hey, can you make another ‘Illuminate? Part 2?” And we’re like, we already did that record. [laughs] You know?
MATTHEW: When we’re making music, it’s not like – we always get the question, “what was your influence?” and it’s just like, life comes in, you take in and you process the things that happen, and then you make music because of it. And when we’re making stuff, we’re not, I’m not, none of us are there thinking like, “man, Johnny really did me wrong the other day. I’m gonna write a song about it.” You’re just kind of making noise and see what comes out. So that’s kind of why we allow it to be whatever it needs to be ‘cause we’re just following what’s in our brains.
SCENE: Do you guys have any favorite memories in Orlando… besides the rain today?
LEIGHTON: I do. One time, uh, there was an 80s dance party right after the show, and…
MATTHEW: [laughs] I remember…
LEIGHTON: …but it was like around the corner, I forget where it was but…
MATTHEW: Backbooth!
LEIGHTON: Backbooth. And, uh, I… basically jumped off the stage to a Michael Jackson song. So… Orlando!
MATTHEW: [laughing]
SCENE: And you lived to tell the tale. Gabby has a question.
GABBY, SCENE: Oh, well my one question was, because you’re album’s called “Liquor,” what’s you’re favorite alcoholic beverage?
SHAWN: We split in different ways.
LEIGHTON: What do ya’ got?
SHAWN: Keller drinks tequila, Leighton drinks whiskey, I drink rum.
GABBY, SCENE: Alright, I’m a whiskey person so I was looking for that answer.
ASHLEY, SCENE: She’s like, “they’re a good band if they like whiskey.” [laughing]
LEIGHTON: I’m holdin’ it down.
MATTHEW: That bottle of Patrone right there isn’t good enough for you?
ASHLEY, SCENE: I guess that’s kind of it. Did you have anything else you wanted to add?
LEIGHTON: Thanks for coming out and giving a shit.
MATTHEW: That’s really all we can ask for, thank you so much.
SCENE: Awesome.
LEIGHTON: Sweet.
SCENE: Cool... Imagine if that wasn’t recording that whole time…