Flagpole: You’ve been billed before with Adron. How did you start playing with her, and what makes her a good fit for y’all?
Little Tybee: We have known Adron for a few years now. She was a guest vocalist on our second album, Humorous to Bees, and will sing harmonies live from time to time with Little Tybee. She is an amazingly talented songwriter. I think her sound and Little Tybee’s sound complement each other well because both bands share some really great musicians who pay a lot of attention to the details. I also think that both bands don’t follow trends and popular peer pressure when crafting their sound. We are both trying to create something new and unique.
FP: Your new album, For Distant Viewing, comes out Apr. 9. Can you talk about the evolution since Humorous to Bees?
LT: For Distant Viewing represents a more realized version of Little Tybee. We have been playing together for a long time now, and we know exactly how each member writes parts and what they will bring to the writing process for the songs. At a certain point in playing with other musicians, you start to develop a language of your own, and I guess we have just become more and more fluent over the years together. With this album, all of the band members were more directly involved in writing the songs. Josh Martin wrote two of the instrumental tracks, “Fantastic Planet” and “Left Right.” That is a new feature that hasn’t happened in our previous albums. We were inspired to write together, as a cohesive unit, and I think that it marks a huge improvement and a fuller sound.
FP: Your sound seems to reflect your connection to Savannah; slow and happy and a little mysterious. Where do you enjoy playing most? What kind of environment do you think best reflects your music?
LT: Our favorite shows to play are usually the ones that are more intimate and personal. I think we actually prefer performing in spaces where we can see peoples faces and see how people are reacting to the music. Maybe it’s the Savannah beach-lazy in us that wants to play while on an innertube on Tybee Island? But sometimes those seas get turbulent and you need to bring up the energy a little.
We like to think that we are a band that can cater to any space. Our roots are [in] folk, but if we need to play a high-energy festival, we can do that too. I think that since our songs will shift dynamically on a whim, we can make any space work. Usually, we’ll design our setlist based on whether we’re playing in a smoky dive bar, a pristine music venue, a coffee house, a festival, etc. We make it work. The Melting Point is one of those venues that can really showcase the dynamics of our set, because it is more of a listening room. We are always excited about playing there.
FP: Last summer, you asked fans and friends for some help after a tree destroyed a room in your house and some equipment. What happened after that?
LT: Fortunately, the members affected by the tree were able to find a new place to live and buy new furniture. They lost almost everything. We’re so grateful for everyone who pitched in to help, and it’s really heart-warming to know that we have such a great community that cares and gives.
FP: Can you, or do you want to, give an idea of your stage show for tonight? Your show at the Goat Farm tomorrow night is ’60s space movie-themed. Can we expect that tonight?
LT: For tonight’s show, we will be playing the new album in its entirety. We will have our new album for sale in vinyl and CD form and are excited about seeing how people react to our new songs. The Goat Farm show will be a little more of a stage show, being as the venue is one that we can build out for this event. The Melting Point show tonight will be the start of a three-week tour and we promise it will be stellar. Hope to see you out!
Little Tybee plays Melting Point tonight, Wednesday, Mar. 6. Win tickets on our Facebook page.
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