By Nina Brooks

Wilder Sons, a beach Indie-rock band from Naples, Florida, returns to rock out for an annual Christmas fund-raising event in December.

Last year on December 17th, Brian Blount, Jake Rubinton, Chris Anderson, and Aaron Maloney of Wilder Sons played a show at Grumpy’s Ale House in Naples to raise money for the children of Lake Trafford Elementary School in Immokalee, Florida. With their goal set at $1,000 to buy presents for 200 kids, they rocked out with bands Samsara and Roman Samuel’s Band. They gave the option of either bringing a gift for the cover, or paying $10 for 18-21 years of age and $5 for 21 and over. “We want to go bigger and better this year,” said Chris Anderson, bass.

The band doesn’t need Christmas to get in the giving mood. Community, to the four of them, doesn’t just mean Naples, but all of Florida. No matter what kind of outreach they are doing, the Wilder Sons feel doing these local charities and partnerships are not just fun, but important. “We like to try to do whatever we can and take as many offers we can to better our community,” Anderson adds.

Previously, the band played with a handful of other native Naples bands in a field in front of Gulf Coast High School to help raise money for the marching band to perform at the Macy’s Day Parade. They also helped raise money at a benefit for a friend who has Ewing’s Sarcoma. Since the four also share a love for not just music but for the beach, they’re keeping their fingers crossed to be able to do Surfers for Autism.

Wilder Sons does not feel limited to just charity work. The band feels as long as it’s something they are interested in, they want to work with it. In July, they partnered up with Point Ybel Brewing Company in Fort Meyers. The result was a delicious “wild” ale that was aged with raspberries, named “Wilder Red.” While at the show, people could order the beer to support the band while also supporting the brewery at the same time.

At the end of the day, however, it’s all about the music. Any time the Wilder Sons play, it’s to spread their music no matter what they are doing. Doing charities and partnerships helps the band get their name out to a wide-range of people that may not normally be exposed to smaller bands or different genres. To Aaron Maloney, drums, it’s about “the unity of being on stage… It’s kind of spiritual in a sense. There are four people holding instruments and making wonderful noise out of it together.”

Wilder Sons are more than just local boys. Their love for their community does not keep them in Florida. They went on tour from late July to early August through Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Brian Blount, vocals/guitar, finds touring important and crucial to the band. Blount said, “It’s like a family when on tour… The brotherly-love and the camaraderie… We learn to deal with things a certain way we can’t learn anywhere else.”

In October, they toured through the same region after the release of their new song, “Summer Daze”, which is perfect for the ears of those who miss the good times and warmth of summer.  By the end of 2015, they will release their other new song, “Capabilities”.

The Wilder Sons can’t help but smile at how excited and proud they are of the new releases. Blount adds, “At this point, we have been in a band for a while, we know each other better, and we write better together. So, we’re really excited about the new songs because we have progressed as musicians and progressed writing together.”

To find their schedule and mark the calendar for this year’s Christmas fund-raising event, go to their Facebook page.

Header photo from Wilder Sons Facebook page.