Sometimes all the planning and plotting in the world comes down to a simple conversation. After first locking in the Daily Pravda as Lana Del Rey and Vary Lumar as the Smashing Pumpkins for Friday’s Vanyaland Halloween party at Great Scott, we thought long and hard for a third band to round out the bill. Then we walked into Illegally Blind’s Boston En Masse electro-pop party a few weeks back, and ran into Jen Johnson of Pale Hands.
Me: “Hey, do you want to play our Halloween party, we were looking for a…”
Her: “Could we be Robyn?”
Done and done.
Electronic dream-pop duo Pale Hands, Johnson’s latest musical project with husband and musical partner Mike Latulippe (Velah, Static of the Gods), kick off our party with one of our faves, taking the role of Swedish electronic pop superstar Robyn and pretty much ensure that no one will be dancing on their own come Friday.
It’s a busy week for the ‘Hands, who today release their debut record Spirit Lines, now streaming in full over at All Music. They’re also performing at the launch of our V:Music series with NYC rising star Vérité at T.T. The Bear’s Place on November 21, so it’s clear the sound and vision of Pale Hands aligns nicely with our own.
We caught up with Johnson and Latulippe on what to expect on Friday night. Call your girlfriend, call your boyfriend, call everyone — and hang with us at Great Scott.
Vanyaland: What can we expect from your set as Robyn?
Pale Hands: We’re planning on a super Halloween dance party love fest. Also Mike in costume, which is something you don’t see every Halloween. He’s been hard at work at a pretty killer get-up.
How will you interpret the sound of Robyn?
The only way we can: Robyn through the Pale Hands filter, which is a bit looser and a bit dreamier.
How has the sound of Robyn influenced your band’s own music?
Not sure if Robyn’s sound has influenced our music per se, but her endless ability for reinvention, creativity and general bad-assery has inspired us to push ourselves past our preconceived limits. When you look at the scope of her career, it is truly awe-inspiring. Also she has some pretty sick dance moves.
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What do you think Robyn would think of your cover set?
We would hope that the Supreme Goddess Robyn would see it as the good-hearted, genuine tribute that it is meant to be…
What is next for your band?
Up next for Pale Hands: some East Coast tour dates, our record Spirit Lines is out today, and a killer show opening for Vérité at T.T. the Bear’s in Cambridge on November 21.
So we hear.
Pale Hands upcoming shows:
October 28: The Rock Shop in Brooklyn
October 29: Kung Fu Necktie in Philadelphia
October 31: Great Scott as Robyn for Vanyaland Halloween 2014
November 2: The Velvet Lounge in Washington DC
November 5: Preservation Pub in Knoxville
VANYALAND HALLOWEEN with PALE HANDS as ROBYN + THE DAILY PRAVDA as LANA DEL REY + VARY LUMAR as the SMASHING PUMPKINS + DJ MICHAEL V + HOST GODDAMN GLENN :: Friday, October 31 @ Great Scott, 1222 Commonwealth Ave., Allston, MA :: 9 p.m., 21-plus, $10 :: Costumes required :: Advance tickets :: Do617 event page
