Readers of the Independent voted for Avenida Music as the Best Local Band in the 2018-2019 Best of Coachella Valley. Behind the drums of Avenida Music is Sean Poe, who also plays in the Hive Minds. Poe is a fascinating drummer to watch, given his technical prowess and jazz-inspired style. For more information on Avenida Music, visit www.littlestreetmusic.com or www.facebook.com/littlestreetmusic. For more on the Hive Minds, visit www.hivemindsmusic.com. Sean Poe was kind enough to answer the Lucky 13; here are his answers.
What was the first concert you attended?
I went to a bunch of concerts growing up, but the first concert I chose to go to was Avenged Sevenfold.
What was the first album you owned?
Green Day, American Idiot.
What bands are you listening to right now?
I’ve been listening to the Gorillaz, The 1975, Young the Giant, Dave Matthews Band, and a lot of Miles Davis.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?
I don’t really understand the whole mumble-rap thing.
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?
I would love to have seen Queen with Freddie Mercury.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?
Definitely emo music! Panic! at the Disco, Fall Out Boy, and Thirty Seconds to Mars—stuff like that.
What’s your favorite music venue?
That’s a tie. I love the Big Rock Pub for the sound clarity when I perform there, but I love the La Quinta Brewing Company for the intimate vibe. You’re in a room and can really look all the fans in the eye. That’s really cool.
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?
“I wish they all could be California girls,” The Beach Boys, “California Girls.”
What band or artist changed your life? How?
The most life-changing artist is actually a Southern California cover band called Helicopter. I went to the bar and saw them playing, and they let me get up and play with them, even though I didn’t play drums yet. It was the first time I played anything other than marching-band or orchestra music, and it completely shifted the direction of my life! We played “Rocky Mountain Way” by Joe Walsh. I’m forever grateful to those dudes.
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?
I’d ask Dave Matthews: “How do you keep every show fresh and different after all these years and countless relentless tours?”
What song would you like played at your funeral?
Oingo Boingo, “Dead Man’s Party.”
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
Miles Davis, Kind of Blue.
What song should everyone listen to right now?
The Dave Matthews Band covering “All Along the Watchtower.” I saw them play it live recently, and it gave me chills. (Scroll down to hear it!)
