ACL 2014 - KONGOS (Q&A)

I recently discovered KONGOS back in February. "Come With Me Now" was shared on a great music group on Facebook I am a member of, New Music Alternative.  It turns out they were also on the SXSW list to begin with but ultimately did not end up coming through Austin in March because they already started catching on and getting radio play - and they have pretty much been on tour since. I was bummed I couldn't make it when they opened up for Alice In Chains in April, and I won't be able to make the KOL show in September - so I'm super excited to finally see them at ACL this year. 

If you are not familiar with KONGOS - you need to be! This band is one of the top bands on my list to see live at ACL this year. Not only are they talented but umm, very easy on the eyes as well :) They are unique, different, fresh and well - EPIC! They cannot be categorized and that is what makes them brilliant. I am always looking for a sound that breaks through what everyone else is currently doing these days,  KONGOS totally has that going for them.  KONGOS is a family affair and all four members are brothers.  The band is comprised of (left to right in the picture below) Dylan Kongos (vocals, bass), Johnny Kongos (accordion, keyboards, vocals), Jesse Kongos (vocals, drums), and Danny Kongos (guitar, vocals). 

I am sharing a few highlights of the history of KONGOS. The brothers were born in London (all except Danny), but have a huge love for South Africa after living there for years and most recently they call Phoenix, AZ home. They come from a musical family - their father is John Kongos who had some notable hits back in the day like "He's Gonna Step on You Again" and "Tokoloshe Man". They were not groomed to be a "family band", and Jesse notes "our parents wanted us to learn music like you do Math or English". They joke, "we got to a point where we didn't want to get a real job so we stuck with music." There is a nice list of successful family bands, so it is no surprise to me that KONGOS is already shaping up to be added to that list. 

The KONGOS brothers range in age from 25 (Danny) to 32 (Johnny) and have been playing as far back as 2003 debuting at a high school talent show. Beginning in 2007 KONGOS played out incessantly, focusing on building a following in Phoenix, garnering local airplay, West Coast tours, and eventually coveted slots at SXSW and CMJ.

In 2011, hanging in the studio, the brothers emailed a few songs to South African radio stations. 5FM, the biggest Top 40 station in South Africa playlisted "I'm Only Joking," which hit No.1 on the rock chart and was the most requested song for 11 weeks in a row. They have since been super successful in the US as well. KONGOS scored their first ever U.S. #1 on the alternative radio airplay charts with "Come With Me Now". They made history with the quickest ascent to the top spot by a new band, reaching #1 in just 10 weeks. They are currently still in the top 5 next to the likes of Bastille, Bleachers, The Black Keys and Arctic Monkeys. 

I find it super cool that each brother writes separately and brings completed songs to the group. Additionally, they don't necessarily sing their own songs. Live, Jesse and Dylan share lead vocals while on Lunatic, Johnny and Danny also sing. I usually try and e-mail every band I am going to post about to see if I get a reply, and honestly I figured I would never hear back - these guys are big time now, are currently signed to Epic Records and have been constantly touring most of 2014.

Let's just say getting some questions answered by Jesse via e-mail even with their crazy tour schedule lets me know these guys are humble and appreciative of their fans and that really means a lot to me. I will cheer on and share this band as much as I possibly can. Here goes the Q&A. 



WMB: I love the accordion which is one of the elements of your sound that I believe sets you guys apart - how did you guys decide to incorporate this into your sound? 

JK: We were working on a song for our debut album and there was a solo section where nothing was working - we tried keys, guitar, organ, etc. Johnny picked up the accordion and we instantly knew it was the right sound. 

WMB: You guys have been touring ALOT - do you have any favorite cities/countries/festivals that stand out along the way? 

JK: In the US, Denver, Chicago, Portland and Seattle have stood out in terms of crowds. We love New Orleans and NYC as cities to hang out in. We just got back from Europe - REALLY loved Madrid and Amsterdam, and of course - South Africa tops our list. 

WMB: I have to ask the sibling question - is it great working, touring and playing together as brothers or do you sometimes get on each others nerves? Ha. A loaded question I know but just curious. 

JK: We definitely get on each others nerves as all siblings do..we fight like sisters haha, but overall it's great working together. 

WMB: Are you excited about coming to the ACL Festival this fall? Any plans to record new material or is the goal just to tour and continue promoting Lunatic? 

JK: Very excited, it's one of those festivals you dream of playing. We're constantly writing new material and demoing it. As for releasing a new record, that's some ways down the line. 

WMB: I love that I'm hearing "Come With Me Now" on the radio. Do you guys now feel after many years of playing together that this is finally your time to break through? 

JK: It definitely feels that way, there's a lot of momentum right now, so hopefully we can capitalize on it. 

WMB: If you could go on a dream tour or play at a dream festival - who would be there? (Can be past or present bands). 

JK: Stevie Wonder, Tinariwen, The Beatles, The Band, Daft Punk, Queens of the Stone Age, Amadou & Miriam...the list goes on. It would be a 2-week long festival. 

I'm posting my two favorites from the Lunatic album besides the obvious "Come With Me Now", but honestly all 12 tracks are solid and I can listen all the way through. I'm also listing their extensive upcoming tour dates so I hope you can catch them live sometime this year. I can't wait to see what these multi-talented brothers continue to do in the years ahead. I am pretty sure after Lolla and opening for Kings of Leon and One Republic later this year, their popularity will no doubt continue to grow. 

Connect with KONGOS here: 
KONGOS Website
KONGOS - Facebook
KONGOS - Twitter

Upcoming Tour Dates:

6/22/14/Scranton, PA - The Pavilion at Montage Mtn

6/23/14/Lansing, MI - Loft

6/24/14/Kalamazoo, MI - District Square

6/25/14/Columbus, OH - A&R Bar

6/28/14/Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest

6/29/14/Peoria, IL - The Landing

6/30/14/Kansas City, MO - Midland Theatre

7/1/14/Minneapolis, MN - Mill City Nights

7/3/14/Winnipeg, Manitoba - Union Sound Hall*

7/5/14/Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Louis'*

7/6/14/Regina, Saskatchewan - The Exchange*

7/7/14/Calgary, Alberta - Republik*

7/8/14/Edmonton, Alberta - Starlite*

7/11/14/Kelowna, BC - Waterford Park Kelowna (Keloha Festival)

7/12/14/Vancouver, BC - Imperial

7/13/14/Victoria, BC - Juan De Fuca Recreation Center (Rock The Shores)

7/31/14/St. Louis, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre**

8/1/14/Detroit, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre**

8/2/14/Montreal, QC - Osheaga Festival

8/3/14/Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza

8/5/14/Toronto, ON - Molson Canadian Amphitheatre**

8/7/14/Hartford, CT - Xfinity Theatre**

8/9/14/Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center**
8/10/14/Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center**
8/13/14/Wantagh, NY - Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre**
8/15/14/Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live**
8/16/14/Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center for the Arts**
8/19/14/Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center**
8/20/14/Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center**
8/22/14/Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center**
8/23/14/Indianapolis, IN - Kipsch Music Center**
8/26/14/Gilford, NH - Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion**
8/28/14/Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center**
8/29/14/Pittsburgh, PA - First Niagara Pavilion**
8/31/14/Philadelphia, PA - Benjamin Franklin Parkway**
9/3/14/Virginia Beach, VA - Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach**
9/5/14/Tampa, FL - MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre**
9/6/14/West Palm Beach, FL - Cruzan Amphitheatre**
9/9/14/Atlanta, GA - Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood**
9/10/14/Birmingham, AL - Oak Mountain Amphitheatre**
9/12/14/Dallas, TX - Gexa Energy Pavilion**
9/13/14/Austin, TX - austin360 Amphitheatre**
9/16/14/Charlotte, NC - PNC Music Pavilion**
9/17/14/Raleigh, NC - Walnut Creek Amphitheatre**
9/24/14/Denver, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre**
9/26/14/Albuquerque, NM - Istea Amphitheatre**
9/27/14/Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand Garden Arena**
9/28/14/Tempe, AZ - Tempe Beach Park **
9/30/14/Sacramento, CA - Sleep Train Amphitheatre**
10/1/14/Concord, CA - Concord Pavilion**
10/3/14/Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl**
ACL Festival/Austin, TX - Zilker Park (10/3-5 & 10/10-12)

*W/Blondfire
**Kings of Leon Tour

For any of you overseas readers, you can catch KONGOS with One Republic starting the 19th of October - full list here