North Stradbroke Island | 25–28 October
Mood Swing & Chevy Bass have cemented their position as the undisputed party starters within the festival and club scene. The genre-bending live electronic duo has one mission when they take the stage: have fun, party hard, and make sure everyone leaves with a sweaty smile. Nick Economidis is one half of this filthy ghetto funk outfit.
What is it about the 1930s swing era that excites you? Is it just the music or was it the feel of the era?
There was something special about the whole Prohibition era that was exciting and is still really relevant in today’s climate. It showed that no matter what rules and regulations the state imposes, the spirit of party people will always prevail! That era had speakeasies; our era has warehouse parties. Great work, lock-out laws – thank you for supporting and motivating the underground!
As a duo, how do you bring the big sound to the stage?
To get our sound we use a mix of technology and real-life humans! For the tech heads we use an integration of Ableton, sample controllers, Roland drum machines, Roland Keytar synths, and live percussion. For the human element we love having guest musicians at every show, be it full horn sections, guitarists, fiddle players, or duelling keytars, it makes every show unique and gives it that extra flavour flav. Around our home town we have a solid group of musicians/friends we always use; when we are travelling around playing festivals we’ll peep the lineup, see who’s playing that we think will sound nice with a particular track, and contact them. It’s been an amazing way to connect with other artists and start some great friendships.
What sets you apart as live performers?
We come from a multifaceted background of music and theatre performance. Our live shows are equal parts about the music, costumes, theatrics, and crowd participation! We’re all about trying to engulf people into our world of fun, slowly lulling them into a false sense of security and next thing they know they’re way outside their comfort zone performing synchronised disco aerobics moves… and loving it!
Is there a secret to get people dancing? How do you do it?
Our secret is simple and has become our onstage life motto: ‘If we’re having fun, the audience is having fun; if we’re shaking it, the audience is shaking it.’
I guess it helps that we LOVE to dance also. If we’re not onstage playing we are front row at someone else’s show having a proper soul-shaking boogie!
Our music selection criteria are also pretty simple: before any song makes it into our live sets it must get unanimous approval. It must make us want to jump out of our seats, run into the middle of a busy road, stop traffic, and start a dance party. If both agree, it’s given the wax seal of approval and goes into the certified banger pile.
What should we expect for your upcoming show at Island Vibe?
We’re super excited about Island Vibe. It’s a festival we’ve attended a bunch of times as punters but never as performers. It’s a unique festival musically, so we’re definitely catering towards that. Expect a lot of new music with some dub and Middle Eastern influences coupled with the usual funkiness, filthiness, guest musicians, and a whole swag of fun.
Island Vibe at North Stradbroke Island, 25–28 October. For tix and lineup info go to islandvibe.com.au
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