The Hold Steady (pictured above) are playing tonight at the Crystal Ballroom with the Heartless Bastards and Blitzen Trapper.

Erika Wennerstrom from the Heartless Bastards took some time to talk to me from the road, and gives us a sneak peak into tonight’s show. Check out the interview after the jump.

MERCURY: How long have you guys been on tour?
ERIKA WENNERSTROM: Oh, maybe about a week and a half. We haven’t been out that long, yet.

And how long is this tour?
It’s somewhere around six weeks, but we have four days in the middle where we’re home.

How are the Hold Steady as tour mates?
Oh, cool. They’re really cool to hang out with. They’re really nice.

Do you have any tour stories yet, that you’d like to share?
Wow. Hold on. Let me ask everyone else… [laughs]. Nothing you can print.

What can people expect from your live show?
Just a good show. People seem to have a lot of fun, so I guess that, and some loud rock ’n’ roll.

What music are you listening to these days?
Well, I just got an old Bob Dylan album Bringing it All Back Home. Modest Mouse. The Stooges. We just listened to the last Cat Power album. I know there’s new stuff we listen to, but I’m drawing a blank.

In your interview with Modern Fix, you said you grew up in a household that wasn’t into rock ’n’ roll. I’m curious what did your parents listen to and how you feel it influenced you as a musician?
Well, my dad—honestly he doesn’t listen to music much. I mean, he’s like somebody who might turn on the car and just put on a station that has something quiet enough, I don’t know—he almost listens to super quiet, easy listening. But I mean, honestly, I don’t think he really likes that either. I can’t think of a single album that he owns. But my mom, she really likes jazz, soul, and stuff like Ray Charles. And she likes some new age stuff, but that’s where we break off, as far as musical tastes go.

How do you feel growing up around that has influenced your music and singing?
You know, I think since I was about three I’ve wanted to sing, so I don’t know. I think more so it was that my mom had a lot of friends that were musicians, and she would take us to dinner clubs to see live jazz, and I think seeing live performances got me into that.