Smith has amassed quite a following in both her solo and collaborative musical endeavors, due in no small part to her steady gigging and the energy she exudes on stage. Whether it’s a solo acoustic set in a small barroom or an amped-up blowout with her band the Throwdowns, the Toronto native’s performances always seem to draw a sizable crowd, and always maintain a degree of grit that defies girly-girl rock stereotypes with a punch in the face. With the Throwdowns’ upcoming release (due out later this summer), you should expect to be hearing a lot more from Smith. KB
Guitar wielding and high-heeling, Smith is a top-shelf concoction whose recipe for success includes equal parts chops and go-getter guts. As the femme fatal front-woman of The Throwdowns, she’s charted (and started) her ascent to stardom, alongside “the boys,” Kimo Clark (bass), Ian Hollingsworth (drums) and Ola Shaw (guitar). With their debut Don’t Slow Down, the T’downs have fast become darlings of the radio request line and earned national distribution with ADA/Warner Music Group. But lucky (if) you live Maui, because this cherub-faced Canadian with a HI-style soul is still pro at rocking it solo, and “pays the bills” by belting it out at the best bars on the Valley Isle.
FEMALE MUSICIAN, Winner Erin Smith Website: http://thethrowdowns.com This femme fatal--the frontwoman for The Throwdowns foursome--seems to get feistier as the weeks fly by. Erin Smith’s always got her cherub’s nose to the go-getter grind; hard work that’s paid off by catapulting her and her pop comrades into the limelight. Though a Canadian cutie, she quickly became the Maui scene’s darling of wahine rockers, and time and again readers have voted her as their far-and-away fave. There’s something gloriously--yet girlishly--guttural in the way she belts her beautiful tunes, and MauiTime toasts her success.
No surprise here, since Erin Smith is the best female musician currently playing on Maui. Her song "Kihei Town" remains an anthem not only for South Maui, but for a whole lifestyle. She and her band, The Throwdowns are getting bigger and doing more gigs throughout the state. They were up for a Na Hoku award this year, but lost out to Willie K (though their playing the actual awards ceremony seriously rocked). Smith still somehow takes time to do afternoon and evening gigs at places like Southshore Tiki Lounge, Cool Cats and Monkeypod Kitchen, though given that she’s also playing gigs in Waikiki and recording new songs in Canada, I can’t imagine it’s easy.
Entertainment and lifestyle news for Maui, Hawaii and the surrounding Islands. Maui Time Weekly is Mauis only independent and locally owned newspaper.
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