Miami dark indie pop duo The State Of returns to Green Room for a highly anticipated encore performance. If you knew nothing of the band, and only read the first 8 words of this post, I might have lost you on the word ‘dark’; fortunately, I have faith that our readership reads more than a single sentence. While the band is lyrically dark-er than most fluffy indie pop acts (they cite Radiohead & Portishead as major influences), the melodies are far from depressing. From Steph Taylor’s stellar piano playing and Nabdei Osorio’s upbeat electronica-style drumming to their entertaining banter in between songs, every The State Of show I’ve ever seen has been a party. If you don’t feel satisfied with my description, I recommend reading Damien’s article on fellow local blog Antisteez or Erica Landau’s interview with the band on New Times.
When preparing to write the blog post on tonight’s show, I thought to myself, “What better local band to comment on ‘the state of’ stuff than The State Of?” So, I sent the band some music-relevant topics. Here were their answers:
Comment on the state of the local music scene…
1) South Florida has a very eclectic mix of bands and genres and it’s still growing. We’re constantly seeing new bands pop up that have a great sound. In addition, South Florida seems to be opening up more and more venues that focus on live music using top of the line sound and lighting equipment resulting in amazing live shows for both local and national acts. Green Room happens to be a perfect example of that in Ft. Lauderdale 
Comment on the state of the music industry…
2) The music industry has been going through major changes for years now, facing the challenges of technology and accessibility. In the 4 years that we’ve been a band, we’ve gotten tons of exposure through DIY recording, touring and promoting, so in that way, the technology has helped independent artists trying to get the word out. But now we’re seeing major bands like Radiohead independently release an album and make more money allowing their fans to “name their price” rather than going through a label. It’s revolutionary and it allows the real artists space to be artists rather than money making machines.
Comment on the state of female musicians…
3) One thing we’re proud of is the accessibility for young aspiring female musicians to feel empowered by playing music. With the creation of programs like Rock Camp for Girls and magazines like Tom Tom Magazine (a magazine all about female drummers), there is encouragement out there for our little sisters to pick up a more unconventional instrument for a girl to play like drums or bass.
Stream the track “I Know” by The State Of below…..
The State Of – I Know
The State Of perform tonight at Green Room (event page). DJs Mig & Andie Sweetswirl. Old school video games. $2 PBRs/$5 craft beers. Doors at 10pm. No cover. Mention this blog post for a FREE drink before 12.
