Fresh off the release of their single “Matte Black”, Columbus, OH duo Jady stopped in Lakewood, OH on their Flares & Embers Tour. The band played their very first Cleveland show at the iconic Mahall’s on Aug. 9.  Our Music Manager Alicia Kobasic sat down (with some help from our Social Media Manager Skylar Bridgeforth) with Jarrett Doherty and Ashton Bergdorf to talk about their sophomore album Napalm, life on the road, their love of Buc-ee’s and if by the end of tour Jarrett will be in a full snowman suit. Keep reading to find out what the duo had to say. 

Alicia Kobasic: Hello, I’m Alicia with the In-Crowd and I’m here with Jady and I have – 

Ashton Bergdorf: Ashton

Jarrett Doherty: Jarrett

AK: Cool. Thanks so much for sitting down with me today. So, are you guys excited for the show tonight?

AB: Yeah! Yeah, I think we’re going to have to donate an AC system to the venue. It’s been…

Skylar Bridgeforth: This isn’t even the hottest it’s been. There was no AC for a really long time.

AB: I heard it’s been pretty bad

AK: We were here, what a week, two weeks ago? 

SB: Yeah, two weeks ago and it was bad.

AB: It’s getting steamy inside… 

AK: Yeah. One of the guitarists wore a sweatshirt and jeans and immediately regretted all of his life decisions. 

AB: Oh my goodness

AK: So you guys have been on tour. How’s tour been so far?

JD: It’s been so good. It’s been so much fun. This is our first headlining show in Cleveland, so we’re super, super excited. I can’t believe it’s been this long to get out to Cleveland. The last Cleveland show that we booked, I was actually sick and we had to cancel it. That was a while back, so we rescheduled it for today and it’s looking like a sell out show, so…

AK: Awesome. Anything you want to add?

AB: No, I think that’s about it. I think it’s sold out now?

AK: I saw low ticket postings on social, so…

JD: I don’t know. They’ll tell me if it is

AB: Who knows? Close!

AK: Any fun memories on tour so far? I know you guys have played what? Three or four shows so far. Any stand out memories or moments so far?

JD: Buc-ee’s? Going to Buc-ee’s. It’s the Promised Land. 

AB: Always being able to go to the South, because we don’t have it here. We have Sheetz, which is awesome, but Buckee’s is like Sheetz on steroids. 

JD: I love Buc-ee’s. There’s a statue of the beaver outside. You always have to kneel. Before you leave, you have to pay respects. And I only go at three in the morning. 

AK: Only three in the morning?

JD: It’s always after a show, in the dead of the night.

AK: Is there anybody else there?

AB: Dude, yeah! That’s what’s weird

JD: It’s always the most packed at three in the morning. You literally forget that it’s three in the morning. You think “oh, this is noon,” like, in Costco. 

AB: It’s like you’re in Giant Eagle at twelve in the afternoon, and that’s Buc-ee’s at 3am. 

JD: It really is The Twilight Zone! It’s not real. 

AK: I’ve heard of Buc-ee’s. It’s been on my bucket list to go, you just have to go way down south to go. – – So your latest single, “Matte Black”, is out. How has the reception been? Are fans liking it? How is it going? How does it feel? 

JD: People hate it

AB: I think it’s okay

AK: People hate it?

JD: (joking) They’re like, everything was good up until now. You need to take it off… so I’m quitting music. 

AK: You’re quitting music, this is your last show… 

JD: After this interview, I’m done! 

AK: The show is canceled tonight – 

AB: I QUIT!

JD: That’s how we sold out the show. We said it’s the last one

JD: That’s crazy. No, people seem to really like the song. I really like the song. It’s a fun one. 

AK: It’s groovy

JD: Oh, thank you. Thank you. 

AK: I listened to it on the way to work today, it woke me up a little bit, so it’s a good one. 

JD: There you go. It can wake you up. It is one of those songs to make as a ringtone or alarm, specifically the part where I am just screaming. 

AK: So “Napalm” is your latest album. It’s a really great album. How does it feel to have that out and to have fans hear it? 

AB: Well, thanks, I’m glad you like it. 

SB: I’m a big fan of “Dead Flowers” 

AB: Let’s go! Oh, thank you! Some sleeper favorites! 

JD: Let’s go! Yeah, that was a project that me and Ashton were really excited about and to be able to kind of go on our – just to be able to play around, go around and play the songs on that record, really get to bring it to life with some extra live members of the band, it’s been a lot of fun. That’s a project that we’re really proud of, so it feels good to have that out.

AB: Yeah, I think we take the live shows so seriously, and with “The Haze,” our first record that we put out, it felt like we got to a point where we really dialed in what that show was for the record and for our fans. And to release new music and come up with a new show, we were like, “how do we top that?” or how do we make a new show with songs that we have to get familiar with? And kind of like what Jarett said, adding members on stage, live, and seeing how it’s brought the new songs to life, and even old ones to life even more has been super super cool. And seeing how we can continue to develop the live show with old stuff and, of course, new stuff. 

AK: One question I always ask is, if you could collaborate with anyone in the world, living or dead, who would be your top collaborator?

JD: There’s this guy named Zack Beaver. He… we wish we could play a show with him. I dunno. We’ve been trying to get a hold of him. 

AB: He’s a tough cookie to try and get.

JD: Somebody said he could be playing tonight. I don’t know. No one has told me. 

AB: Zack Beaver!

JD: I dunno. I really like The Neighborhood. They’re really cool. I’ve been listening a lot to them recently. 

SB: It’s not sweater weather, I’m sorry.

AB: It’s not sweater weather…

JD: Contrary to popular belief. 

JD: I thought it would be a great idea to walk out on the first song, probably the most energetic moment of the set, in a raincoat, and I still do it. I’m like, during the song, thinking “this is a terrible idea.” Thirty seconds into the set, I’m like, I might pass out. I don’t know why I continue to do it. And I’ll do it again tonight!

AK: You’re committed to the bit

JD: I guess I am. I think so. I don’t know. I need a heavier coat every tour. 

AK: You’ll start with a trench coat and then a puffer coat…

JD: Five years from now… (mimes an even bigger coat)

AK: A full snowman suit

AB: YES! 

SB: Like Mackelmore, with the full fur jacket.

JD: Now that – that’s what we need.

AK: They probably have some out there.

JD: The more clothes I wear, the less clothes Ashton wears.

AB: Yeah, that’s the rule.

JD: That’s the rule. It’s one of the non-negotiables for the band. 

SB: In the contract?

AB: Yeah, that was my pitch. If we were in a band together, this is what I think would be really cool…

AK: He’s just fully dressed, full coverage, and you have just tiny shorts and socks on.

AB: Yeah, it will get to that point.

JD: And it will get to the point where he’s fully naked.

(giggles from everyone)

AK: So where can everyone find you online? Where can people find your socials, stream your music? Where can they find you?

JD: “JADY” on all platforms. On Instagram, it’s @jadymusic. So, you should follow us…Or not! Or not! 

AB: We would prefer you to follow, but if you don’t want to, it’s cool. 

AK: Well, thank you so much for sitting down with me today. 

AB: No, thank you so much. LET’S GO!

JD: LET’S GOOOOO!

Jady is currently on tour in Europe supporting CALL ME KARIZMA. You can also catch the band supporting IDKHOW BUT THEY FOUND ME on Nov. 19 at KEMBA LIVE! in Columbus, OH and supporting Welshly Arms on Nov. 29 at the House of Blues in Cleveland, OH. Tickets can be purchased on their website.  You can listen to NAPALM and all of Jady’s releases on Spotify and all major music streaming platforms.