LW Mag LW Magazine
Related Articles
We caught up with Lonehill Estate’s (very jet lagged) Nathan Ro following his return from the band’s trip to the States. As we mentioned earlier this year, our favourite crazy musos were invited to perform at the esteemed Musexpo in Hollywood. The band also gigged at the famous Viper Room to along with The Graeme Watkins Project (see pics). From the sounds of things – it was quite the trip. Nathan tells us about performing, the size of shooters in the US and J-Lo using the shower in their green room…
So guys – tell us is LA how it is in the movies?
Nathan Ro: It is. There are palm trees, the ocean, bikinis, gangs being arrested etc, there are however, no explosions and I’ve never seen anyone in a movie pay $20 for parking.
How did your performance go at the Musexpo – were you lank nervous?
Nathan Ro: It was a little scary for me ‘cos the Americans advised that I do less talking which is like trying to not think of a pink elephant.
How did you performance go at the Viper room? Tell us a bit about the music scene in terms of gigging over there.
Nathan Ro: Viper Room was more our vibe as it was a lot more relaxed, people were drunk and I was allowed to speak again.
Are the shots (of alcohol) bigger in the States?
Nathan Ro: Totally! A rum and coke is literally that. A glass full of rum with a shot of coke.
Who were the coolest people you met whilst you were there?
Nathan Ro: Well all the LA people are really friendly. [I don’t know] whether it’s just ‘cos they thought we might be important and could offer them a movie role or if they are just like that. The friendliest by far though were a group of Australians we met at Viper Room who had just landed and had consumed all of the airline’s free liquor.
Meet anyone famous? Were they all you expected them to be?
Nathan Ro: We saw Harry Shum Jnr (Glee) and Dan Byrd (Cougartown) but it was a real honour when J-Lo used the shower in our green room just before our Musexpo performance. Mark thought J-Lo was too skinny to be the real J-Lo…
How do the babes in LA measure up to our hotties back home? Or are they all plastic?
Nathan Ro: They don’t come close. I think I saw two girls that were really pretty on the outside. I saw about 15 at OR Tambo when we arrived back.
Could you see yourselves living there if you were to make it in the States?
Nathan Ro: Oh yes. It’s an amazing city.
What was the best and worst part about your trip?
Nathan Ro: Best – Cotton candy and banana flavoured ice cream and walking along Santa Monica beach.
Worst – paying between 5 and 20 dollars to park anywhere.
What did you buy in duty free?
Nathan Ro: Bags of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups
How long did you suffer from jet lag?
Nathan Ro: Still am.
What’s the first thing you did when you got back home (besides sleeping and taking a shower)
Nathan Ro: Bought some milk so I could have a cup of coffee. Fell asleep while the kettle boiled though.
