Punk. Garage. Psychedelic. Words that are usually not associated with the favored local Miami music scene. Luckily, for those who enjoy discovering the mind-bending sounds of unknown yet innovative bands in Miami, the new So Raw Festival will surely enthrall.
Appropriately named, the So Raw Festival hopes to unite the “rawest” of talent from music to art and house them all in a two-day event in downtown Miami in June. It’ll be sure to garner binge drinking punks, unheard-of sound distortion and wicked, inappropriate photography.
Birthed by three local Miami students – Nicole Irizarry, Christiane Allen and Danny Bratkowski – the So Raw Festival is a first-time event. Bratkowski and Irizarry both are in local bands. Bratkowski plays guitar in Melted Sunglasses and Irizarry drums in two bands, The CouchFace and Little Beard.
Their initial idea of gathering local bands for a small show morphed into something greater once the trio realized bands from all over wanted to participate in a festival that would take place in Miami, a city in which many of them had never played. With the great hype the three were receiving, they decided to fatten up the festival, which blasts the image of raw meat on flyers, stickers and their Web site and include other non-local music acts to ensure a “rawsome” time.
“Miami has never seen all these awesome bands in one setting because we really are festival deprived down here, but we are going to change that by having the craziest music, art and beer party of the summer. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but it’s going to be good, ” Irizarry said. Local bands such as TeePee, Melted Sunglasses, Electric Bunnies and Jacuzzi Boys will be accompanied by out-of-towners such as Pink Reason from New York, The Yolks from Chicago and XYX from Mexico.
The line up is sure to cause havoc amongst punk, garage and DIY music fans but also hopes to spark interest in those who have not wandered into the rambunctious scene. Said Antonio Villaamil of Melted Sunglasses, “I think the festival is really going to showcase the talent that some of these Miami bands have and how awesome the crowd down here can be – meaning more festivals and more good times for everybody.”
IF YOU GO….
WHAT: So Raw Festival
WHEN: June 19-20
WHERE: ISM Gallery 167b NW 23rd St. (Fri. & Sat. night) & Upper East Side Gardens 7211 Biscayne Blvd. (Sat. day)
COST: Individual Tickets $10 / Weekend Pass $18
For more information visit: www.sorawfestival.com