Name:
Wally

Where do you live?
I live right by MDCC Kendall in Sabal Chase. It’s a quiet little neighborhood near the turnpike and right off the Palmetto.

How long have you lived in the area? 
In Kendall for about eight years and before that, in Cutler Ridge/Goulds area which is near where I grew up.  

Please share about what you do for a livelihood or what keeps you busy during the week?
A lot of things. I work for a company called Specialist ID. I do all of their product photography and produce their promotional videos. They also have a recording studio there that I use to record local bands. My other job is the lead audio engineer for the South Dade Cultural Center. I’m also a musician and I’m finishing up a four song EP.  

What kind of events do they have at South Dade Cultural Center?
All sorts – ballets to plays to little shows and big shows. The big room seats a little over 900 people and it’s a very intimate setting – every seat in the house has a perfect view. There’s also another room, called the black box, where we do smaller shows – like comedy shows and independent films.

How would you define your music style?
It’s noisy, loud and melodic. It is good for film tracks – it sets a mood.

How long have you been making music?
I was 13 when I got my first guitar, but I didn’t really take it seriously. It clicked when I was 18; I decided to dive in. I’ve been in the music industry since I was 20 years old and recording music since I was 25. I used to run a venue down south, called Phantasy Land Studios. It was just an excuse to have a warehouse and play music real loud. One day, we did a show there that led to another show, and before you knew it, I had a flock of teenagers in my warehouse to watch local and even national bands. We were there for about six years before we got kicked out.  We moved to Café Crystal and did another six years there. We started touring with my band and making lots of friends. My main instrument is guitar, but I can defend myself on piano.

Would you consider opening another venue?
I’ve considered it many times. I’ve learned from my mistakes and could it do it now without getting shut down.

Are there any similar music venues or others that you recommend?
There’s no local outlet for bands to play down south. Right now, you have to go north to Wynwood or downtown. There’s a place called Las Rosas. It’s good for bands as it’s easy to load in and out and the sound is great. Also, Churchill’s – which is a British pub in North East. They have good punk shows.

Tell us a little bit about your family
My family’s great, they are my rock. – my fiancé, Marsha, and our three-year-old son, River. He’s a very interesting guy. We like to play Legos and he just got a chemistry set. For the last few weeks we’ve been using our microscope to look at bugs and leaves. He’s really into that. I try to provide as much information as I can – he’s like a sponge right now.

And where did you meet Marsha?
I met Marsha at a dog park and it was love at first sight.

How often do you come to the market?
I’m there every two or three weeks but Marsha is there every Sunday.

What’s your market ritual?
Marsha goes to get all the vegetables for the week. Then we’ll stop by you for our rainbow smoothies. Sometimes, we’ll get a pizza and hang out.

What’s your favorite thing to buy at LNB Grovestand and why?
Rainbow smoothies, the Turmeric tonic and Marsha loves the guacamole. Drinking a Rainbow Smoothie is amazing. You get one flavor and then another. Usually my son devours it and I only get a little bit.

What is our market missing?
More shade!

What is Miami’s best kept secret?  
Snowden’s dam off Old Cutler. You can sit by the ocean, launch a boat, or fish. It’s quiet, and every time I go – there’s no one there.

What’s a worthy splurge to you?
Studio equipment. The possibilities are endless. I’d get myself a nice analog board. There is something that digital has not been able to replicate. You hear it in all the old records like Led Zepplin and the Doors. There are harmonics and natural distortion that comes from analog boards. It’s different than recording straight into a computer.

Where’s the most romantic spot around?
Over by the Miami Seaquarium, across the street is a place people go to race their bikes. You can go all the way around to an abandoned spot where you have the best view of the city at night.

Do you participate in any community or philanthropic events that you would like to share? 
We support the South Dade Cultural Center, where I work. It’s a great facility, they want to do great things, and it has the potential. There’s a cool event coming up where they are hosting a circus in the backyard. It’s like a Gypsy circus and all the animals are domesticated and live with the performers. I saw the plot of what they are planning and it looks amazing.

Would you share a pitch about yourself or company with the community?
I am a mixing engineer. I do scores for movies. I do product photography and video. And, I am here to help you and Adena start a You Tube channel of your own!

Is there a question you would like to ask the community?
Why aren’t we supporting more local? In this age of Amazon, we need to shop local.  

Are there any cool local shops, maybe a music shop, that we should know about?
Definitely. There’s this guy who fixes a guitars and amps over by the Falls. It’s called Six String Theory and he’s amazing.  He just rebuilt my amp and the sound is night and day. He’s such a knowledgeable guy.

How should people get in touch with you?
The best is through Instagram @indroves