Every time Conspirator comes to New York, fans know they are going to be in for an extra special night. Magner acknowledged that “New York is one of our biggest territories” and the show feels like “a home coming”. When asked if NYC will be privy to any of the special treats other cities have been getting this tour – like covers or sit-ins, Magner responds told us “I want to make this show as sick as I possibly can… New York is definatly one of my favorite places to play for any project…we have a lot of musician friends that are going to be in Manhattan that day for sure…anything is possible”.
NERVE fans may be a little disappointed for their recent cancellation as the opening act, but this has opened the door for many aspiring musicians in New York City to step up to the plate. Magner described the band’s latest contest, “where if you post a a song from your band, the person that gets the most likes and shares, gets to take NERVE’s spot”. This gives fans the chance enjoy a little bit of friendly competition, as well as check out a ton of new talent this great city has to offer.
For those who have been wondering, Magner described the difference between Conspirator and The Disco Biscuits, pinpointing that in Conspirator, “the computer is doing the same heavy lifting that it would in any other act, but now we’re putting in live instruments on top of THAT, which unlike a lot of my other projects where the live instrument’s are the focal point and the computers are just the bells and whistles in the background”. However, as opposed to other electronic acts that throw a drummer behind their DJ set and call it a “live” act, everyone in Conspirator plays an instrument – “it’s a band, and it feels like a band”.
The chemistry of the band on stage clearly stems from the great sense of camaraderie these musicians share with one another off of it. The two founding members band, Brownstein and Magner, share an indescribable bond that can be seen both socially and musically. But beyond those two, Magner talked to us about his fondness for the newest official member of the band, Chris Michetti, formally of RAQ. “The tracks that Michetti has introduced into Conspirator are Conspirator’s best tracks!”, and on a more personal note, “he’s one of the best guys out there just for the hang alone”.
Without an official full time drummer, Conspirator uses a rotating cast of some of the biggest names in the industry including KJ Swaka of Pendulum, Mike Greenfield of Lotus, Darren Shearer of The New Deal, and Adam Dietch of Break Science. Acknowledging the level of talent they have rotating in and out of the drummer’s chair, Magner told us, “We’re not getting no name drummers, we’re not getting half assed drummers, we’re getting drummers that crush it”. Magner humbly adds, “Conspirator has been extremely lucky, fortunate, and privileged to play with the country’s best [drummers]”. However the band seems to have found comfort this year with the renowned KJ Swaka stating, “he’s our brother…we’re trying to get away from the rotating drummer chair, and I think we’ve finally found our solution”.
When our attention turned to Camp Bisco The Disco Biscuits’ music festival in upstate NY, Magner confirmed that Conspirator will not be officially on the bill, however the concept of “a fun late night jam in the VIP” was entertained. In previous years the band was heavily involved in the artist selection of the artists previous years creating “wish lists” to “see who we could get”. This year they, “took more of a backseat approach for the lineup selection” but Magner seemed in no way less ecstatic stating the “lineup is killer this year”.
Magner expressed his genuine excitement at the chance to check out the visually stimulating acts of both Shpongle’s Masquerade set up for the first time, being a huge fan of Simon Posford’s, and Amon Tobin’s stage setup stating, “For a year now everybody’s been posting their pictures of Amon Tobin lights thing, like what, yeah – I wanna see that with my own two eyes.”
Another act tht Magner seemed particularly interested in were Dada Life, exclaiming that, “goddamn it, I want to have a banana champagne party!”. The way he talked about Zedd and Mord Fustang almost made us forget for a moment that he wasn’t just another fan having a conversation about music, and that his band actually ran the show. Other acts that got an honorable mentions were Big Gigantic, Bonobo, and Zoogma who opened for them in Asheville.
Clearly, Magner will have a busy 2012. As fans pine for more Disco Biscuits tour dates and Conspirator continues to become more in demand in their own right, free time will of course be sparse. In addition to wrapping up this current tour, Conspirator will hit several festivals including Connecticut’s Gathering of the Vibes and Ohio’s All Good Festival over the summer. Don’t forget to catch them this Saturday at Irving Plaza for what is sure to be a special evening.
-Kunj Shah