Urban Psychedelia And Fiery Myths

Sometimes it takes a long time for bands to form. Childhood friendships, painstaking auditions and frustrating jam sessions until the perfect balance is found. For Yuni In Taxco, a five-piece band from Seattle, it happened very suddenly under the awe-inspiring force of Mexican weather. At the end of a dream vacation in the fall of 2009, they watched as a raging storm swept through the beach town. As it ended, a fire suddenly erupted in the street. They grabbed their guitars. The resulting sound is a perfect fit: warm, surfy, South-Western beach pop. We spoke with Sean Beszhak (lead vocals and guitar) and Jim Saunders (bass) about their infant band and what they have planned.
You guys have been a band for about three minutes now. Were you playing music together before that? How long have you known each other?
Sean Isaiah and I have been playing music together since high school. Ross, Bryce, and I have been playing music together ever since they moved to Seattle about four or five years ago. Ross and Jim worked together at a coffee-shop called Muse a couple years ago, which might be significant, and he was introduced to the rest of us about a year ago when we started this band.
Jim But it hasn’t been a typical band experience; our first rehearsal was already exciting. Definitely a right place/right group of people scenario.
So how many of you actually went down to Puerto Vallarta, and how much peyote had you taken when that storm swept through?
S Ross, Bryce, and I took this trip to Puerto Vallarta. We were high on Jenkem. I was sitting on the couch watching ash and cigarette butts and other debris blow around our room. Bryce was running around shutting all of the windows and doors. And Ross was passed out naked in the bedroom.
You seem like a ‘ride that big wave’ kind of band. Are you actually set for world domination?
S I don’t like water sports.
J We love our music and we hate our jobs. We’re ready for whatever comes.
I must ask about the name. Who is Yuni, where is Taxco and why are they in it?
S Yuni is an old family friend of the Beamish brothers. Taxco is a city in Mexico where Yuni used to buy her jewellery.
If you got to make any crazy band rider requests, what would you ask for?
S Aqua massage spa capsules.
Iceland in October can be a dark, windy, rainy, unforgiving place and your music is warm, sunny and relaxing. What should I wear to your show?
J Something loose and billowy.
Do you think you will be an essential part of my Airwaves experience?
J I think we’re unique for this year’s lineup; no-one else really does what we do.
S Yes. We ‘ride that big wave.’
Yuni In Taxco is playing tonight, Friday 20:00 at Faktorý.