#poorgrrrl

Hilo Miami! I have decided to reappropriate this blog by changing the "L.A." to "la" ok? This is now "La Un Zine, Miyami Style" or whatever we'll see but Miami has been pretty fresh lately. I had the wild privledge of being part of the Tatsuya Nakatani Gong Orchestra this past week with 14 of Miami's finest musicians. I recognized all of them from not only various exceptional local bands but also from some of the toughest and most necessary cultural community work. Also all but 2 were women. The only criteria should have been to be the best drummer in town you say? I overheard someone say something like this and add "like what's a popular rapper doing up there?". Well I was very inspired to answer this question by the end of the night. I saw this rapper they were referring to, Tara Long AKA Poorgrrrl (who has never referred to herself as a rapper btw) take on the biggest gong of all and go from 0 to hero with dat shit. We we're all sweating and struggling with it I'd say just about equally. Afterall, Tatsuya pretty much invented how to play gongs with bows so there is no way anyone who hadn't already learned it from him had any real clue...But damn Tara!!! Killled it with the bass gong. You can totally assume this kind of commitment to a dope and sincerely unique experience from listening to Poorgrrrl, where she destroys the structures of most rap and hip hop music ever by creating a new landscape by alternating between talking and singing and ranting into trances that keep you close and the words and intentions brutally clear the entire time. It's very bold to say the least and you know what else is? Being a woman anywhere in or around the Miami music scene today. Here are the things most local dude bands typically have to worry about: -Making a lot of money at their jobs -Finding the right marketing company to make them look hot -Not making toooo much an ass of themselves in front of club personel where they will seek shows to get on -Not making music that's too gay, but if it is you might be invited to play drag night. Here are some things women musicians in the Miami have to worry about: -Being shorted, swindled and degraded by the typical promoter or bar owner -Reinforncing gender roles with your musical style (especially for larger or family friendly audiences) -Sexual Harrasment -Never showing weakness -Having anywhere to play they haven't experienced some sort of harrasment that no one did anything about -Emphasizing your demand for respect by showing extra class and stern looks -Going out like this quite often so that you can even get the chance to talk to these bookers, promoters ect -Knowing any bookers here who won't forever think of you as a nice little opener because you are little different, no matter how many tours you go on or how much progress you make in every other city -Often, like in the case of Tara and myself, having to run your OWN space where you have to worry about paying the rent, cleaning a large space fullof rowdy individuals, and not gettign arrested (Tara does in fact do all of this on top of hosting of the best underground touring artists at her spot). -Often resulting to promoting yourself, as well as touring acts that may not mean anything to anyone down here on the isolated island of Miami (comes with an extra side of being a great flyer artist, review writer and friendly, popular community leader NBD!) -Working your ass off at your jobs (where you probably deal with more harrasment) to make sure you have plenty of money to deal with such aspects like recording and distributing your music, booking your tours and all this properly and without any funny business but of course, if you have to deal with a dude and he's attracted to you, your doomed for heavy and completely regretful experience regardless. -Looking good on camera or if not being an easy target for ridicule -Probably making evverything else on your own, merch, logos, music videos,album art, because no "favor" is ever truly free -And then after doing alll of this yourself, even the men you do work with closely who see you working so hard everyday, when seeing you finally succeed in anything ask "How'd you do it?" or "Who'd you hire?". -Overall taking annnyy opportunity ever is actually offered to you, no matter how far off from your goal, and rockin the shit out of it so maybe one of lo big bois watching won't ignore your booking request next time. So yea.. She showed them! But I wanted to write about it anyway cuz it was, as Rat Bastard (the only man trusted by Tatsuya to arrange this 15 person orchestra) would say "CLASSIC". And i'm feeling really grateful for her today.. and Rat and the other badass women ripped that gong challenge, and of course Rat for knowing what's up. CATCH POORGRRRL LIVE @ ART BASEL : TBD SPINELLO PROJECTS OPENING Dec. 9 - Rakastella Festival