Don’t Miss Out: Broadside
Interview by Annette Hansen
Festival season is in full swing, and with that comes the biggest traveling festival of the summer- Warped Tour. This year the tour features a ton of throwback bands like Good Charlotte, Sum 41, Less Than Jake, New Found Glory and so many more! And while we love these bands and appreciate their contribution to the scene, we want to introduce you to some of the bands that you may not know about. Who knows? You might get introduced to your new favorite band.
We caught up with Broadside vocalist Ollie Baxxter to find out what the band expects from their first summer on Warped Tour and more!
1. You guys have been around and worked hard as a band for nearly six years now, but it’s only in the last year or two that your career has kind of taken off. How does it feel seeing all that work pay off?
It feels fantastic. We’re firm believers in consistency being key in any situation. A lot of scenarios have been placed upon us to where the average person would just quit, but this is all we have and this is only the beginning.
2. As a band that really got their hands dirty in getting things off the ground for Broadside, how do you feel those early experiences have influenced you and benefited you with where you are now?
We know the absolute worst case scenario. It’s familiar to us and so that motivates us to NEVER reach that point again. Breaking down almost every tour, engines blowing, playing to literally 3 people and being denied attention because of various scenarios… It just keeps you grounded and humble.
3. Last year you put out the album Old Bones. With this album, you said you wanted to create songs that listeners can relate to. How do you feel Old Bones accomplishes that?
I feel like it connected very organically. A lot of people want that raw message, they just don’t know it. The beautiful thing about art is that it’s a message dressed up in (in this scenario) poppy melodies and driving instrumentals. So the listener hears something sonically appealing (courtesy of our producer Kyle Black) and some depth and actual heartache/growth from us as a collective. It was somewhat overwhelming at times the response it got from younger listeners dealing with anxiety, depression, self harm etc., but that’s the thing I channel when I listen to people is, when I was young I just wanted someone to listen to me.
4. What is it about finding that kind of a connection with your fans through those songs that inspires you as you move forward?
Everyone, everywhere wants to feel accepted. Hence the popularity of Instagram, Facebook etc. We want to be validated as a human race. The really cool thing about writing music that connects common experiences is that they get it. Even if they only hear one line at a show. It hurts or it feels warm. I remember one of the first lyrics that ever hit me was from a Cure song titled “Breathe.” The lyrics were “Be with me//Be like you used to be//with me, with me.” In this context, it’s nothing. But when you hear Robert Smith sing it in his dreary tone, it hurts. It really hurts. So I just hope that when people watch me sing or hear the tone of my voice they feel it. They know it’s real.
5. With this being your first Warped Tour, what are some of your expectations for playing a festival like this?
We just want to make a lot of friends and perform our very best. We owe it to ourselves to just kill it! We expect having to prove our worth, which honestly is exciting.
6. This being a new experience for you, what do you hope to gain from being a part of the tour?
EXPOSURE! We have to put the world on to what we’re trying to do. We don’t want to be a record in your CD player. We want to be THE record in your CD player.
7. With songs like “Human Machines” and “Damaged Kids” having messages that listeners have latched on to, what do you hope new ears will take away from hearing your set this summer?
I hope they see that perseverance is something to strive for. You don’t have to be like someone else. The future you want does not exist. SO CREATE IT!
Catch Broadside on Vans Warped Tour all summer long on the Full Sail Stage!
