Best of 2009 Preview: Best New Electronica Artist

Best New Electronica ArtistPanic Bomber panicbomber.comPlaying live around town for less than a year, the shadowy character known as Panic Bomber has already developed some minor lore. Legend has it that once upon a time, Richard Haig was a local rock musician who got fed up with the grind of…

Saturday Night: Palo! at Kimbaracumbara

Juan “Buddah Funk” GomezAt the entry of Kimbaracumbara, a small restaurant club hidden between an art gallery and a Chinese restaurant in Little Havana, there’s a painting of the Virgin Mary with a baby Jesus and three angels holding her afloat. Celia Cruz’s song “Quimbara” plays in the background. A…

Best of 2009 Preview: Best Weekly Party

JipsyBest Weekly Party(((Shake))) at the Vagabond30 NE 14th St.Miami 33132305-379-0508thevagabondmiami.comHipsters love irony. But don’t call the Sweat Records and ¿Que Pasa M.I.A.? crews responsible for this Thursday-night fiesta hipsters. That’s totally not what they’re trying to attract. They’re more interested in spicing the event with scrumptiously dirty 305 flavor and…

Best of 2009 Preview: Best Local Album

Best Local AlbumTorche, Meanderthal Hydra Head Recordsmyspace.com/torcheThe underground metal cognoscenti revered the 2005 self-titled debut album by heavy hometown heroes Torche for its melodic take on sludgy sounds. But it was last year’s followup, Meanderthal, that won the band a wider audience and even more critical praise. (And even though…

Best of 2009 Preview: Best Club DJ

Best Club DJDanny Dazemyspace.com/djdannydaze Danny Daze has been doing the DJ/producer thing for a while now, but he has definitely been getting plenty of attention recently. He spends as much time on the decks at clubs around the nation as in Miami, and when he’s here, you can catch him…

Saturday Night: Soulflower’s Electric Mothership Cruise

via myspace.com/soulflower777Soulflower, the evening’s hostessOfficial Listening Party for Soulflower’s Electric Mothership Saturday, May 30, 2009
 The Tikki Beach Boat, Miami BeachBetter Than: Whatever was going on across the street at the Eden Roc.The Review:It’s officially summer, as Miami’s schizophrenic weather patterns will make the average person want to stay inside…

Friday Night: Tiempo Libre at La Casa de Tula

photo by Jose DavilaTiempo LibreFriday, May 27, 2009La Casa de Tula Night Club, Calle Ocho, Miami   Better Than: Any other salsa night anywhere in town.  The Review:For those who really know their salsa steps there was only one place to be last Friday. And that spot, of course, was the…

Saturday Night: Ace Hood at Club Premier

via dejfam.comAce HoodAce HoodSaturday, May 30, 2009Club Premier, Fort LauderdaleBetter Than: Your standard birthday bash Just a few years into his young career, local rapper Ace Hood has garnered mixed early feedback. Despite being named as one of XXL’s “Freshmen of 09,” and collaborating with some formidable names in the industry,…

Moving Units: Top Sellers at Sweat, Radioactive, and Backbone Music

Neutral Milk Hotel’s 1998 classic was a top seller at BackboneMoving Units is a new column on Crossfade tracking the best-selling music at South Florida independent record stores. Top Sellers for the Week of May 22-29:Sweat Records, Miami1. It’s Blitz, Yeah Yeah Yeahs2. Entertainment, Fischerspooner3. Born Like This, MF Doom4. Sounds…

CD Review: Julian Marley – Awake

Julian MarleyAwake (Ghetto Youths International)It’s been six years since Julian Marley’s last full-length. Awake, his third major release, comes to us at the height of spiritual and political alertness. The first African American president is in power, and our ever-growing global village is becoming even more interconnected, one Twitter as…

Sunday Night: Trey Songz at Sobe Live

Trey Songz Sunday, May 24, 2009 Sobe Live, Miami Beach  Better Than: Anything I could have expected, given the hectic nature of Memorial Day Weekend. The Review:On Memorial Day Weekend the streets of South Beach were full of culture, excitement, and overall craziness, and the same could be said for…

Sunday Night: Best of the Best Concert at Bicentennial Park

photo by Ian WitlenTo view a slideshow of pictures from Best of the Best, click here. Best of the Best 2009 featuring Bounty Killa, Mavado, Beanie Man, Rick Ross, Young JeezySunday, May 24, 2009Bicentennial Park, Downtown Miami Better Than: Being stuck on Collins Avenue The Review:Memorial Day signals time for…

Memorial Day Weekend Festivities Start on Miami Beach Tonight

Here’s a guide to some of the hottest parties tonight that kick off the long weekend on South Beach.Welcome to MiamiInk Nightclub, 717 Washington Ave., Miami BeachDoors open at 10 p.m., Tickets cost $30, miaminiceweekend.comSouth Beach Jump OffHosted by Fat Joe and Trick Daddy;With DJs Khaled, Entice, and BulletproofMansion, 1235…

NKOTB Cruise Disappoints the Hardcore Fans Who Paid $1000 to Board

via nkotb.comThe highly-anticipated (read the comments, doubters) NKOTB cruise docked at the Port of Miami Monday morning and dumped a couple hundred disappointed fans onto our shores. Danny Wood, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Jonathan Knight, and 2100 of their biggest fans boarded the Carnival cruise ship Imagination under…

Top Ten Songs About Rain!

The Purple One made a downpour sound goodFor us Floridians, a few consecutive days of rain can feel rather depressing. We’re the Sunshine State, damn it, and demand clear, blue skies 365 days a year! To help get you through the gray gloom that lurks outside your window here’s a…

Friday Night: Coldplay at Cruzan Amphitheatre

Photo by Sayre BermanDear Chris Martin: Thanks for the show on Friday night. It was excellent.But before I go all gushy with praise — which I will, I promise — I should tell you that I was dreading your concert. Ever since I first heard your band in the early…

Must-See-TV People Live at the Shore Club this Saturday

What do you get when you take Greg Grunberg and Adrian Pasdar from Heroes, Teri Hatcher and James Denton from Desperate Housewives, mop-topped Bob Guiney from The Bachelor, and Jesse Spencer and Hugh Laurie from House? Yes, the cast listing for the 2015 season of VH1’s Surreal Life, but also…

South Florida According to Brooklyn: Miami vs. Ft. Lauderdale, Revisited

photo by Justin Namon, thepopnessparty.comTo read past installments of South Florida According to Brooklyn, click here.A couple of months ago I wrote about the difference between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. I recently moved back to Ft. Lauderdale, and I’ve realized the two places are two totally different worlds. Granted, the…

Notes From the Soundboard: A Look Back at 1969

The Beatles’ Let It Be was a sign of the timesNotes from the Soundboard is a new column appearing every Wednesday on Crossfade, focused on pop music’s history and ongoing evolution. Lee Zimmerman shares insights and observations on how music continues to connect with the weirdness of the world. 1969 was,…