The Doug Fir Lounge crowd is buzzing. Just finished are the Portland band Ravishers. Before that, Seattle rockers Curtains For You. Next up is Derby, another Portland band. It is a special night for them, an EP release party.

The band's first-ever vinyl offering and first new music in over 2 years is finally available to their fans. Everyone there is ready to watch one of their favorite bands perform a semi-rare live show. Nat, Dave, Rian, Matt, and Isaac are dressed super sharp, and the show starts. First is a stirring quiet number as Nat and Rian knock out "Episode", the final song from Derby's second album, Posters Fade. It's a special thing to have a rock band capture an audience at the beginning of a set by playing a raw slow song, and it set the stage for the rest of the night... perfectly.

Little more than 24hrs prior to that moment, 83Music was able to ask front man Nat Johnson, some questions about this band and their formula for success.
Continue reading the interview at 83Music (with video) and look for Derby's Bend Winterfest show Friday February 18th at 7pm.