Benicassim Interview // The Clientele
Recently back from one U.S tour, about to go on another, and with a mini-album called “Minotaur” due out in September, The Clientele still managed time to roast their pyschedelic indie-pop on the Beniccasim BBQ, and Noize was there, twiddling our Hunter S moustache and fiddling with our Sitar, to ask Mel Draisey the right questions, and possibly some wrong ones.
NOIZE: Hi, how was your first FiB, if indeed it was?
THE CLIENTELE: It was our second FiB. It felt very different to the first, the venue was cleaner but the crowds were smaller. Apparently there were 15,000 less people there than 3 years ago.
NOIZE: What was the best thing?
THE CLIENTELE: Getting the boys to wear my sunhat for photo sessions in the VIP area and watching our drummer carry around a huge graffiti covered Eastpack bag we got given free. Filling said bag with sandwiches, squishy pears and warm lager in the backstage area. Being able to fall asleep on the coachbus back to the hotel each night with the whole back seat to myself whilst everyone else chatted and tried to sneak alcohol on. The spanish soundmen are great at festivals too - so very helpful.
NOIZE: And the worst?
THE CLIENTELE: Finding upon entry that the free bar all weekend, that used to be present 3 years ago has been abolished….. Discovering on getting to Valencia airport that the ‘frisbee’ we thought was a gift left for us backstage was in fact the top of the icebucket - it didn’t fly.
NOIZE: Did you catch any other bands?
THE CLIENTELE: We heard The Specials starting up as we were line-checking for the other stage. We didn’t get much time to see anyone as we played two gigs in one day.
We saw a little of Mumford - people were going crazy for them. We also saw a little of Fourtet. I would’ve liked to have watched Ellie Goulding, we saw her in the hotel as we left and she seemed very smily.
NOIZE: How pink were the crowds on a scale of 1 to 10?
THE CLIENTELE : Well the English I saw were definitely a 10 = raw bacon.
NOIZE: Did you get any sleep?
THE CLIENTELE: I sure did, I’m 27 now! You have to have some sleep when everything in Spain starts at my normal bedtime….
NOIZE: How was the journey home?
THE CLIENTELE: Our flight situation was pretty dire as we had our flight from Valencia cancelled, then got told none were free until Wed, then told we could get one from Barcelona. Tried to get train to Barcelona (no trains), hired a car, drove to Barcelona, and eventually got a plane home several days later.
NOIZE: FiB in 3 words, linked or not, swearing optional?
THE CLIENTELE : Manic, sweaty, fun.
NOIZE: What’s your next festival?
THE CLIENTELE: Bumbershoot in Seattle in September.
NOIZE: Bumb-her-what?
THE CLIENTELE: Bum-ber-shoot. Definitely NOT as hot as here. I think….
Words by Simon Owen
Photos by Melanie Manneville
