Beoga will be playing The Model on the 14th of April with support from Sligo’s own Moxie. In the run up to Moxie’s Model debut, I (Yasmina Rahmoune) got the chance to catch up with the boys and ask them a couple of questions.
How did the band form?
We formed at Sligo live in 2011 after years of meeting each other at certain festivals. We felt a spark between our playing and decided we needed to do something more.
How did you come up with the name of the band?
We were looking for a name for a while actually. We were originally going to call ourselves “Aurora” but settled on “Moxie”.
Describe your band and your style of music in one sentence.
Fresh and exciting melodies with seamless harmonies and intricate rhythms blended into a crisp and vibrant sound.
With today’s teenagers it’s all about pop, hip-hop and rock n’ roll. Why did you make the decision to stick to trad music?
A lot of our music is baseline trad with a strong jazz / contemporary and new-age bluegrass influence. We try and keep the music up-lifting and lively so we do this by introducing new music into our own.
Who inspired you growing up?
Artists such as Lúnasa, Beoga, Béla Fleck, Punch Brothers, Herbie Hancock and Mairtín O Connor inspired us hugely down through the years when growing up.
If you could perform with any musician who would it be?
If we got the chance we would love to play with the Punch Brothers, as their arrangements of music are utterly outstanding.
What gives you the most inspiration to write music?
Our main inspiration to write music is to be more emotionally connected with notes, chords, rhythms and dynamics.
How do you prepare for the show? Do you have any odd rituals you have to do before going on stage?
We prepare for the show by meeting up for as many practices as possible before the show. No odd rituals unless you count warming up on our instruments and doing practice techniques.
What is the plan for Moxie in the future?
We don’t have any particular plan as such, but to releasing a few albums and touring the world would certainly interest us