Future Kings of Nowhere front man Shayne O’Neill may be on his way to becoming a Brooklynite, but he knows that he can always come home again.
Surviving both a hiatus and the exodus of their lead songwriter to New York earlier this summer, the Future Kings of Nowhere are bringing their brand of “acousticore” back to Durham to play the Troika Music Festival.
“What we’re doing right now is somewhere between a full band and the solo thing,” O’Neill said. “It’s like how it was before, but stripped down—it has more of a folksy feel.”
Since his relocation to Brooklyn earlier this summer, O’Neill has been reaping the benefits of being in a city teeming with creative energy.
“It feels like forward motion, being up there,” O’Neill said. “So many more things seem possible.”
But he’s not the type to forget his roots.
“It’s this sort of feeling of family—I really adore everyone that I’ve played music with,” O’Neill said. “I feel so lucky that I can come down here and have this amazing group of people to play with.”
For their performance at the Troika Music Festival, the Future Kings of Nowhere are planning on pairing old favorites with some fresh tracks, including songs from O’Neill’s solo EP.
As for after the festival, O’Neill plans on using his new experiences to continue writing songs.
“I really enjoy performing and playing music with other people, but it’s the process of creating a three-and-a-half minute piece of art that I really love.”
The Future Kings of Nowhere will play tonight at DPAC at 10 p.m. tonight.