Under the Rug to sweep into NM for two shows
May 18—The members of indie folk outfit Under the Rug never seem to slow down.
And the four of them are happy with that.
The band members live together in a mobile home, which makes music a big part of their lives.
"We're working on some stuff right now," says vocalist Casey Dayan. "We'll play a few shows coming up and then we're off to Los Angeles to record a new record. There's so much prep that goes into heading out on the road."
Under the Rug is slated to perform two shows in New Mexico. The first is on Wednesday, May 24, at Downshift Brewing Company's Riverside Taproom and then in Albuquerque on Thursday, May 25, at La Sala.
Under the Rug is comprised of Dayan, Sean Campbell, Brendan McQueeney and Dominic Turchiarelli.
Turchiarelli joined the band less than a year ago and shares keyboard and drumming with McQueeney.
The band is based in Austin, Texas, and released its third full-length album, "Homesick For Another World." The record is the follow-up to 2022's "Dear Adeline."
The band's current single, "Lonesome & Mad," is rising up the music charts.
Dayan has learned that preparation is key for all aspects of being in a band.
"We don't sleep much on tour because of having back-to-back gigs," Dayan says. "We're trying to make sure we have some meals in the van. We now have an Instapot which makes a difference."
McQueeney says having a van also helps prevent the band from sleeping on couches anymore.
When it comes to music, the band has been together for 12 years and each musician has a role.
"Casey does the songwriting and he'll augment what I'm doing," McQueeney says. "I'll ad some interesting flavor to it. Sean is very interested in tone and Dom is staring to sink into adding his own flavor."
Over the course of their journey, Under the Rug has aimed at making an impact within music.
McQueeney says building a strong set list is always important.
"We want to tell a story with it," he says. "We are trying to figure out ways to have bigger moments in the show as well as smaller ones. It's challenging."
Turchiarelli's been transitioning into the band for the last nine months. He's always been a drummer and has learned piano to round out his skills.
"Every day is a journey," Turchiarelli says. "What's great is seeing the audience look at me and Brendan switch off roles during the set. The guys have been best friends for a long time and I'm finding where I fit within the nucleus. It's been fun for sure to get to know the guys and the music."
Under the Rug
WHEN AND WHERE: 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 24, Downshift Brewery Company Riverside, 2706 Sudderth Dr., Ruidoso; 5 p.m. Thursday, May 25, La Sala, 1620 Griegos Road NW
HOW MUCH: $10, plus fees, for Ruidoso show; $15, plus fees, for Albuquerque show; at undertherugmusic.com/live
