Originally from Brooklyn, BOYTOY is a fresh-faced rock trio setting its sights on performing a unique breed of modern sounds and paying tribute to the '60s and '70s. Before the band's show Tuesday at Yucca Tap Room in Tempe, I caught up with some of the band members to chat about life on the road and what makes BOYTOY tick.
Saara Untracht-Oakner plays guitar and is the vocalist for BOYTOY. She talked about how touring on the West Coast is a change of scenery for the band.
“We’ve actually never toured west of Austin before," she said. “So it was pretty cool driving out here and seeing sunshine as opposed to the cold weather back East.
The 11-track album is a full on rock 'n' roll album with obvious influences of Black Sabbath, The Ramones and the Knicks. It features impressive guitar riffs from Untracht-Oakner and Dyke that complements Aidala's easygoing drumming style.
The album was recorded in May in Philadelphia with producer Alan Creedon. Dyke said the recording process was influenced by this location.
“We recorded the album in the winter time and in a basement,” Dyke said. “It was cold outside, but inside (the studio) we set up Christmas lights up and it was cool to kind of disappear into another world in the studio. It really helped the creative process of the album.”
Three weeks into the tour, band members had a lot to say about life on the road.
“I guess sometimes it can be tiring,” Untracht-Oakner said. “It is a lot of driving and you don’t get to stop and see many things. It is usually just going from city to city, then arriving to the venue, hanging around and loading stuff before a show.”
Untracht-Oakner then described an all-too typical scenario faced by many touring musicians.
“You do not really see much of the city, you mostly see the surrounding venue," she said. “Once you play a show, then you find a place to sleep and do it all over again”
However, Dyke provided a much different perspective towards the touring experience.
“It’s definitely exciting, being in a different city every night," she said. "I like road trips and touring is a great excuse to travel.”
Onstage, the band said that fans can expect to see a high-energy performance full of excitement. They claim that part of this excitement is due to the fact that they implement choreographed dance routines in some of their numbers.
“Three goofballs having fun," is what Untracht-Oakner said they like to call themselves, adding that they don't like to take themselves too seriously.
And what is their advice for aspiring artists?
“If being a musician is something that you like to do, then keep on doing it and do not be scared to put yourself out there,” Dyke said.
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Reach the reporter at obie.dieke@asu.edu, or on Twitter @20crowndancer14
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