My Music, My Way: Sleigh Bells Promise 'Flying,' Unitards For Woodies Performance

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Sleigh Bells Promise 'Flying,' Unitards For Woodies Performance

Band shares stage with Foo Fighters, Wiz Khalifa, others at 2011 mtvU Woodies, airing live at midnight Wednesday.
By Matt Harper, with reporting by James Montgomery

Sleigh Bells with James Montgomery in Austin, Texas
Photo: Matt Harper/MTV News

AUSTIN, Texas — With a list of performers that includes not only Wiz Khalifa and insane L.A. rap collective Odd Future but the freakin' Foo Fighters too, the 2011 mtvU Woodie Awards are shaping up to be a can't-miss show. So much so that you've got to feel sorry for some of the other acts on the bill ... they've really got to step it up.

Luckily, one of those acts, Brooklyn bashers Sleigh Bells, are up to the task. Or at least they sound like they are. Because when MTV News caught up with the dynamic duo on Tuesday during Woodies rehearsals, they were more than willing to reveal the details of their big performance.

"I'm coming down on wires," guitarist/producer Derek E. Miller laughed.

"Yes, Derek is flying around, he's wearing a unitard," singer Alexis Krauss added.

Of course, when we mentioned we had some doubts about the wire work (and the unitard), the Bells quickly recanted. But they weren't about to say what their performance would actually feature.

"There's definitely some surprises," Krauss said, playing it coy. "We haven't said anything about it so I don't really want to say anything more than we've said ... if that made any sense."

Not really, but hey ... If all goes according to plan, Krauss and Miller won't just be hitting the stage for their secretive performance, they might be making an acceptance speech too. They're nominated for the Breaking Woodie award — up against the likes of Local Natives, Wavves, Dev and Two Door Cinema Club — and win or lose, they're planning on making the night memorable.

"Obviously it would feel good to win," Krauss said, diplomatically. "It would be fun, but if we don't, it's OK ..."

"[If we lose,] then I'm just gonna burn the place down," Miller laughed.

The 2011 mtvU Woodie Awards will air live on MTV, MTV2 and mtvU on Wednesday, March 16, at midnight (ET/PT) from the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas. For more information — and to vote for the winner of the "Breaking Woodie" award — check out Woodies.MTV.com.

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