If you don't choose a path in life, the devil chooses for you.
Nayra Serrano is a Miami girl who started Idle Hands Productions to promote punk rock, new wave, hardcore, garage, and indie-dance parties all over the county.
Over the past three years, she's brought scores of national acts to Churchill's Pub and she's not stopping anytime soon. Here's what she has to say about it.
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Crossfade: How'd you get started?
Nayra Serrano: I been promoting for like 15 years. My first show at Churchill's was Sloppy Seconds. And I also did Punk Rock Karaoke there.
What's that?
It's like a fuckin' live band, and we had the lyrics to 30 or 40 songs, and you go up there and sing. Whoever did the best got like a $50 tattoo shop gift certificate.
Awesome. What about before that?
My quinces, my goth quinces. I'd do them at the Kitchen Club with all the punks in the Grove. It was a night called Sodomy, where we rounded up all the goths and punks. I ran away from home 'cause I couldn't do the party at my house, so we fuckin' did that shit at the Kitchen. I've always been someone who can throw a good party, and that's when I first found out that I was good at it.
What else have you done?
I've promoted hip-hop for Def Jux, for clubs like the Church, Sanctuary, Poplife, Spider-Pussy, Soho.
Who is Idle Hands?
I originally started it with my friend Omar. But now it's me and Los from the Band Die Trying, and the rest of Miami, whoever is into the music.
What was the best show you ever did?
In attendance, it was probably Leftöver Crack, but my favorite show was the Casualties and Negative Approach last October for Halloween. It was awesome.
What's it mean to promote a show?
It means I'm gonna keep it old school and pass out flyers. I physically interact with people and if they don't know the bands, I introduce them. There's nothing better than to interact with a promoter in real life. Facebook promoters suck. I feel more confident in my shows knowing that either I or my street team was out there meeting kids who wanna go to punk rock shows and introducing them to it if it's new to them.
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Your flyers are awesome. Who does the art?
Yeah! Our flyers are collectible. They're drawn by Chuck Loose and Jean Saiz from Shroud Eater. My favorite flyer is for the show we did with the Dwarves. It's a cut-off luchador mask with dicks all over it.
What is so great about Churchill's?
It's the fuckin' nitty gritty. It's as punk rock as it gets, man.There's nothin' better than seein' a show at Churchill's. It's intimate. It's in your face.
Where you from?
I'm from here, but I left to New York when things were desolate, then came back and said, "Fuck this. I'm gonna do it on my own."
What's your formula?
It's a really simple fuckin' recipe to all this shit. Treat the bands right. Treat the locals right. And feed them good food. It's all about the locals, dude. If it's not about the locals and your scene, then it isn't about shit. It's about the kids with the mohawks and the studded leather jackets and keeping this shit going.
What makes you do it?
It's a gamble. You never know if it's gonna be a good show or a bad show. I just fuckin' throw myself out there. It's a fuckin' party. I guess I never wanted to grow up. And then I turned that into a business and it's just flourished. I knew I could do it, the opportunity came, and I rolled with it. Being a woman and a promoter can be tough. But fuck it, I'm gonna do it till I can't. Till the flame runs out.
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