As I promise, I'm going to focus this post the one and only - Sirens and Sealions.
For starters you can check out their blog/vblog - The Murky Water Chronicles!.
Consisting of Johanna Viscaino, Nick Deluca, Chantal Meza, Gerry Felipe, Matt Gajewski, and Daniel Fernandez - these fellow Miamians and musicians are make quite an impact in the local music scene. They make use of several Miami venues and are currently playing in FIU's radio event Eat.Sleep.Folk.. Networking through sites like Facebook and MySpace has helped them greatly in popularizing their name in Miami. Keeping a blog also helps with connecting with their fans while keeping them update on any news concerning the band.
I currently had the pleasure of interviewing my friend, Siren and Sealion's wonderful lead singer - Johanna Viscaino about the band and their experiences with the Miami music scene.
Who are you!
Who are we? Ummm sea creatures? Umm no we are music lovers. That's what brings us all together, half of us are amateurs the other students of music or the arts. As a the initiator I describe this group as an amazing bunch of talented individuals that I was lucky enough to have as friends and supporters of this musical vision.
How did the band start?
Chanti and I literally were joking in her room saying how we could totally be in a band. This was after looking up the line up one night at STUDIO A when it was still bumping. We weren't pleased with the sounds that were being offered and really by accident created a product together that people really enjoy. Our members have changed through out the past year and a half. I compare us to Broken Social Scene in that sense, there are so many musically inclined supporters of the sound now that we are still able to play shows without steady members.
Where do you guys play?
We started playing at Churchills of course. It was meant to be a one time thing. At Raffa and Rainers "open mic night" CAN YOU ROCK A LIL SOFTER. We immediately got invited to play other shows. That we were not expecting. We were soon playing with the local acts we DID love and admire. Raffa was definitely our first supporter just as she has been for many local artists. She really believes in the scene.
How do you find local venues to play in?
As for venues- a lot of it is word of mouth. I remember within the first few months asking Chanti "should it be this easy for a new band to have this many invites to shows?" and shes like "I don't think so bands usually have to sell their sound and try to book their own gigs. As the one in charge of booking I haven't had to put much effort for our shows. Everything from the hipster infused WHITE ROOM to Churchills to Ps14 to the BORSCHT FILM FELSTIVAL @ the Gusman. It's all people inviting us cause they like what they've heard. We've also infiltrated the Wynwood area with a private show at the new CAFEINA LOUNGE and will be performing Bayfront park in a couple of weeks. So even major projects like working directly with the city has been word of mouth.
How has social networking sites been an impact for your band?
Social networking is all I depend on. It helps me get to know the listeners. I'm on Facebook and MySpace 3 hours out of everyday. Chatting with people, receiving email to play at places, meeting other local artists wed like to work with. Promoting shows in an eco friendly way =)
How’s the environment like for local musicians like here in Miami?
The environment in Miami is harsh man. I mean that is why we are so surprised towards the reaction we get. We have developed a decent following after a year and a half or so. People truly enjoy it and make sure to mark their calendars. The way I see it. Our audience are people like us that were tired of what Miami usually has to offer and are looking for something a bit different. No punk or metal or hip hop or reggaetone (I don't even know how to spell it).
What are your future plans for the band?
Some of us wouldn't mind catching a break and investing a couple of years into this big time. a couple of us have other musical goals. So its tough cause we aren't all in SYNC. We are however recording and I'm working with local design companies to get the album art done and we are working with someone in the business that will hopefully help us spread this sound through the east coast.
Sirens and Sealions are a prime example of how local bands make use of social networking websites. These sites have started a revolution for bands. These bands are able to get their music out in no time. Not only is this music available to fans but also to record labels. It gives them an edge bands in the past couldn't even dream of. It is also a great way to get connected with other artists locally. In the end, word of mouth is very important in this business. However, Facebook and MySpace are a huge part of these band's names being out there.
Lastly, with that being said - don't forget to check them out!
Sirens & Sealions - Tumbleweed from johnolin on Vimeo.
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