Half-empty types generally believe all good things come to an end. Their half-full counterparts, in contrast, are more likely to insist one good thing leads to another. Such was the case with The Books, a much-lauded and applauded two-piece whose split on The Way Out led to a good thing called Zammuto. Niteside got with namesake Nick Zammuto on the eve of the band's Grand Central showing with Explosions in the Sky.
For the few who don't yet know, what is a Zammuto? A Zammuto is an albino zebra, so basically a white horse with white stripes, evolved to live in the snowy areas of Africa. [It's also the name of the band that includes Mike Zammuto, Gene Back, Sean Dixon and me.]
If you had to abstract a description of Zammuto's sound, what would it be? Imagine setting a small mountain of VHS tapes and broken IKEA furniture on fire.
How 'bout literally? Drums, bass, guitars, vocals, samples, and videos of Christmas tree fires and people experiencing back-pain while dancing.
Would you say Zammuto's further and farther than The Books or just elsewhere? Both. You can think of it as a rock band continuation of The Books ... The players I've found are extraordinarily skilled, and there is still a video element that ties it together and pushes it over the top, hopefully. It's quickly developing its own trajectory, and I feel like the raw potential is much greater.
How far will you be taking folks this Wednesday anyway? That depends on how far they are willing to go. We actually really enjoy the opening slot since we can employ the element of surprise more effectively. Touring with Explosions in the Sky has been a true joy, since they are great people and their audience is warm and open-minded.
Should we brace for a return trip? Oh, I hope so. Our schedule for the fall and beyond is emerging and if the show feels good I'll make it a priority to come back to Miami soon.
Zammuto opens for Explosions in the Sky Wednesday June 21 at Grand Central 697 N Miami Ave Downtown Miami. Doors open at 8pm.
