Q&A: Grocery Bag drafts ACL performance, talks Billy Idol tour

Fresh off an opening tour with rock legend Billy Idol, local garage rock quad Grocery Bag prepares for their next major crowd at Austin City Limits. The band started four years ago, composed of guitarist Dillon Aitala, singer Isabella Martinez, drummer Jimmy Mercado and bassist and guitarist Logan Kerman. Since then, they have been making their way up the Austin music scene, playing shows at Mohawk, Stubbs … and now the BMI stage at ACL. The Daily Texan sat down with the band to talk about their excitement with their first gig at the iconic music festival.

The Daily Texan: This is y’all’s first time playing at ACL. What are the vibes going into it (and) what are you guys expecting? 

Dillon Aitala: I’m excited, but I’m super nervous. I’ve only been to ACL two or three times, and I’ve seen some really cool bands on the BMI stage, which is the one we’re playing. I’m super pumped to get over there and have some fun and play loud-ass music.

Logan Kerman: I’m excited. I’ve been going to ACL since I was eight, so it’s pretty surreal. 

Jimmy Mercado: (We’re hoping it’s) the best show of our lives.

DT: When did you guys originally become a band?

DA: (In) 2022, we were all hanging out. Jimmy and I just graduated high school, and (Martinez, Kerman and Mercado) were all jamming and hanging out. We all started to jam together, and started playing shows in July, and kept playing shows, writing songs, having fun, going to parties, doing rock and roll music — the whole nine yards. (We were) getting obsessed with Austin and its music scene … grabbing it with our fucking teeth and trying to sink it in.

DT: What makes Grocery Bag a special part of the Austin music scene? 

DA: It’s special that we’re all super involved with the scene in different ways. I was part of KVRX for three years and I was booking shows at Pearl Street. (Mercado’s) been in fucking bands in the Austin scene since he was seven years old. Same with (Kerman), going to Pecan Street (and) going to ACL since he was eight years old. (Martinez picked) up the drums at three years old. (Playing music has) been our nature for a while.

Isabella Martinez: We’re very involved in the scene and help a bunch of friends out. There’s a lot of community, and we’ve been there for a lot of the bands that are up and coming and … seeing everyone grow.

DT: What makes you guys proud to play music in Austin and play at ACL? 

DA: The city has given us so many opportunities, and I don’t think it’s really possible to quantify how many great opportunities we’ve gotten just by being here, meeting really cool people and sharing the same experiences of the love for music and the live music. There are so many great venues here in Austin, even though unfortunately a bunch have closed here. There’s still a really strong community here. People want to help other people. They want to help their music get out. They want to see other people play shows and get up on the stage and fucking rock out. I could not be more proud to be in Austin, playing music here.

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