Dakota Black – Not Based Out of North or South Dakota
Dakota Black’s guitarist Steve Mannocchi, answered some questions for us about the Daytona Beach Florida based band. If you like bands like Texas Hippie Coalition that blend southern rock and metal – give Dakota Black a listen.
How would you describe your sound to someone who hasn’t heard you?
We have heard a few times that our music is Skynyrd on steroids! We are not a straight up Southern Rock band but we definitely have elements of it. When we set out to start the band we wanted to take what we felt Florida was made of musically and put together a band that had a sound that represented Florida. We have elements of Hard Rock and Metal as well as Southern Rock and Country. It all comes together to create what Dakota Black has become. I guess you can call us a Hard Rock/ Southern Metal Band.
What can someone do to support underground music?
A couple things could really help every scene in general on both parts that can gain support for local/underground music.
As for live shows, the average person will have to get in the mindset to give the local acts a chance. So many times we hear people say that they never heard of a local band so they don’t want to waste their time going to check them out. So unless you have a huge advertising budget these people are difficult to reach and make aware of your music. So as a scene we need to make it more attractive for them to come to live shows and keep their interest once they are their.
One thing that is also brought up a lot when talking to people is having to sit through so many bands at not only local shows but when the locals open for national acts. People get board and lose interest sitting through and waiting for multiple changeovers. Especially waiting through bands they never heard. Not every show has to have that festival format and for some reason there seems to be this need to put 4 to 6 local bands on a bill at every local show as well as opening for the nationals that come to clubs. That is just too much to ask someone who never heard your music to sit through. People won’t stick around from beginning to end, and you tend to scare away the possibility of any new people with that format. You can’t build your career on playing in front of the same 50 people, you have to expand your fan-base. As a scene, we need to keep shows to 3 bands even with the nationals at local clubs. If that means only one local act supporting a tour for a national act then that’s the way it should go. Having 6 local bands support a national act is just ridiculous and it seems to be happening a lot.
What is the band currently working on? Future release?
We are in the process of recording our new CD which should be released by the end of the summer. We are also in the process of recording a live video which should be out around the same time.
What is your most unlikely musical influence?
As a band we have a lot of influences that span from Country to Metal. It would be hard to classify something as unlikely. Its not surprising for someone from the band to come in and say ” Hey check this out” and the rest of the band say it sucks. So that is really hard to answer.
What would the dream gig be for Dakota Black?
I would say a dream gig would be to tour as a supporting act to an iconic band like Van Halen, Alice in Chains, Black Sabbath – something like that. Something you can look back on when you are older and be proud to be part of.
Website: http://dakotablack.net/
Presskit: http://www.reverbnation.com/rpk/dakotablack
Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/dakotablack
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DakotaBlackNSB
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DakotaBlackNSB
Myspace: https://myspace.com/dakotablackband
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