Q&A: Bay Faction on Jazz, Gossip Girl and Playing It Quietly Loud at Sony Hall
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
BAY FACTION HAVE ALWAYS EXISTED IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SOFTNESS AND SHARP EDGES - writing songs that feel diaristic and intimate, yet expansive enough to fill rooms much larger than the bedrooms they might’ve been born in. Led by an instinct for lyricism first and everything else second, their music captures small moments with surprising weight: boredom, longing, routines, the quiet beauty of being alive and unsure what to do with it.
Ahead of their upcoming appearance at All My Friends Vol. II at Sony Hall on January 22, we caught up with the band to talk about their new EP, the strange comfort of acoustic shows, getting into jazz for the first time, and why an unemployed life in Tokyo might be the ultimate alternate reality. The stacked bill, featuring Renny Conti, Pan Arcadia, Mary Shelley, and DJ mer marcum, makes the night one of NYC’s most exciting winter shows, and Bay Faction’s return to an acoustic set only adds to the anticipation.
LUNA: Is there any movie you’ve seen more than ten times? If so, what is it and why is it special to you?
BAY FICTION: It’s not a movie, but from 2015–2019 I watched the original Gossip Girl four times.
LUNA: If someone wanted to get into jazz for the first time, what album(s) would you tell them to listen to?
BAY FICTION:
Midnight Blue – Kenny Burrell
Sonny Side Up – Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt, Sonny Rollins
(Then take someone on a date to Smalls.)
LUNA: What are you most looking forward to about playing the new EP at Sony Hall?
BAY FICTION: Debuting our new EP — we’ve only done it in the UK so far, and we haven’t done an acoustic show in forever.
LUNA: Do you often write lyrics or music first?
BAY FICTION: Always lyrics!
LUNA: What was one of your favorite things about where you grew up?
BAY FICTION: Beauty in the mundane. People are gorgeous when they’re bored.
LUNA: If you had to go on any game show, what would you choose and why?
BAY FICTION: MXC or Silent Library. We’d kill.
LUNA: What are the pros and cons of an acoustic set versus playing with a full band?
BAY FICTION: I get nervous when I’m alone, but also I don’t laugh when I look at Connor. Band is best though — I miss them.
LUNA: What’s one of the smallest things you’re grateful for?
BAY FICTION: This “money tree” in my apartment that I’m struggling to keep alive. Watching him grow has been extremely nerve-wracking for no reason.
LUNA: In an alternate universe, what would your job be and where would you live?
BAY FICTION: Unemployed in Tokyo.
LUNA: Can you name up to three albums that summarized your 2025? Why do those stick out to you?
BAY FICTION:
UY SCUTI – Young Thug, because I thought we’d never get anything else from him.
Hell Is an Airport – Liquid Mike. I love when doom scrolling actually works in my favor.
Turn On the Bright Lights – Interpol. I’m 24 years late, but I’ve been searching for an edge and I found one here. It makes me feel physically cold, which is a creative feat that I aspire to.
