The last time we saw Dopapod they were kicking off their massive fall tour with two memorable sets at this year’s Catskill Chill. Now, with two months left of their tour and an upcoming performance at Hulaween, Rob Compa (guitar) and Scotty Zwang (drums) took time out of their busy schedule to chat with Vinyl Mag about their current tour, Hulaween, candy corn, and Dopapod’s New Year’s Eve show, The Ball Drop.
Vinyl Mag: For the entire fall, leading all the way up to New Year’s Eve, Dopapod has quite the heavy touring schedule. How to you mentally, physically, and musically prepare for such an intense couple of months?
Scotty: We are typically on the road long periods of time. We even joke that we are on the never ending tour. At this point it’s like riding a bike.
Rob: After the last tour, we spent a few weeks with our families and girlfriends and generally just kept to ourselves. I think that’s really important. When we go on tour, we’re essentially at work 24/7, and you can go a little nuts being around the same people all the time. Having time apart is really important for maintaining a strong friendship for us. I also don’t really get a lot of time or privacy to practice my guitar playing when I’m on the road, so I usually try to focus and work hard at improving as a guitar player when I’m home.
Vinyl Mag: You have a great mix of festivals and indoor venues along your tour route, how do you approach writing your sets for intimate venues compared to that of a festival?
Scotty: For the most part, Rob writes our setlists. It’s based off what the last play was. We try to not repeat any songs from the last time we played in that area or played that festival. Sometimes we will double if we really want to play it or it’s requested.
Rob: It’s pretty natural. When we play clubs, we have a lot more time to stretch out, so well generally ignore the setlist and play whatever we want for as long as we want. Festivals, on the other hand, tend to be a more specific, deliberate set. We focus more on presenting our songs to new fans.
Vinyl Mag: In particular, what are some of your favorite venues/festivals you will be playing at on this tour?
Rob: I love Higher Ground in Burlington, VT, the Tralf in Buffalo, NY, and I’m also really excited to play The Georgia Theatre in Athens, GA. As far as festivals, I’m really excited for Hulaween. Suwannee Music Park is a really special place.
Scotty: We just played a handful of our favorite venues on the first leg of this tour, but I’m also really looking forward to playing Hulaween and Irving Plaza in NYC.
Vinyl Mag: Hulaween is right around the corner, can you give us any hints on what we can expect from your set? Any collaborations?
Rob: We have no idea!
Scotty: We have some ideas, but I guess you will just have to come down and see for yourself!
Vinyl Mag: Will there be any Halloween costumes involved or will the set be straight business?
Rob: There may be costumes. I absolutely hate dressing up, so for my own sake I hope not!
Scotty: I will tell you that I will never wear a wig on stage ever again. Last year I dressed up as Lydia for our Beetlejuice themed set. I kept getting hair stuck in my month, and when I would try and move it while playing, a drum stick would get stuck in my wig. It’s was a bit of a mess (ha!).
Vinyl Mag: Since we’re on the topic of Halloween… What’s the best Halloween costume you ever wore?
Rob: Bottle of mustard.
Scotty: I don’t usually get crazy for Halloween. I enjoy the holiday. It’s always a lot of fun, but I can’t recall a favorite creative Halloween costume. I once dressed up as Tom Cruise in Risky Business. So I just had to wear white tube socks, white undies, and a white button down. That was easy. Also very revealing.
Vinyl Mag: The great Halloween candy debate, Candy Corn: Yes or No?
Rob: Oh god yes.
Scotty: Yes but I can’t eat a bunch of that stuff. It never sits right.
Vinyl Mag: After your Hulaween set you all get a little break from the tour, will you be sticking around Hulaween and get to enjoy the festival at all?
Rob: I’m flying home on the 31st, so I’ll be pretty in and out. I haven’t been home in 6 and a half weeks!!!
Scotty: I believe some of the guys are staying. I will be heading home the next day. All this touring and I never got to move into my apartment.
Vinyl Mag: After a couple more weeks of your massive tour, you guys finish it off with your jam-packed New Year’s Eve show sharing the stage with your friends Turkuaz and Kung Fu. What is the best part of musically sharing such a special night with artists you have been such long-time friends with?
Rob: The hang is easily the best part. Other than that, I’m most excited to jam with Craig Brodhead and Tim Palmieri because they’re two of the best guitar players I know.
Scotty: I really love playing and throwing parties on New Year’s Eve, but the one aspect of a normal New Year’s Eve celebration I really miss is the lack of loved ones. Whether it be friends or family. Doing shows with two bands we are so close to, makes that feeling present. They are also all such talented players, that it makes for nice impromptu sit-ins/jams.
If a fan is thinking about ringing in the New Year at The Ball Drop for the first time, what can he/she expect from the night?
Rob: Lots of sit-ins, possibly us being drunk from champagne and sloppier than usual.
Scotty: I don’t know what to expect, but I know they should bring an extra pair of pants.
Catch Dopapod on Tour Now!
Oct 30 – Live Oak, FL – Hulaween
Nov 12 – Providence, RI – The Spot Underground
Nov 13 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground
Nov 14 – Woodstock, NY – Bearsville Theater
Nov 18 – Buffalo, NY – Tralf Music Hall
Nov 20 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza
Nov 21 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts
Dec 02 – Wilmington, NC – Ziggy’s
Dec 03 – Athens, GA – Georgia Theatre
Dec 04 – Charleston, SC – The Pourhouse
Dec 05 – Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
Dec 08 – Chattanooga, TN – Revelry Room
Dec 09 – Nashville, TN – Exit In
Dec 10 – Asheville, NC – New Mountain
Dec 11 – Raleigh, NC – Lincoln Theatre
Dec 12 – Vienna, VA – Jammin’ Java
Dec 13 – Vienna, VA – Jammin’ Java*
Dec 31 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium w/ Turkuaz + Kung Fu (The Ball Drop)
* – No Nth Power
# – w/ Moon Hooch
It all started when a much younger Jackie dove into her parents’ record collection, grabbed that trippy Magical Mystery Tour album, and played “Strawberry Fields” over and over again until it was engrained into her soul. She grew up on the dreams and stories of Simon and Garfunkel, “Bleeker Street” being one of her favorites, the seduction of The Doors, Van Morrison, because “Brown Eyed Girl” is definitely her song, and the likes of Jefferson Airplane, The Who, Jimi Hendrix…you get the picture. It may not show on the outside, but Jackie has a hippie heart, and that reflects in her musical tastes today. While some of her favorites may or may not be jam bands, her taste in music feeds into many genres. From alternative, Brit, and indie rock - OK, maybe all rock - to pop, to rap, to electronic, she loves it all. As a northerner, she thought she would never understand country until she found herself on a Georgia farm in cowboy boots watching Luke Bryan shake it for her- yeah, she got that. She is a chronic wanderluster, she doesn't believe in guilty pleasures, enjoys a great Moscow Mule, and is an absolute music festival fanatic- you’ll find her wherever the music takes her.