Does Fort Lauderdale know how #blessed it is to count Mikey Ramirez among its ranks? A virtual encyclopedia of musical knowledge and a dedicated member of the local scene, he oversees all things vinyl at Radio-Active Records, where he also organizes killer Record Store Day parties year after year and books in-store meet-and-greets. He's also a talented DJ in his own right. On Friday nights he holds down a weekly residency at Gramps Bar in Miami's Wynwood Arts District, and lately he's also been spinning at Stache. Whether he's throwing down some old school Miami Bass, electro, and boogie tunes; a rare punk b-side; or some super-fresh left-field house grooves, you'll do well to make it out to one of Mikey's sets. "Lately, I have been playing a lot of edits — ESG, Jah Wobble, Fela Kuti, Vanity, Trevor Jackson, Padded Cell, Lightning Rod, Yardbirds, EPMD... " he says, adding that he aims to "keep it across the board but have substance." Like taking a journey through the musical cosmos, if you make it out the other end, you'll be all the wiser, sweatier, and freakier having sampled some of his favorite sounds.
Readers' choice: DJ Misha