The Ditty Bops are Amanda Barrett and Abby DeWald, two modern LA twenty-somethings celebrating yesteryear with their self-titled debut album [listen here]. Both their record and their live show are a must-hear, featuring bell-clear vocal harmonies, finger picked guitars, and upbeat melodies that'll have you partying like it's 1929. These KCRW-darlings have already appeared on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" and are currently touring the country with Tegan and Sara.

Catch their opening set tonight at The Independent. SFist caught up with Amanda and Abby en route to our fair city.

We saw your SXSW showcase at Crowne Plaza, a clean venue on the top floor of a posh hotel, the perfect scenario for a Ditty Bops show. How do you feel about playing sweaty rock clubs on tour?
Amanda: We passionately dislike sweaty rock clubs. But we love sweat. Depending on whose sweat it is of course. The biggest problem playing in clubs outside of California is the smoke scene. We're not used to it and it gets to us after awhile.

Abby: My preference for venues are theaters. I like having a captive audience so we can play some odd ball numbers that aren't just peppy and upbeat.

More with The Ditty Bops, after the jump.

Are you on tour with the full band we saw you with in Austin? The ponytailed man on violin and guitar was bananas.
We love the boys in our band though sometimes we all get on each others nerves. We've been playing with them every chance we get (if we can pay them and they are available). The ponytailed violin player is Mr. John Lambdin. He is a character to say the least.

Are you surprised that such a relatively old-fashioned, unusual style of music has been embraced so quickly, or did you have a hunch that you were onto something that could appeal to a broad audience?
Abby: I don't think of our music as old fashioned. I think of it as whatever it sounds like at the time we are playing it. A lot of people seem to think we are doing a retro thing. I give credit where credit is due, 1920's music is great. But so is Merle Travis, Harry Nilsson, Jesca Hoop, and Led Zeppelin.

Amanda: I think the people who like our show come see us because we like to try different songs even if they aren't perfect. We aren't bored with ourselves yet.

Amanda, how does one travel with a washboard? Does it come with its own flight case, can you fit it into a suitcase? How does that work?
We travel with a lot of clothes and a frighteningly large array of suitcases. The washboard resides in one of them.

Abby, any chance you'll be selling any of your amazing original art at the merch booth tonight?
I don't think I'll be selling my art at shows just yet. I'm a bit too disorganized for that right now. Currently my drawings live under my bed. I have real trouble sharing them with people that I'm not in love with. I'm sure I'll overcome this issue soon.

We've seen how some guy bands travel -- it often involves a stinky van, one pair of pants per member, and copious amounts of beef jerky and cigarettes. What's it like on the mostly female Ditty Bops/Tegan and Sara tour?
Abby: I guarantee I am the dirtiest member of our band. I am the one who has the one pair of pants that I wear till I can't possibly get away with it any longer. I rarely wash my hair and when I do I never use shampoo. Only water. However, dirty is not synonomous with messy. I keep my portion of the world tidy and neat. Amanda is the messy one. She'd make a mess out of anything. Boys outnumber girls on the current tour 7 to 5. But our bus driver Dave keeps us all in line so the boat is in tip top shape and clean as a whistle.

Amanda: I am a very organized Virgo, but I do enjoy my own messiness.

Are the Ditty Bops having a musical influence on Tegan and Sara, or vice versa? Any chance this tour pairing will give birth to a vaudevillain-punk side project?
Amanda: Vaudevillian punk? It's already been done and they're called the Dresden Dolls. They do it quite well and we love them both.

Abby: As far as Tegan and Sara are concerned they certainly have an effect on me. I am influenced by lots of people that surround me for better or worse. In the case of these gals I have enjoyed their stage banter and the flow of their show. They are also giving us sage advice on dealing with press.

What music are y'all listening to on the tour bus en route to SF right now?
The music in the disc changer is as follows:
-Velvet Underground
-Jesca Hoop
-Leon Redbone
-Kate Bush

Photos from the Ditty Bop's Photoblog.