by Kait Fowlie
We interviewed a few of the righteous females responsible for organizing NXNE, and they’ve been working with their noses to the grindstone to make the festival as epic as possible. They dish about their personal band picks, favourite venues, and what they’re listening to this summer. They are taking over the city June 14 – 20, and they want you to join them.

GILLIAN ZULAUF

Q. What is your role at NXNE 2010?
A. Project Manager – which is a succinct way of saying I’ve got my fingertips in a lot of pies. I do all the band logistics, Transport and Event Planning; as well as spearhead our Intern Program, merch and staff training as we grow. I love any opportunity to learn and / or showcase who I am, what I can do and why I’m the one to do it.

Q. What are you most looking forward to checking out this year at NXNE? 
A. There’s a ton of bands I’d recommend – WOMEN, Warpaint, Cold Cave, The Zeros, Iggy Pop and The Stooges, The Strange Boys, Little Girls, Phenomenal Handclap band, Man or Astroman?, Eagles of Death Metal, De La Soul, Les Savy Fav – the list is endless. I’m also interested to hear what some iconic musicians of the past future generations have to say for themselves on stage.

Q. What’s on your summer mix tape?
I still have my tapes from high school. Phenomenal, nostalgic pieces. For 2010…it’d have to be quite the mix. A little Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club, Florence & The Machine, We Are Scientists, Gorillaz, Dresden Dolls, The Kinks, my Coachella Desert Cali compilation, Edith Piaf, BRMC, The New Pornographers, These New Puritans, Les Savy Fav, Mayor Hawthorne, Frankie Vallie, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, Flaming Lips, Billy Bragg, Blind Melon and Blur for nostalgia and Oasis cause I’m in denial it’s over. Sorry it’s not a Pitchfork, never heard before list. What can I say – I like it.

Q. Best concert experience ever?
A. Who can say what the best one was? They are all on the list for reasons that are both obvious and private. Generally my best moments happen when the most insane circumstances align. For example, getting backstage at Oxegen festival when I didn’t even have tickets when I landed and ending the weekend side stage for NIN, working the VFest Calgary Main stage for STP & Flaming Lips, heading to SXSW and seeing amazing bands in tiny venues, backpacking in Europe solo and ending up at U2 concert in Rome with some crazy Aussies met moments before – for a start.

Q. Favourite concert venue in Toronto? 
A. I really truly enjoy the Mod Club (especially with the right artist), Wrongbar and The Horseshoe.

Q. Three passions in life – anything: Food – Mexican or Mediterranean. Can’t live without it. I travel following my taste buds. Music. Can’t live without it. I travel following my music. Shoes. Expensive ones. Even if I never wear them.

Q. You have a free ticket to (pick destination): he Polynesian islands  so you call up (musician you want to travel with) (alive) Damon Albarn,  (dead) Shannon Hoon and upon arrival spend $3000 on: my own piece of land that I throw my own festival of my OWN programming on.

Q. People should go to NXNE 2010 because:
A. I’ve got blood, sweat and tears in this puppy and I wouldn’t do that for just anything. Go for the bands you know and the bands you’ll walk away not understanding how you missed them in the first place. Go for the pints, the people, the community, the photos and the adventure of it all. Just go. We’re here. We’re taking over the city and we’d love nothing more than to have you join us.

REBECCA CLOUGH

Q. What is your role at NXNE 2010?
A. Festival Crew Manager, which basically means that I (along with my team of 3 Coordinators) am responsible for the recruiting, screening, hiring, placing and training of between 500 and 600 volunteers who work on the festival side of NXNE. 

Q. What does a typical festival day look like for you?
A. During the day – fielding phone calls and e-mails from Stage Managers, arranging for volunteer passes to be picked up, delivering signage and festival guides to various locations, filling last minute volunteer spots.  Evening – ensuring that the doors of each venue are staffed, stocked and ready to be officially opened.  During the the night – traveling around from venue to venue, checking in to make sure the night is running smoothly, troubleshooting, distributing copious amounts of sugar and caffeine, putting out fires, making duck noises on walkie talkies, dancing in place. 

Q. What are you most looking forward to checking out this year at NXNE?
A. Definitely looking forward to seeing Toronto set the bar for the largest free outdoor concert in Toronto history, with the Iggy and the Stooges show at Yonge & Dundas Square on Saturday, June 19th.

Q. What’s on your summer mix tape?
A. I’m in to a lot of older stuff, my favourite band being Fleetwood Mac.  However, as the festival gets closer, I tend to get myself pumped by listening to a lot of NXNE participating artists.  Attack In Black, The Raveonettes, Hawksley Workman and The Soft Pack, just to name a few. 

Q. Best concert experience ever?
A. April 2009 – Fleetwood Mac in Columbus, Ohio.  Front row, leaning on the stage, making eye contact with Stevie Nicks throughout the entire show… then having Lindsey Buckingham come over and play a guitar solo right over my head.

Q. Favourite concert venue in Toronto?
A. Favourite NXNE venue – Lee’s Palace.  I’ve seen lots of up and coming artists there over the years.  Non-NXNE venue – the Molson Ampitheatre.  On the lawn with a beer in my hand is one of my all-time favourite places to be in the summer.

Q. Three passions in life – anything:
A. Live music.  Fitness.  LOST.

Q. People should go to NXNE 2010 because:
A. Oh wow, SO many reasons… because the band you see at that smaller club during NXNE could very well end up being HUGE 6 months later and you can say “I saw them when…” (I’ve seen this happen SO many times!)  Also, because the people who put it together and make it happen really are in it for the music (it sounds cheesy, but it’s true!)

YVONNE MATSELL

Q. What is your role at NXNE 2010?
A. Co-founder / director & festival music programmer.

Q. What are you most looking forward to checking out this year at NXNE?
A. Iggy, The Zeros (punk legends from California), Eagles of Death Metal.

Q. What’s on your summer mix tape?
A. I’m listening non-stop to the fabulous Alejandro Escovedos  advance CD , out in stores, June 29.

Q. Best concert experience ever?
A. Being at the last 3 “secret” Rolling Stones warm up shows.

Q. Three passions in life – anything:
A. Music, travel, hanging with pals.  

Q. You have a free ticket to (pick destination):  New Orleans, so you call up (musician you want to travel with): a YOUNG Keith Richard and upon arrival spend $3000 on: having FUN!  

Q. People should go to NXNE 2010 because:
A. It’s like the equivalent of Toys R’ Us for music fans! lots to choose from…. something for everyone, discovery of old & new, and emerging bands, all in a fun, party style atmosphere.