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Meet Michelle & Adam Idell of San Pedro

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle & Adam Idell.

Michelle & Adam, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Michelle & Adam Idell were married in August 2019. They actually were acquaintances for over 25 years. Adam was in a band with Michelle’s uncle back in the early 1990s. Adam actually played at a New Year’s Eve/ Birthday party at Michelle’s parent’s house. Reunited at a funeral in March 2018, they began dating and bonded over their love and passion for music. Shortly after their wedding, they decided to form their own musical group. The Idellix was born.

They played their first show for a 50th birthday party in January 2020. Just as things started to grain momentum, the pandemic shut things down. But they kept the dream alive, using that time to brainstorm and plan. During that time, the concept of “dance hits with a rock edge” developed. Once things opened back up, they hit the ground running. Consistently playing 2-3 shows a month or more around LA Harbor and South Bay, the Idellix has become a force to be reckoned with in regards to good vibes, fun times and great music that gets you out on the dance floor.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. We’ve had a lot of set backs. COVID was a big one. We also had trouble breaking into the band scene. We knocked on a lot of closed doors, sent a lot of emails that were never returned and made a lot of phone calls that were never answered. But we have persisted and are slowly but steadily gaining a positive reputation that is resulting in more and more opportunities. There have been events that we have applied to multiple years in a row, but have, eventually, been accepted purely due to consistently, commitment to improvement and excellence and determination.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We are the Idellix! We are a high-energy rock band that plays all of your favorites dance hits but with a rock edge. With powerhouse vocals and rockin’ guitar riffs, we will have you movin’ and groovin’ with good vibes and great music. Comprised of life-long musicians. We pride ourselves on providing a professional, high-quality musical experience fit for all ages!

What were you like growing up?
Michelle has been singing since a very young age. Starting with commercial jingle and Disney songs, she sang anytime and anywhere. She began a structured education in music in high school singing in Jazz band and playing in marching band. This continued with multiple college singing groups and transitioned into professional choral settings, performing with the California Philharmonic Orchestra, Golden State Pops Orchestra, LA Film Orchestra, etc.

Adam Idell began playing drums at the age of 12. Self taught in his own garage, he played with many bands around the LA/South Bay areas. He began further musical education in the marching band at San Pedro High School then continued to at Harbor College studying percussion with Janette Kangas. With hard work and dedication, he transferred to the California Institute of the Arts and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Multi-Focus Percussion. After graduation, he went on to played orchestral percussion with the Golden State Pops Orchestra and drum set for many acts, notably Grammy nominated blues artist Chuck Alvarez.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Gina Zuniga Portraits
Susan Schiller Photography
Miguel Elliot Photography
Brad Zangwill Photography

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