AEA: Johnny Vancouver
We Hear From the Band That Helps Make The Burn So Special, The Longtime Artica Contributors and Ember Stompers of Johnny Vancouver
As it turns out, Johnny Vancouver has and has not played along to The Burn of Our Lady of Artica. But if you’ve been to the event more than a handful of times, it’s hard to think of the final night’s emotional conclusion without the band’s instrumental rock accompanying The Burn. We touched base with three-quarters of the group for a wide-ranging email conversation about Johnny Vancouver’s longstanding involvement with Artica and some of the highlights that’ve come along the way.
The group’s made up of: Will Zorn, lead guitar; Patrick Sullivan, guitar/keys; Steve Kuca, drums; and Marshall Marietta, bass. The first three traded emails with Artica Ever After and provided a host of photos from their years at Artica. We thank them for taking part in this project and for (almost always) providing a solid soundtrack to The Burn, a role they’ll enjoy again in 2023.
Johnny Vancouver, photographed by Thomas Crone, Artica 2013; Magic River Door painting by Amy VanDonsel.
What do you remember about your first Artica? When was it? Who contacted you? And I'm just going to assume you played to The Burn, so correct me if wrong on that. What is memorable about that particular year?
Zorn: I heard about the festival from my buddy Mark Schulte, who was one of the owners of the Cotton Belt Building at the time. He knew I was in Johnny Vancouver and he suggested we should play. It was during the day and it was cold. Artists were setting up their sculptures and installations all around the area. We were set up on the east side of the Cotton Belt, on the side loading dock, facing the river. Nobody was really paying attention to us as far as we could tell. But then an artist (or someone helping an artist) came up to us and said something like "you can't really see us, but we can hear you and your music was swirling all around us as we set up. It sounded great and we wanted you to know.” She thanked us and we thanked her. It was so nice to hear that we were heard and appreciated. It made the cold kinda disappear. We all have very warm feelings towards Artica.
Sullivan: I think it was 13 or 14 years ago.* {Editor’s note: later confirmed as December of 2009!} Coldest outdoor show I've ever played. We did not play The Burn the first few years. We played in the middle of the main floor of the Cotton Belt building the first year we played. I remember it being very cold, in December, with the wind coming off the Mississippi River. We had our second bass player then. (We've had three; the current one, Marshall, has been with the band for over a decade, though.) That bass player only played a couple shows with us. I remember it being a cool show, but was very minimal back in those days.
You've played in different places around the grounds, sometimes quite far away from Our Lady. Can you speak to the challenges of either being: that close to fire or playing from a great distance away?
Zorn: We always like to play The Burn best. When we do, we start during daylight, into twilight and then into dark with fire spinners and dancers lighting the way to The Burn. We love it. Some years we haven't played at that time slot for whatever reason. One year there was no music during The Burn; a band finished up right beforehand. That was a disappointment. Something was missing.
Sullivan: We haven't had many issues playing close to The Burn. It is more fun to play closer to The Burn, so we can see it right in front of us when we are playing, close to all the people. We have played pretty far from The Burn and it's a lot more difficult connecting to the festival and to the people.
Kuca: It truly is such a unique experience, it’s hard to put into words. I usually come quite early to soak in all the sights and sounds. The installations over the years have been great. I remember everything from a kind of stripped-down sweat lodge to a super-tall princess walking the grounds. Sometimes you see things that make you feel like you are on mushrooms… when you are not. I remember a late night rave in the Cotton Belt building one year. Mostly, I feel a connection between all the people that come out. Artica does feel like a sort of love fest for all.
I believe you also played on that infamous hill site, near the train tracks? Did you and the choo-choo ever come a bit too close? Or did anyone ever tumble down the hill? I imagine those PA systems were also on the rough-and-ready side of things, yes?
Sullivan: We did play on the hill site a few times. We played on the end of the Cotton Belt Building, too, and the train would be right next to us. I don't think the train has ever bothered us except one time a few years ago; someone parked their car on the train tracks and a train came and stopped before hitting it. The train conductor got out of the train and came up to us while we were playing and asked us to make an announcement for the owner of the car to move the car. We found it pretty funny. It took a couple repeat announcements and the person finally moved the car so the train could continue. I've never seen anyone tumble down the hill. Until a few years ago, we did not have a PA system. The fortunate thing with our band, we don't have a singer, so we are able to play without a PA, but our drummer has to really hit the drums hard. He's definitely happier with a PA, as we all are.
My only-ever angry moment at Artica was the year that you played at a distance and some drummers set up right by the burn site. The clash of sounds was evident and I wish someone had quieted them, no matter how well-meaning that drumming may've been. Did you hear that? Were there ever any other strange or unusual occurrences during your set...?
Sullivan: I don't remember that, we probably could not hear it. On stage, the music is pretty loud and we are pretty focused on playing well. Besides the train situation, I don't think we've had too many issues during our set.
I'll go ahead and say that I remember a year (2018? 2019? other?) when the embers/"fireflies" were really kicking towards the crowd, perhaps in the opposite direction of the band. Did they ever come right at you? If so, how did you adapt...?!?
Zorn: The last two years we've had some embers rain down on us while playing on a wooden trailer. A few years ago the prevailing winds caused the owner of the trailer to move it a bit right before our set. Good thing. There were still holes burned into some of my clothing. One year there were extra embers, I think due to some dry corn stalks being added to Our Lady at the last minute. Those were big, floaty embers. They were on the wooden stage/trailer and all around. I remember stomping a few during the set. I also remember a costumed goddess dancing and stomping around putting them out around the side and behind the stage.
Kuca: I remember thinking “we are all gonna burn onstage” one year when we were super close. I remember another band’s speakers had to be moved back because they were melting! I remember either strippers or belly dancers mesmerizing us while dancing onstage for the entire set.
Sullivan: I think the closest they came was last year or the year before. I don't think they made us have to adjust anything on stage or during the set.
On a totally righteous note, your music has always made so, so, so much sense for The Burn. Do you have a general setlist for that? Tell me about your set and how you build the momentum until the inevitable, fiery crash of the structure?
Kuca: Through some sort of cosmic divine intervention Artica and JVC found each other. Hopefully, our music in some way captures the essence of The Burn. We have slipped in new material the last couple of years but will always play what we deem “Burn classics.”
Sullivan: I generally write the setlist. We rehearse it and other songs not on it, just in case we want to switch something up. We have changed it up on the fly, during the set, due to timing or equipment issues. Half the songs I play keyboard on and half of them I play guitar, so I try to lump them together so there's not too much switching between the two. Sometimes we start with one of our oldest songs, “Fred Astaire,” which is kind of an easy, warm-up one for us and sets the mood right away, and sometimes we start with one that comes out punching, like “Can't Use New Technology,” which starts off kind of slow and builds and builds. I try to include songs that will set the mood. We put a jam song or two in there. I like to end with two specific songs, “Mr. Tancredi” (which is kind of a post-reggae song that is danceable and fun) and we end with the song called “Artica,” which is the song we specifically wrote for the Burn. The song “Artica” starts off really slow and dark and builds into a serious rocker.
What else have you liked/loved about taking part? Do you get a chance to traipse the grounds and check out the art? Or is load-in too intense for sightseeing?
Zorn: There is no vending or sales at Artica. One year there was a little free standing bar house. The littlest bar. No bartender. Just a few bottles and two shot glasses. I liked that bar.
Kuca: I would say my fondest memories of Artica happen after the burn. A sense of calm comes over the entire site. Some are still sitting and lying around the fire, a couple of shamans are chanting and playing drums; some are farther back with excited voices musing about the blaze they just witnessed. That’s when I take my walk down to the low area. It always has its own vibe going. A cool band on stage playing acid jazz or it’s a funky reggae polka band; whatever, it’s always cool.
Sullivan: We love the laid-back atmosphere. We've loved the art side. It fits our music and style so perfectly. Most of all, we love the people, seeing them happy. Seeing Hap happy. We get so much out of playing Artica. We usually get there a few hours early to get our gear loaded in and to walk around and check out the art. Load-in hasn't been bad. We've either parked close to the stage or Artica has had a shuttle to take us and gear to the stage.
How often do you/have you played year-'round? I sense this is largely a project that comes together for Artica, so correct me here if I’m wrong…
Sullivan: I would agree. Artica is the highlight for us. We are pretty laid-back with the band. We want to play out more and we sometimes play another show or two during the year. We are always open to playing a show if our music would fit.
Where can people hear your music online?
Our first live album, Pregnant, is free for download or streaming at johnnyvancouver.bandcamp.com.
Please let the answer be "yes": are you playing Artica in 2023?
Sullivan: We are playing this year's Artica and have begun rehearsing! We can't wait and look forward to seeing everyone in a few weeks!
Zorn: Artica is magical. We love it.
Kuca: You can’t beat this festival! I hope we can keep our run of playing it for years to come.
More Artica interviews and content can be found here.