Miami Music Blog

Here's video of Pitbull's recent performance in Istanbul, Turkey, where he's famous, and where he claims he had the album of the year for 2009, "Not 305. Not Miami. Not Dade County. Not none of that shit. Turkey. Pa que sepa. Internacional."

​Music fans around town are likely already familiar with Herbieman. He's been making a name for himself both around town and abroad since 2003.  An Argentine-born singer-songwriter with a penchant for composition, Herbieman's sound is at times straight rock, at others more folky, but always heartfelt. His MySpace actually draws the comparison in the 'sounds like' line, "early Lenny Kravitz meets John Mayer on acid." Having never personally had the pleasure of hanging out with John Mayer and tripping acid, I can neither confirm nor deny that.

You definitely want to take advantage of this one last opportunity to catch Herbieman and his band live this year. He won't be gigging again until next. And who knows, once you see them live and direct, you may be the next Herbiemanite.

...okay, that's not a real word. Yet. But once it becomes one, you remember I coined it.

Herbieman performs live at Wallflower Gallery (10 NE 3rd ST) this Saturday, November 21 at 10pm. Cover is $5.

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According to the YouTube description for the above video, "The Techno Vikings themselves return to our local stomping ground after a well deserved break. Hailed as one of the original and founding artists of Electro Bass / Electro funk in Florida, the United States and World Wide, Dynamix II comes correct with an all new performance featuring all the classics we love as well as new future anthems."

DJ's for the event are Johnny Dangerously & DJ Storm. Duncan Beatz, Kriya, and DJ Cheezy will perform as well.

Dance performances and visual entertainment by Christa Knox and Hypnotic Gurlz.

Wednesday, November 25. Respectable Street Cafe, 518 Clematis St., West Palm Beach. Doors open at 8 p.m., admission is $10. Ages 18+ with ID. 561-832-9999; respectablestreet.com

Christmas music ain't for everybody. Some people even think it sucks. But, a lot of people like it, even Bob Dylan, who just cut a whole album of Christmas songs.

One thing's for sure, there are plenty of places in South Florida where a guitar-playing, holiday-music strumming, Santa-hat wearing drunk is the life of the party.

If you wanna be that guy (or girl), you gotta learn the songs. Head up to George's Music (1801 Palm Beach Lake Blvd #274A) in West Palm Beach on November 28 at 1 p.m. and let Joey George teach them to you.

Joey George is a West Palm blues specialist. Log on to myspace.com/joeygeorgemusic to hear a few of his tunes.

Photo from myspace.com/raffaandrainer

Raffa and Rainer

​That John Belushi "College" poster on your wall is not art. Neither is that stark black and white Scarface/Pulp Fiction poster. Or the Periodic Table of Mixology that hangs in your kitchen, no matter how convenient it's proven from party to party. But we understand: Art isn't cheap. That is, unless you participate in the art scavenger hunt November 28.

In its ninth year, the annual hunt is organized by local artist Stephen Sticht and invites the public to search the downtown area for free works by artists such as Skot Olsen, Coma Girl, and Francesco LoCastro, to name a few. This year's event is dedicated to late local artist Peter Giovenco, who died in August after a battle with brain cancer.

The hunt starts at Maguire's Hill 16 at 8 p.m. There is a limit of two works per person, and participants will receive a map to help them find the pieces. The Bubble will host the afterparty, where artists will be waiting to sign their work. Scott Putesky, folk duo Raffa and Rainer, and Mr. Entertainment will perform.

​Getting old sucks. I mean seriously. Remember what it was like being able to stay up all night drinking, then rolling into work the next day with nothing more than a cup of Starbucks and mixed visions of the previous one's debauchery and those of the one to come dancing behind your glazed eyes, before the onset of debilitating hangovers? But getting old doesn't always have to suck. There's midlife crises and senior citizens discounts to look forward to. Plus blaming convenient slips of the mind on the early onset of senility!

Also embracing growing old with grace, Tobacco Road. It's hard to believe, but Miami's oldest bar is getting even older, celebrating its 97th anniversary this week! And they're doing it up in style. No, not with pastelitos and a game of bobbing for dentures. But rather a two day bash, starting this Friday and rolling on through Saturday, featuring their famed 97 cents for 97 minutes happy hour drink special, twice on Friday and a third time Saturday. Plus there'll be music. LOTS of music. Among the performers, Suenalo, Electric Piquete, Bachaco, Iko Iko, Elastic Bond and Afrobeta. Now that's a lot of local goodness.

Tobacco Road (626 S Miami Avenue) celebrates its 97th anniversary on Friday, November 20, from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. and Saturday November 21, from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.

myspace.com/theshakersmusic

​If you're nostalgic for the punk of the '90s, when it still had some muscle (despite the osteoporosis that was setting in), catch Margate punk band The Shakers, a group that formed in 1994 and whose blend of punk and hardcore would have been an appropriate addition during the Warped Tour's early years.

The band's latest effort Good Enough falls somewhere between a raspy Fenix TX and the Bouncing Souls, and includes a lot of brawny punk tunes buzzing with major chords, rapid-fire drumming, and the gruff vocals of Pat Stahl, who sounds a little less abrasive (or more abrasive depending on how you look at it) than Rancid's Matt Freeman.

The Shakers will play two shows Friday, the first of which will be at music-community staple Radio-Active Records (1930 E. Sunrise Blvd.). The show starts at 8 p.m., and is free. Everymen will also perform, and there will be an in-store appearance by Yacht. The second show, at Roy's (8000 W. Sample Road) in Margate, starts at 11 p.m. It's a bar, so admission is only for 21 and up. It's also free.

She calls herself Ms. Jones, Broward County First Lady and according to her Myspace page "A fake bitch will take you were you need to go - A real bitch throws you her keys and says it needs gas!"

She has a song called "Ice Cream" that follows the South Florida tradition of sexplicit fuck music. "Damn boy see that ass look nice, you know you wanna hit that ass for the right price. Ima slaughter your cock, and make my pussy pop. Hot girl drop drop it like it's hot."

She also has a song called "Steve," a pussy eating anthem, a remix of and challenge to Plies' "Becky."

Log on to myspace.com/ptpfirstlady to hear Ms. Jones' music and for more info.

​Ah, Champion Sound. This weekly jam at Electric Pickle deserves ten gold stars for being one of the few regular parties in Miami where quality hip-hop lives. Tonight's edition is special for two reason: One, it's a birthday celebration for Crossfade/New Times music contributor Esther Park. Happy birthday, Esta!

Second, it also celebrates the release of local MC Dynas' new album, The Apartment. We previewed it a little while back (click here for that post, which includes a free MP3 of the track "Totally Tanya.") Although the album was originally scheduled for a September 28 release on BBE Records, it was worth the wait. Besides Dynas' worthy golden-age style rhymes, the record features contributions from marquee names like DJ Spinna, Jazzy Jeff, Rich Medina, Slick Rick, and even the late, great, Dilla.

Helping Dynas celebrate tonight are fellow local greats carrying a torch for quality hip-hop: Basic Vocab, Wrekonize, LMS, Streets Buchanan, and Mike Beatz. Of course, resident DJs Sire Esq. and A-Train will keep the party going, and there'll be a special guest set by DJ KNS as well. Plus, beers are only $5 all night. Do it.

Wednesday, November 11. Electric Pickle, 2826 N. Miami Ave., Miami. Doors open at 10 p.m., admission is $5. Ages 21+ with ID. 305-456-5613

Boynton Beach country girl Amber Leigh rocked the stage at Homestead's Ribfest yesterday from 2 to 3 p.m. The video above is her rendition of the Charlie Daniels Band classic "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." Amber Leigh throws in a Led Zeppelin fiddle breakdown.

Amber Leigh's web site describes her as "a 23-year-old vivacious red-head specializing in crossover country music with a Celtic twist." She is an independent recording artist with a 200 show a year touring schedule. Visit amberleigh.com  for more info.

via xperimento.com

​If you missed them last week, here's a little heads up fo' yo' ass (not a head up yo' ass...like that guy in front of you on your way to work this morning on his cell phone, giving you an even worst case of Moooooondays than you had to begin with). Xperimento have landed themselves a weekly slot at Jazid, every Wednesday through the end of the year. It's well deserved; they've earned it. But you, the Hump Day alcoholics, stand to gain the most from this development. I mean, it'll still cost you money to buy drinks, but you'll be richer in enjoyment.

Like the Wu Tang Clan, Xperimento's groove ain't nothing to fuck with (saw how far back I reached for that one?). Their unique take on reggae blends funk and Latin influences, kind of like LPJ does. Which isn't shocking, as they have some key members in common. But these guys have a certain psychedelic element that's altogether new, and plays nicely with the other kids in the mix. Kind of experimental...get it? But don't take my word for it--I am, after all, full of crap at least half the time. Go check them out at Jazid for yourself. Your ears will thank you. Your liver, however, will still be pissed.

Xperimento performs live at Jazid this and every Wednesday until the end of the year. Cover is zero-daddy-dollaz, to make you holla.

Russ Rogers

Kill Miss Pretty

​Boynton Beach's raunch-punksters Kill Miss Pretty announced Sunday via Twitter that they are giving away their two albums, Permission for Strange and 2006 EP Bite Your Tongue, for free. The trio, which consists of vocalist Alicia, guitarist Russ, and bassist Martin, blend indie rock and electro for a sideshow that is one part carnival, one part sex (mainly on Alicia's part), and one part glam. They were part of the huge Halloween party, Moonfest, and are scheduled to play Saturday at New Times' fashion/art/music soiree Artopia.

Click here to download the band's music.

photo by Jipsy / Nefariousgirl.com

Radioboxer plays a FLIFF party at Cinema Paradiso

​Friday, November 6

Girls who rock...plus Johnny.

​Alright, if you're not headed up to FLIFF tonight to catch Radioboxer at Cinema Paradiso, but you are in the mood for a little local rocking this weekend, there's a simple solution. It involves floors covered in a perpetual sheen of freshly spilt beer, a haze of cigarette smoke so thick it makes the eyes water and a bathroom where at least seven new infections as yet unknown to man are no doubt being cultured at this very moment. That's right, I'm talking about Churchill's. Where else would you find such a decidedly rock 'n' roll element in Miami?

And tomorrow night they've got a pretty sick lineup waiting to make a hell of a lot of noise. They've got Guilty Fingers (but who doesn't?), Sector 11 and Eztorbo Social. And Guerrilleros de Nadie. The three-piece band, comprised of guitarist/vocalist Michi, bassist Twan and drummer Johnny, play loud, and they play fast. And they're music is really, really aggressive. Plus, they kick ass bilingually, which is like getting a beatdown with the SAP turned on. If you want to rock hard, Guerrilleros' thrash punk is your ticket.

Guerrilleros de Nadie perform at Churchill's Pub (5501 NE 2nd Ave.) on Saturday, November 7.

​We checked them out in the studio and then followed their adventures on their latest national tour... So Crossfade fully recommends Jacobs Ladder's EP release party tonight at, of course, Churchill's. Yes, this kicks off another tour, this time around the Southeast and a little bit up the East Coat, as far as Brooklyn. Too bad there isn't such a thing as frequent van miles. Your $10 entry gets you a free copy of the EP, Ours For the Taking, which is worth owning physically because the album art is awesome. The excellent retro-ish power-poppers of Ex Norwegian also play, as do frequent Jacobs Ladder bill-sharers Flower Flower Yes and I Shot Broadway, and finally, Talent Farm/Solid Sound Studios mainstays Vega Under Fire.

​Is it just me or does it seem like there's a whole lot going on this weekend? This time of year always gets a bit crazy, I suppose. Thanksgiving (and Black Friday) is just a couple weeks away. Holidays and holiday parties right around the corner after that. Art Basel is fast approaching too... the list goes on and on. Competing for your affections this weekend, Sleepless Night, and FLIFF.

That's right, the 24th annual Fort Lauderdale Film Festival is already upon us, the festivities having kicked off yesterday on October 23rd. But tomorrow, there's a special treat you won't want to miss, and it doesn't compete with Sleepless Night at all! It's going down in the Paradiso Patio Courtyard at Cinema Paradiso--the Florida Filmmaker Party and Auteur Explosion, featuring a performance by one of Miami's most buzzed about bands, Radioboxer. If you haven't caught them live for yourself, you're seriously missing out on a hell of a live performance. And what better opportunity than this, in which you can support the arts across the board, and impress your friends and coworkers, saying, "Oh, tonight? Just going to support the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival." It'll make you seem classy. Unless you were already planning on going there, in which case, carry on.

Te event cost is a mere $5, unless you attend the A Taste of Florida Film screening just prior in which case it's free. Score!

The Florida Filmmaker Party and Auteur Explosion takes place at Cinema Paradiso (503 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale) on Friday, November 7 at 10:30p.m.and Radioboxer is expected to play at 11. The event is preceded by A Taste of Florida Film.

via myspace.com/ycentertainment

Check out this killer guitar solo from Radio Galaxy's performance at the Wednesday night blues jam at Titanic Brewery by the University of Miami in Coral Gables.

Click here for Radio Galaxy's myspace.

Like blues music? Check out the jam tonight from 9 p.m. to midnight with an open blues jam hosted by Chris Cosner.

The bar is running specials with $2 Triple Screws, and it's also Mug Club night. So, check it out, kick back some microbrews, bring your guitar, harmonica, voice, or whatever, and bang out your wang dang doodle.

Titanic Brewery and Restaurant, 5813 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Coral Gables. 305-668-1742

​Let's talk for a minute about Soul Do Mato. Because I feel like you don't hear enough about this Miami-based band. While enjoying their vids on YouTube, I did find that they have at least one metric shitload of views though, so it's entirely possible I'm just preaching to the choir when I say Soul Do Mato are one talented group of dudes, and well deserving of support.

Honest and heartfelt with a laid-back, "stop, sip some booze and listen" sort of appeal, it could be said that SDM's music lies somewhere along the lines of Jack Johnson, or at times, Mat Kearney. But they make it their own.

Started in 2005 and not fully formed until '07, the five-piece Soul Do Mato (which is Portuguese for "of nature," and not yet another pronunciation for tomato), comprised of singer and rhythm guitarist Ravhi DeMello, lead guitarist Robbie Carroll, drummer Doug Carroll, saxophonist Frankie Jurado and bassist Greg Andrews, have tapped into something special. Their sound bears a distinct straightforward approach that is obviously the product of mature songwriting, and the result is catchy and often arresting tunes. The music is not simple. Just soulful. Check them out for yourself in the flesh at Bougie's tomorrow night.

Soul Do Mato performs at Bougainvillea's Old Florida Tavern on Thursday, November 5. No cover.

Photo by Christina Mendenhall

Kill Miss Pretty's Alicia Olink dressed as a sexy zebra.

Photo by Logan Fazio

Lady Gaga last performed locally at Revolution.

​Lady Gaga's New Year's Eve show at the Knight Center is going to be one hell of a 2009 send-off. So, while tickets are available, all the good ones are long gone (what remains, basically is a bunch of side-view seats). South Florida is full of the pop diva's biggest supporters -- gays, glamazons, club kids, and so forth -- and she clearly wants to spread the love back. So she's added a second show, on Saturday, June 2, at the same downtown Miami place.

Tickets aren't any cheaper, but for a big pop star's show, they're still reasonably priced. Regular-people tickets range from $23 to $63, although at the lowest tier, at this point all that's left is, again, that dreaded side-view. For the truly obsessed, there are still plenty of "Hot Seat" ticket packages for $240 -- premium reserved seats and some other goodies -- but the "Meet and Greet" tickets are already all gone, sorry.

And to think, just a few months ago, she was playing Revolution. (Click here to check out our slideshow from that gig.)

The other piece of local-interest news related to this show is Gaga's choice of opener, Jason DeRulo, who she's upgraded to the opening slot for the entire tour.  

​The upcoming national outing headlined by New Found Glory and Dashboard Confessional was going to be a showcase of '90s Broward and Palm Beach County heroes made good. But this past Friday, Dashboard had to suddenly drop off the tour, which was scheduled to land locally at Pompano Beach Amphitheater on November 27. And with Dashboard off, the whole tour -- which was also to feature much younger acts like Never Shout Never, Meg & Dia, and Single File -- is also off. Here's a statement from the band:

"Due to a family situation that is beyond our control, we have to cancel our upcoming tour with New Found Glory, Never Shout Never, Meg & Dia and Single File. We don't take this lightly but family has to come first. As this is a last minute development, we are still figuring out what we will do- as soon as we know, you will know. We apologize to everyone who planned on coming to the shows. We will find a way to make it up to you." Chris, John, Scott, Mike / Dashboard Confessional.

The band does plan, right now, to reschedule the tour for some time in 2010. Refunds are available at point of purchase.

​Crossfade has been following Miami-based DJ/producer Alejandro Sab for a while now, considering his PL0T parties and international artist bookings have been a veritable cornerstone of our local underground EDM scene for the last couple years. At least once a month since 2007 PL0T has made us privy to some of the finest and most cutting-edge contemporary talent in techno and house from around the world, including intimate and memorable performances by Ryan Elliott, Seth Troxler, Lee Curtiss, Camea, and Alexi Delano, among many others.

A fruitful collaborative relationship was forged between Sab and internationally-acclaimed techno producer Alexi Delano in 2009 which has now resulted in the duo releasing their first EP Slipping Through The Cracks on Ritchie Hawtin's prestigious Plus 8 label. This is quite an auspicious beginning to Sab's career as a recording artist and surely the first of many great things to come for the young producer as he continues to make his mark on the international techno scene. The new EP is out today on 12" vinyl format, and will be available in digital format with an additional two bonus tracks on November 4. With its dark atmospheric textures, slick understated rhythms and relentless subsonic driving basslines, this record is an exemplary slice of contemporary minimal techno. 

Click here to purchase Alexi Delano and Alejandro Sab's Slipping Through The Cracks EP and support our local talent!

[Update: Alejandro Sab has informed us that the release date for this record was actually extended until November 23, in order to finalize the mastering process on the tracks. The EP will still be available at the above link on that date.]

CC by 2.0, via stopnlook's Flickr

Bring plenty of bills to Pulp Live -- performing bands, this means you, too.

​Well, it's that special time of year kiddies, when real kiddies get to go door to door yelling "trick or treat!" and collecting candy, most of which their grandmothers will warn, "esta envenenado" ("it's poisoned"). Meanwhile, grownup kiddies get to dress like strippers and dipshits (I managed both at once two years ago with "guy out of the shower", donning only a towel and shower cap) and get drunk while reveling and celebrating the birth of Candy Corn. It's all good wholesome fun, truly. And if you don't believe me, then why did they make an awesome Peanut's special for it?

Giving you one more reason to love it while simultaneously providing a damned good place for drunken revelry and celebration of the birth of Candy Corn, Spam Allstars and Hoy Como Ayer. This Halloween, come party in true Miami style down on la Calle Ocho at Vampiros en La Habana, named for a Cuban animated film. Fanged cubaneo, yeah! As you already know, Spam, quite simply, are the kings of Afro-Caribbean Latin funk hybrid descarga in Miami and abroad. And Hoy Como Ayer is offering ladies in free and two-for-one boozers 'til 11 p.m.

So do it up. Don your loincloth or your way-short Judy Jetson garb. And save me a tiny Snickers, if you nab one. I friggin' love those things!

Spam Allstars perform at Hoy Como Ayer (2212 SW 8th Street) on Saturday, October 31. Doors open at 9 p.m.

U-Tunes is a musical competition show produced by college students for the University of Miami's television network. The show is a joint venture between the School of Communication and The Frost School of Music.

This episode, the season premiere, features the band Ex Norwegian, a Miami indie band who has a song critiqued by a three-person panel of local music industry professionals.

Log on to umtv.miami.edu/U-Tunes for more info, to stream the show live, or to view other episodes, or click here to catch up with U-Tunes on Facebook.

Earlier this summer, ¡MAYDAY! released its Technology EP, which is available free for download via Bandcamp. Off that release, the guys have decided to release a video for the track "Red Carpet Affair." The video features Brooklyn musician and artist Andrew Strasser, a.k.a. Bad Brilliance, who was in town during the summer while preparing his exhibit, "Bad Brilliance in Miami," at the Bas Fischer Invitational. Check out the video, which was filmed mainly at Transit Lounge in Miami, above. And after the jump, a bonus video of Strasser's teaser for his exhibit.

​It's about time that someone take back the synth-pop sound back to the Magic City. Joseph Espinoza, a.k.a. Jesp, seems to be doing exactly that. With sound that something of cross between Chromeo and Jan Hammer, Jesp will drop his debut album, Heart Rhythm, November 3 via Sweat Records' website as a limited free download.

Espinoza is no stranger to the city's music scene. He gain notoriety as the vocalist and guitarist for the now defunct band Outereach. After that, he quickly picked up the pieces and decided to go solo as Jesp, performing at places like White Room, Vagabond and PS14.

If you haven't caught the man live, you'll have another chance during the upcoming Wynwood art walk on November 14. No word yet on where exactly, but we'll keep you posted.

Update: You can download the album via Sweat Records' website by clicking here.