It was a hot and humid Florida day on Sunday, August 3, for the La Fiesta de Punk Rock Numero Tres. Local band Sunday Driver was on stage around 4 p.m. They are trying to make it big with their full-length debut album Letter to Bryson City.

When asked to define the music genre into which Sunday Driver fits, Alex Martinez (guitar and vocals) claims to be “just a rock band, nothing more, nothing less. We’re not emo, not punk… We just try to be good.” To my ear, their music sounds like thrashy indie rock.

One of the most interesting aspects of their new album is how it was recorded. The whole band took a trip up to North Carolina and recorded the album in the Great Smoky Mountains. “[We] just wanted to get away from Miami, you know, the busyness,” Martinez said. Bassist Arnold Nese did not have as much fun recording as the rest of the band: “It sucked! I had really bad allergies.” Nevertheless, he stuck it out with his band mates and their new album Letter to Bryson City (named after the remote city they recorded in) was completed in a month’s time.

Admittedly, Sunday’s concert left something to be desired. The band seemed like they were not having much fun and the audience was not as responsive as it was for other bands that day. Sunday Driver does have its die-hard fans: “It [the concert] was cool. Some kids came up to us – they had our records [but] if it had just been us and two other local bands, they wouldn’t have come,” said Martinez when asked about the concert.

Why the not-so-hot performance? “I don’t think we do too well here,” said Martinez. The Miami-born band prefers playing to out-of-state audiences; they feel they get a better response when on tour. Their next tour begins September 4 and lasts the rest of the year. The band seems hyped about getting out of Florida and onto bigger scenes.

You can check out their new video, “Forever Again,” on the Fuse TV network, or find out more about the band at http://www.driveonsunday.com.