The Art of "Throwing Down"
Ames bands Mumford's & Nuclear Rodeo to headline the M-Shop this Friday
Nate Logsdon crowd surfs at the Pink Lady during a Mumford's show.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Local music gets a bad rap. To many people, "local" means "teenagers banging drums in their parents' garage." For the past several years, Ames bands have tried to dispel this notion, and have proved numerous times that "local" is synonymous with unbridled creativity.
Two of Ames's most free-spirited bands, Mumford's and Nuclear Rodeo, are set to headline the first-ever Ames Winter Classic at the Maintenance Shop on the ISU campus, along with Trouble Lights, Peace Love & Stuff, and Trey LaTrash. TWIST sat down with Mumford's frontman and lifelong Ames resident Nate Logsdon to talk about music, Ames, and "throwing down" (that means playing music really well).
Local music gets a bad rap. To many people, "local" means "teenagers banging drums in their parents' garage." For the past several years, Ames bands have tried to dispel this notion, and have proved numerous times that "local" is synonymous with unbridled creativity.
Two of Ames's most free-spirited bands, Mumford's and Nuclear Rodeo, are set to headline the first-ever Ames Winter Classic at the Maintenance Shop on the ISU campus, along with Trouble Lights, Peace Love & Stuff, and Trey LaTrash. TWIST sat down with Mumford's frontman and lifelong Ames resident Nate Logsdon to talk about music, Ames, and "throwing down" (that means playing music really well).
Nuclear Rodeo is also playing at the Ames Winter Classic.
TWIST: Has Mumford's played with Nuclear Rodeo in the past?
Nate Logsdon: Oh yeah, we've played tons of shows with Nuclear Rodeo, they are our brothers. Our bands started around the same time and we've just always loved those guys. They are one of the best bands around Ames. Both bands play fun rock music that's good for dancing and also have songs with fun lyrics that tell a story.
TWIST: Is the Ames Winter Classic an annual event?
Logsdon: This is the first year of the event! The folks at the M Shop approached Mumford's about setting up a big old "welcome back to school" kind of party and we came up with the idea for this show. Maybe if it's super successful it could become a tradition!
TWIST: How would you describe Mumford's relationship with its audience?
Logsdon: Our relationship with our audience is one of love and respect, demonstrated through the intermingling of one another's sweat. We feel so much love for everyone we play with and for and we just want to have fun and get down and be wild and feel free. When we play, we
definitely let our our crazy side, but it's all in good fun and we hope that audience members feel like they can let our their crazy sides too! The M Shop is a perfect place for this kind of interaction. We love the M Shop, it's a wonderful venue in every way and we've had some our greatest shows ever there.
TWIST: How should people at Friday night's concert "behave" during the performance?
Logsdon: Do whatever you want! Feel free! If you like to stand still and watch, that's cool! If you like to dance around and jump up and down, that's cool too! I know that I'm gonna be jumping around and throwing down like I just got out of jail.
TWIST: What are you most excited for on Friday?
Logsdon: I'm excited to dance all night and sweat it out and have fun with my friends and play rock and roll! I think it's gonna be a great night, all the bands are awesome, and the people are awesome, the venue is awesome, Ames is awesome. Ames is my heart. Ames is my life. In my mind, Iowa is the cultural
center of the human world. This show will be pure Iowa, a celebration of our state and our music and our time. Let's sing and dance have fun
and make memories that we can brag about to our children who won't care.
Nate Logsdon: Oh yeah, we've played tons of shows with Nuclear Rodeo, they are our brothers. Our bands started around the same time and we've just always loved those guys. They are one of the best bands around Ames. Both bands play fun rock music that's good for dancing and also have songs with fun lyrics that tell a story.
TWIST: Is the Ames Winter Classic an annual event?
Logsdon: This is the first year of the event! The folks at the M Shop approached Mumford's about setting up a big old "welcome back to school" kind of party and we came up with the idea for this show. Maybe if it's super successful it could become a tradition!
TWIST: How would you describe Mumford's relationship with its audience?
Logsdon: Our relationship with our audience is one of love and respect, demonstrated through the intermingling of one another's sweat. We feel so much love for everyone we play with and for and we just want to have fun and get down and be wild and feel free. When we play, we
definitely let our our crazy side, but it's all in good fun and we hope that audience members feel like they can let our their crazy sides too! The M Shop is a perfect place for this kind of interaction. We love the M Shop, it's a wonderful venue in every way and we've had some our greatest shows ever there.
TWIST: How should people at Friday night's concert "behave" during the performance?
Logsdon: Do whatever you want! Feel free! If you like to stand still and watch, that's cool! If you like to dance around and jump up and down, that's cool too! I know that I'm gonna be jumping around and throwing down like I just got out of jail.
TWIST: What are you most excited for on Friday?
Logsdon: I'm excited to dance all night and sweat it out and have fun with my friends and play rock and roll! I think it's gonna be a great night, all the bands are awesome, and the people are awesome, the venue is awesome, Ames is awesome. Ames is my heart. Ames is my life. In my mind, Iowa is the cultural
center of the human world. This show will be pure Iowa, a celebration of our state and our music and our time. Let's sing and dance have fun
and make memories that we can brag about to our children who won't care.