Maura Weaver
Scene Point Blank: When did you last play The Fest? My last time seeing one of your bands (in part because your Mimes tour with Screaming Females sold out in Saint Paul--congrats) was Mixtapes at probably FEST 10 or something.
Maura Weaver: Dang, it took me a second, just because I've played so many times. It was with The Homeless Gospel Choir last year and the show was honestly incredible. It was the first time Derek (of THGC), or the rest of the band had played Fest (besides Megan Schroer and I). It was really sweet to see their first Fest reactions in real time. They loved it, even though we were incredibly tired from a long tour/delayed flight situation.
Scene Point Blank: You've played with a variety of bands in recent years, and from a distance it seems that you've maybe preferred "the background" instead of being center stage, post-Mixtapes. What led you to releasing the solo record recently?
Maura Weaver: I've wanted to do a solo record for a really long time, like since I was a teenager. At 16, I wrote and recorded songs in my room that actually sound a little similar to my new record. However, playing in bands is a little more fun and easy for me, technically... I was never challenged to bring a lot of writing to the forefront because I relied on everyone else's opinions. I've kind of been working up the courage and confidence to do my own thing for a long time. That's the only reason I haven't done it yet. I was unsure of myself, went through some depressive bouts, etc. But I still wanted to play music so I said yes to every possible band opportunity. I've also been playing in so many bands that I'm a little burnt out, so it feels natural to shift gears a bit.
Scene Point Blank: As I just said, you've played with many bands, as well as drawing the spotlight. How has the solo experience been so far?
Maura Weaver: It's been great! Nerve wracking, at first. I was so nervous to play my first shows alone, but now that I've been doing it more often, I feel a lot more confident. I played at Girls Rock camp recently which was a big highlight. The kids were so funny and sweet. It was really fun to play around in the studio (The Lodge) with the engineer/producer (John Hoffman) and make weird noises, mess with John's wild collection of outboard gear, and generally have more freedom than I've had playing in established bands.
Scene Point Blank: Tell us about recording the solo record. Was solo always your plan with it, or was it just sort of how things played out? I imagine COVID is part of the story...
Maura Weaver: It is! Megan Schroer, John Hoffman and I had been spending a lot of time together during COVID, and started The Mimes as a fun thing. That was kind of the start, as the constant creative collaboration and freedom was inspiring me to write non-Mimes songs as well. It kind of unlocked something in me. Then they ended up helping me produce and engineer my record. But I was eager to do a solo project for a long time, and because of COVID it was the first time that I didn't really have an excuse not to do it. All of my regular bands were on pause and I was unemployed. The songwriting ended up being a very good outlet for the emotions and loneliness I was feeling due to COVID.
Scene Point Blank: What strikes you about being a solo musician as compared to playing in a more collaborative environment?
Maura Weaver: So far, it hasn't been entirely different, except all of the final decisions are mine to make. The record was still a very collaborative experience and wouldn't have happened without my friends! And we are doing full band shows so that's fun. The main difference I have noticed is that the logistics and planning all fall on me now. I've never been much of a planner so that's been somewhat of a difficult adjustment.
Scene Point Blank: You did the Ogikubo Station project with Mike Park which, from my perspective, was where I started observing a new direction in your songwriting. Can you tell us about that experience? Was it a one-off or is the project likely to resume?
Maura Weaver: So weird, but the first time Mike Park and I collaborated on a song it was pre-Ogikubo, in 2012. Can't believe it's been so long. I love playing in Ogikubo Station! Mike, Megan Schroer, Sim Castro, and Justin Amans are all rotating members and they are some of my best friends in the world, so whenever we collaborate we are just laughing and having a good time. It's very low pressure. I know when we started the project, both Mike and I were interested in doing a more indie-centric project as that's a type of music we both really enjoy and hadn't really explored much before. So that was intentional. I wrote some songs in Ogikubo, but honestly most of them are Mike songs. He's a very fun person to work with and we had to put stuff on hold for a while, but we definitely want to get back in the studio. We will probably keep doing it as a low pressure project.
Scene Point Blank: You've been playing music publicly for 10+ years. A lot has changed in that time. Do you have thoughts on playing with a band in, say, 2008, as compared to leading a project in 2023? Broadly speaking, my first Fest was FEST 6 and band lineups feel much more diverse today than 15 years ago.
Maura Weaver: Oh god, it's so different now. In good ways and not so good ways. I love love love how much more diverse band lineups are now. There are way more women, non-binary, and queer people in the forefront of the music scene. It truly inspires me when I'm feeling down. I think, if they can do it, so can I! It's not as white male-centric. When I first started playing in bands, the pop punk scene was especially male-dominated and sexist. It had a huge effect on me that I didn't recognize until much later. It felt like there was so much pressure on me to perform and be perfect, as a woman. People were constantly sexualizing me yet also telling me I wasn't sexual enough. I won't go into too much detail right now, but I could write a whole thing about it. The negative for me about playing nowadays is that internet attention spans seem a lot shorter. It felt like music was more word of mouth back then. But there are pros to music being shared via the internet too. We have more control of our own narratives.
Scene Point Blank: What excites you most about playing at FEST 21?
Maura Weaver: Every time I play Fest, no matter what project I play with, the crowd is always so welcoming and fun. There's a certain kind of love you receive at Fest that makes you feel really special and important, but in a really wholesome way. Like in that moment, looking out and seeing a bunch of friends from all over the world watching -- you feel important to the people who you really love and you realize how important they are to you. The Fest was the first really wonderful show Mixtapes ever played, and our official last show... and every year there's another experience I'm extremely grateful for.
Scene Point Blank: What excites you most about attending FEST 21?
Maura Weaver: It's such an awesome lineup this year! Gorilla Biscuits is an old favorite of mine (the first tattoo I ever got was a GB tattoo). Same with Dillinger Four. I'm also excited to see some bands I've never seen, like GEL and MSPAINT. Once again, I also just really love seeing friends from all over the world in one place. Walking around Gainesville with a burrito from Flaco's and constantly running into pals. I'll be grinning for hours until my face hurts.
Scene Point Blank: To you, what makes The Fest different than other festivals?
Maura Weaver: It's so different from every other music festival I've played or attended. Everything is so close together, it's easy to get around, there's awesome food everywhere, and the Gainesville community seems at least somewhat happy to have us (lol). There's a really special sense of community I feel nowhere else. Also the weather in Gainesville at Fest-time is usually so beautiful, it really puts you in a certain kind of mood.
Scene Point Blank: What's the first thing you're going to do in Gainesville this year?
Maura Weaver: Probably get coffee from Volta. That's usually my first stop. Last year we rode into Gainesville in the back of a pickup truck and rolled up to Volta. Hoping for a similar arrival this time around.
