Tristen has ‘tour legs’ ready for Lifestyle

Tristen Gaspaderek is a young lady with an old soul, at least musically, venturing back in time to when the line between rock ‘n’ roll and country music was regularly crossed.

But much has changed since those days, Tristen (she performs under her given name only) told The Beat. Where once the accepted way to start a band was to play and play and play some more, most often on cover tunes, until you were good enough before heading into the studio to make a record, the modus operandi for the modern music industry is reversed.

“Technology allows you to hash it out on the recording,” she explained, adding that home recording negates the need for once-limited and expensive time in a professional studio. “I figured out a good process that works. It helps you find your unique voice.”

Of course, she allowed, if you’re going to play your studio-polished tune in front of people, you still have to play and play and play some more.

Which Tristen and her band have done in the year-and-a-half since her debut full-length, Charlatans at the Garden Gate, was released.

“We call it ‘getting our tour legs,’ ” she said. “You get better and better if you do it all the time. We’ll play wherever.”

A native Chicagoan, Tristen moved to Nashville a few years ago with an eye toward becoming a professional songwriter.

Tristen opens for The Airborne Toxic Event and Minus the Bear Sunday, July 15, at Lifestyle Communities Pavilion. Tickets are $22/$25. Visit promowestlive.com.