"We get around and do our cover gig, but when we play at Harrah's and other dates around here, 99 percent of them are gigs where we play cover songs," said Shiles, of Atlantic City. "There are a couple original music venues around here, but catering to what we're doing? I don't know. It's tough."
Shiles and Cibon, like other artists, are finding it difficult to find shows or venues to perform at.
The Boneyard Bar & Grill, which housed local acts and shows in Atlantic City, closed in the beginning of October. Another venue, Le Grand Fromage, closed around the same time.
Jerry Ryan is a festival organizer and the founder of the annual Elephants for Autism festival as well as the Elephant Talk Indie Music Festival, which takes place at The Watering Hole in Mays Landing.
While he said that there are still some places that house original acts, specifically in Hammonton and Mays Landing, venues are generally few and far between.
"From 2012 to 2015, we had, like, five different promoters in the scene booking bands and pushing original music," said Ryan, of Smithville. " There is a lack of venues and a drought in the scene. We're reverting back to the old days where original music is being forced out."
So when South Jersey bands can't play original songs, they head elsewhere.
Ken Shiles and Cibon will travel to Philadelphia and New York to play elsewhere.
"In my honest opinion, we could try and put original shows here, but I almost don't see a benefit in it as much anymore as it would be to go to Philadelphia," Shiles said.
The two artists recently took a trip to Nashville to check out local acts and play some shows. The scene, they said, was like day and night with South Jersey.
Cibon said that even the hole-in-the-wall spots had multiple acts each night. And the crowds would show up not to just drink and socialize but to sit down and really listen to an artist perform.
"You could hear a pin drop," she said.
The city had a real music-friendly atmosphere, with multiple artists playing in each venue every night, Shiles said. The scene was also less competitive and more accommodating.
"One guy told us next time we were there to call him and that we'd have a place to stay. It's heartwarming to see other musicians help one another," Shiles said.
At least one local venue is trying to create that same vibe.
Randy Beane is the bar manager for the Watering Hole in Mays Landing. He also takes care of live promotions. He's worked with Jerry Ryan to host Elephants for Autism as well as the Indie Music Festival.
Beane said it's all about a bar or restaurant or venue being willing to work with promoters and to host the shows. If the shows or festivals produce, they'll host them again. And if a band wants to contact Beane to play a show, he'll give them an available date and write them down.
"A lot of other venues are not helping, it puts the ball in my court and I can say ‘hey, I'm the only place available'," said Beane, of Mays Landing.
Beane said that shows vary: some more popular than others, adding that more music should pick up around March. He expected about 10 or more bands for the Elephant Talk Music Festival.
"It's great. Some bands I'm like ‘why aren't these bands on tour' and then some I'm like ‘you can probably stay in the garage.' Some bands that were not the greatest had friends there for a night to socialize and you can't even move," Beane said.
With the possibility of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Atlantic City, Shiles and Cibon hope that it could bring original music back to the boardwalk.
"I'm optimistic about that but I don't know how they're going to do it or if it'll just be saturated with cover music," Shiles said.
"It depends on how they work it," Cibon said. "It could open up and be an awesome thing for musicians in the area."
