Teenanger talks tour tips and 10 years

Teenanger w/Booji Boys, Protruders, Sweet Dave & The Shallow Graves
Thursday, August 3 at 9:30pm
The Seahorse Tavern, 2037 Gottingen Street
$8 before 11pm, $10 after

Toronto's Teenanger are a solid, solid band of solid, solid people. Coming to Halifax on Thursday before their SappyFest show, and bringing their newest album—Teenager, their fifth record, released this July—with them, guitarist Jon Schouten answers our pressing questions and provides an absolutely invaluable list of tour tips from a band that's been slogging it out for 10 glorious years. Bookmark this, young ones.

Q: This is your first album in a little while, what was the band up to in the interim?

A: All sorts of things, really. Chris spent sometime in the UK trying to perfect his patent-pending vegan, gluten free-haggis. Steve wanted to focus on developing a U-line-esque catalogue for high-end office supplies. Melissa took a side gig styling Celine Dion, and I've been dedicating most of my time trying to get my Minesweeper expert time under 4:30.

Q: I read an article mentioning Teenanger is “growing up.” Do you think this is a reaction to the shift in sound or just an inevitable thing for music journalists to say when a band has been around for 10 years and are in their 30s?

A: HA! I feel like this album is the opposite of "growing up," and is more fun and energetic! The subject matter of the lyrics, and concepts of some songs are a little more conscious, but overall I think it's a little perplexing why people automatically connect the age of the group with growing up. We're moving in the complete opposite direction.

Q: What inspired this album? Any common themes with these songs?

A: Think of the album as a 1970s Jello mold. The album as a package is the Jello and the bits of pineapple and marshmallows floating in the perfect green goop are the tracks. That's how we think of it.

Q: Do you guys have touring down to a fine science now? Everyone respects each other’s quirks?

A: Last night Melissa asked "I wonder what jokes we're going to come up with on this tour?" which sums up our touring vibe perfectly.

Teenanger's 10 years (not really on the road) tour tips:

Just have a good time
Don't take it too seriously
Smiling feels good
Try to sleep in comfortable spots
Don't stay with the drunkest guy at the show
If you stay with a record collector, always say that you don't collect vinyl even if you do. You'll thank us for this one.
If you walk into a venue and the promoter starts automatically making excuses for how bad the show is going to be, turn around and drive away.
Invest in good sleeping mats. Yoga mats are shit for sleeping, FYI
You can get some bang for your buck out of stacking free vegetables on bean burritos and bagels etc.
Double Doubles will make you put on the pounds. Cut that shit back.
Don't bring Ampeg 8 x10s and drum kits, that shit is going to be at every venue. Waste of time and energy.
If you're a band that isn't well known, don't take other bands with you. Local openers bring out locals.
Ideally you want promoters to ask YOU to play, the more you bother them for a show, the worse the show is going to be.
Having an early slot on weekdays is better.
Remember people and their names.
Getting a $50 motel room isn't being a "rockstar." Having a chill night and shower once in awhile feels nice.
Don't discard small town shows. Those are the kids who are actually excited about music, and like to buy merch.
NEVER LEAVE YOUR GEAR UNATTENDED IN THE CAR IN MONTREAL