[Photo courtesy of Alice Falkowski]

By Eileen Fortner, Staff Writer 

Athens-based indie rock band Rug opened ACRN’s annual Lobsterfest event this year. The band is made up of guitarists and vocalists Alice and Jenna, bassist and vocalist Cora and drummer Elliot. Before their set for the festival, I spoke with the band about their creative process, what inspires them to make music and their anticipation of their show. 

[This interview has been edited for length and clarity] 

Eileen Fortner (EF): How are you feeling about playing Lobsterfest this year? 

Alice: We’re really excited but also a little nervous. But mostly excited. 

Jenna: Yeah, very honored that we get to play with such awesome bands. 

Elliot: The past two years’ lineups have been all of my favorite bands. Now, Wishy is up there as one of my favorite bands. So it’s kind of crazy that we get to play with them.   

EF: Musically, who do you take inspiration from? 

Alice: Definitely like Momma– 

Cora: Yep.

Jenna: Wednesday, MJ Lenderman, Wishy! 

Cora: Dare I say! 

Jenna: As of late. 

Cora: Villagerrr for sure. 

Elliot: Baby Wave and Total Wife. 

EF: In an article earlier in the school year, you mentioned that you were planning on releasing more music. Can we still look forward to that?

Elliot: Yeah!

Jenna: We’re working on it. 

Alice: We’re taking a break from shows this summer to spend some time recording music, and hopefully that music will be out in the fall. We’re sitting on some other stuff that-

Elliot: Will be out soon. 

EF: How did you come up with the name Rug? 

Alice: When I was in my first band, like three or four years ago, I had a list of band names that were just random one-syllable words, because I was like, ‘I want to start my own band one day.’ Rug was on the list, and I was like, ‘Okay, well, my future band must be called Rug because it’s the coolest band name ever.’

Jenna: Dude! It’s only three letters. 

Cora: I thought it was cool before I was in it. 

EF: I know you have said that you’re excited to see Wishy. Is there anyone else you’re excited to see play this weekend? 

Cora: A-Go-Go 

All: Yes!

Cora: Yeah, they’re our good friends. 

Elliot: Dazy is really cool. 

Alice: People in the Daytime. Pretty much like everyone. 

Jenna: Yeah, [Friday] is gonna be crazy. 

Alice: I’m really excited to see Lavandula’s last set. It’s their last show ever. Me and Jenna have been friends with those guys since freshman year, first weekend of freshman year. It’s been awesome to watch them be a band. 

Jenna: We watched their first show ever and now we’re gonna be at their last, so that’s cute. 

EF: What inspires you guys to make music? 

Alice: The wind, good food, my awesome relationship and my awesome parents. 

Jenna: I get inspired by a lot of other music. If I’m really into a certain artist or band or something, they just make me want to make music. Or, just life events obviously that I want to write about. 

Cora: Yeah, I think just hearing other music is a big one. Since I’ve made so many friends that make music, I’m around it all the time. So, I’m hearing all the cool stuff that my friends are writing, and they inspire me. They inspire me as people too, just in my life. Also, it’s my go-to for processing my emotions, things like that. It’s an easy way to put that out into the world and get it out of my brain. 

Elliot: I want to make music that makes people feel like I feel when I listen to really cool music, that crazy feeling where I’m like, ‘oh my gosh.’

Alice: Every time we see a show together, I feel like- 

Jenna: At least a song comes out of it. 

Alice: Yeah, we come back from the show, and we want to write music now. 

EF: When you are all on stage, what goes through your minds? 

Jenna: Nothing. 

Cora: Don’t f*ck up, don’t f*ck up, don’t f*ck up.

Elliot: Keep it up, bud, keep it up. 

Alice: For me, honestly, trying not to do my guitar face. Like my nostrils flare. It looks really stupid. So, I try to keep that in check. 

Cora: The old turtle mouth. 

Alice: Also, I’m looking at the crowd. I’m trying to gauge whether or not they’re enjoying it, and whether or not I need to have more energy so that they feel safe and comfortable to dance and express themselves. 

Cora: In the past, it’s been like, ‘don’t f*ck up, don’t f*ck up, don’t f*ck up.’ Lately, I’ve been trying to focus more on having fun. That’s more fun for other people to watch. Even if I’m the absolute best I’ve ever played, and I’m standing as stiff as a board,I look super uncomfortable. That’s not fun to watch. Nobody wants to see that. 

Elliot: Ideally, I’ll get into a meditative state where I just kind of go into a flow. I’ll only really get pulled out of it if like something happens in my eyesight or I f*ck up really bad. 

Jenna: Yeah, I don’t know. I need to focus on being present. I feel like I’m always just blanking and like going through the motions. Also, just focusing on sounding good. 

Cora: I’m just trying to enjoy playing the set.

Jenna: You become a better band when you stop trying to be a good band. 

Alice: Well, you still have to try. But, in my experience, when you push it and it needs to be perfect, it needs to sound perfect, then it never ends up sounding perfect. 

Cora: I think it just comes easier being relaxed. 

Elliot: Settling into playing music with your bandmates is getting into that fun, kind of chill mindset, as if no one were there. Especially at house shows, I just forget the crowd is there. I’m just jamming with you guys. 

EF: Any Final comments? 

Alice: Shout out ACRN! 

Elliot: Shout out to Evan for booking us! 

Alice: We’re really, really excited for [Friday]!