Interview with Pittsburgh show producer Rudi Boyd

Q1: What is your name, and what do you "do"

A1: I am an political reseacher, sometimes social worker and aspiring urban planner

Q2: How did you first find out about Brazzaville's music?
A2: A friend mentioned the Brazzaville concert during the short 3 city tour in winter 2007, saying it was indie/latin/goth-bossa nova from Barcelona. It sounded weird and interesting and I dragged 2 friends to the show having not heard a single song and fell in love with the music and had a great time.

Q3: How did you get Brazzaville to come to Pittsburgh?
A3: I sent David an email asking if he could manage it and I suppose the location and dates worked out. My friend had an affordable venue (Elk's Lodge) and I just wanted Pittsburghers to hear Brazzaville whom I really love and saw 3 times when I lived in Milwaukee.

Q4:Tell me about the Elk's location and your connection to it.
A4:The co-promoter and friend of mine, Brad R., also loves good music, is a member of the Elk's Lodge and has hosted another successful event there and figured that the location is odd enough to be Brazzaville worthy, plus it gets some more traffic to his Lodge.

Q5: Who else do you have on the bill?
A5: Some good friends of mine are going to be opening, Brother Renze & Friends and feature Mark Williams. They play some interesting soul/folk w/a great stand-up bassist and may back David Brown for a few tunes. Hopefully it'll be a fun and new experience for anyone that shows up!

Q6: Other than this show -- how has Brazzaville inspired YOU.
A6: The way I felt at my first Brazzaville show and in listening since is that:
1) There is beauty in life if you take the time to experience it and 'let go' to some extent. When I first saw the band I was in a weird/unhappy spot in life and the show made me think that despite all the craziness life really is pretty amazing and beautiful.
2) The lyrics of wanderlust and travel appealed to me as I've spent a good deal of time traveling (Brazil, Europe, Israel, Australia) and some of the songs kinda convey that feeling you get flying across the ocean and being displaced, and the freedom there is in that.

At any rate, Brazzaville is an odd sound for me to be into as I mostly listen to old Philly soul (i.e. the Delfonics, the Intruders); but I guess there is some overlap as both have a rather wistful vibe in the lyrics. Happy and sad at the same time, which to me is what Brazzaville is like.

I hope some people turn up for the show and that Brazzaville gets some new fans!!









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