BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — One band, seven guys.
The band Free Music Party is hosting a musical festival for growing bands, in Buffalo, for the first time ever.
A passion for music, molding this longtime group of friends into bandmates.
Vocalist duo Alex Live and Eddy Blanco, guitarist Luno J, music producer Kevin Spears and DJ Apollo and co-founders Max Cambria and Kay Prix, all make up the band "Free Music Party".
It is a mixture of hip-hop, R&B, soul, or as they call it "mood music" and was created at home, in 2017.
"For the past six years, we've been doing everything from basement shows at literally Milkie's where there's no one there at all," vocal artist Eddy Blanco said. "To be able to grow from that means a lot."
The guys started as friends in high school and college.
All but one are Buffalo natives. Luno J is from Pittsburgh.
Together, they have created the Coldwave Music Festival, which is taking place in Buffalo on Saturday, March 2.
There's a lineup of bands from Buffalo and beyond, hoping to merge Buffalo's music scene under one roof.
"Community is a big part of the Buffalo music scene, especially given the lack of infrastructure for the music industry. There's just not a lot of money. There's not a lot of labels or big studios to help people out so it really revolves around artists helping each other out," producer and multi-instrumentalist Kevin Spears said. "When we were getting started, we were 17, 18 years old. We had virtually no mentorship and nowhere to look to, so we were really just trying to find friends to build with. Community is central to the Buffalo music scene."
It is not just about the music, but the art, and when festival goers come to the Coldwave Music Festival they are going to see a lot of it.
"We have vendors, a lot of retailers, some food ones, and then music constantly throughout the day," guitar player Luno J said.
Vocal artist Alex Live said, "I think just giving people an opportunity with us, is also going to spread to give other people of like, 'Hey, we can do this together.'"
"It creates more branches through a network of people and everyone can come together through those little, tiny branches," DJ and producer DJ Apollo added.
The group shared they appreciate people coming out to their events.
"We're not using promoters, we're not doing this the beaten pathway. We are on our hands and knees building the set ourselves," Spears shared.
The Coldwave Music Festival is happening this Saturday, March 2 at Town Ballroom from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Tickets are $20 in advance and $30 at the door.
Free Music Party can be found via their social media accounts: Facebook and Instagram.
The group's first music video, Wherever We Go. (feat Turnup, GRXZZ), can be found here.
