L.A.’s Blondfire coming to the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

By Ashley Goodman | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Michigan-born, Brazilian-blooded brother-sister act Blondfire has been getting a lot of attention recently. Comprised of Erica and Bruce Driscoll, their first single, “Where The Kids Are,” has been taken notice by Rolling Stone and Sirius satellite radio, thanks in part to Erica’s etheral voice.

Driscoll’s yearning vocals mixed with jagged guitars makes for some danceable beats. The “Where The Kids Are EP” has a more electronic sound compared to their 2008 album, “My Someday.”

Growing up in Michigan, there wasn’t a lot for the pair to do. Erica and her brother would spend their time writing music during the winter. Erica taught herself how to play guitar when she was 15. “I bought my own chord book and taught myself,” she recalls.

Spending summers in Brazil was quite different from being in Michigan. When she was 12, she started going to clubs and was exposed to 80s classics such as the Pet Shop Boys and New Order, which has been a major influence on her music.

Last August, the duo made the change from EMI to Warner Brothers Records because they felt it was a better experience overall. “It was all for the better. I feel like they really discovered our sound and really loved our sound and didn’t want to change it. The people at EMI liked our sound, but they wanted it to be a little different,” she said.

Another big change for the pair is Erica will be touring sans Bruce this time. “We used to tour together, but his heart is more in the studio. I don’t want to make him go if he doesn’t love it, and then we don’t have too much brother-sister time,” she said. Erica will be on the road this spring with AWOLNATION, Surfer Blood and Foals.

So what can we expect from Blondfire in the future? “Getting as many people to know about the band. Hopefully they love us and release our record soon, which I’m really excited about,” she said.

Blondfire will be playing at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall March 16 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $22.50 in advance and $25 day of show. To buy tickets, visit www.pvconcerthall.com.