Yardij at Forecastle Festival in Louisville, KY
South Florida alt-rock band, Yardij recently caught the attention of the promoters at Forecastle Festival in Louisville, KY where they were selected to play through one of our opportunities.
We spoke to them about how they formed, their experience playing at Forecastle Festival, and what’s up next for them.
Tell us a bit about your band. How did you start, how long have you been together, what kind of music do you play, etc.
Our name is Yardij! We’re a five piece band from South Florida. Most of us all went to the same small town high school except for drummer, Jordan. None of us were really friends throughout high school but word of mouth, the works of the universe, and ultimately music brought us all together. We’ve been together for almost 5 years. Alex and I were still in high school when we started it and Nick had recently graduated. Anthony and Jordan joined later on and have been a wonderful addition to our family. We all come from many different musical backgrounds, so pinpointing a specific genre has always been pretty difficult, but we would say Yardij falls under the indie-alt rock umbrella. We have a really fun time experimenting with all of our different influences, but it all goes back to Alt-Rock music for us.
Without the help of a big team what has been the biggest struggle for you as a DIY artist?
Definitely balancing the music and the business. We’re grateful enough to have a manager, some really positive influences in our lives, as well as each other to lean on and ask for guidance. But every step of the way has been a lesson learned for everyone. Failing forward is the best way to get to where you want to be!
How did you hear about ReverbNation and our opportunities for artists?
ReverbNation was the first thing recommended to us when we started the band. When you’re a new band, almost everyone asks if you’ve made a ReverbNation account yet. It’s awesome that it’s pretty much understood that it’s essential as a DIY artist/band.
What was the opportunity submission process like? What was your reaction when you found out that you were picked to play at Forecastle?
We were so stoked because it couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. You’re told “no” more than yes in any business when you first start out, so receiving that YES during our first East coast tour was serendipity. We didn’t think twice and replied right away!
It looked like you had a lot of fun at the festival. Tell us more about your
experience playing at Forecastle.
We had the best time! The boys all got some super fresh haircuts, courtesy of Spanish Fly. Mark Evans was our Artist Liaison and he was so incredibly helpful and kind. It’s definitely intimidating being the festival newbies, but he made us feel really welcomed. The crowd was killer as well. The best part about festivals is that everyone is there for music and a good time. Of course everyone is going to have their main artists that they’re there to see, but most of them are down with finding new music and supporting up and comers. Seeing so many unfamiliar faces in a crowd is fraught and liberating all at the same time.
Any advice for new musicians just starting out? How do you get your name out there, find new fans, keep fans engaged, get noticed by labels etc?
GET A REVERBNATION ACCOUNT. Be a part of the scene and support all of your fellow local artists. Coming out to a friend’s show to support them goes a long way. When our friends who are in a band come out to ours, it really means the world.
What’s up next for Yardij?
We just released our EP, Face Value, that we’re so excited to finally share with everyone. We’re currently planning more tours and single releases post EP release. We also hosted our own mini Festival this Summer we named All Out! Fest. We plan to keep that going to help water the seed of the South Florida music & arts scene. It’s a small scene, but it’s very strong and tight nit. We’re grateful to be a part of it and grow with it!
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