Ryan Miyashiro / It’s early evening at Manoa Gardens, the University of Hawaii bar, and Soul Revival Sound System has the crowd moving to its blend of Mardi Gras funk and jazzy ska. Ryan Miyashiro follows his trumpet solo with vocal harmonies and tops it off by leaping into the crowd and unleashing a barrage of dance moves. His energy is impressive, considering he’s active in seven–count ’em, seven–local bands.

“I wouldn’t be able to pare it down and play in a single band,” says Miyashiro. “I would just get bored of it over time.”

Miyashiro’s attitude has made him a leader in a burgeoning Honolulu music scene. His strong ties to UH students and young entrepreneurs and artists in Chinatown and Manoa don’t hurt either.

In addition to Soul Revival Sound System, he’s a major presence in the alternative-rock group Vice Vicarious, the indie rock crew GRLFRNDS and the electro-pop duo The Greetings.

“[Ryan] is insanely talented,” says Matt McVickar, co-member of The Greetings. “I think the most important thing about him is that he’s really versatile and experienced. He’s played so many different instruments in so many different bands that he knows what to add, how to add it, when to back-off and when to give advice.”

At 29, Miyashiro has already lent his chops to more than 30 bands. Over the years he’s developed a considerable range of styles and instrumental talents, bringing experience and diversity to the local scene.

“Ryan is constantly cycling through all these projects and because they’re so varied in the range of genres, it gives him a lot of different angles to approach the music from,” says McVickar. “He really has a lot of arrows in his quiver.”

Early musings

Miyashiro’s musical experiences began in Mililani when he was a trumpet player in the middle school band. In high school, he dusted off his mom’s old guitar, taught himself a few chords and never looked back. Soon he was playing in a host of bands in the local ska scene of the 1990s and opening for groups like Reel Big Fish.

“I found myself in this community with all these people who were really fun and into music, and also very inclusive and warm,” says Miyashiro. “It really helped to propel me further to pursue both being a member of a band and also a part of that musical community.”

After high school, he moved to California and began working at the legendary Amoeba Records. Seizing upon the wealth of music and people around him, he quickly worked his way into his new musical surroundings.

“As eclectic as I thought my taste was living here in Hawaii, once I started working at Amoeba it just expanded a bunch, both in terms of the information and knowledge I accumulated, and my musical palette of what I liked and wanted to play,” says Miyashiro. “I just milked it and any other waking hour I found I just played out and jammed with people.”

Playing in bands that ranged from ‘ukulele-emo-pop to psychedelic-jazz-improv, Miyashiro learned to switch styles. He recorded albums, toured the country and played alongside bands–like Black Lips, Nobunny and the Traditional Fools–he grew up idolizing. Despite his success in California, he eventually felt the desire to return to Hawaiʻi and study Japanese.

“I found I was too comfortable,” says Miyashiro. “I felt if I didn’t change it up, I could eventually find myself in a rut.”

Back on the scene

It’s 11pm on a Tuesday night and Vice Vicarious is playing to an intimate crowd of Chinatown hipsters at thirtyninehotel. Miyashiro stares with an intense focus at his guitar pedals, making subtle adjustments amidst a flurry of licks. The song ascends into a deep, swirling chorus and he rises in a trance, launching his guitar in the air to the peaks of the music.

The moment is emblematic of both his musicianship and personality; he maintains a duality of being engrossed in the moment while being eager move on to the next thing. Blurring the lines of restlessness and focus, he balances enthusiasm and instinct to become an integral part of the show without becoming the show itself.

“When you think of people in bands, you think you want to be the star of the band, the ‘rockstar,’” Miyashiro explains. “I think what’s important to me as a musician, in terms of what I like, is not how any particular member stands out but how the band comes together.”

It’s this communal philosophy that makes Miyashiro a leader, despite not being the “lead” of any one band. He approaches a project with full effort and commitment, and supports the music scene not only as a musician but also as a fan.

“He’s always out, all the time, super-pumped on every band, every genre,” says friend and fellow KTUH DJ Lauren Howard. “He’s got a real positive vibe. Whenever he’s in a band or participating in an event, I know all these other people are going to be there because everyone loves Ryan.”

Playing in so many bands doesn’t come without its difficulties. Occasionally shows or practices will overlap in a night, forcing some creative musical multitasking. But it’s a lifestyle Miyashiro has perfected, and he’s managed to limit any tension or jealousy among rival band members.

“Being in a band is like being in a romantic relationship, but with more people,” says Miyashiro. “You have to work hard to make it work because you have to keep everyone somewhat happy. There’s a lot of compromise involved but like a good relationship you just have to make communication really open and honest.”

Miyashiro shows no signs of slowing down. He’ll be accompanying singer-songwriter Sabrina Velazquez in a series of shows at the upcoming SXSW festival in Austin, Texas [see “Roundtrip to Austin”]. Velazquez is no stranger to Miyashiro’s band-hopping ways. When her mom recently asked if Miyashiro gets tired of playing in so many bands, she was quick to respond:

“If you cut Ryan open, music notes would fall out.”

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