Indie Night Live: A Not-to-Miss Concert Experience

By Sara Orr

Indie Night Live is coming to Cafe Eleven for the third year in a row on Saturday, April 5. With performances from some of Florida’s best indie bands, including Faze Wave, Rohna, and Pocket Knife Dance Party, this will be an intimate and immersive music experience for just $15. 

“All three of the bands have different sounds that complement each other well, and with a lot of new music coming out from all three of them,” says Andres Hernandez, the founder and producer of the Indie Night concert tour. 

Hernandez looks forward to visiting St. Augustine after successful shows in Tampa, Tallahassee, and Gainesville.

“Live music is such a good community builder,” Hernandez says. “It gives people a place to gather to enjoy common interests, celebrate our differences, and share special unified moments that you don’t get from other forms of entertainment.”

Faze Wave, a Jacksonville-based indie band with a dreamy and melancholic sound, was started by a group of high school friends who share a love for surfing, skating and guitars. Their fanbase has grown far beyond Florida, with over 53,000 listeners on Spotify and appearances at The New Colossus Festival in New York City.

Rohna is a Tampa-based indie-rock band that is well-loved all around Florida. With a Midwest-emo sound, intricate guitar melodies, unconventional time signatures, and a few well-produced and visually compelling music videos, their impact on the Florida music scene is undeniable.

Pocket Knife Dance Party is a St. Augustine-based indie band that includes two former members of the popular band King Peach. Their music is versatile, with a bedroom rock sound featuring melodic guitar, unique sound samples, and gritty vocals. They have already made waves in St. Augustine and beyond, playing multiple successful shows at Spinster Abbotts and performing in Gainesville.

While St. Augustine is known for its ancient architecture, beautiful beaches, and historic landmarks, the young local demographic has made a significant mark on the town and created a lively music scene.

“I’ve lived in St. Augustine almost my entire life,” says Eric Hasselman, a singer and guitarist of Pocket Knife Dance Party. “The influx of young creatives who either attend Flagler or are locals has helped create a great community. You can get a flavor of 5 different genres on a given night in St. Augustine since there isn’t a single musical identity in the city.”

Hasselman says that Pocket Knife Dance Party (PKDP) has built a ridiculously tight-knit fan base, and it’s only a matter of time before everyone catches the PKDP fever.

Local music fans are taking this opportunity to not only see the bands they love but also introduce themselves to new ones.

Caleb Smith, who goes by the artist name of Signed, has collaborated with Pocket Knife Dance Party on his single “Did It All,” and cannot wait to be in the audience of Indie Night to support these musicians.

“I’m always chasing that feeling of discovering a new band live,” Caleb says. “Two of the bands playing that I’ve never seen before, and that’s the best part- walking in as a stranger to their music and leaving as a fan.”

William O’Toole, friend and former music video producer for Pocket Knife Dance Party, explains how smaller indie band concerts can provide audiences with more of an intimate musical experience.

“Seeing a big-named artist in concert is great, don’t get me wrong. But sometimes bigger budget shows feel so out of reach,” William says. “Getting to see smaller bands perform can be more impressive, because they don’t have all of the bells and whistles, but their talent really is able to shine through.”

This idea is echoed by concert director Hernandez, who recognizes the deeper connection that live music creates between audiences and artists.

“On a deeper level, I also think hearing music live is one of the very few times where large groups of people truly become synced up on a sonic and physical level, and I think that’s something that makes people feel like they are part of something larger than themselves,” says Hernandez. 

Tickets sold out last year, so go to Glory Days’ Website to buy your tickets. Tickets online are $15, and limited tickets will be available for $17 at the door.