Named after a Pixies song that they jammed for the first time just over a year ago, Caribou has been making an impact on the Dunedin music scene. Made up of members Mario (he/they) on guitar and vocals, Cam (he/him) on drums, Colton (he/him) on bass, and Ben (he/him) on guitar, their indie sound can be heard at U-Bar, The Crown and Errick’s. Critic Te Ārohi interviewed the band about their upcoming releases, Pixies influence, and Flipper Fest.
Ben and Mario instantly clicked the first day in halls after discovering that they were both musicians, their shared love of the Pixies (among other alternative artists) and of the Scooby-Doo theme song. “We were coming home from one Pint Night just singing it for some reason and thought it would be fun to do at gigs,” says Mario. “I still haven’t learnt the words yet, I just vomit nonsense in the microphone and let the crowd help out,” he adds. Caribou is known as “Ōtepoti/Dunedin’s second favourite ‘Country’ Band,” a title stemming from an intercollege battle of the bands where Caribou lost to a country band, after previously joking that they were themselves a country band. “We even do a Johnny Cash cover so we joked that we were a country band because of our one cover!”
The band have already released two singles ‘Big 18’ and ‘The Crack’. The songs are very conflicting in nature, exemplifying the band’s range. “Big 18 is more of an indie pop song and then The Crack is a Sonic Youth type thing with a lot of screaming,” says Mario. Ben adds that “there should be more screaming in the world.” The ideas for the songs often come from Mario, especially lyrically, and then “we all [...] just come together and jam for a couple of hours,” explains Cam. Mario adds, “The Crack was a good example of us just bouncing ideas off of each other, trading stories about nights out.” A lot of their songs come from stories or personal emotions. The band have a couple of unreleased tracks that they plan to sprinkle out through the rest of the year.
Among Caribou’s big plans for this year is Flipper Fest, a festival they started to help raise funds for the Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust, set to happen this August 8-10th. Mario explains, “The Trust does conservation for the penguins up around near the albatross colony. They take care of the sick penguins and give them a safe environment to live in. I went there with my mum before uni started and it has been something that has always stuck with me.” The three-night event will feature 18 bands to raise money, including Dud Uglys and Out of Luck. “We are all looking forward to it,” says Mario. “Up the penguins!” adds Colton.
You can find Caribou on all streaming platforms and follow them on Instagram @caribou.band to see upcoming gigs, releases, and stay in the loop about Flipper Fest!