By Brielle Biscocho and Judy Estrada
Blcknoise is a rising soul music duo from Long Beach. Since 2010 they have been producing songs and building a fan base all over Southern California. They were one of the Franklin Stage acts at Music Tastes Good 2018. Just like Manuel the Band, they think it’s important to them to honor their hometown and contribute to it’s thriving arts community.
How did you feel when you found out you were performing at Music Tastes Good?
Donovan – If we’re considered for a big festival setting like that, then were more legitimate in a certain way. I felt like I was wanting something to show that all this time we’ve been putting into music, all of this stuff we’ve been working on has been paying off. Its allowed me to think of this project in a different way, for me to see this as a a sustaining thing. Getting that little you’re on here [the lineup], to me that meant a lot.
Victor – A lot of the music we make has been catered to something of this nature, a big festival, a big sound. We try to make very cinematic music. So when we were invited I was extremely happy, especially because its from Long Beach. We’re a bigger advocate, especially because bigger bands don’t come here. They go to LA and OC and we’re just this in between. There’s this weird thing that if you’re from Long Beach there’s situations where our LA fans won’t travel to Long Beach because it’s far. Same thing with our Long Beach people, they won’t travel to LA . So it’s trying to figure out of how to bridge the gap. So it’s at festivals like this everyone is coming, even if they’re not from the country, they’re here. And they’re here to experience the music.
Donovan – We make it a point to say that we’re from Long Beach! Online at our social media, no matter where we are at because Long Beach needs to be established as a place for people to come. It needs to be its own hub. And festivals like this add to that conversation.
Victor – I just joy the instant gratification side of music and there are a lot moments where like I go to my local coffee shop or whatever and random people will notice like “Hey you’re that band” and its feels so good. I definitely think that there are more musicians out there aware of what we do and I wanna give them what these other bands gave me when i was like nineteen, twenty-one going to all these jam sessions. I definitely wanna give back to the next generation or whoever is watching.
Donovan – That spirit needs to continue, like you do music and there are other people who want to do music and you learn what learn by working in a certain city and certain market and how to make it a job . Something you can pay your bills with. Like that’s necessary cause for every other trade that’s what happens like you teach your kids, you teach the people you know how to do what you do so they can feed themselves and their families.We branch out to all sorts of artists, so it’s really important to breathe and grow this community so people feel like doing music here is a realistic goal. This should be another place like LA.