Buy the ticket and take the ride – The Laon are here to take you on that ride, through psychedelic rock, blues and beyond. Forming in Christchurch, New Zealand in early 2010, this four piece never fails to impress, combining their highly original songwriting prowess with flamboyant live performances sure to leave you writhing with joy. Their latest conquest, winning the 2011 Battle of the Bands competition, reaffirms their elevating musical journey. Be sure to see them live in action and let the music do the talking.
CHART's Nick Vassar caught up with the Laon for a brief chat about the band, the win and the future...
1 You've won the UCSA Battle of Bands last month, you seem to be on a roll?
Yeah, we can feel some definite momentum happening, it feels great to have our foot in the door.
2 How would you guys describe your style and sound?
It's quite hard to describe, but we would say that It's a blend of 60's/70's psychedelic sounds, our own laon energy, and a touch of something that we feel is new and different.
3 What are you listening to at the moment?
We are all inspired by similar but slightly different things so, we share music all the time when we hang out. It ranges from John Lee Hooker to Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin through to The Datsuns.
4. What does The Laon mean and where did it come from?
Laon means happiness, joyful and cheerful. It's an old Korean word that isn't used by people these days, but to us, it's more than a word, it's a way of life.
5 Do you guys have any pre gig rituals?
If a gig falls on a weekday we tend to face magnetic south and sip on goat's blood, but if it's a weekend finding a goat can be hard so we make do with a rat or other small rodent.
6 Plans for 2012?
We are planning to have a lot of gigs in and out of Christchurch next year. we'd like to head up north and see what people think. We'll be releasing our EP and Album, and a few sneaky surprises. We'd also love to try our hand at a few festivals.
