In the years since the Postelles’ 2009 debut, the young Manhattanites have truly come into their own. On the latest, this year’s …And It Shook Me, the Postelles — made up of frontman Daniel Balk, guitarist David Dargahi, bassist John Speyer, and drummer Billy Cadden — have successfully shed their more obvious Strokes influences, built up their pop songwriting muscles, and turned their live show into a fun-loving, high-energy event. Nowadays, the band’s sound lands somewhere between breezy, hook-driven rock ’n’ roll and something slightly nostalgic: think Buddy Holly meets Phantom Planet. This Monday, May 20, the Postelles take to the stage at SOhO Restaurant & Music Club alongside Aussie synth pop act Atlas Genius. Below, we ask lead singer Daniel Balk to share some of the Postelles’ best kept secrets. For tickets, call (805) 962-7776 or visit clubmercy.com.
1. Twitter Troubles: Last year, during an especially long drive on tour, the band decided to play a game with their fans on Twitter. “Every member of the band had to do whatever the fans asked us, but there were categories specific to each member,” Balk recalled. “Billy had to drink anything that a fan gave him; David had to listen to any album; John had to read any book; I had to watch any movie.” The game didn’t really end well for anyone, but Balk’s dare easily took the cake: He was gifted a DVD of pornography, starring an “older” fan of the band.
2. Heads Up: “At the end of every show, Billy, our drummer, throws his drumsticks into the crowd,” Balk explained, “but he throws ‘em at full force. The last tour we went on, he hit three or four girls.” But, Balk insists, it’s not mean-spirited. “When the show’s over and the adrenaline is pumping, he gets excited and just doesn’t think, but it happens a lot. If you go on YouTube there are videos of it.”
3. Star-Struck Starts: Since their early days (the band met and formed in high school), the Postelles have met their fair share of rock stars, but it was one of their first brushes with celebrity that remains their favorite. “The first time we played this place called Sidewalk Café, Albert Hammond Jr. [of the Strokes] came to see us,” recalled Balk. “I was maybe 18 years old, and I remember freaking out. We never wrote out set lists, but for the first time I wrote a set list. I’d never been so nervous before, but we played one of our best shows, and two years later he ended up producing our album.”