Tegan and Sara,
the identical twin lesbian power-pop duo, are accustomed
to writing intimate, emotional songs about heartbreak. But
when performing, for every song like ''Back in Your
Head'' there's a balance of silliness. Between nearly
every song played by the singing-songwriting pair, the
two casually -- often hysterically -- banter back and forth
in what amounts to indie music's answer to Laurel and
Hardy.
''Sometimes I
like it more than music,'' said Tegan Quin in an interview
backstage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
The 27-year-old
Quin sisters and their band played at Coachella on
Friday, their second trip to the annual California desert
festival. (In 2005 the excitement of playing the
festival was greatly diminished because a case of the
whooping cough had weakened two band members.)
This time around
Tegan and Sara played a brisk set on the main stage, and
while they didn't take too much time to chat, they still
found reason to discuss dreams in which David Bowie
appears. They also briefly lamented the poor acts that
on Saturday were to play at the same time as Prince
(the festival's biggest draw).
For Tegan and
Sara, who hail from Calgary, Canada, and released
their fifth album (The Con) last year, such
comic relief is nothing new.
''We got onstage
that first time to do a show in front of strangers, and
we finished a song or Sara screwed up or something, and I
made a comment,'' recalled Tegan. ''The audience
laughed, and I was like, 'There you go, buddy! This is
our thing.' ''
She believes the
roots of their routine likely comes from reacting to all
the attention they received as young twins. But it's become
an integral extension of their open-book ethos.
''It calms the
audience down,'' said Tegan. ''I think it makes them feel
like we're real people, not like a rock show or watching
television. We're really, actually there.''
Said Sara:
''You're up there singing your heart out, and sometimes you
want people to know you're not always like that.''
The sisters think
they might one day make a mix tape of their best
stories and jokes told in concert (they record all their
shows). But for now the comedy of their chatter and
the tragedy of their songs will remain separate.
The twins are
often asked if they plan any of their banter, but they
never rehearse anything but the songs.
''We can barely
get together to write a set list,'' said Sara. ''We
certainly can't sit and write jokes together.'' (AP)
