Trinity based band the Barbaloots, are bringing indie rock music close to campus. The Barbaloots debuted their fresh sound with KRTU in the recent months and have begun performing around San Antonio. Before you catch one of their shows, get a sneak peek of what the Barbaloots’ sound is all about from a quick conversation with the band.

EP: Barbaloots are bear-like creatures in Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax.” Was this the inspiration for your band name?

B: The name of our band, Barbaloots, is in fact inspired by the fluffy little bears from “The Lorax.” We were a little unsure of the name at first, but we can all agree that it has started to catch on. We’re Barbaloots “” and proud of it.

EP: When did you start the band “” and what were the early influences and passions that helped form the band?

B: Barbaloots came to be during the summer of 2016. The four of us have had a common interest in indie rock and pop for a while, and a lot of our ideas are inspired by our favorite bands and styles in the genre. Dominic and Sean were both a part of 16 PsychÄ“ when Barbaloots formed, and most of the band had already been playing music together at one point or another. The formation of Barbaloots wasn’t coincidence “” it was bound to happen.

EP: What genre is your music?

B: The music of Barbaloots is somewhere on the spectrum of indie rock/pop, but we also want to steer away from adamantly sticking to a specific genre. You could call our ideas “experimental indie music.”

EP: Do you perform in public?

B: Our performances vary depending on the venue! In San Antonio, there are some very unique places to play, including bookstores, vape shops, bars  and restaurants. Each one has its own crowd, and we love to interact with our audience and get people to groove along. So far, the crowd has been different every time.

EP: What feeling does your music convey?

B: Our music tends to be pretty upbeat. Most of it is fairly easy to listen and jam along to, although we do like to try and keep the audience guessing. We don’t like to be predictable. Our bassist, Isaac, describes some of our music as a reflection of “walking through grassy fields.”

EP: What are the main impulses that cause you to want to make music?

B: It’s the common love and passion we have for the music that we play that helps us continue to keep trying. Music is such a beautiful form of art and expression, and we want to share as much as we can with the San Antonio music scene. Given that we spend a lot of time together, it’s easy to pick a theme, topic, or melody and make it come to life.

EP: What do you personally consider to be the parts of your sound that sets you apart or makes you similar to other bands?

B: While indie rock music is a broad and quickly growing genre, we like to think that we stand out just a bit. With vocal lines scattered with conversational tones, and guitar melodies that make you question the next phrase of the song, we hope to share a style of music that is original and genuine. This style reflects each of us individually as musicians, but also is its own unique beast that we are still in the process of crafting and perfecting.  

EP: How would you describe the music scene of San Antonio and how important is it in terms of your musical growth?

B: San Antonio’s music scene is truly incredible. The artists in this city are extremely friendly and inclusive, and we are truly fortunate to be a part of a musical movement like this. It isn’t coincidence that an increasing number of shops and businesses are opening up their doors to host live music events. San Antonio’s music scene is continuously growing into something beautiful, and Barbaloots is a part of it. There’s no other place we’d rather grow as musicians.  

EP: What song would you most like to cover as a band?

B: At a Barbaloots gig, you’re going to hear mostly original music. We actually have yet to cover anything live, so no guarantees as far as covers go! Being that we are heavily inspired by bands like Pavement, Alex G, Stephen Malkmus, Ducktails, and (dare we say) The Beatles, it might be a possibility that you could hear some of that “¦ Maybe.