Kendall’s Music Scene Finds Comfort and Success Through Backyard Concerts
Its Saturday night, about 2 a.m. and you’re surrounded by people laughing and talking. The sound of the bass drum kicks in, then the guitars after the bass which is all soon followed by a knocking at the door by a police officer and suddenly the show is over. Everyone goes home, mid song it’s time to pack up and leave. This is a common scene in the Kendall area, where talented indie musicians are hiding behind soundproof doors or garages.
Although Wynwood is a well-known arts district, location may be playing a big part of it’s popularity, significantly close to both Miami Beach and Downtown. With well known venues such as Bardot and Gramps, bands coming out of Wynwood have a significantly upper-hand to those of Kendall, where the last venue Club Drake’s switched to salsa music before ultimately closing its doors in 2010.
“Without venues to showcase our local acts, how will people know what’s coming out of here?” said Kris Alvarez, the vocalist for Sigh Kicks and a Miami Dade College alum. “People are flocking to Wynwood and Downtown because that’s where the party and the money is.”
With the invention of websites such as SoundCloud and BandCamp, getting your music out there to the public without a record label or proper studio recording is the easiest it has ever been.
While a great tool for self-recorded artists, it also creates competition because anyone can put out music, even untrained musicians who are now using GarageBand on their MacBooks.
“You don’t have to spend big money or be on someone else’s time, you can make the recording just the way you want it,” said Arminio Rivero, guitarist for SunGhosts. “It gives you total creative freedom.”
Going along with the DIY mentality these local acts have, this has created a solution to the lack of proper venues to garner exposure: house shows. Bands like AstroMaps and Wilkes Oswald have started substituting a stage for a backyard.
“In quite a few South Florida venues, they don’t really care about the musician at all,” said Derian Silva who previously hosted a series of house shows known as “A Night With…” headlined by bands such as Palette Town. “What can we do in a scene where venues aren’t there for you and the people in charge don’t care about the music?”
Still, under these restraints, many Kendall bands have been able to branch out. AstroMaps have played at the City Hall of Stuart, Florida as well as shows in Sarasota, Tallahassee and Gainesville when they went on tour with Wilkes Oswald.
SunGhosts, Cannibal Kids, and Satori Kings went up to Atlanta, Georgia in November for a music conference to perform for record executives and producers.
There are many upcoming opportunities to go out and see local bands in the following months.
Feb. 7, Salas will be playing at the For the Love Festival in Fort Lauderdale.
On Valentine’s Day, SunGhosts, Sigh Kicks and AstroMaps will be playing at Fox’s Lounge in South Miami. Later on, Sigh Kicks will be back there on the 28 with Years Apart. That same night, Wilkes Oswald will be playing at Kill Your Idol located on Española Way in Miami Beach.
On March 15, Cannibal Kids and SunGhosts will be playing The Louder Side stage at Carnival Miami as part of the Calle Ocho Festival.
