Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Man charged with manslaughter in Medford shooting ... Spring chinook run likely late, lighter than 2015 ... Former owner of Little Caesars in Ashland acquitted in arson trial ... Man charged with manslaughter in Medford shooting ... Spring chinook run likely late, lighter than 2015 ... Former owner of Little Caesars in Ashland acquitted in arson trial ... MUSIC L.A. band Banta plays Milagros Bandleader Sharaya Mikael is a native Southern Oregonian Comment By Laurie Heuston Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Laurie Heuston Mail Tribune Posted May. 5, 2016 at 10:00 AM By Laurie Heuston Mail Tribune Posted May. 5, 2016 at 10:00 AM » Social News Banta bandleader Sharaya Mikael learned to play guitar for her senior project at South Medford High School. Opting for higher education at Portland State University after her 2003 high school graduation, Mikael picked up the guitar again and played and sang with area bands. From Portland, she headed to Nashville in 2010 to pursue songwriting for a couple of years. "I didn't perform live that much in Nashville," Mikael says. "I joined songwriting sessions and learned the craft. I wrote with other musicians and recorded demos." When Mikael arrived in Los Angeles in 2012, she had her music demos in hand and set out to get a band off the ground. "It was difficult on some levels," she says. "It's expensive to live here, so I was working in a restaurant while trying to get a band off the ground. I spent time at parties, out and about with mutual friends, until I fell into a great group of musicians. I would hand my demo to musicians and ask if they wanted to be in my band. It all actually fell into place naturally. It really wasn't as difficult as it should have been." Mikael and her band — Mikael on keys, rhythm guitar and lead vocals, bassist Steve Grohne, drummer Brian Marquez and lead guitarist Kera Armendariz — will perform at 9 p.m. Friday, May 6, at Milagros Fresh Mexican Restaurant, 1465 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland. The show is open to ages 21 and older. Admission is $10. For information, call 541-708-0190. Banta played with a consistent lineup for its first two years. The original lineup featured drummer Jon Marcu, a graduate of North Medford High School, along with Grohne on bass, Alathea Reese on keys and Christen Hardin on guitar and vocals. "We played clubs around L.A.," Mikael says. "We've played the Troubadour in West Hollywood — that was exciting for us — and the Echo and The Satellite." While out on a West Coast tour last year, Banta played the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, Wonder Ballroom in Portland and Neumo's in Seattle. A denizen of L.A. for the past four years, Mikael and her band signed with eOne Music label and will release an album, "Dark Charms," on June 3. "Dark Charms" will be available in record stores, at Amazon, iTunes and Spotify. It will be available on vinyl at select record stores. The album was recorded in Vancouver, Wash., with producer Andrew Stonestreet and engineered by Patrick Tetraux in Portland. "We're hoping for a national tour when the record comes out," Mikael says. Mikael's songs usually start with snippets of lyrics or melodies that she hums into her phone, she says. "The pieces have to simmer for a little bit before they start to develop into songs, and I start working on them on an acoustic guitar. They're my expressions of classic rock influences, but with a fresher spin on them. The melodies are singer/songwriter driven. They can be stripped down and played solo, but I think they sound better with fuller instrumentation in the style of Fleetwood Mac or the Eagles." One of Mikael's favorite songs on the new album is "Three Feet From Gold." She calls it her anthem for pursuing songwriting. "I was on my way to Nashville, and I heard a story about a gold miner who'd been digging on his land for years with no luck," she says. "Discouraged, he sold the land, and the man who bought it dug three more feet and struck gold. "That story resonated with me. We were on this road trip to Nashville, and I was feeling kind of discouraged because I really didn't know how things were going to work out, but there was always something that felt like it was leading me forward. "It's not necessarily about hitting the jackpot and finding all of the gold," Mikael says. "It's the moments in life that give you just enough encouragement to stick with it. That song is my reminder that things can be really hard and might not work out, but you have to keep going for it." By Laurie Heuston Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Laurie Heuston Mail Tribune Posted May. 5, 2016 at 10:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501