by Charlie Swanson
Though the name conjures up an image of two unlikely enemies locked in eternal combat, Insects vs Robots aren’t a band of fighters; they’re a band of lovers, eliciting a joyful communal vibe wherever they show up with their exciting freak folk art rock.
As the band embarks on a West Coast summer tour, they play 19 Broadway Club in Fairfax on Thursday, July 30, and Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael next week, on Aug 6.
Speaking from the band’s hometown, Venice, Calif., bassist and founding member Jeff Smith recounts the band’s metamorphosis over their last eight years together.
“We all met either on the beach, the boardwalk, backyard jam sessions, coffee shops; and started jamming in an old band mate’s garage,” explains Smith. “We’ve had a natural evolution that’s gone through many different sounds and creative phases, but its all been one continuing journey.”
As their popularity and notoriety expanded in Southern California, the group branched out to an electrifying world fusion sound that encompasses instruments ranging from violin, charango, harp, banjo, harmonium, megaphone and sitar.
“We started off much more punk and metal-influenced,” Smith says. “Now it’s quite different, but still in the same spirit. As we’ve gotten to know each other and as our musical influences have evolved (the band) has grown with us.”
Insects vs Robots’ current roster of Smith, Micah Nelson, Tony Peluso, Milo Gonzalez and Nikita Sorokin have a reputation these days of getting the L.A. crowds to really move on the dance floor, a unique feature in the city’s “too cool” scene of hipsters; though Smith credits Venice’s anomalous and positive vibe for letting the group flourish and connect to audiences.
Each year, they take their act out on the road, and the band plans on using this tour to unveil a host of new material that they’ve recently recorded for a new album this past spring. “We’re the kind of band that gets tired of our own material pretty quickly, in that we want to write new stuff and evolve,” Smith says.
Insects vs Robots is also the kind of band that lets their songs naturally take shape for months or even years, says Smith. “I was actually thinking when we come back from the road we should record all the songs again,” he adds, only half joking. “The nature of our writing process, which is a lot of improvisation and finding new ideas; that happens when you’re in the moment performing. The more you do it in front of an audience, the more comes out of it.”
Insects vs Robots perform on Thursday, July 30 at 19 Broadway Club, Fairfax; 9pm; free; 415/459-1091, and on Thursday, Aug. 6 at Terrapin Crossroads, San Rafael; 415/524-2773.
