Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White


Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White

Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White

Zoogma to play The Dixie

Zoogma+to+play+The+Dixie

The sounds of jazz, hip hop and electronic music will fill The Dixie tonight in the form of the band Zoogma, a five-piece electronic group known for its high-energy musical performances and light shows.

In 2010, Zoogma performed more than 140 shows, going as far west as Colorado and as far north as Ohio. In March, they will join Perpetual Groove and tour the northeast, visiting cities such as Philadelphia, New York, Boston and Richmond. Just this week, they finished a tour of Florida.

Zoogma’s booking agent Owen Gray said he saw them perform for the first time about a year ago, though they have been making music for years.

“I thought they were unique because they can incorporate many different styles of music,” Gray said. “They have electronic-driven beats, but they’re also like rock bands in that they’re a five-piece band. They incorporate jazz, hip hop and world music, and they pull from a lot of their contemporaries.”

After performing so many shows last year, Gray said they have been able to refine their sound, which has contributed to their success.

“There is a huge pool of electronic-instrumental bands in the music world right now,” Gray said. “A lot of different bands have been fizzing out. Zoogma hasn’t. They’re really starting to carve their own niche in that scene.”

Gray also said Zoogma “creates a lot of high energy” at their shows. During a show in Athens, Gray said people were pouring in from the streets, wanting to know what was going on inside.

“There’s a creative energy about live bands and live shows,” he said. “They’re always different. You’ll have that experience that one night and you’ll never have that same experience again.”

Matt Harris, Zoogma’s drummer who is also in charge of production, said he loves making people dance.

“It’s great to see that people are having a good time,” Harris said. “It’s what we love doing – we love making music with our friends and letting people experience it with us.”

Harris said the hardest part about touring is finding time to write songs.

“It’s really hard to write new music while you’re on the road,” he said. “But it’s not too hard. You have to sleep on the floor sometimes, but we love what we do.”

Despite the difficulties of songwriting, Harris said Zoogma hopes to have something new out before the year is finished, even if it’s just an EP or a live album.

All of Zoogma’s music, including their debut album “Recreational Vehicles,” can be downloaded for free from their website zoogma.net. Following the precedent set by bands like Radiohead, Zoogma said they hoped giving away their music for free would allow more people to hear the music and get more people to attend their shows.

“Luckily for us, it’s worked the way we wanted it to. We’ve seen a huge jump in numbers,” Harris said.

Last week in Athens, about 100 tickets were sold before the show, something Gray said is an indication of Zoogma’s rising popularity. People pre-order tickets, he said, because they think the show could sell out and they really want to be there.

“I’ve never seen a Zoogma show when people weren’t having a good time,” Gray said.

Tickets for the show are $10 and can be ordered online at dixieonthestrip.com, or they can be bought at the door. The show starts at 10 p.m.

If You Go

What: Zoogma, a five-piece electronic band

Where: The Dixie

When: Tonight at 10 p.m.

Cost: $10

More to Discover