Vincent Antone Chats With Us About Gem & Jam Festival, Blurring Genre Lines, And What's Next For His Project [HIHF Interview]

Vincent Antone is a multi-talented artist who is based out of Austin, Texas. He is an expert guitarist, drummer, pianist, and bass player and his electronic musical creations span genre lines, dabbling in trap, house, future funk, and experimental bass. No stranger to the festival scene, Vincent Antone has performed at events like Austin City Limits, Cascade Equinox, and dozens more, now set to take his funky fresh world-building basslines to this year’s Gem & Jam festival alongside names like Boogie T, Daily Bread, and Of The Trees.

We had the opportunity to chat with Antone about his career, learning about his inspirations, and what is to come for the Vincent Antone project. He recently appeared on CloZee‘s Microworlds (Remixed), bringing a new intensity and energy to her collaborative creation with Tripp St titled “Odysseys.”

Check out what Vincent Antone had to say ahead of his appearance at Arizona’s Gem & Jam fest, he’ll be sharing his live electronica sounds with the masses and you won’t want to miss the chance to see him shred. Even with the festival approaching in just two weeks, you can snag tickets for the multi-genre event here.

HIHF: How did you get started in music? Can you tell us a bit about your journey?

VA: Music has always been pretty close to me all of my life. My dad played a bit and some of my first memories are of listening to him on the guitar. I picked up my first guitar when I was six years old and never looked back. From there I learned to play the drums, piano, bass, trumpet, and then eventually got into production because there was only one of me and I wanted to orchestrate more than one instrument at a time haha. I played in bands most of my life and was more of a jam band kid growing up. I had a few projects before Vincent Antone that were doing pretty well, but disbanded for various reasons, and then I started this project and it started picking up pretty quickly.

HIHF: Live electronica seems to be having a huge moment in the scene, and only getting bigger – what has your experience been riding that wave?

VA: It’s been rather interesting. I would say that the nature of my music allows us to be paired with a bunch of different acts and styles. Sometimes that means like all DJ festivals, other times it’s more band-oriented stuff. It’s cool to be able to fit in with different lineups and bring our own flavor to things. It can be tricky to tour in the electronic realm sometimes as a more “live” act, but in my experience, it’s always worth it. There’s just something more exciting about that to me, and for the crowd I figure. There’s a risk there that makes it worth seeing, ya know? It makes it live and in the moment. I could hit a wrong note (although I try not to haha), you just don’t get that with a typical DJ setup, outside of maybe train-wrecking a mix, haha. It also opens up the door to all sorts of improvisational possibilities.

HIHF: Who are some up and coming artists our readers should have their eyes on?

VA: Oh man there’s a ton, and they’re all homies haha – Phyphr, Eliptek, Maddy O’Neal, MZG, Josh Teed, Jason Leech, K+Lab, Thought Process, Recess, I could go on and on haha. There’s a lot of dope stuff comin’ up!

HIHF: Who are some artists that you draw inspiration from?

VA: I pull inspiration from everywhere all the time whether I realize it or not, it could be a big act like GRiZ, or it could be some beat I hear on a commercial for laundry detergent haha. But off the top of my head, I would say acts like The Floozies, STS9, Lettuce, The Meters, Phish, 20SYL, UGK, Nas, and Pretty Lights. I’m big on classic rock so Pink Floyd, Little Feat, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Allman Brothers, and other stuff like that. I’ve always got my ears open though.

HIHF: You’ve graced some pretty big stages this year, from Cascade Equinox, to Mission Ballroom with Clozee – is there one show that stands out as being most memorable? How does it feel playing these bigger stages versus smaller club rooms?

VA: I’m fresh off that Mission Ballroom show so that one is still at the forefront of my mind, but other than that one I would say opening for STS9 at The Fillmore in Denver NYE before 2023. I have just been such a fan since I was like fourteen and that was a full circle moment because I had seen them there for New Year’s in like 2010 or 2011, so to be up there with them like twelve years later was pretty special. I would say that, of course, playing the big shows feels super special and it can feel a little weird going back to the clubs after them, but I’m just grateful for the opportunities. If anything, it gives me a taste of what it all could be, and so it just makes me grind that much harder. Plus, if it’s 50 people out there or 5,000, I treat the shows the same and try to give it my all.

HIHF: We’re stoked to see you on the Gem and Jam lineup! What are you looking forward to most about that festival?

VA: Gem and Jam will always hold a special place in my heart. We got the chance to perform there in 2022 and through a weird chain of events, we were given a second set on a bigger stage in a more prime time slot on the last day and that set popped off, and that show at that festival essentially put us on the map. We began touring steadily right after and haven’t looked back. I’m looking forward to coming back this year on the main stage and setting it all off Friday! Excited to get back to Tucson with the Gem fam!

HIHF: Do you have any bucket list venues or festivals?

VA; Yeah there’s a few! Hoping to get to Electric Forest, Hulaween, and Bonnaroo someday, and of course the ever-coveted Red Rocks.

HIHF: Any releases coming up that readers can keep their eyes out for?

VA: I have a remix for Clozee and Tripp St. dropping on 1/19 so go check that out! Definitely stay tuned, I’ve got a lot of new music dropping real soon!

HIHF: Do you have any advice for aspiring artists? Is there any advice that you were given that you still carry with you?

VA: Just be genuine and true to yourself. I was told very early on to build it from the ground up and grow your fanbase organically. I think there’s a ton of things thrown at young artists trying to sell them on shortcuts to the top – paid playlisting, fake followers, scam classes, etc. I’d rather have 1,000 fans who really vibe with what I’m doing rather than 20,000 followers who follow me cause I made a silly Instagram reel that went viral or something. Not that there’s anything wrong with marketing yourself that way, it’s kind of the way things are now. It’s just that, in the age of the short attention span and quick swiping, you want people to actually rock with you. And if you’re being genuine in your art and transparent in who you are, that will start to happen. Plus, once you start to build something true to yourself and start to create a wave, the right opportunities will find you!

HIHF: Huge shoutout to Vincent Antone for spending some time chatting with us! Don’t miss him at Gem & Jam festival next month!

VA: Much Love y’all, cheers!

Be sure to show Vincent some love online! Interview questions are written by HIHF Writer Meghan Mahomey.

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