Hey Roberto. So Hentai Magi are playing at the Tote this weekend. What made you guys head down to Melbourne for this show?
Melbourne really has the best soil for bands. There is a high appreciation and a want for live music. The bands I’ve played with or seen, the busking I’ve witnessed on the street, the people that I’ve met and the art events I’ve been to were always influential and inspiring.
As far as Sydney’s concerned, where do you fit in their scene?
It’s hard to say. We were turned down from a venue last week for being too arty. The nights we play can be quite eclectic – one night opened with an experimental hip hop group, Mozzarella Fanboyz, then us, then finishing with psych electro band Suiix. Places we’ve been playing are at Oxford Art Factory, The Townie in Newtown, and at The Annandale. The crowds can be fans, people who heard us on the local radio, local punters or followers from accompanying acts.
Are you guys getting to play often? Are the lockout laws having an effect on your ability to play more shows?
We are playing about once, maybe twice a month here in Sydney and would like to play a lot more. It’s been hard when the lockout laws are killing venues where music scenes once flourished and where new ones could sprout from, making it difficult to gain a following and form friends for the future. Music events are being pushed further away from dense foot traffic and the nightlife we have left. The hearts are strong and the music will never die but we’re hiking mountains in the dark, ball and chained by a corrupt government.
