Getting drunk and playing live

March 2005 was a good time media-wise for local "hypersonic pop" band Testaverde. That month, Offbeat contributor Michael Welch gave them "my 2005 vote for New Orleans' best rock band" although the article in which he wrote that was themed around his repeated misunderstandings of or at least disagreements with the band members about their music.

That same month Rob Bryant interviewed the band for ANTIGRAVITY magazine. The AG online archives don't go back quite that far so we can't link to the issue here. Luckily a few print copies do, in fact, happen to be laying around from which we can excerpt the following bit,

RB: What is your favorite part about playing in Testaverde?
(Guitarist and vocalist) Joe: I don't know if have a favorite part. Maybe getting drunk and playing live. That may not be true but you can put that. We like getting drunk and playing live.

RB: Is it hard to get drunk and play live?
Joe: Yeah. I would prefer to play songs that are a little easier so that we could get more drunk than we do. For example, Kevin is our drummer, so he can't get that drunk because he's got to be tight. It can be somewhat of a challenge to play difficult music drunk, but it can be done.

RB: What kind of people would enjoy Testaverde?
Joe: Every kind of person you would come in contact with. Grandmas... babies...

RB: Young and old?
Joe: Yeah. Grandmas and babies.
(Then bassist) Eddie: Actually I think war-supporters would like our music because, well, nevermind. It is kind of furious, but then again it also has a sentimental side. Yeah, nevermind.

Five years later, and with a slightly different line-up, Testaverde plays its first post-Katrina show tonight at the Saturn Bar. Grandmas are welcome. The Saturn's policy on babies is less clear.