Bolster the scene with raw talent

Cannon the Dealers, an emerging alternative indie band in the Rio Grande Valley, has solidified its lineup and is making waves with its raw, nostalgic sound and commitment to bolstering the local music scene. 

From their first jam session two years ago to their EP launch “At Least the Weather’s Nice,” on Feb. 22 at the Jukebox Bar in Brownsville, the band is focused on bringing attention to the Valley’s evolving music landscape.

The band’s unusual name stems from a Canon camera and a photo file.

“Our friend Eddie … he would record our sets … and all the files … would be called ‘Canon.TheDealers,’” lead singer Nick Tamayo said.

They simply added an extra “n,” and the name stuck.

Bassist Tony Olivarez said he and drummer Luis Segura had been playing with other friends but struggled to find the right lead singer. Initially, Tamayo auditioned for guitar.

“[Tamayo] started singing, and I remember we’re like ‘Nah, you’re a singer,’” Olivarez said.

The lead singer said he became interested after seeing a video of the band on Facebook.

“[Segura] was like, ‘All right, show up,’” he said. “I show up, [but] a band doesn’t need three guitars. The shoegaze scene might fight me on that.”

Lead guitarist Lane Flores was the final piece of the puzzle.

“We needed another guitarist because Nick was … the only guitarist at that point,” Olivarez said. “… We knew [Lane] from … his shows and stuff.” 

Tamayo said he “had to sell” Lane on joining, asking how important making money was to him.

“I remember liking the music enough to where I was like, ‘I don’t care about the money,’” Flores said. “… The money will come soon enough … but the music’s good, and I enjoy hanging out with these guys all the time.”

Tamayo described the band’s sound as a nostalgic blend of early 2000s indie rock, shoegaze and hardcore, with influences from The Strokes, The Red Pears and Tommy Oeffling. The music incorporates a moody, nighttime feel, local shoegaze influences and hardcore elements, such as aggressive vocals and feedback.

The band has learned to appreciate its audience, particularly after playing early shows with poor attendance.

“We’ve learned to be, like, really grateful for the people that go,” Tamayo said.

The band members shared some memorable performance anecdotes.

“I think the weirdest [story is] we [were] playing a show, and this older lady … she threw her panties at us,” Olivarez said.  

The woman later asked for them back but, unwilling to handle the garment, the band told her she could retrieve it herself after they packed up their equipment.

Tamayo recalled a time he threw up on stage. He vomited after chugging a beer and jumping into the mosh pit. The vomit splattered on another band’s equipment.

“I remember they pick it up and they’re like, ‘What’s this stuff on the bottom of our amps?’” Tamayo said. “And I was like, ‘Guys, we have to go.’”

Olivarez discussed the common perception that musicians must leave the Valley to succeed.

“We help out this city, like, you’re pretty much helping yourself,” he said. “Because if other bands come here … and shows get bigger … more bands will come.”

Tamayo cited Glare, Twin Tribes and Grupo Frontera as examples.

“People have tried to argue … ‘Oh, you need to move out … and stuff if you want to make it,’ but there’s been a lot of big bands that come out of [the Valley],” he said. “I think … if you’re gonna make music, make something for yourself. Art should always be for the creator first and, then, if someone else likes it, that’s, like, the greatest payoff.”

Regardless, Cannon the Dealers members said they will continue creating music they love, right here in the Valley.

For concert dates, visit @officialcannonthedealers on Instagram.