Part band, part science experiment, High Places subvert the ordinary whenever and wherever they can. Longtime friends Mary Pearson and Rob Barber transform rickety instrumentation and patchwork electronics into a playful, dub-inflected groove. Their third LP Original Colors—due October 11 from local label Thrill Jockey—is positively, effortlessly danceable, while still hanging onto the wide-eyed wonder of their earlier work.
The pair will spend their Sunday in Chicago, splitting their time between two shows. The first is a free gig at Logan Square's Illinois Centennial Monument at 4 p.m. as part of the Sundays in the Park series; the other's a ticketed affair that'll find them at the Empty Bottle at 9:30 p.m. We shot Pearson and Barber an email about this weekend's shows, their move toward a more dance-friendly sound, and their favorite sandwich in Chicago. Here's what they had to say.
You two have always put on a lot of shows in fairly unconventional spots, and your early show this weekend is in front of a statue. Is there something about your music that works well in slightly out-of-the-norm places?
Mary Pearson: Our set up is fairly portable. We don't use a drum kit when we perform, and that frees us up to play in more unconventional locations.
Rob Barber: We also REALLY like playing all kinda of spots because playing a normal rock club every night can get pretty depressing… sorta like a certain movie where you have to keep repeating the same day until you do it correctly. And it can go the other way as well. We actually just played a "normal" club in Manhattan, because the last three Manhattan shows were all at museums. So it can be best to just mix up your environment as much as possible.
From the start, you've stuck with a fairly homespun setup. Are you ever tempted to add new elements to the live show or the recording process? Or is it easier to just let it be the two of you?
Mary Pearson: We prefer to keep High Places just the two of us. I think working with limitations really pushes us creatively. Our live set up and recording process have evolved throughout the years, but it's always felt like a natural, logical progression.
Rob Barber: I think sometimes solo or duo people feel that they HAVE to add live members to their show, like it will make it so much better.. but one thing that is potentially lost, and this would be a big one for us, is that the experimentation in the recording process being replaced by conventional instruments would be a lot less interesting. Maybe not… but I have seen that happen a lot..where I'm a bit let down by just a normal kit drummer replacing some weird-o, more experimental-sounding beats.
Your records have gradually gotten more danceable. Any reason for the shift? How's it been going over with crowds?
Mary Pearson: Rob and I workshopped a lot of ideas before we really nailed down what we wanted to do with our third album, and we came to the conclusion that we dialogue well in a dance context. That seems to be where our musical tastes overlap the most. We've only performed the new songs a handful of times, but so far it seems like they are going over well!
There's a very cute video I'm sure you've seen of you guys performing with a bunch of kids dancing along, and of course, you have your fans among the indie rock cognoscenti. What is it about your music that appeals to such a range of people?
Mary Pearson: The music we make as High Places isn't the easiest to categorize. People seem to hear different things in it. When we first played Japan, an interviewer told us he thought our music sounded Japanese. Other people pick up on our love of dub reggae or ambient music or psychedelia. I've always wanted to make music that communicated a sort of universal message, and I love getting the chance to play for a wide range of age groups.
Anything special in store for repeat customers who might be coming to both the daytime and nighttime shows?
Mary Pearson: Our nighttime show at the Empty Bottle will include projections!
Rob Barber: I am sure the sound dynamics will be very different from the inside to outside. One of the cool things of playing outside is that the sound can get super bouncy and confusing, and we have learned to embrace that because it actually really works for what we do, sorta like a mega-dub remix effect. Inside you really FEEL the music.
Do you guys have a pre-show routine or anything like that?
Mary Pearson: Not really. We like to watch the other bands, so we don't tend to hide out backstage. I just try not to eat too much before we go onstage. I once ate about 5 chocolate chip cookies before a show in Massachusetts, and I had to keep disappearing behind our speaker cabinets to throw up a little. It was pretty disgusting.
Rob Barber: I like to watch bands. It sorta makes me feel way more relaxed to listen to music.
Are you driving to the shows together? Any music getting a lot of play on the High Places iPod?
Mary Pearson: We are flying into Chicago from St. Louis, so we're not traveling in Rob's van this time around. Rob's gotten me into The Bug this summer. Trentemøller makes great late night driving music.
Rob Barber: I really like super dense music, that is like a total wall of feedback. Flying Saucer Attack is my air traveling go to, as it will completely drown out any loud talker or screaming baby on a plane. Although I really like babies… and sometimes I find a baby just totally tripping out totally entertaining.
Anything you're looking forward to doing while you're here?
Mary Pearson: We are big báhn mì fans, and we always try to make it up to Nhu Lan Bakery in Ravenswood for some amazing sandwiches. My sister used to live right next door, and Rob and I fell so hard for this place. The lemongrass tofu sandwich is my favorite.
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