O'Grime's L.Rey!

Another Art Basel Miami Beach week has come and gone.

But while we definitely got our art on and loved every awesome musical act, we couldn't stop staring at what all those fancy motherfuckers were wearing!

What can we say, we here at Crossfade are somewhat shallow. So we headed out to one of the weekend's hippest functions, armed with a camera in search of some awesome get-ups.

Oh, Basel Castle, you're a stylish bitch.

See also:
-Basel Castle 2012 at Overthrow Castle: The 44-Photo Slideshow
-Concert Review: Basel Castle 2012 With Twin Shadow, Trinidad James, and Purity Ring

More »

photo CC by 2.0, by Josh Head via Wikimedia Commons

Johnston in 2006

Cult musician and visual artist Daniel Johnston might just suffer from an excess of mythology. For some two decades, the Austin-based performer has found champions for his work in big names like Tom Waits and Beck. But it's in the past decade or so, particularly after the release of the 2005 movie The Devil and Daniel Johnston, that a new generation of fans is getting hip to the hype. But in that movie's wake, a narrative has formed that Johnston is tortured, unpredictable, and elusive -- when, really, that's not the case.

See Also:
-Daniel Johnston Announces Grand Central Concert and Art Installation During Basel Week


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Wynwood got wilder than a thousand hungry lions at a zebra convention. And SPIN magazine's Art Basel Miami Beach week party at new club Gramps offered plenty of great music for the soundtrack.

We got drunk and took pictures of it all between repeated food truck visits, and trips around the hood. Araabmuzik played the MPC like Jimi Hendrix played guitar. It was fucking awesome.

See also:
-A$AP Rocky Swarmed by Art Weirdos at Art Basel Miami Beach Show (Video)
-Danny Brown and Shepard Fairey Go Bananas for Art Basel at Bardot Miami
-Rakim at The Stage Miami During Art Basel 2012: A Video Recap
-Basel Castle 2012: Twin Shadow, Trinidad James, and Purity Ring
More »

Photo by Jacob Katel

It's 3:30 on Saturday afternoon in Miami's Design District. A live rendition of "Canción del Mariachi" drowns out the beep, beep, beep of delivery trucks backing into alleyways behind contemporary furniture stores and restaurants that Crossfade can only afford when someone else is paying.

"Soy un hombre muy honrado, que me gusta lo mejor" Chingón lead vocalist Alex Ruiz sings. "Las mujeres no me faltan, ni el dinero, ni el amor."

Midway through the song, guitarist and Desperado director Robert Rodriguez sets his guitar on a stand, trots down the side-stage stairs, and wanders over to the center of the empty lot to make sure that the sounds levels are up to par.

He's clearly very hands on.

See also:
-Thurston Moore and KURT During Art Basel Miami Beach 2012
-MOCA L.A.'s Basel Beach Party: Lykke Li, Miike Snow, Peter Bjorn and John
-Rakim at The Stage Miami During Art Basel 2012: A Video Recap
-Robert Rodriguez's Band, Chingon, Playing Henry Muñoz's "Mestizo City" During Basel

More »

Photo by Justin Namon

Dressed in two t-shirts, gray sweatpants, and flanked by a sheet music stand, Daniel Johnston delivered a short, sweet early-evening Art Basel Miami Beach week set at Grand Central.

He gulped four bottles of water. He sang those happy-sad, love- and death-obsessed songs. And he even showed off some sketches of superheroes, mummies, and other loveable freaks.

It was a nice night with a touch of magic and weirdness.

See also:
-Daniel Johnston at Grand Central: The 25-Photo Slideshow
-Concert Review: Thurston Moore and KURT During Art Basel Miami Beach 2012
-Q&A: Daniel Johnston on Recording, Regrets, and Celebrity Supporters
More »

If you mix alcohol, dancing and a queer pop collective with a fancy hotel and a pool, you're probably going to end up pissing off security.

Over the weekend, the Ssion crew set up at the Shore Club for the Pulse Miami Art Fair afterparty, delivering a set that included star cameos, cracked voices, impromptu splish splashing.

And yeah, pissed-off security guards.

See also:
-MOCA L.A.'s Basel Beach Party: Lykke Li, Miike Snow, Peter Bjorn and John
-A$AP Rocky Swarmed by Art Weirdos at Art Basel Miami Beach Show (Video)
-Basel Castle 2012: Twin Shadow, Trinidad James, and Purity Ring
More »

"Where's Thurston Moore?"

That is the question we've been asking each other since the Sonic Youth frontman and South Florida native was first spotted at nontraditional art spaces around town during Art Basel Miami Beach week.

He was in Miami to perform in honor of his late friend Kurt Cobain at the multi-disciplinary event, KURT.

On Thursday morning, Moore visited the art studio of Holly Hunt's Beatriz Monteavaro and Gavin Perry with Miami noise legend Rat Bastard. That night, he performed at the Gusman, a theater where his mom first saw Gone with the Wind. Then Friday night, word was Rat might be bringing Moore to the house show of Greg and Eddy Alvarez, two of the three that make up the Jellyfish Brothers.

And the rumors were, as often rumors are, true.

See also:
-Thurston Moore and KURT During Art Basel Miami Beach 2012
-MOCA L.A.'s Basel Beach Party: Lykke Li, Miike Snow, Peter Bjorn and John
-A$AP Rocky Swarmed by Art Weirdos at Art Basel Miami Beach Show (Video)
More »

Photo by Ian Witlen

Basel Castle
With Twin Shadow, Trinidad James, Purity Ring, and many more
The Overthrow Castle, Miami
Saturday, December 8, 2012

Better Than: Getting stuck on the wrong side of the entrance ropes.

While most of Art Basel Miami Beach week involves outsiders swooping in with dollars and largesse, trying to show everyone how to party, Basel Castle is a true homegrown success.

The Overthrow crew's annual blowout started in 2010 as a (very, very fun) rough-around-the-edges affair, powered by warm beer and underground artists. Since then, the event's exploded, along with hype and demand.

See also:
-Basel Castle 2012 at Overthrow Castle: The 44-Photo Slideshow
-A$AP Rocky Swarmed by Art Weirdos at Art Basel Miami Beach Show (Video)
-Danny Brown and Shepard Fairey Go Bananas for Art Basel at Bardot Miami
-Fashion Freakouts at Basel Castle 2012
More »

Photo by Victor Gonzalez

Rakim
The Stage Miami
Friday, December 7

Better Than: Getting Paid in Increments.

It had been a long time since Rakim rolled through our hood prior to last night's performance at The Stage.

See also:
-Basel Castle 2012: Twin Shadow, Trinidad James, and Purity Ring
-Danny Brown and Shepard Fairey Go Bananas for Art Basel at Bardot Miami
-A$AP Rocky Swarmed by Art Weirdos at Art Basel Miami Beach Show (Video)

More »

Photo by Justin Namon

Two years ago, indie-pop ice queen Emily Haines and Metric unleashed a free ocean-side show on Miami's artiest rockers with Art Basel Miami Beach's Art Loves Music beach bash.

For 2012, billed as the "You Oughta Know Artist," this New Wave-y dance rock foursome returned to Miami Art Week week, headlining a Scope Art Fair party hosted by VH1.

The guest list: VIPs, almost-famous types, and DJ Mia Moretti -- plus (as usual) babes in combat boots, hipster dads (minus their toddler offspring), and out-of-town arty people.

Check the cut for a 10-photo recap of Metric at VH1's Scope Art Fair Party

See also:
-Concert Review: Metric at Art Basel Miami Beach's Art Loves Music in 2010
-VH1 Scope Miami 2012 Party with Metric: The 27-Photo Slideshow
-Concert Review: Metric at the Monster Hospital in Miami, September 28
More »