While some people in Lawrence are celebrating the anniversary of Quantrill’s Raid with walking tours, vigils and re-enactments, Mike McCoy has organized a more unconventional tribute. This weekend, Lawrence will provide the setting for the third annual North vs. South Music Festival. Multiple acts hailing from either Minneapolis, Minn., or Austin, Texas, are preparing to encamp for three days on one of three downtown stages. The resulting concerts will offer a rock music equivalent of the blue vs. gray.

Moderator

Welcome Mike McCoy, organizer of the North vs, South Music Festival, now in its third year. What’s new about this year’s fest?

Mike McCoy

Hello there moderator Jon!

Mike McCoy

More bands, more venues and a lot more fun!

Moderator

What prompted you to do this festival?

gravybit

What show do you recommend for fans of emo boy band music…a la ‘Broken Social Scene’?

Mike McCoy

Mostly it’s a vanity festival whre I get to see a bunch of my friends from across the country.

Mike McCoy

Masonic from austin, Tx.

Mike McCoy

The Masonic band has a thick, reasonable wound driven with a little organ. They are also sporting a new record.

Mike McCoy

uh, that’s reasonable sound

Moderator

Any other noteworthy acts that are new to the fest this year?

Mike McCoy

Many many like Koalas from Minneapolis which Is Lori Barbero’s band. she was in Babes In Toyland and had that killer label Spanish Fly…Supperhopper has a growing Minneapolis following and the Moonlight Towers from austin aren’t new this year but I have to mention there weblogs…you have to read their blogs to fully appreciate them.

cutny

Hey Mike, Thanks for all the great songs over the years. Any plans to tour with your band, The Black Rabbits? I would love it if you came to the East Coast and would gladly put you and the rest up for a few days in Brooklyn. Really miss seeing you play. It’s been too long. Thanks, Curt Flowers

Mike McCoy

Hey Curt, why aren’t you here with me…we could go to Louis’e for a schooner.

Mike McCoy

The Black Rabbit’s are on hiatus due to yet another black rabbit in the oven. But go to www.theserviceindustry.net to see what I’ve been lucky enough to be up to these days.

Moderator

For those who don’t know, Mike was in many, many bands over the years, Did you meet most of these acts on the N vs. S bill from your years of touring?

Mike McCoy

Yes, and the festival has grown out of that as we invite friends of those core friends to play. It is somewhat exclusive, but in the current state of deconstruction in music, it seems to makes sense somehow.

Moderator

What were some of the beloved bands you were/are in?

Mike McCoy

Cher, and then the Cher U.K. which I can’t seem to quit playing in and around–The American People which has one more record to complete its trilogy of political madness–The aforementioned Rabbits–oh and now we have this country act called Wood Roses which is very Lawrence-specific–we have a song called k-10, for example.

Moderator

Is there a stylistic difference between the bands from Minneapolis and those from Austin that are converging on Lawrence for the festival?

Mike McCoy

I always think there is going into the weekend, but afterwards it seems that they are very similar stylistically.

Moderator

You had mentioned before you might choose different Northern and Southern cities to be represented at the festival. Have you abandoned that plane?

Mike McCoy

It’s been harder then expected to grow outside of the dominant scenes of Minneapolis and Austin. We do have some Iowa influx this year with North of Grand from Des Moines and Poison Control Center from Ames and also the Sprawl from Wichita and the Istanbullies are also from Wichita.

artwhore

why do you love scott born so much?
srsly

Mike McCoy

Scott and I used to travel a lot in Thailand together and he would tell me these stories of beauty queens back in the Mountain states. I never really believed a word until recently. But still he is a real good man and can hold his whiskey in any old dive in a hurricane.

Moderator

Why are there more venues at this year’s fest?

Mike McCoy

Unlike certain oil concerns in today’s business world, we are trying “slow growth” with the festival and the expansion at this point is a natural one, I think.

Moderator

What’s been the musical highlight of past N vs. S fests?

Mike McCoy

Tough to say. Grand Champeen are probably one of America’s best bands and a certain highlight to anyone’s weekender. i’ll say it proud and true–I Love Grand Champeen.

Moderator

Are you angry the Bleeding Kansas Festival somewhat stole your concept?

Mike McCoy

There is a lot of information available to us these days. I wish some information could remain authentic, but that just can’t be the case, as I am slowly learning. My shrink would be very proud of me with the above response.

cutny

Which bands will you be playing in this weekend?

Mike McCoy

Good old, Cher U.K., that is, if we play…we had a bit of a debacle last Saturday night in Austin, but that’s another story for my shrink.

Moderator

Is it tough to play in a band when you’re also trying to run the festival?

Mike McCoy

My band mates are and always have been very understanding people. Knowing that, I usually put my own groups in a slot knowing full well that we may or may not play. It’s actually a relief from the festival madness for about an hour.

Moderator

Any final thoughts about North vs, South?

Mike McCoy

Meat Purveyors last show in Lawrence Friday night at 8:30. That’s a sad note, they are all great friends and kind of a microcosm of the festival as a whole. It’s all about the friendship, you know?