Palomino Blond's Carli Acosta, Kyle Fink, Raven Nieto, and Jake Karner's hard work doesn't go unnoticed.
In less than a year of existence, the young Kendall four-piece has garnered a loyal local following, seen its song “Supergalore” included on New Times' list of best Miami songs of 2018, released a six-track demo, been dubbed the best band from Kendall, and toured out of state (a feat for emerging bands that isn't exactly lucrative). "It's been a total whirlwind, honestly," Fink reflects.
New Times recently declared Kendall the "beating heart" of Miami music thanks to contributions from local bands such as Palomino Blond,
Growing up, the four members played in backyards across Miami-Dade in such bands as Long Shore Drift, In Oculus, and Sedgwick.
The group recently premiered its first music video, for the song "Creature Natural," in front of an amped crowd at Tea & Poets. Directed by brothers Jonathan and Michael Cuartas, the impressive video, which garnered more than 2,000 plays on YouTube and Facebook in 24 hours, was shot in a 1930s-era house in the Redland that was also used to film scenes for the TV show Bloodline. "Lyrically, 'Creature Natural' is about my experiences," Acosta says. "I have really active dreams... a lot of them are bad dreams, sadly. I wrote this song about waking up from a nightmare and not being able to go back to sleep."
The four-piece describes its sound as "genre-bending," combining emo, doom, punk, shoegaze, and dream pop and drawing inspiration from a spectrum of influences. The bandmates all share compelling stories about what triggered their desire to play music in a band, such as performing in backyard shows; seeing their favorite bands in concert; listening to records from acts like the Strokes, Fugazi, Smashing Pumpkins, the Refused, and Tegan and Sara; and growing up with family members in the music business.
Nieto recalls his "first interaction with the Miami scene" at a Testokra and Las
Now the group is working with Torche's Jon Nuñez on Palomino Blond's debut album, due out sometime this year. The bandmates say they plan to re-record some of their demo tracks as well as create new songs that "verge on postpunk and shoegaze" for the upcoming release. "There's lots of dynamics and dreaminess and moodiness and poppiness juxtaposed with darkness," Fink dishes.
If one thing is apparent when speaking with the band members, it's their powerful passion for their craft.
As for what they hope fans take from their music, Karner says, "I want our listeners to be in the moment when they're listening to us, whether it's
Adds Acosta: "I think in terms of the recorded material, one of my favorite things
Says Fink: "I want everyone that goes to any show of ours to feel like they just made a new family."
Palomino Blond. With Cave of Swimmers, North by North, and Las Nubes. 9 p.m. Friday, January 25, at Las Rosas, 2898 NW Seventh Ave., Miami; facebook.com/lasrosasmiami. Admission is free.
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