While many boutique local record labels focus on the fringes of various music scenes, few have tried an arguably gutsier move: releasing wider-reaching, even radio-friendly rock fare without the support of the big record-industry machine. Miami-based Forward Motion Records, led by Dreaming in Stereo frontman and skilled session guitarist Fernando Perdomo, is a rare local label doing just that. Perdomo is an unabashed lover of power pop, singer/songwriter material, and all-around feel-good guitar music.
For Forward Motion, he's put together a roster of artists across a wide spectrum, from the bilingual, psychedelic indie of Arboles Libres to the '70s-roots-rock-leaning Vic Kingsley to the contemporary pop of Jorge Moreno. The whole label roster — some 16 acts, including Dreaming in Stereo, of course — is set to appear this Thursday at Revolution when Forward Motion officially fetes its first birthday. Another reason to feel good: All of the door take, plus any additional donations, go to Kristi House, a Miami shelter for child victims of sexual abuse.