sidebody talk
sidebody the band is one instantiation of an art collective, also called sidebody. sidebody makes zines, prints, and art books, organizes workshops, and runs a studio space in Somerville, MA where other artists work. sidebody, who recently released their album sidebody, is Martha, Lena, Cara, and Hava, and they’ll be here at atac on Saturday April 8th along with Hereboy and DJ CHAIA. Get yourself a ticket or two.
atac: Good morning. Who are you?
sidebody: We’re sidebody! We’re a band from Somerville, MA. We make music at the intersection of pop, rock, and performance art, and we put on really fun live shows that are never the same twice. You can check out our album, sidebody, on Spotify or bandcamp. If you like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the B52s, No Doubt, or Palberta, you might like us. We are excited to play at atac!
atac: We do like those bands; and we like sidebody. You are from around these parts, yeah?
sb: sidebody first discovered music on sale at Market Basket for $9.99. They then brought music home in a reusable bag. Unfortunately, it quickly escaped and infected everyone in the city! That’s how we got where we are today.
atac: …
sb: More seriously, we all spent many of our formative and music-discovering years in the MetroWest area, with families and friends who loved to sing and play records. Music has always been a very social thing for all of us, and we feel like we are still discovering music all the time, with each other and in our community. sidebody really started because Hava, Martha and Lena are longtime friends who wanted to find even more ways to relate.
atac: aside from sidebody, what else are you all up to?
sb: Martha is a silkscreen printmaker, arts educator, and facilitator for a youth activism and leadership program. Lena’s creative outputs are walking, talking to neighbors, bookmaking and photography—often combinations of those. Cara is a journalist interested in making community with other species. Hava is an actress and communication/leadership coach, and facilitates workshops on presence and connection—check out Cooties!
Above: sidebody has the demimatac: Going back a bit…since you mentioned Market Basket, let’s get hyper local. Talk to us about Somerville.
sb: Here’s our version of a dream itinerary for someone playing a show in the Somerville area:
Get a snack at Sofra; take it for a walk around Mt. Auburn Cemetery. Look at cool graves and/or birds.
Hit up the Garment District and create a mind-blowing series of looks for your show
Get takeout from Punjabi Dhaba and eat it on the lawn outside the Cambridge Public Library
Play your show!!!
Grab a post show beer at Sligo in Davis Square.
Meet someone at Sligo who invites you to a cool house party. Stay there for a long time chatting with interesting people from the neighborhood.
Go dancing with your new friends all night in Central Square, at Zuzu or ManRay
Go to Prospect Hill Tower and watch the sun rise
atac: I still can’t believe ManRay is back. It’s been like 20 years?! What about other acts in the area to check out?
sb: Although we started fairly recently we have already been lucky enough to play with many great local bands and artists, including Idgy Dean, Tiffy, Grace Givertz, Orbiter, Miilo, poet Al Rosa, magician Jack Miller, and cellist Aaron Wolff.
We’d also like to shout out The Glue & Whip Appeal, who are currently in New Orleans but hail from MetroWest. Also Colleen Green, Puppy Problems, WMBR, and the Lilypad Open Mic in Union Square, which happens at 10 PM on Wednesdays.
Above: sidebody appears to enjoy punsatac: Any favorite live shows, more broadly?
Gustaf: “They seemed to be having a great time on stage.” —Lena
Palm: “Watching and listening feels physically transportive.” —Cara
Maggie Rogers: “You could see how much practice and rehearsal it takes to get to a point of pop perfection; but she also made it look so easeful.” —Hava
atac: While you’re fairly new, the live set is pretty dialed in. How do you prepare, or calm the nerves before playing?
Hava says: “One way to get out of your own head is to focus on what you’re offering rather than how you’ll be perceived. Set an intention and focus on how you want to impact the people who will hear you.”
Lena says: “If you’re overwhelmed, remember that it’s actually supposed to be overwhelming. That’s just part of it!”
Cara says: “It can be easy to get caught up in your own role, but if possible (and relevant), remember to take a moment to notice and appreciate what your bandmates are doing onstage.”
Martha says: “I say this with the utmost respect: pretend you're a teenage boy.”
atac: What are your respective desert-island records?
Martha says: Big Science by Laurie Anderson. It’s so dynamic—quiet song, loud song, meditative song, unexpected pop hit. What more could you want?!
Lena says: Naturally by J.J. Cale. I can listen to it in the bath, driving my car, walking around, really anywhere. can’t go wrong.
Cara says: Solo Monk by Thelonious Monk. This album is a really good companion. It rewards close attention or you can just let it wash over you. I think if I were stuck on a desert island, listening to a band would make me too lonely.
Hava says: Rubber Soul by The Beatles. I want a record that has many different kinds of sounds. The Beatles have so many distinct personalities as well as sounds and moods; it would be good for a rainy day on the desert island or a sunny day.
atac: sidebody, thanks so much. The mic is yours…any final thoughts?
sb: Thank you for reading! Don’t forget that everyone can and should make art and music. Also, we really like to hear from people and to collaborate on projects and events. You can reach us anytime at sidebodyband@gmail.com.
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Catch sidbody, Hereboy, and DJ CHAIA at atac on Saturday April 8, 2023. Tickets are right over here.
