Performing at Pappy + Harriet’s Sunday, August 4, 2024
Robbie Waldman has metamorphosed into a Low and High Desert Renaissance man. His handmade and crafted juggernaut Desert Rock band WAXY recently completed a rewarding European tour that included a coveted spot on the UK version of Desertfest. The band continues to support their 2024 release Unmastered with a co-headline show at Pappy and Harriet’s with multilingual Rock duo Niña Coyote eta Chico Tornado (NCCT) from The Basque Country. Along with his bandmates Carlyn Park (bass) and Nick Fulsher (drums), Robbie is stoked to keep the WAXY train rolling. NCCT hosted Robbie and crew during their stop in Spain and WAXY will be returning the favor on Sunday, August 4th at the storied Pappy and Harriet’s in Pioneertown. Tickets can be purchased at seetickets.us.
Performing their brand of Punk/Rock/Stoner Rock for over a decade, NCCT includes Ursula Strong (drums) and eta Koldo Soret (vocals, guitar). After immersing yourself into their broad catalog, you will recognize that these albums were recorded with the live experience in mind. The High Desert is in for a twofold fuzz feast!
Coachella Valley Weekly had the opportunity to interview both bands in anticipation of their joint show.
WAXY
CVW: WAXY recently returned from a tour of Europe. The band has performed their multiple times in the past. How were these set of shows different from those in the past?
Robbie: All the shows that I have ever been a part of are unique unto themselves…whether it be in Scotland or the desert. That’s the true nature and spirit of live performance…right here right now. A disposable happening turned an index card of memory. You were there or you weren’t. With that in mind, the 11 shows we had was a blast! So many nice people…great venues, great weather! The things that made it most different was the band. Playing with Carlyn and Nick is a pleasure. They are both total badasses. We are just a three-piece, but we have a big sound when we jam…love that!
CVW: Speaking of Carlyn Park on bass and Nick Fulsher on the drums, tell me more of what they bring to WAXY.
Robbie: Nick and Carlyn bring joy to the WAXY sound. All of us music makers play notes and rhythms, but we also bring an intangible piece of ourselves. This rhythm section is easy to play with. Nick has a huge pocket to rummage around in and Carlyn has fantastic timing. I feel like a million bucks playing with them, it’s such a luxury.
CVW: You will be performing alongside Niña Coyote eta Chico Tornado at Pappy and Harriet’s. How did this come to fruition and what do you know about them and their music?
Robbie: Ahhh, the big question. Koldo and Usua! They are dear friends and sonic wizards! They sing mostly in Spanish but also in Basque and occasionally English. When they play, people listen. The audience pays attention. They have to be seen to be believed. Their love of Rock, Punk Rock, Goth, Mariachi, Soul, R&B all culminates into what is NCCT…gorgeous and ferocious!
When WAXY played in the Basque Country this past May, they took care of us. They helped book shows and treated us like family. When they told me they were coming to the states and wanted to play some shows, well that was music to my ears. That’s when I got in touch with Jon at Pappy’s. Then the idea got passed on to JB and now we have a delicious and smoldering evening to look forward to. I can’t hardly wait!
CVW: WAXY’S relevance has remained solid for over 20 years now. What have been the elements of success that have kept the music flowing?
Robbie: 20 years you say? I suppose you’re right. Gotta say, success really depends on how you define it. WAXY has remained a passion project and rarely plays outside of the club circuit. The times we have been on big stages…those were amazing moments in my life and wonderful learning experiences. I’d say the engine that keeps WAXY purring has always been the studio. I have had the luxury and access to recording studio time, whether it be my own or a friend’s. I just love the recording studio atmosphere. It’s like being inside a microscope, at first, it’s hard to see but then an entire new world emerges. Stephen Feldman has been a major supporter of WAXY and has mixed and engineered at least 20 songs. He also has produced a bunch of songs with me and his harmonies are all over the records. He has a very special approach to recording and is an integral part of our sound. My parents are perhaps the biggest element of the band’s existence. They have always encouraged me to go after my dreams. I’m incredibly lucky to have been born into this world this way.
CVW: Pappy and Harriet’s has remained on the WAXY radar for quite some time. What does it mean to perform at this historic venue?
Robbie: Waxy has played at Pappy & Harriet’s before but it has been many moons since our last show. To play at Pappy’s remains a huge honor. I mean, the place is as cool as it gets. To be welcomed back gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. The shows, the staff, the history, the food, the vibe…it’s all there. All you have to do is show up. I remember once I drove to Pappy’s on a Tuesday. Pappy’s used to be closed on Tuesday. I still had a great time! That’s what Pappy and Harriet’s does, the place makes you feel good. It’s some kind of magic trick…sorcery of the best kind. And we all could use a little of that.
Carlyn: I’ve been going to shows at Pappy and Harriet’s since I was a late teenager since I grew up in Palm Springs. It feels like I’ve been going there my whole life, which I realize sounds like an exaggeration, but I’ve seen so many amazing shows there. Bands that I love, and it’s an iconic stage. Not only is it legendary in our local culture, but I feel like it’s probably one of the coolest venues in all of Southern California that we can easily take for granted because it’s in our backyard. So yeah, I am beyond stoked to get to play there. Playing with NCCT is so cool. We became great friends when we went to their country in May. They were so kind and generous to us. I will never forget that experience of staying with them, playing at their local venues, and the amazing meals we had together with their friends. They’re legends in my mind, pure Rock ‘n’ Roll all the way—they’re the real deal. It was so special to be a part of their world, and now it’s so special for them to be a part of ours here in the desert, which I know they love. I can’t wait for everyone to get to experience them.
CVW: Carlyn, you’ve been holding down the bottom end for WAXY for quite some time now. What have been some of the highlights of your time with WAXY thus far?
Carlyn: There have been a lot of highlights. I’ll just give a little background; I’ve been playing bass on and off for about ten years, always loving it but never putting it first because of my career as a hairstylist and salon owner. When I finally had time to invest in something outside of work, I picked up the bass. When I got the opportunity to play with WAXY, I was excited because their sound reminded me of the nostalgic Rock I grew up with—a mix of 90s, indie, and Desert Rock with the singer-songwriter thing mixed in. It touched a nerve with me, and I knew right away that playing with Robbie would make me a better musician because I would need to keep up. Joining Waxy has allowed me to really dive into playing. We’ve toured, played at festivals, and recorded a new album that I’m really proud of.
CVW: Nick, what have been the peaks for you?
Nick: Everything has been a highlight really, what comes to mind was going to Europe and the UK to play Desertfest. Playing with Robbie and Carlyn is a dream come true. I’ve been a fan of this band for years and we are all on the same wavelength with everything. I’ve always had a connection with Joshua Tree and the desert when I was growing up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin listening to Queens of the Stone Age and Kyuss, dreaming of the day when I could be in a band that played that desert music and play Pappy and Harriet’s. And now that has all come to fruition. It’s been exciting and I am super grateful that they have brought me in to play drums for them. I love it!
Niña Coyote eta Chico Tornado
CVW: How excited are you to perform and tour the United States?
NCCT: We are very happy to return to the U.S. It is not the first time we have been there. It is a country that we like very much, for the music, the culture and the impressive nature.
CVW: You have a gritty sound and seem suited to performing in the desert. What artists, cultures and places influence you?
NCCT: We have always liked the Californian desert a lot. The first time we visited was in 2006 and since then we have been back a few times. Part of the musical influence comes from there; from Kyuss to QOTSA to our friends WAXY. We also feed off Rock from the 70’s and 90’s like Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Jimi Hendrix and Rage Against the Machine. We sing in Euskara, a language that is only spoken in the Basque Country or ‘Euskal Herria’, our country. The music in that area has a great folk culture and ancient customs but also a very rich Rock culture. In Euskal Herria there has always been a lot of music and from a very young age we have been connected with Punk and Rock.
CVW: You have a groovy and nuanced sound. I imagine you get lost in the music when playing live. What is your favorite part of performing?
NCCT: Our favorite part of performing is when you feel the feedback from the audience, they are a part of us. We get into performing and we enjoy it equally. That’s the magic of ‘live’. The truth is that we really enjoy when we play live and there are many moments of ecstasy that cannot be compared to anything.
CVW: Your last full album release was in 2022. What can we expect from you in the near future?
NCCT: We released the first in 2013, the second in 2016, the third in 2019 and the last in 2022. 13, 16, 19, 22…in 2025 we have to publish a new album!
CVW: We are honored to have you perform in our area. What is your message to music fans who don’t know you yet?
NCCT: Don’t hesitate to come see us, you are going to enjoy it!
