The Bad Penny (beta)

Treefort Music Fest organizers looked north of the U.S./Canada border for this year’s installment of the music festival, reining in 10 artists by our count. They include arty instrumentalists Godspeed You! Black Emperor, new Sub Pop signee Debby Friday and Teke::Teke. But the organizers also turned their gaze past the southern border, locking down a couple of bands from Mexico.

One of those is Petite Amie, a psych-pop band that signed to beloved U.S. indie label Park the Van in June 2021. Petite Amie, whose new album drops later this year, seemed especially thrilled to play Treefort in part because one of their biggest influences, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, are headlining the five-day festival.

The Bad Penny recently caught up with Petite Amie for our ongoing series on international bands booked for this year’s Treefort. All six band members chimed in on what they’re most looking forward to at Treefort: catching UMO, eating delicious Basque food and making lotsa new friends.

[Go here for a primer on this series of Treefort Music Fest previews. Check back for new profiles of international artists playing the festival every day leading up to the fest’s kickoff on Wednesday, March 22.]

Artist: Petite Amie
From: Mexico City, Mexico
Genre: psych pop
Treefort info: Playing Friday, March 24, at Cyclops at 6 p.m.; and Saturday, March 25, at Neurolux at 9 p.m.

Why did you decide to play Treefort Fest this year?

PETITE AMIE: We heard about Treefort when we visited Boise on tour last summer. Everyone kept telling us that it was an amazing festival and that we should come, so when the offer came along we didn’t hesitate to say yes. 

What excites you the most about participating in it?

PETITE AMIE: Getting to share the stage with bands that we love and listening to different kinds of artistic proposals is a dream come true. Also we only spent a day in Boise the last time we came, so we are very excited to get to see a bit more of the city. 

Is this your first time playing Treefort? If so, how did your booking come about? If not, why did you choose to return?

PETITE AMIE: It is our first time playing Treefort! When we came last summer, we met some folks that work at the festival. We suspect they liked us enough to have us back for Treefort. 

Have you visited Boise/Idaho before? If yes, do you have any fun stories to share? If not, what have you heard about Boise/Idaho?

PETITE AMIE: We came last summer during our first tour of the US. We didn’t know that Boise had such a Basque population, but (our drummer) Santiago [Mijares] was quick to fill us with the story of how they came here, and insisted we get some Basque food. 

Did you face any challenges or headaches in securing a visa to come here?

PETITE AMIE: Thankfully, we already had a visa that will be valid until June this year. However, we are very much worried about securing it for the future, if the new [visa] rates are approved.

What expectations do you have for your experience here and at Treefort?

PETITE AMIE: No expectations at all, just excited to play for the beautiful people of Idaho, who greeted us so warmly last time we came. 

How would you describe your state of mind going into Treefort?

PETITE AMIE: We are focusing on getting everything ready so that we can give an amazing show that everyone will enjoy. 

What other artists on the Treefort lineup are you excited to see? Are you friends with any of them?

PETITE AMIE: We are huge fans of Unknown Mortal Orchestra!! And we’re also very happy that we’re going to meet our good friends Hooveriii again.

What do you enjoy most about performing at music festivals in general?

PETITE AMIE: It’s more than a day full of music. For an indie band like us, it’s the chance to introduce ourselves to new crowds. 

What can Treefort attendees expect from your performance?

PETITE AMIE: A lot of synths, fuzzy guitars, French, Spanish and overall craziness. 

For more coverage of international artists playing Treefort, check out our recent conversations with:

• Montreal’s Thanya Iyer
• Vancouver’s Mauvey
• Italy’s Dumbo Gets Mad
• Brazil’s BIKE
• Chile’s Sistemas Inestables
• British Columbia’s Mother Sun
• Norway’s Orions Belte
• Treefort Co-Founder and Festival Director Eric Gilbert

This entry was posted on 03/07/2023 at 10:17 am and is filed under Interviews with tags Petite Amie, Treefort. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.