After the pandemic closed music venues and canceled gigs around Florida, bassist Andres Hernandez noticed a strange pattern.“I could tell people were excited to come back,” said Hernandez, who performs in the Tampa-based band Rohna. “But it kind of got oversaturated pretty quickly and people were just not coming to shows as much.”To rebuild the local music scene, he wanted to create something that felt a little more special than the average gig. So in August 2021, Hernandez gathered a group of bands — including his own — and hosted the first Indie Night at Crowbar in Ybor City.In between live bands, the speakers blared a nostalgic playlist loaded with tunes by Arctic Monkeys, Two Door Cinema Club and the like. The event was a hit.Hernandez, now 26, has hosted over 30 Indie Night events since then. The bulk have taken place in Florida’s major cities and college towns, from Tallahassee and St. Augustine down to Miami. But he’s also brought the concept to Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta and the Carolinas.The benefits are twofold: Fans get to discover their new favorite local artist and bands on the rise get to play wildly popular events that often sell out.Ahead of this Saturday’s Indie Night show at the Floridian Social in St. Petersburg, Hernandez shared some of his favorite up-and-coming Florida artists. Rohna : Hernandez grew up going to hardcore shows at venues like Transitions Art Gallery and Neptune Lounge. The energy and big sound come through in his alternative rock band, which also incorporates jazz, hip-hop and classic rock influences. Listen to: “ Rosewater ” Miróux: A melodic indie band with a dance-pop flair, Miróux has already opened for the likes of Young the Giant, Bon Jovi, The 1975 and Cage the Elephant. Listen to: “ Palm Trees ” Pilot Jonezz: The theme here is fusion: Think the funk and groove of R&B, shimmering indie rock guitars and big catchy hooks you want to sing along with. “If I was still good at skateboarding, this is what I would listen to all day while skateboarding,” Hernandez said. Listen to: “ Rollin’ Hi! ” Quail Hollow: With roots in both Tampa and Gainesville, Quail Hollow is a band as well as a conservation project. The members founded a nonprofit to help environmental causes , hosting benefit concerts to aid their mission. Their sound mixes an earthy folk vibe with classic rock. Listen to: “ Lost in the Sea ” Lady Heroine: This alternative group out of Orlando shines with layers of sweet vocal harmonies over gritty punk rock riffs. Listen to: “ Calamity Jane ” 0 Miles Per Hour: Hernandez is calling it here first: This noisy pop-punk and emo gang from Orlando is the most likely Indie Night alumni to get signed within the next year. “Both times (at Indie Night), it looked like a hardcore show,” Hernandez said. “Everyone was stage diving. Everyone was moshing.” Listen to: “ Prague ” Mustard Service : “Imagine a band that looks and feels like an indie rock band but has influences of bossa nova, jazz and even hip-hop and psychedelic rock,” Hernandez said. The effect is a new sound called zest pop — effortless, funky and danceable. Listen to: “ The Dominoes ” The Hails: Some members of the Hails have been playing music together since they were teenagers in South Florida. They rounded out their lineup and catchy sound while attending the University of Florida in Gainesville, and have since relocated to Miami. Listen to: “ Fiona ” Cannibal Kids: Expect tropical vibes, bouncy electronic melodies and creative music videos from this South Florida-based band. Listen to: “ No More Hills to Die On ” Twin Suns: The Jacksonville group blends shimmery surf rock with a psychedelic groove. Their music feels like drinking a cocktail on the beach. Listen to: “ Ode to the Suns ” Flipturn : Starting in a Fernandina Beach garage as teenagers, Flipturn has perfected an anthemic, summery sound that earned them spots playing Gasparilla Music Festival , Lollapalooza and Bonaroo. The band has nearly 1.8 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Listen to: “ Chicago ” The next local Indie Night takes place from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday at the Floridian Social, 687 Central Ave. N., St. Petersburg. Mustard Service, Rohna, Miróux and Pilot Jonezz will perform, with music starting at 6:30 p.m. Purchase tickets online for $20 via Eventbrite or on the day of the show for $25. This is an 18-and-up event.Indie Night will also take place at The Beacham in Orlando on Friday. Mustard Service, Cathedral Bells, Rohna, mirror parts and Lady Heroine will perform.To hear about future Indie Night events, follow along on social media at instagram.com/indienightlive and tiktok.com/@indienightlive . Listen to Indie Night playlists and learn more here .