“It is always awesome to be back here,” he said, about playing Mulcahy’s with the boy band for their fans, who are known as the Larger Than Life Army. “We love walking in here and knowing everybody.”
On sharing the stage with O-Town and Ryan Cabrera this past summer, he said, “That was a whole another! experience. Honestly, I was very excited to share the same stage with them, and it was super cool.”
He also described meeting and performing with Joey Fatone from N SYNC as an “amazing” experience. “I didn’t expect him to jump on stage like that, but he did, especially for my part and I was stoked. He was singing with me and I was harmonizing with Joey Fatone. It was really good. I loved it. He was really humble,” he said.
Rod also shared that he is very happy for the all-girl group Sugar & Spice, which features such female performers as Malia, Amy and Caitlin. “That feels great! Being backstage and seeing them and their hard work ethic is really rewarding,” he said.
His plans for the future are to continue to book more shows for next year with Larger Than Life. “To keep traveling and spreading the word out and to try to get the show everywhere,” he said. “I always try to write my own music as well wherever I am.”
Digital transformation of music
On the impact of technology in the music industry, Rod said, “Honestly, it has good things about it and bad things. Selling music might not mean as much these days, but it is easier to promote your music and to get people to listen to your songs. Basically, you control your own promotion. If you know how to handle social media, it can be really helpful, but if you expect to make money out of sales, you are probably not in the right business.”
Rod uses technology as one of his “main tools.” “Technology is how I let the world know what I am doing, and what I am going to do, and the way I want them to see me. Basically, I have to be careful with what I show and what I do with it, and try to get their attention, and eventually, get as many people as possible to listen to my music.”
This past June, Rod serenaded fans to an acoustic rendition of Enrique Iglesias‘ “Hero.”
Read More: Digital Journal reviewed Larger Than Life’s September 8th show at Mulcahy’s Pub and Concert Hall, which featured a surprise performance Sugar & Spice.