Augustana Plays the Sony Theater
4:15 pm, January 8th
We interviewed Augustana after their show in the Sony Theater at CES 2009. The all-acoustic set saw the group bring their own kind of technology to bear - including banjos, slide guitar, and of course their hit song, "Sweet and Low." They even played two new songs, "Reasons" and "Fire."
Q: How are you enjoying CES?
A: It's been fun - we didn't expect this magnitude of a show... remarkable. We like this kind of crowd to try out the acoustic set - they're there to listen.
Q: Have you had time to look around? What technology here at the Sony booth has impressed you the most?
A: We came in last night for a sound check and saw the chaos of the setup. It's just amazing how big it is.
Looking around, some of the TVs they have now are just ridiculous. The Bravias are awesome - the pictures are so bright and crisp it's just unbelievable... and the 3-D stuff blew our mind. It definitely seems like that's the future.
We have a PSP that keeps us sane on the road - we spend a lot of time in the van making 10 hour drives.
Q: How do you see technology affecting your work?
A: Something that directly affects us is recording music. Recording has become so plausible on the individual level - I can go home and make something that sounds good.
Q: What are you looking forward to in the new year?
A: We're looking forward to touring some more - we're going to Flagstaff for our next show - and getting back in the studio. Though it's tough to guess because things always change...
