This World Fair
Just hours before playing a show for their hometown fans, Chris Kalgren of This World Fair sat down with me to talk about the forward momentum of the band, how hole-in-the-wall bars rule, girls, and how he doesn’t want the band’s music to make Top 40…at least for now.
Asif: Man, since the last time I saw you, you guys have toured with Guster and Phantom Planet. Things are going good man! You have to be pretty happy. You just did Disturbia [a song on the soundtrack] and the album coming out…
Chris: Yeah, yeah! From a publicity standpoint we are doing better than we ever have. Finally, This World Fair is starting to get known a bit more in Minneapolis where before it really wasn't the case. We were actually probably known more on the coast, especially industry wise. Disturbia helped create a little buzz and helped get a little forward momentum exposure wise. Then we released a three-song EP, and that helped the momentum a lot too.
Asif: So have you guys made the transition from a small van yet to a plush bus?
Chris: No, we are in a plush van! That is between the stage of van and a sh*tty bus.
Asif: (laughs) In between? How is that possible? Does this pseudo bus-van have a pisser?
Chris: (laughs) No! It has the smallest size DVD player though! That's just enough to not make us go completely insane when we are on the road 14-hours straight. (laughs)
Asif: (laughs)
Chris: (laughs) Juuust enough!
Asif: There are a lot of the people out there that don't know what This World Fair sounds like. How would you describe your music to someone who is about to go to your MySpace page or pick up the album in August and listen to you guys for the first time?
Chris: That's a really good question…and also a question that requires a lot of debate apparently. I think the [Minneapolis-St. Paul newspaper] Star Tribune did a pretty good job in that they say it is like Snow Patrol combined with the Gin Blossoms. I was like "Hmm. I've never heard anyone say it that way before." But then I was like "He might be onto something." But we've always had the Coldplay comparison / Ben Folds comparison / anybody-on-Earth-that-plays-a-piano comparison because a lot of the songs are piano driven. It's a bit more gentle and melancholy at some places. But then you have a little bit more rock side that is bit more of a Foo Fighters and Jimmy Eat World influence. We draw from a lot of influences. So, I guess the answer is that we really don't sound like anyone, we sound like This World Fair. Hopefully. That is what we want.
Asif: You want the unique sound that isn't comparable to anything out there…
Chris: Exactly. We want to create a niche. And that's why we are doing this because we think we have something that other bands don't have. In that, we have a pretty unique combination of backgrounds, instruments, and melodically songwriting wise we hope the songs hold up you know?
Asif: Yeah man, totally. I think you totally got it.
Chris: Thanks man!
Asif: No problem dude! What is your favorite hangout spot around here in the Cities?
Chris: What's weird is that I went a route that some musicians don't go. I went to school first before I started music. I went to engineering school and when I got back I started working as a medical device engineer for like two years. That allowed me to afford a house out in a suburb called New Hope. So, honestly, the one place that I go more than any other place that I go to hangout is in New Hope and it's called the Sunshine Factory. It's like this little hole-in-the-wall family restaurant that nobody in the Cities would know about.
Asif: The holes-in-the-walls are the best man because you can just go there and recluse away from the world…
Chris: Yes! And there is a whole new social set there, which I need. Cause if I'm in the industry too much…
Asif: You go nuts from being in the scene too much!
Chris: Yes! I go nuts!
Asif: I hear ya man!
Chris: I just get phobia of the massive amounts of pressure in the music industry. I think we are doing well and I just want to go at the push that we want to go at.
Asif: You went to [the University of Wisconsin] Madison, right?
Chris: Yeah, I did!
Asif: I graduated from the University of Minnesota, so I guess we are supposed to be bitter rivals and hate each other!
Chris: (laughs) I think we're all good!
Asif: Yeah, we are! You're cool, so I don't think there is an issue!
Chris: (laughs) I think we got past the rivalry the moment we first talked to each other! I don't think there is going to be a problem!
Asif: (laughs) Outside of Minnesota because it is home, what has been your favorite town to play in so far?
Chris: I think the town that we've made the most headway in is Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Asif: Okay. You guys did two shows there in the same week, right?
Chris: Right. We did like three shows in three weeks. It just works. At the last show we packed up the entire room. It just shows that when you that when you go and repeat your show you build a base. Just like we've done in Minneapolis. If this band wasn't from Minneapolis but we played it as many times as we have, we'd hopefully have the same result and it makes it easier to play in.
Asif: Cool man. When you sit down to write a song, is there special something that helps you tap into that matrix? Whether it’s a special environment, a special drink, a song you heard…
Chris: Yeah! It's honestly totally different every time and its based on or is a derivative of anything that happens prior to it. So, in order to bring yourself to a place where you can write or you can tap into the emotion and the intelligence simultaneously of writing – which is both an emotional thing and an analytical thing - and you feel truly inspired when your there, I think that is where good things come out. I've tried any number of combinations of getting lot of sleep, to getting no sleep, staying up all night, to various influences…whether it be girls, alcohol, or whatever. There's just no magic formula. If you're obsessed with something, it's not like you re-direct your thoughts like that [snaps his fingers], you know? Or if you're just complacent, that’s not going to work either. I guess that is such a long answer to such a simple question, but…
Asif: No man, that is good! Alright man, you said girls. I know on your MySpace page your very first interest listed is "Girls".
Chris: (laughs) Right!
Asif: I love girls
too. I think everyone likes girls. Wait, I shouldn't say everyone likes
girls…
Chris: (laughs)
Asif: (laughs) But I know you’re a chick magnet and a lot of girls like you. So, what does a guy like you look for in a girl?
Chris: I think there is an artistic side that they need to possess for me to be attracted to them. I don't know why that's the case – probably just because I'm dedicating my life to art. Also, it doesn't matter whether it's music or painting. It's somebody that creates the creative side. I find a lot of analytic people don't have a lot of understanding of the creative side. So if I've ever dated a girl that are just a little too rigid in their daily regiment and they don't have a whole lot of swing emotionally, then I just really don't understand them just like they don't understand me.
Asif: Yeah man! We're totally on the same wavelength there bro.
Chris: You get me?
Asif: Totally.
Chris: So I'd say that is the biggest thing for me. I think I'm inspired by girls. That is one of the main draws of inspiration for songwriting for me, as it is with many songwriters. So, I think that is why it is number one on my MySpace.
Asif: I feel ya man.
Chris: Yeah. I honestly really don't date a lot. I just treasure conversations. I also have a lot of friends that are girls and that keeps me at that place in my mind. And also that guys that I'm with in the band – we have a deep vulnerable connection with each other which helps a lot. You know? So when your in a van a long time and you are like "oh man, there haven't been girls for miles"…
Asif: (laughs)
Chris: (laughs) It's just really nice to be with guys who are cool as sh*t.
Asif: Alright man, so the album comes out in August…
Chris: Yeah
Asif: What's next for This World Fair? Open up for U2 someday at Madison Square Garden?
Chris: (laughs) I'd say the band's opinion of U2 is mixed. I'd say opening up for someone in our means like Guster who has a very organic fan base. Or a band like Phantom Planet, who also has a very loyal, organically built fan base. Those are the types of bands we'd be shooting for if anything.
Asif: What about years down the road. After five albums and a Greatest Hits album…
Chris: Then we hope
we are U2! (laughs)
Asif: (laughs)
Chris: From an exposure and a marketability standpoint, they aren't doing anything wrong. And they haven't been for 25 years, they've been doing really well for themselves. Of course we all respect U2, whether we all like them or not is a totally different thing. We want to grow slowly. We want to have a slow and loyal growth. We don't want to be over-marketed. We don't want to be overexposed. We don't want to go to Top 40 in the first two years or five years. When you go Top 40, you lose your alternative fans. We want to treasure the alternative fans and that segment of the audience for a long period of time. Success isn't something we desire – good music is something we desire. It's taken three and a half years to get here, so we don't have any qualms if it takes three and a half years for somebody out in California to understand who we are. Like The Fray – they blew up very quickly. That unfortunately is a path that is very fickle.
Asif: What's your opinion on that? That happens with so many bands. You would think Top 40 your fan base would be growing, but it's totally the opposite. Why do you think that is?
Chris: It's gotta be the sociology of the situation. How people respond to something in groups. In this case, as a nation if we just want to take America. I think some people are a certain way about music and certain people are a certain other way. The Top 40 has their format of people that like simple, catchy tunes. As soon as you are perceived as a band that likes simple, catchy tunes, all the alternative people are like "dude, they totally sold out." You know, there are ways of avoiding that, but there is a really narrow path you have to follow.
Asif: Well it's good to have you guys back home again man! Thank you!
Chris: It's good to be home! Thanks!
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