By: Hagy
9.22.08

Ahh...the great combinations we find in life: Peanut butter & jelly. Winter and hot cocoa. Burgers and fries. Prostitutes and cocaine. We can now add punk rock and college football to that list. The production company Palestra was recently contracted out by Fox Sports to produce music videos featuring highlight clips from the Top 25 teams in the nation while showcasing local indie bands.

The Blacksburg, VA punk rock outfit Lee Street Riots got the call to be featured alongside the #21 Virginia Tech Hokies. Lee Street Riots has been bringing their blistering live sets and infectious energy to basements and bar stages for years now, and you're guaranteed a good time if you should ever get the chance to see them. To sample their tunes, head over to their myspace. Needless to say, when Palestra combined Lee Street Riots with Virginia Tech football, the result was pretty epic and you can view it below:

I recently got the chance to exchange some words with the band regarding the making of the video, the local music scene, beer, and their plans for the next year.

Open G: You recently shot a music video for Palestra that featured you guys rocking out with highlight clips from Virginia Tech's football team playing. How did that happen? Who approached you and how did that take off?

LSR: We had hooked up with the production company involved (Palestra) about a year or so ago as they were passing through Tech. They shot a video for our song "Honest Johnny's ICBMs" (which can be seen on our website: www.myspace.com/leestreet4piece.) Apparently they were contracted by Fox Sports to shoot videos of the top 25 college football teams set to local bands. They asked us if we'd like to be the band for Virginia Tech. We said yes.

Open G: In the video, you guys completely destroyed a keyboard in true punk rock fashion. What did that keyboard do to you to warrant that? Did it insult your mother?

LSR: That set of keys had been sick and dying for over a year after a very long and prodigious life. Like a rabid dog, sometimes you just got to take things out back and put them out of their misery. We did it a favor.

Open G: You guys are on Chimney Sweep Records, also based out of Blacksburg. There are some really great bands and artists affiliated with that relatively new outfit. What drew you guys to CSR and what are some label mates that you think the world needs to check out?

LSR: The Two Funerals have been a great band to play shows with, and I really admire what they stand for and the music they create.

We're on their first release, the 5-4 Whoa compilation, which is a great disc. It's got like 20 bands from the area which pretty much sums up most of what's been going on in the music scene here for the past three years. Josh and Ben (founders of chimney sweep records) are really good friends. They're also very talented musicians in their own right. Ben is the brain behind Against the Norm and Josh is in Hostile 17. Those two bands have to be our favorite label mates.

Open G: The most important question of the interview: PBR, Natty Light, or Miller High Life?

LSR: PBR, because it's refreshing and tastes like success.

Open G: Looking out at the national musical landscape (ie Fuse, MTV, Clear Channel Radio) the general consensus is that a good portion of it is a crock of shit. However, are there any good bands that are starting to get some recognition that you'd like to tour with or work with musically?

LSR: We all absolutely love Against Me! and Gaslight Anthem. (Editor's note: The Gaslight Anthem kick ten tons of ass and are highly recommended by everyone here at The Open G String.) We're all gaga for Gogol Bordello and we have some songs that are pretty obviously influenced by their sound. It would also be badass to do shows with And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead or Cursive.

Open G: You guys seem to have been Blacksburg, VA mainstays for quite a while. That town sports a supportive musical scene that seems to be a little different than most cities or college towns. What are some things you like about calling that community home? What are you guys' favorite local dive bar (or house basement) and favorite local bands?

LSR: The best thing about this area is and has been the other bands around here. Without bands like The Two Funerals, The House Floor, The Bastards of Fate, The Makeout, The Social Studies, and The Trashbag Ponchos things just wouldn't be the same. With bands like these we'd take Blacksburg over a bigger town any day. Though the house show scene has dwindled, we have a great new joint called the Lantern to rock out.

Open G: What can we be expecting from Lee Street Riots for the next year? Will we be seeing a new EP anytime soon? And are there any big tours with U2 planned?

LSR: Tim Hope is mixing our full length as we speak. That shit should drop in late '08. There will definitely be an EP or two to follow with some local friends. We will never be working with Ufucking2 again after what happened last time.

Open G: Finally, what are you guys spinning in your iPod or CD player right now? Are there any bands or artists that are under most people's radar that you can name-drop for us?

Eric (Drums): I currently have Jascha Heifetz, LCD Soundsystem, Daft Punk (LCD soundsystem always makes me want to listen to Daft Punk, especially after they get off on DP playing at their house), and Louis Armstrong with either Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald (I'm a sucker for old standards) cued up.

Kevin (Bass): Cursive or Converge, Darkness Hour, all of those. Also Majority Rule.

Hart (Keys): I heard The Peculiar Pretzel Men last month at The Lantern and they really rocked the joint, but I'm a sucker for that Tom Waits, suits, smokes and drinks wailin away in the lounge shit. As for home, I like Edith Piaf late at night.

Brandiff (Vox-Guitar): The Gaslight Anthem, Bomb the Music Industry, The Two Funerals, Imadethismistake, The Riot Before, The House Floor's got some great new material … looking forward to the J.K.O. (a great new local Blacksburg band) and Hostile 17 split coming out on Chimney Sweep as well.

Open G: And that wraps up the interview. The compliation disc Brandiff talked about is called 5-4 Whoa! and it is a great mix of all things greater Roanoke and New River Valley for indie music. I have it and I highly recommend it. You can purchase it here. It's the best $5.00 you'll spend other than a couple of 40oz of King Cobras.