Between two sold-out shows at the Palace Theatre in St. Paul, Fleet Foxes frontman Robin Pecknold stopped at The Current for a live on-air chat with Mac Wilson. Nate Ryan was on hand to capture the entire conversation on video.

Pecknold spoke about visiting the Walker Art Center, what it's like playing at the Palace and at Red Rocks, and how Fleet Foxes may be gaining something in common with the Grateful Dead.

Interview Highlights

MAC WILSON: How did you enjoy playing at the Palace last night?
ROBIN PECKNOLD: The Palace was great. I heard it's a relevantly new spot and it was the best combination of a really nice old theater, but then still there was standing room. I've heard that it's not as uptight. Form my end, the crowd was awesome and we had a great time playing.

MW: What is the Red Rocks experience for an artist?
RP: It was great! Everyone was really friendly. You can't really breathe. It was interesting because even though it is this very large amphitheater and it seemed to extend as far as the eye could see, the front row is actually really close to you. They're kind of at eye level. There's no elevated stage. Just as I'm eye level with you right now, that's about where the front row is. It's a weird combination of feeling like you're busking, but you're busking for 80,000 people. It was stressful for sure on our end, but it was fun.

MW: What have you been enjoying listening to lately?
RP: This is kind of obvious if you know our music, but I've been listening to a lot of Sibylle Baier. In particular, the Colour Green album that was released like ten years ago. I don't really know why, but it's very different because touring is great, playing shows and everything. But you do spend a lot of time in dressing rooms and there is something about that album that can transport you in a therapeutic way on tour.

MW: If somebody went to last night's show and they're heading out tonight, what can they expect to be the same and what can they expect to be a little bit different, if anything?
RP: What can you expect? Well, we are playing different songs tonight. I did get a lot of messages where people were like: "We'll see you tonight too! Hope you play 'x' song!" We've been getting that a lot on this tour. A lot of repeat people that have seen four or five shows on the tour, which is cool. We'll have to change things up and get into a Grateful Dead style. We'll have to start jamming more. But it's going to be a slightly different set tonight.

MW: The song that we're going to wrap up with in a few moments is one that you have been performing solo as part of the encore. What is it about this particular track, "Montezuma", that lends itself to a solo performance onstage at the shows? Why this one solo?
RP: There are a few songs on that Helplessness Blues album that are incredibly personal, but then they were gussied up with a lot of arrangements and stuff. So it feels nice to play one of those songs that is so direct and from the heart, just alone.

Resources

Fleet Foxes - official site

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