World musicians Poi Dog Pondering will be perform at Otto’s, 118 E. Lincoln Highway, this Friday.

Chicago jazz/hip-hoppers, the J.Davis Trio, will be the special guest. Earlier this week, the Weekender had a chance to speak with Poi Dog Pondering drummer Frank Orrall about Hawaii, local Texas and the world’s greatest screensaver.

Weekender: You and your band relocated to Austin, Texas a few years ago. Are you happy with how the Austin music scene has exploded over the years, with bands like Ben Kweller, And You -Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Dead and The Shins taking root in the music industry?

Orrall: I don’t even know any of them. I’ve been living in Chicago for the past 10 years and have not been following the Austin music scene.

W: I’ve heard that the South by Southwest festival (in Austin, Texas) is the biggest indie music concert in the world. How do you think this figures into the previous question?

O: Well, I’m sure the South by Southwest festival has an influence in cultivating music because bands feel they have an outlet. I think Austin always had a strong music scene. That’s one reason they started holding it there.

W: Is being in a band as large as Poi Dog Pondering difficult?

O: Yeah. It is very difficult. It makes it hard to tour because it’s like two bands on the road. We rarely are able to tour, and we have to save our money.

W: How do you recommend putting together a band that large?

O: You know, make sure the people that you have know the score and are not in it for the money. Most people are in it for the music as far as the indie level. You have to make sure you can pay your rent other ways.

W: How do you pay your rent?

O: Luckily, I can do it with music. I play with the Thievery Corporation, and I play with another band called Juba Collective.

W: Say I have two trumpet players, a jazz pianist, a metal guitarist, two opera vocalists, a chirping rooster and a guy that occasionally takes off his shirt and dances. How would you piece these guys (as only a member of a large band would know) together?

O: Well, I know they are going to need a drummer. [laughs, then speaks to himself] What would you do with that? You’d do a mariachi opera ecstasy party.

W: Apparently, part of your band’s title is Hawaiian. Have you ever been to Hawaii?

O: I grew up in Hawaii.

W: My parents are going to Hawaii in January. What do you recommend they see?

O: Well, if they’re on the island of Oahu, then for sure go to the North Shore.

W: Didn’t they make a movie about that place? Wasn’t it bad?

O: They (Hollywood) had “Blue Crush.” It was good except for it was Hollywood so they had to put in some lame love interest. I thought the girls had their language correct. It wasn’t duded out. They didn’t do the California surfer thing.

W: I heard “Blue Crush” is the world’s greatest screensaver.

O: [Laughs] Yeah.

W: Why should people come see Poi Dog Pondering, aside from what I hear to be excellent live shows?

O: I don’t know. I think one thing that’s interesting about Poi Dog is that it’s a very independently based band. We’ve been around for 15 years; we started out as street musicians. We’re in it for the music. We blend a lot of musical styles, and in some ways, there’s not many of these big bands that are left in the world.