The French Revolution: Garcon Garcon

Australian electronic artists Garçon Garçon will be taking to the main stage at this year’s Big Gay Day. Anthony Smith chats to one half of the duo, Nathan Mahon, about what we can expect when they hit Brisvegas...

Big Gay Day 2013 is in for a treat when Sydney duo Garçon Garçon take to the stage. The boys, Nick Tsirimokos and Nathan Mahon, have been very busy lately, with remixes for artists like Patrick Wolf, along with a slew of press love from DNA, NME and Attitude magazines.

Meeting through mutual friends and discovering they both were writing music, Nathan Mahon says that the duo really started when they worked together on some tracks he had been writing to perform at his birthday party for friends. "People seemed to really like the tracks and we decided to write some more songs and become a real band!

"Sydney has been very supportive of us. We have lots of friends who are DJs and musicians and all kinds of performers. I think we all try and help each other out where we can."

I ask Mahon about how it is to be an electronic musician in a scene of DJs. "DJs are the new rock stars in many ways,” he says. “And when you look at festival line-ups these days, DJs are playing the main stage not just a small tent out the back, so in general I feel like it’s easier to be a DJ rather than a live act in some ways. People often think we are DJs and then we turn up with instruments and they get confused!

"We just try to have fun when we perform. If you put that kind of energy out, usually you get it back and I think it’s that relationship/connection that creates the vibe."

With a world tour on the cards, a new single ‘Right or Wrong’ out soon and a video to match, it's certainly a busy time the duo. Not only that, but their slot at Big Gay Day should be big. And it’s not the first time the band has been to Brisbane: Nathan tells me he is keen to be heading back for Big Gay Day and playing to the crowd. "Brisbane is my home town so it’s always great to come back and play there."

Catch Garçon Garçon on the main stage at Big Gay Day, March 10, 2013. Their self titled debut EP is available through iTunes.