Oh Pep! is the Aussie duo of Olivia Hally and Pepita Emmerichs. They started as pop folkies but evolved into an indie band influenced by acts like Paul Kelly, Leonard Cohen, Glen Hansard, Elbow and Arcade Fire. Their latest, Stadium Cake (2016, Dualtone) is an acoustic-powered folk-rock album that recalls acts like early Jenny Lewis, upbeat Azure Ray or laid-back Angel Olsen — gorgeous melodies eclipsed by gorgeous-er harmonies.
We caught up with the band via the interwebs with our Ten Questions survey. Here’s what they said:
1. What is your favorite album?
Pep: Shrek, the soundtrack.
2. What is your least favorite song?
Liv: You haven’t heard it, but we wrote it the other day.
3. What do you enjoy most about being in a band?
Pep: Writing music, performing music, travelling.
4. What do you hate about being in a band?
Liv: Being intimately aware of which direction your band members are breathing in when travelling in the van.
5. What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)?
Pep: Water.
6. In what city or town do you love to perform?
Pep: Melbourne, our home town. New York City, our second home. Omaha, our third home.
7. What city or town did you have your worst gig (and why)?
Pep: There have been a couple of pre-show pukes, but we can’t pin that on one particular place.
8. How do you pay your bills?
Pep: …with money.
9. What one profession other than music would you like to attempt; what one profession would you absolutely hate to do?
Liv: Well, I went to law school for a brief minute. In saying that, maybe I wouldn’t have liked being a lawyer so much, who knows…
10. What are the stories you’ve heard about Omaha, Nebraska?
Pep: I heard there’s a killer gig coming up there at The Waiting Room. Oh, and that Bright Eyes are from Omaha, Nebraska!
Oh Pep! opens for The Mountain Goats Friday, Sept. 30, at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St. Tickets are $25; showtime is 9 p.m. For more information, go to onepercentproductions.com