Photo by Jonas Grabarnick/The Opium GroupSomeone whispered “Common’s around the corner” into my ear and disappeared into the winsome mob at Louis. I had been so thrown off by the sensation of an 18th century soldier sweeping party debris across my feet, I hadn’t even realized that I had wandered…
The Italoboyz’s moniker is slightly misleading on a couple levels. First, it’s slightly so, because although Marco Donato and Frederico Marton hails from Italy, the twosome have been based in London since about the turn of the millennium. Neither do they play, as one would assume, Italo disco, or even…
As the name of this event, and the fact that it’s followed by a numeral, might suggest, the epic December party Candyland started out in the golden age of the Florida rave scene. In the Nineties, it was a guaranteed good-time on the party calendar, one of several large-scale annual…
Most music lovers who enjoy Miami’s multicultural sound know by now about local jam-masters Locos Por Juana. And at this very moment, we can also add the Grammys to their long list of admirers. The local heroes were just nominated “Best Latin Rock or Alternative” for the 2009 awards. It’s…
Alternative rock killed the guitar hero, that axe man who lived on fretboard histrionics. For Louisiana’s Tab Benoit, hot-stuff six-string slinging is all he knows. At 41, Benoit combines two regional styles near and dear to his heart — the incendiary sting of Texas blues with the more laid-back, sultry,…
Anyone familiar with the beach bar culture of Deerfield Beach knows the Resolvers. At times, this five-man reggae band can single-handedly draw everyone within ear range into Kahuna’s, where they have a weekly residence. From that point on, the group starts a party reminiscent of a Jamaican beach bash. They’ve…
Bluesman Seth Walker sings like a man who’s had his heart broken one too many times. Since his genre of choice calls for a bit of misfortune, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It doesn’t hurt to listen to his songs if you’re going through a breakup — or wish…
‘Tis the season, ya’ll! And the Opium Group wants you to open your wallets, er, for charity of course! It goes without saying, we are all hurting a bit financially this season, but there still are a lot people worse off than you. So if aren’t aware already of all…
Rick Ross, Flo Rida, Brisco, Jazmine Sullivan, Busta Rhymes, and more. Tuesday, December 16, 2008Cafe IguanaBetter Than: Watching BET’s 106 & ParkPower 96 does not like to be showed up. Last weekend, much attention was paid to Y-100’s annual Jingle Ball concert, and their star studded line-up of pop acts…
(Photo by Ivon David Rojas)The Herald reported yesterday a small item following up on this past April’s shooting at the now-defunct Studio A. A 22-year-old man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of his 24-year-old alleged victim. The shooting took place on Sunday, April 14, during the…
Black Tide (photo via www.blacktidemusic.com)Here’s some good news for the kids who tried to see Escape the Fate’s almost-debut headlining performance in Miami, in fall of 2007 at the now-defunct Studio A. The band never made it due to van troubles, and the rest of the show went on without…
With the establishment of so-called alternative rock, the concept of a “guitar hero” is now passé, for better and worse. While tedious fretboard histrionics have (rightly) gone out of style, there should be room for hot-stuff six-string slingers matching flash with creativity. Blues music impacted less by trendiness and more…
As far as DJs we’re dying to see, we’ll admit that Dim Mak/Cinespace founder Steve Aoki is pretty low on our list. It’s not that Aoki isn’t entertaining, he is, but at times he seems to be more about the showmanship than the music. But love him or hate him…
Like fellow Frenchman Laurent Garnier, house DJ Joachim Garraud cut his teeth at Paris nightclub Boy, ground zero for the country’s techno scene. Unlike most DJs, however, he came in with a fully rounded musical background, having spent seven years training at the French Academy of Music Percussion and Piano…
For those that don’t already know, Plies’ highly anticipated second album of the year, Da Realist, is available in stores today. It’s not common for artists, especially rappers, to release multiple albums in one year, but Plies, who was born and raised in Fort Myers, seems determined to prove something…
If you’re in the up – to – 24 demographic, then you may have already heard of the Brooklyn indie-pop duo This Is Ivy League. Or, if not, you’ve almos definitely heard of the band in which its two members, Alex Suarez and Ryland Blackinton, play as their “day job”:…
Buggah D. Govanah, president of On Point Entertainment and Marketing is sick of bootleg rap shows with bad sound and no production value. He’s set out to change that through a benefit for Haiti that’s creating a platform for Caribbean artists and artists of Caribbean descent to get together on…
Holy Ghost Saturday, December 13, 2008 The Vagabond, Miami Better than: 100% of the godless ultra-commercial dance crap polluting the Beach. It’s past midnight and I’m at the Vagabond sipping my whiskey straight and waiting for Holy Ghost! to start their DJ set in the main room. It’s my first…
David Byrne Saturday December 13, 2008 The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theatre Better Than: Just about any show you’ve ever been to. Really. I’ve gotta apologize to David Byrne, because every time his acrobatic sidekick Lily Baldwin took the stage during last night’s dynamite Fillmore Gleason show, I…
I just got word yesterday that R&B’s newest sensation, Jazmine Sullivan is going to be in Pembroke Pines on December 21st. She’ll be at Cafe Iguana (who seem to be booking a lot better shows lately) performing songs off of her solid debut album, Fearless. Most people only know Sullivan…
The Miami Light Project and FUNDarte, the nonprofit sponsors of the annual Global Cuba Fest, focusing on contemporary music from throughout the Cuban diaspora, have announced the dates and lineups for the 2009 edition of the weekend-long concert series. The concerts will take place on February 6, 7, and 8,…
A few weeks ago,as woman named Doris with a thick French accent called me at the office (305-571-72). “I have been in America for six months,” she said. “I am a DJ from Europe and I am throwing a party at Buck 15.” She then told me that she had…
