STRFKR play Observatory / Santa Ana Mar. 10 and The Glass House Mar. 11; photo Cara Robbins
STRFKR will play a lengthy set of danceable and lyrically thoughtful music at The Observatory/Santa Ana Mar. 10 and The Glasshouse Mar. 11 as part of the second leg of their U.S. tour.
“The first tour was like bigger cities and this tour is smaller cities,” Josh Hodges (vocals) said. “I kind of prefer this kind of tour.”
Their set will encompass a balanced mix of all of their albums, including the most recent Being No One, Going Nowhere. An album inspired by the book of wisdom, “Being Nobody Going Nowhere” which among other ideas and perspectives inspires one to learn that being alive is good enough.
“I like the idea that whatever you are right now is enough,” Hodges admitted. “The idea of striving to be something other than you are is causing suffering and causing confusion.
“The value system that we have is more and more that people need to be something like a celebrity or known for something and it can cause people to be crazy and do crazy things.”
Moving from Portland to Southern California four years ago, much of the album was written and recorded at the band’s practice house in Joshua Tree where the comfort and mystery of the desert provided immense inspiration and reflection.
“It’s a really good environment for me to write and record,” Hodges said. “It’s pretty isolated and you can make noise all night, the house is out in the middle of nowhere. Nature is so big and the desert life out there is so interesting.
“It makes me feel smaller being in nature like that. It’s kind of comforting with all the craziness going on in the country right now.
STRFKR; photo Cara Robbins
“And even if our narcissistic, idiotic leaders get us in some nuclear war and we all die then, whatever it is, our planet is just a tiny little nothing in this infinite “whatever”. It’s meaningful, too.
“Being out there, for me, it’s easier to stay in touch with that bigger perspective. Everyone’s gonna die anyways. I’m like part of all the molecules and matter that makes up my body and who I think I am…it’s like being a part of this old collection of universes or whatever… it’s kind of comforting.”
STRFKR recently released the first of a three volume set of rarities that Hodges rescued from a dying computer, while a live album is also in the works.
Touring with STRFKR are label mates Psychic Twin who play infectious romantic pop music.
“They’re opening every show and then after their set they become dancers for us a little bit,” Hodges mentioned. “They’re great!”