The Bad Penny (beta)

Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready to hear some music? Are you prepared to witness previously unknown levels of rock-and-roll-induced euphoria? Are you ready to rock?

Then you’re ready to see Demob Happy. Or, we’re apt to believe as much. The U.K. rock band — which originated in Newcastle and now live in Brighton — is one of the more mysterious entries on the bill for this year’s Treefort Music Fest. The trio publicly describe their sound with only four adjectives: “explosive,” “loud,” “melodic” and “sweet-sounding.”

And Boise is lucky to have them back for another concert. As Demob Happy recently told the Bad Penny, they played the worst gig of their career in Idaho. Read below to find out why they’re coming back anyway.

[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 Wednesday.]

Artist: Demob Happy
From: Brighton via Newcastle, United Kingdom
Genre: rock
Treefort info: Playing Friday at Boise Brewing at 9:10 p.m.
Website: Demob-Happy.com

Why did you decide to play Treefort Fest this year?

DEMOB HAPPY: We were planning a U.S. tour, and we’ve never done much up that way, so it seemed like the right thing to do! We’ve had a couple of really cool shows up there, so we hope the festival will be even better. 

What excites you the most about participating in it?

DEMOB HAPPY: Getting to play in a such a beautiful part of the U.S.A.

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

DEMOB HAPPY: Yes! We put out a signal into the unknown that we were desperate to play in Boise. Thankfully, the great gods of rock and roll delivered us our dream.

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?

DEMOB HAPPY: We have, yes. I’m not gonna lie: We did one of our worst-ever shows there. But that wasn’t really Boise’s fault; we just didn’t promote it, really, and no one came. So we played to the sound guy, plus we were knackered and we booked it on a day off. It wasn’t pretty. I’m sure it was a one-off! 

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

DEMOB HAPPY: Yeah, they cost an absolute fortune, and I think it’s only going to get worse. Please ask your government not to put it up, otherwise it’s gonna make it completely impossible for bands at our level to afford coming over! 

—

“We put out a signal into the unknown that we were desperate to play in Boise. Thankfully, the great gods of rock and roll delivered us our dream.”
-Demob Happy

—

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

DEMOB HAPPY: Previously unknown levels of rock-and-roll-induced euphoria.

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

DEMOB HAPPY: Positive, with a bit of apprehensive nerves thrown in, but that’s probably because I’m writing this before we’ve even left the U.K.

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

DEMOB HAPPY: So many! None of them yet, but we hope to be! 

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

DEMOB HAPPY: The free food and the big stages.

What can Treefort attendees expect from your performance?

DEMOB HAPPY: If aliens don’t land, I’ll be surprised.

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

• Spain’s Black Maracas
• British Columbia’s Bridal Party
• Tokyo’s DYGL
• London’s Big Joanie
• Germany’s Sea Moya
• Swaziland’s Dusty & Stones
• New Brunswick’s Motherhood
• Toronto’s Debby Friday
• Mexico City’s Son Rompe Pera
• Ireland’s Modernlove
• Montréal’s Thanya Iyer
• Mexico City’s Petite Amie
• 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 03/19/2023 at 11:00 am and is filed under Interviews with tags Demob Happy, 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.