When some bands have a big show coming up they throw up a couple of posters, set up some well-timed posts on Facebook, cross their fingers, and hope for the best. When indie-progressive-disco six-piece Future Loves Past has a big show coming up they get weird.
With their final show of 2013 coming up on December 28 at the Crescent Ballroom, Future Loves Past decided to let their quirky personalities shine in an "Adult Swim-esque," promotional video/holiday special, according to guitarist and singer Tristan Dede.
"We made the same kind of video for our Kickstarter campaign and it went over really well. It's easy and fun for us to film these videos. We're really only good at making fun of ourselves on camera; none of us can act at all," says Dede. "It seemed like it would be more entertaining for people to watch something creative and themed rather than a commercial featuring a bunch of awkward musicians telling you how great it would be to go to their show."
The video is FLP's comedic take on some old holiday favorites, including Rudolph and the little drummer boy, among others. "We all love that kind of humor and creating that style of video caters to low budgets and bad acting. There's nothing to 'get' about it. It's just a parallel version of the holidays that we made up for fun."
Perhaps Dede and his cohorts are in such good spirits heading into their Saturday night date at Phoenix's favorite venue because of their co-headliner, Phoenix-based synth-pop act Bogan Via, who are back home from their European tour and taking the stage for their own last performance of 2013. "We really like Bogan Via's music. We've been able to watch them progress since the open mics we used to play alongside each other. We're always stoked to be on the same bill, and it's rad that they are able to tour. I'm sure they will put on an awesome, tight show since they've been playing a lot lately."
FLP has not been slouching on the live shows either since releasing their album All The Lucious Plants at their two-day release festival "Lushfest" in mid-September. Though they were not able to tour through Europe in the fall with their jet-setting counterparts, FLP definitely made the most of their autumn in the Valley. Some of their fall highlights included their appearance at Rubber Brother fest in late September, their headlining performance at Apache Lake Music Festival on October 18, and their packed-house performance at Dry River Yacht Club's album release on November 16 at the Crescent.
But that is just the kind of year 2013 was for Future Loves Past, whose impressive fall resume came after helping pack the Crescent on July 10 for a showcase of some of Phoenix's biggest locals, as well their performance at McDowell Mountain Music Festival to close out the local stage on March 31.
Not a bad list of shows for a band that also managed to churn out a terrific album in the same year. But while Future Loves Past grew tremendously locally in 2013, they are hoping that in 2014, while they work on their next album, Our Solar System, they might be able to grow on the national stage. "We have big plans for 2014," said Dede.
Plans that include recording more music with Bob Hoag at Flying Blanket Studios, as well as releasing some new music videos, while booking more out-of-town dates and trying to stay on top of the most quality in-town gigs, according to the Phoenix popsters.
While the band is not quite ready to set any concrete dates for the release of new music, they did say the first two tracks of Our Solar System are recorded, and fans can expect "a short EP of sorts in the near future."
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