D.C. in Austin: Talking with Carol Bui and Tereu Tereu

By Stephanie Glass » Being a band in D.C. automatically gives you an in at the CNN Grill

Between extreme hydration, poor shoe choices, and possible sunstroke, the thing that kept me going at SXSW (besides the falafel stand on 6th and Neches) was the smaller live performances occurring right under everyone’s nose. Seeing a group of under-the-radar musicians pour their heart into their show regardless of the crowd or time of day was a refreshing slap to the face that reminded me what SXSW originally started for.

Luckily, I was able to catch D.C. musicians Carol Bui and Tereu Tereu, whose performances at D.C. Does Texas and My Old Kentucky Blog were two of the most invigorating and earnest sets I witnessed. Both Bui and Tereu Tereu play richly layered rock and blues and in Bui’s case, hints of world music. I spoke to them briefly after their set (any band that jumps on a speaker before 2pm has earned my fandom for life), at Friday’s My Old Kentucky Blog’s Showcase.

 04 'Geisha' Means 'Open-Minded' by carolbui 

'Geisha' Means 'Open-Minded' by Carol Bui

Carol Bui and Tereu Tereu are two separate groups. How did you guys all decide to tour together?

Ryan: Carol and Tereu Tereu have played shows together and toured in the past and Carol had sung on our record.

Carol: [fingers crossed] We’re like this.

Ryan: We’re tight. So we were like let’s do a tour together.

Thomas: Logistically it works out nice because there is one of her and three of us.

How do you find being a band in D.C.?

Thomas: I spent some time in L.A. and it is just like night and day. In D.C. the other bands are your friends. You are trying to help each other out. Where as in place like L.A. it is so cutthroat. You are competing against the other bands.

Carol: Everyone is trying to make it in L.A.

Ryan: Well everyone is trying to make it in D.C. too.

Carol: Yeah, but we are just more passive aggressive about it.

[Laughter]

Is this everyone’s first time at SXSW?

Carol: I was here two years ago and the year before that. I’ve been here a couple times.

Brendan: This is my first year here playing, but I’ve been here before.

How is it being here as an artist as opposed to a spectator?

Brendan: Uh, It’s more exhausting. It’s exhausting enough as it is and then when you are lugging your gear everywhere and trying to make your shows. Putting in all this effort for 25 to 30 minute sets. It’s exhausting, but it’s fun.

Ryan: We are lucky that we are only playing four or so shows. I guess Thomas is playing like six or seven because he is also in a third band.

Both Carol and Tereu Tereu are promoting new albums. When did you record them?

Carol: I started recording mine [Red Ship] in 2008 [laughing] It took maybe a year to record and then another two months to mix and master. Only cause I was slow and it is now coming out.

Did you originally record it out in Washington State?

Carol: No, I recorded it in D.C. at Inner Ear Studio. And these guys have a new EP [NW] coming out in April.

Ryan: Yeah, we recorded in January, I guess? Not actually in Inner Ear but at the studio attached to it. Thomas is a fantastic engineer and he engineered and mixed it.

Thomas: I had the flu while we were recording it. I didn’t know where I was.

Carol: The record doesn’t sound like he has the flu.

Ryan: Yeah, it’s three songs. We handmade the CD and the art. We cut up some wallpaper and spray painted the stencils on them.

You guys [Tereu Tereu] also opened for The Dismemberment Plan in January. What was that like?

Ryan: Well it was probably what you think it would be like. [Laughs] It was great. We are kind of friends with those guys. Thomas lives with the bass player. Travis actually sang a bit on our very first EP a little bit. Thomas use to play in Travis’s band. They are really awesome guys.

Brendan: It was also awesome to play for a sold-out venue.

Ryan: It sold-out before we got on the bill, so it was super great. To play for 800 super psyched people was great.

What is everyone’s plans post-SXSW?

Brendan: Finishing up our tour. Where are we going next?

Ryan: We are heading back to D.C. via New Orleans. We’ve got some D.C. shows coming up. The EP comes out officially in April.

What would you say has been your most memorable experience at SXSW so far?

Carol: Umm…my brain is kind of a big mash right now.

Ryan: Well you know parking is terrible…oh, busking.

TJ: Oh yeah! I went out and busted my busking cherry with the other bands I play with. It’s apparently the only way to make money at this festival.

[Laughter]

Ryan: Brendan works at CNN, so we went to the CNN Grill. Which is actually pretty posh… they must of spent a lot of money. Like a million plus dollars because there was a lot of great free drinks and food.

Ryan, Brendan, and Thomas: Tacos. Lots of Tacos.

Thomas: I’ve eaten at Freebirds twice already.

All in a moment of clarity: Oh FIESTA!

Carol: Oh! That is my most memorable experience at SXSW. That grocery store is amazing! Those piñatas.

Ryan: It’s a 24-hour grocery store. It is the size of a football store. You know when you need some random stuff at 3 in the morning.

Carol Bui, Tereu Tereu, and The Caribbean are playing March 26^th at St. Stephan’s Church in Washington D.C. 

Posted on March 23, 2011. More on: sxsw, carol bui, tereu tereu, embryonic capitol