Never a group to be pigeonholed, Lotus brings many musical weapons to the stage. From festival stages such as Rothbury, Wakarusa and Red Rocks to theaters across the country the band has left grinning crowds dripping with sweat. Equal parts dance and rock, Lotus has been crafting a unique brand of instrumental rock for the past decade. Backstage at Outside Lands, Bestnewbands.com caught up with guitarist/keyboardist Luke Miller to rap about a variety topics from the set to beer choices to the band’s New Year’s Eve dates.

Daniel Kohn: As you’re enjoying a nice cold beer after your set, how would you say things went, all things considered?

Luke Miller: I thought it went pretty well. It was a little early for us but I thought the crowd rallied and were great. Unfortunately our sound guy had to fly home due to a death in the family, so we had another one of our guys to cover it and he did a great job.

 

DK: How long was the set?

LM: 50 quick minutes. We usually play 75 minutes at festivals and our normal show is three hours long so this felt like nothing.

 

DK: What did you guys do differently in the shorter window of time?

LM: We didn’t condense anything. We just played fewer songs.

 

DK: How does Outside Lands compare to some of the other festivals the band has played over the years?

LM: Usually we’re billed much closer to the top, but with this one and it’s eclectic lineup, so we were a little bit lower. There’s not as many festivals on the west coast as there is back east, so we try to play any festivals we can out here.

 

DK: Do you think you guys won over some potential new fans?

LM: It seemed like the crowd was digging it. There were definitely some new faces out there.

 

DK: Standing here now, with a cold Heineken fresh from the keg, the sun is starting to peek out finally and here we are, in the middle of Golden Gate Park after your set, can you ask for anything more?

LM: Funny you ask because I’m a beer snob, so maybe some craft beers would have made things that much better (laughs). Last night we hit up a bunch of spots to get some microbrews. We’re gonna stick around for the rest of the weekend, which will hopefully lead to some more adventures.

 

DK: What are the band’s plans for the rest of the year?

LM: We’re putting out a record on September 13 and we’re planning on touring for most of the fall. We’re doing a Thanksgiving and New Year’s run after we finish the main tour.

 

DK: Where’s the New Year’s gig going to be?

LM: That’s unannounced and we cannot reveal that at this time (laughs). But check back in a month, they’ll be posted.

 

Check Lotus’s website for info on their album and future tour dates.