Gaia Banfi will bless us with her incredible art on October 7, check out her answers to our little interview!
Tell us three of your favorite albums
“Bon iver, bon iver” Bon Iver
“Focus” Stan Getz & Eddie Sauter
“Creuza de Ma” Fabrizio de André
What’s one weird item you always bring on tour?
I don’t have any strange items, but I like the idea of bringing small objects with me—often gifts I’ve received. For example, lately I’ve been carrying a small, hand-carved wooden sheep, or a stone someone gave me to help relieve headaches, and a miniature pyramid with sand inside. They are little amulets filled with positive energy—which is the true richness of a gift—that give me a sense of protection in a way.
What’s the best food you would like to find in your catering spread when arriving at a venue?
I’d always love to find some local food from the place I’m playing. It happens every now and then, and when it does, I’m thrilled!
Do you write the music or the lyrics first?
It depends on the period, but lately I’ve been working on the lyrics first.
What’s the messiest show you ever attended and why?
There’s a show I did last summer that I always joke about as the messiest one. It was at Scugnizzo Liberato in Naples—a former asylum and later a juvenile prison. There were tons of people and an uncontrollably loud, constant chatter throughout the crowd. It was tough for me, but very impactful! The funny part is that I actually slept inside the building that night 😀 Very messy haha
Would you prefer a small show or an arena show (and why?)
I’ve never played an arena, so I don’t really know what that feels like. But I love the feeling of playing in front of a small audience—there’s a much better chance to truly connect with the people right in front of you.
World Brain is coming to Berlin on October 16 and you sure don’t wanna miss him, so get your tickets now. Also, save our clubs and independent music venues!
Describe your band in 3 words
Horizontal elevator music
What’s the best venue in the city you live in or the city you grew up in?
All my favorite spaces have sadly closed down: Le Comptoir de la Folie Ordinaire in Annecy where I grew up, Internet Explorer and Arkaoda in Berlin, and Les Ateliers Claus in Brussels. They all had that rare kind of intimacy.
Tell us three of your favorite albums
It’s hard to pick just three, but here we go:
Devo – New Traditionalists
Beck – One Foot in the Grave
Underworld – Beaucoup Fish
What’s the best food you would like to find in your catering spread when arriving at a venue?
Delicious crisps and endless supply of cold sparkling water.
Do you have something weird on your rider?
Nothing crazy, but apparently asking for a regular sitting-down table is considered weird! Venue crew always assumes I need a massive standing DJ desk, but I really just need a nice, cute little table to sit down and play.
What’s one weird item you always bring on tour?
A pair of cheap, old purple glasses that I wear on stage. They’re so badly scratched up that I can barely see a thing through them. But maybe that’s the point, I love them.
Did you ever meet a celebrity and what happened?
I once bumped into Craig David walking through the snow in a tiny town in the Alps. I just looked at him and simply said, “Hi Craig.”
Do you write the music or the lyrics first?
Almost always music first, although there are a few exceptions.
What’s the messiest show you ever played and why?
A show I played in a small town in Germany. The venue’s sound system went completely insane and started feeding back, but each speaker was ringing and making a different note. I ended up jamming along with the feedback tones hehe.
Would you prefer a small show or arena show (and why?)
I love my huge arena shows, although they have become a bit banal lately…
If your concert was a theme party, what would the theme be?
The Sims. Complete with floating green diamonds above everyone’s heads, gibberish conversations, and unpredictable mood swings.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
There are way too many to list, but I would say DEVO, Prince, Erik Satie, Kate Bush, The Beatles, Steely Dan, King Crimson, Daft Punk
How did you first get into music? What are your earliest musical memories?
I started learning music when I was 5 years old. For some reason my very first instrument was the accordion, which I played for two years, before switching over to the clarinet.
Are there any stand out moments/highlights of your career so far?
Playing a show in Paris last year with my sister joining me on stage to sing songs together. I wish it would happen more often!
TVOD are coming to Berlin and you sure don’t wanna miss them! 25 June at Neue Zukunft, get your tickets now 💫
What’s the best food you would like to find in your catering spread when arriving at a venue?
BEER
What’s one weird item you always bring on tour?
Noise canceling headphones to wear while we sleep to not hear the snoring of our drummer
Did you ever meet a celebrity and what happened?
I one time accidentally didn’t charge Paul Dano for a cookie while working as a barista and then he got upset that I didn’t want to charge him when he came back asking to pay for it. Just take the free cookie Dano, it’s not that big of a deal dude.
Describe your band in 3 words
Sweaty, loud, hysteria
What’s the messiest show you ever attended and why?
Threw up from heat exhaustion & tequila overload after ripping a new one open on the outdoor stage at Hotel Vegas SXSW 2025
Eilis isn’t just booking bands for us, she’s also an absolute expert at drums and spoken word and will be opening for So Beast at Monarch on June 20. Read the little Q&A we did with her:
Describe your band in 3 words
Drums (with) spoken word
What’s the best venue in the city you live in or the city you grew up in?
It has to be Neue Zukunft! (A little bias maybe as I work there) but where else can you see a show or two, eat a pizza and in the warmer months, sit outside and watch the trains go by?
What’s the best food you would like to find in your catering spread when arriving at a venue?
I LOVE to arrive to fresh berries. Nothing better than blueberries after a long drive. Otherwise a good (homemade) hummus and some vegetables does the trick.
What’s one weird item you always bring on tour?
I always put lavender pouches in my bags, so they smell less like tour and more like a grandmas house.
Do you write the music or the lyrics first?
I write lyrics almost everyday, mostly in the notes of my phone. Collecting ideas and slowly sorting them by theme. Then when I want to write a song I start with music first. Once the music has a basic form I decide the direction it should take, and find lyrics from my notes to match.
So Beast’s music stems from improvisation and the underground art scene often blending sonic collage and performance. Their tracks move between danceable grooves, distorted sound design, layered samples and abstract atmospheres, reflecting a multicultural network of influences and languages. On June 20, they’re playing at Monarch! Read what they had to say on our little Q&A we do with artists.
Describe your band in 3 words
Genderless, anarchic, live
What’s the best venue in the city you live in or the city you grew up in?
Xm24 in Bolognina (Bologna), a squat
What’s the best food you would like to find in your catering spread when arriving at a venue?
Vegan food, dark chocolate 70 or 80 % cacao
Do you have something weird on your rider?
A kid?
What’s one weird item you always bring on tour?
Skateboards
Did you ever meet a celebrity and what happened?
Yes, nothing special happend (it happens often that we don’t recognize celebrities)
Do you write the music or the lyrics first?
Everything everywhere in between sometime somewhere
Please welcome to our roster: Massimo Silverio! We asked him a few questions so you can get to know him a bit better too.
Describe your band in 3 words
Inward, Symbolic, Alpine.
Tell us the best venue in the city you live in or the city you grew up in
There are no venues (never were). In another way, I’d say a mountain, a forest or a river.
Tell us three of your favorite albums
Laughing Stock By Talk Talk, Elpmas by Moondog, Shadows of The Sun By Ulver.
What’s the best food you would like to find in your catering spread when arriving at a venue?
Frico, of course! (but it hasn’t happened yet).
What’s one weird item you always bring on tour?
A golden bee.
Do you write first the music or first the lyrics?
Sometimes I start from words or feelings, sometimes from tunes.
Would you prefer a small show or arena show (and why?)
Never played in an Arena, but it’s always nice to have direct contact with people like in small shows.
How did you first get into music? What are your earliest musical memories?
My grandfather playing the accordion.
Topsy Turvy are up for the fight. Born from the collaborative hub of a prolific DIY scene in Vienna, they’ll be shaking up Neue Zukunft on 12 May and we couldn’t be more excited for it. We asked them a few questions so you can get to know them a bit before the show:
Tell us 3 of your favorite albums
Resi: Triste Janero – Meet Triste Janero
Lena: Ty Segall – Melted
Vic: LaVern Baker – See See Rider
What’s the messiest show you’ve ever played?
Every topsy turvy show is quite messy to be honest. But the messiest show we’ve ever played was at a skate park, it was cold so our hands were freezing and we had to wear coats what was very impractical. We couldn’t hear anything we were playing, we couldn’t plug in our keyboard and the tuner was in the wrong mode so we all played different notes. It was super messy but the crowd (mostly metalheads) seemed to like it anyway.
What’s the best food you would like to find in your catering spread when arriving at a venue?
Käsespätzle for sure. And vegan ones for Vic!
If your concert was a theme party, what would be the theme?
Space. Aliens, astronauts, lots of silver!
What’s one weird item you always bring on tour?
Lots of toilet paper, you never know…
And now on to Salamirecorder!
Salamirecorder and his band are a perfect mix of 60s Back from the Grave garage punk and a touch of early trash mixtape power pop or something like that… strange, loud, and always vivid! Here are some of their answers to our questions:
Describe your band in 3 words
Music for everyone!
What’s the best venue in the city you live in or the city you grew up in
I’m not sure actually. In Vienna its not really about the venue, more about the people who organise shows or DJ nights or something. They even happen at shitty venues.
Tell us three of your favorite albums
Ramones 1st Album, KPM 1044 – the Big Beat, Back from the Grave Vol. 1
What’s the best food you would like to find in your catering spread when arriving at a venue?
Slices of Doom Pizza! Hell yeah!
What’s one weird item you always bring on tour?
Our whole music equipment. Its old, cheap and it only works sometimes haha
Did you ever meet a celebrity and what happened?
Yes, back in summer me and Mick Jagger had a great time at the Imperial Lounge. But don’t tell anyone!
Do you write the music or the lyrics first?
Music
What’s the messiest show you ever attended and why?
We played in Vienna at Cafe Stadtbahn once and we played four songs and then the police came because it actually wasn’t allowed and then we had to stop it! Good Times!
Would you prefer a small show or an arena show (and why?)
Small Show, its much more fun.
If your concert was a theme party, what would be the theme?
Food Delivery People
DVTR is definitely shaking up the Canadian punk scene right now, touring in Canada, Japan, Mexico, Europe, UK and many more in less than two years of existence, in French s’il vous plait. You have the chance to see them at Neue Zukunft on 24 March! Here you can find all the info about the show. Here are some questions with them.
Describe your band in 3 words
chaos/anger/multi-ethnicity
What’s the best venue in the city you live in or the city you grew up in?
Esco of course, in Montreal
Tell us three of your favorite albums
Le Tigre – Le Tigre, Blood Visions – Jay Reatard, Tyranny – The Voidz
Do you have something weird on your rider?
Socks and underwear!!!!
What’s one weird item you always bring on tour?
More like 300 weird items: I bring every piece of gear, even the tiniest, in double because it statistically seems like we always break everything on the road.
Did you ever meet a celebrity and what happened?
Gaspard Augé from Justice: we took a picture with him and carrots at Osheaga Festival. He was nice but was looking a bit pissed
Do you write the music or the lyrics first?
We take drugs and drinks before music and/or lyrics
What’s the messiest show you ever attended and why?
The Hives, in the pit, at 13 years old, after a 5 hours hitchhiked drive was pretty messy I would say
Would you prefer a small show or an arena show?
Small small small. With people spitting, getting crazy and dancing all around, fucking our gear up on stage and having to stop the show when the instruments and cables break. That’s the best!
If your concert was a theme party, what would be the theme?
28 days later, but happy
Describe your band in 3 words
Hungry, poor, tired (they say)
Tell us 3 of your favorite albums
Broadcast – Tender Buttons
Travesía – Ni Un Minuto Más De Dolor
This Heat – Deceit
What’s the best food you would like to find in your catering spread when arriving at a venue?
Something I don’t even know exists
What’s one weird item you always bring on tour?
Not enough socks
Did you ever meet a celebrity and what happened?
I once helped Thom Yorke pick out underwear at the clothing store where I was working. He wanted to know what color to buy. Orange
