Interview Tue Aug 30 2011

Pygmalion Music Festival Is On Its Way

By James Ziegenfus

Labor Day weekend may be upon us as the unofficial end of summer, but that doesn't mean that outdoor festivals are finished for 2011. The AV Club's Fest is coming up soon and the Hideout Block Party is a month away, but if you're up for a weekend out of the city, Champaign might not be a bad spot from September 21 through 25. The Pygmalion Music Festival returns for its 7th year with arguably its best lineup yet featuring Explosions in the Sky, Cut Copy, Braid, Gang Gang Dance, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, the Dodos, Japandroids and a bunch of other acts, including a gaggle of great locals. Polyvinyl Records' 15th Anniversary highlights this year's festival on Saturday, the 24th. Ahead of this year's festival, Transmission chatted with founder and organizer Seth Fein. Even though full festival passes recently sold out, single show tickets are still on sale. Visit pygmalionmusicfestival.com for details on the whole weekend.

Transmission: What was the initial inspiration for Pygmalion when it began in 2005?
Seth Fein: Basically, I just knew that Champaign-Urbana could support a festival like this one. I had been to AthFest in Athens, GA and had heard of Bloomingtonfest in Bloomington, IN, so basically, I had the model that I wanted to work with. I wanted to give it a name that has significance to me and the community and I landed with Pygmalion: in honor of Slowdive's last record from 1995, and to pay homage to Richard Powers' novel, Galatea 2.2 -- a true modern day Pygmalion story.

T: What are expectations for Pygmalion now in its 7th year? Do the expectations increase each year based on the prior year's success?
SF: I think just above all, that it feels more professionally handled and that the level of artistry is improved. I spent a lot of time working with my existing sponsors and a handful of trusted agents to bring together this year's lineup. I think it was a success. Expectations for me are simply to just be able to present a solid night of artists every night of the festival. That's definitely been the case the past three years in my estimation.

T: How did the Polyvinyl 15th Anniversary show come together? And has it been the intention that, as the festival grew, there'd eventually be an outdoor event?
SF: I work closely with the label, and seeing as how [label manager] Seth [Hubbard] is a best buddy of mine, it was a natural extension of what we'd done in the past. In 2006, we did the 10-year, and I reckon that 2016 will be the 20-year. That one will likely tear the town down. As for there being an outdoor show, not necessarily. It's something I'd thought about for a while, and even once stated that that would never happen, but I have a tendency to change my mind, and fast.

T: Each year features a lot of Champaign-area bands that are new to many out-of-towners. How critical is it to balance the national headliners with the locals?
SF: Very. That's part of the intention of the festival. I want to be able to expose both locals and out-of-towners to our great music scene here, and one of the ways I can do that is to have a bunch of them performing at the festival. It's a great pleasure of mine.

T: What's the most satisfying thing about organizing Pygmalion? What do you do on September 26?
SF: I think just participating in the local culture here in Champaign-Urbana. I grew up here, and I actually stayed because I could see all that the town had to offer, and all the ways in which the town could grow. I hope that I am making an impact in that arena. September 26 -- hopefully my wife (festival photographer Justine Bursoni) will accompany me to a round of golf, and a nice dinner somewhere. Then, I will sleep and start planning for 2012.

T: There're a handful of animal-based acts on this year's lineup: The Dodos, Deerhoof, Bear Hands, Hedgehog, Iron Tigers, Mammoths, DJ White Rabbit, Why I Like Robins, Year of the Bobcat. Anything to read into that other than it's a common theme in band names?
SF: I think bands are just bands in that way. Bummed there was no "wolf" band, though. Wolves rule.