Stars. 8:30 p.m. Nov. 15. The Loft, 1374 W. Peachtree St., Atlanta. (404) 885-1365. www.ticketalternative.com.
Canadian pop band Stars has been performing, writing and touring together for the better part of 14 years, so no one would blame the band members if they got a little, well, bored sometimes.
But singer-guitarist Amy Millan says the group, which also includes Torquil Campbell, Chris Selgiman, Evan Cranley and Pat McGee, find ways to keep things interesting, primarily through writing new music.
“It’s kind of like being married, right?” Millan asked. “It definitely takes work. You can’t just fall into patterns, you have to challenge each other. You have to stay on top of the relationship, and we’re really good with each other. I think more than ever, we can fight inside the music, and there’s actually more passion than there’s ever been, and there’s more room to get better…we like to keep it spicy.”
The band will bring their unique brand of musical spice to The Loft in Atlanta Saturday to promote their recently-released album, “No One Is Lost.”
Millan talked with us about touring with a toddler, interacting with fans and playing “Late Night with David Letterman.”
Q: You wrote on Twitter that you usually find Stars' album release dates a bit depressing. Why?
A: Because – it's just like Christmas. You know, you're so excited about it that it's really hard not to have a let down, because then it's over. There's always that feeling of, (gasps). Like here it comes, it's going to go out in the world, and no one's going to do anything except listen to your record (laughs). And life kind of stays pretty much the same, and you go into the studio and the boys are there, and it's like, "Oh, wow, it's the record release day." I think before now I haven't been so involved in social media that the response from the fans was immediate and so positive, and those are the reviews that matter the most.
Q: How has social media and that immediate interaction changed the way Stars operates?
A: For me, what's really changed is being able to have such close contact with the world. Being able to hear from the Philippines and to hear from Brazil and to hear from all types of cultures and all countries all across the world – that's something that's pretty incredible. I don't think we'd ever have imagined we'd go to the Philippines to play, and then we showed up and there were 2,000 people there. I think that was through our ability to contact them and let them know we were coming and have them invite us in the first place is something that's absolutely changed.
Q: You recently played "Late Night with David Letterman" with your longtime friend and Broken Social Scene leader Kevin Drew. What was it like playing with him?
I talk to Kevin probably four times a week. He’s one of my oldest, best friends. He’s basically like my brother, he’s like family. I actually spoke to him this morning for an hour and a half…It’s a really fun opportunity, because I’m not CEO of the company, I’m just visiting. It was a chance for me to be able to kick up my heels and not have to be worried about anything else except for the performance. Whereas in my other life, it’s a 360. I have to make sure all the I’s are dotted and the T’s are crossed. It’s always a nice treat.
Q: You have a toddler. How has the fact that members of the band are starting to have kids changed the touring dynamic?
A: On tour, she just makes everybody less grouchy. It's really hard to get grim around a 3-year-old who wants to play hide-and-seek on the bus with you.
Q: The last time Stars played Atlanta was behind your 2012 album, "The North." What are your feelings about the city?
We have really good friends who live in Atlanta. They started out as fans, but they were very persistent in bringing us things to eat before the show would start – the southern charm got us. I think the shopping in Atlanta is incredible. Oh my God, the best bling. Forget about New York, I save my money until I get to Atlanta so I can buy those amazing shoes and jewels. There’s so much glam in that town.
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