Written By: Carrie Bergan

Sunday nights at the X-Ray Arcade can be hit or miss with the crowd. But there’s an unspoken beauty in smaller, more intimate shows that deserves recognition. The love I have for the music scene stems from the way it makes me feel at home, understood, and most importantly, welcomed. Far too often I’ve worked shows where negative interactions arise—whether with the band, the production team, the crowd, or even another photographer in the pit. The world is already scary enough; why must we belittle others who are simply there to vibe with the music and each other?

This show was no different as the lineup was a mix of local acts from around the Midwest area, featuring Pinellas Park, Casual Sex, No Better Today, and Would You Kindly?. I was informed that even though Would You Kindly? was not featured on the mini tour run the other three bands were doing, they were given the last slot of the night to play. 

The turnout at the start of the night was decent, but it was clear that some attendees were there for specific bands – one by one, people left throughout the night. When Would You Kindly? took the stage, there were about ten people in the crowd.Even though the room was fairly empty it did not discourage the band. They owned the stage that was probably much too small for a group of their size — six total members were up there. The few remaining fans made their presence known, cheering on every note and keeping the energy alive.

I first met this band a couple of years ago while working a show. They happened to be at the barricade, handed me their business card, and we both went about our merry ways. Then last year, I noticed their name was on the lineup for one of the world’s largest music festivals, Summerfest, and I knew that I needed to see them play again.

Their music does not fit just one genre, they are truly unique. Lead vocalist Gina Marie has such a powerful and distinct voice. Paired alongside that they have a cello and violin on stage that rounds out their sound. You will meet people who tell you they are in a band or Tik Tok will keep bothering you with a local group on your FYP, it is a wise decision that you go see the band perform at their next show. Highly recommend it: 10/10 experience.

Support the local scene. Support the small, growing bands. It won’t be too long before some artists find that moment and just blow up. 

P.S. Yes, their name is based on that video game. For the non-video gamers, their name is inspired by Bioshock. I didn’t know this until I interviewed them (my husband knew right away).

Anyway, signing off now. Go check out Would You Kindly? on all streaming and social media platforms. You won’t want to miss out on this one. 

FOLLOW WOULD YOU KINDLY?: WEBSITE // FACEBOOK // INSTAGRAM // TIKTOK // YOUTUBE

photos by Carrie Bergan