Miami Music Blog

This past Sunday I put together a show at the Poorhouse with two of the best rock and roll bands in South Florida, the Furious Dudes and Mad Martigan, both from Miami. They are both underrated but awesome, and needless to say the show was amazing, just a good time to be had by all. Mad Martigan started off the show, and that night they sounded like a sludgier version of Black Sabbath. Later on though they sped things up with a Dead Boys cover, which was super impressive -- they pulled it off amazingly.

Next up were Furious Dudes, who are amazing guys and always provide a good time. They are exactly what rock and roll needs at this point -- just dudes going crazy, having a good time, playing with and for their friends. If you've never heard them before, they sound (and act) a lot like Turbonegro. For their entire set they jumped around the stage and repeatedly toasted each other, and you could see in their faces that they were psyched just to be onstage, playing for an appreciative crowd.

Both bands are amazing live. They're both playing at Churchill's this Friday, so if you're in Miami, it's worth stopping by to check them out.

Five Albums I'm Listening To This Week: 1) The Bronx, the Bronx 2, 2) Cave In, Until Your Heart Stops, 3) Damage, Final, 4) Day of Contempt, From the Inside, 5) Drowningman, How They Light Cigarettes in Prison

Quote of the Week: Follow your heart. It will never steer you wrong.

​Fort Lauderdale had its own alley cat bike race this last weekend, the River Rat race put on by Justin Brunetti, who does the South Florida Fixed blog. It was sponsored by the Bike Spot, Atlantic Bikes, and Keirin Cycles of Miami, and they all also donated their time by working at the race's check points. This was an awesome weekend, an awesome race and an all-around great time.

If you're unfamiliar with an alley cat race, it goes like this. First you're given a manifest (map) of the check points -- in this race, there were 15. There are volunteers at each check point, and at each one you have to get your manifest stamped before you move on to the next one. There is no specific order in which they have to be completed; it's up to you to figure out the fastest route to get between them all. Once you get the last stamp, you haul ass to the finish line.

​To read past installments of South Florida According to Brooklyn, click here.

While this blog has covered events there several times already, this week I want to talk about the Bubble in Fort Lauderdale. This place is what this town needs to bring back the D.I.Y. fist-raising of the late '80s and early '90s, when putting on a music or independent art show really meant something. This place is amazing because it combines both -- not only do local bands play there regularly, but it regularly features work from local artists like Rhee Polhamus, Matthew Barteluce, and Erick Arenas.

I first discovered the place recently when I went to go see the band Murderous Rampage play there. The band is fronted by Tommy Newman, the back bartender at the Poorhouse. It was an awesome show -- loud, fast, and evil, all the things you need for a good time, as far as I'm concerned.

​A few months ago I wrote about the new anti-tether law that Joe Sanchez got approved in Miami-Dade County this past March. That was a step in the right direction to protect who can't speak for themselves. That was real progress. Which is why I'm even more pissed off, in contrast, at the return of Michael Vick.

Can someone please explain to me how a man convicted of over 15 deaths of harmless animals is free so soon? And how and the hell is he playing in the NFL again? The board of directors for NFL should be embarrassed of themselves. Vick has been brought to court and convicted
by a jury of his peers, and he doesn't deserve to play pro football again. In fact, he should still be behind bars -- if those were human deaths, he'd be on death row.

​To read past installments of South Florida According to Brooklyn, click here.

I attended the local stop of the Warped Tour, on Saturday, July 25 at the Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, and was disappointed that no one really watched Bad Religion. I don't get it! These guys are pioneers of punk rock. If it wasn't for them, these young kids wouldn't have bands like the Devil Wears Prada, or the other crap like that, to listen to. (Well, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing, but still.)

It bums me out that a lot of the kids there that day didn't seem to have any sense of that history. Bad Religion's first album, How Could Hell Be Any Worse?, came out in 1982 -- some bands playing the Warped Tour today weren't even sucking their mom's teat yet!

​This week I would like to talk about how the punk rock and hardcore scene here really has no support anymore. Today, kids see "punk rock" on MTV and channels like that, but the truth is that shit's not real. The bands you see there are bands that really didn't do any footwork to get were they are -- they just happen to have been very lucky. Today's trend is have your mom and dad pay for nice equipment and buy your band a van so you can play crappy pop punk.

And there is not a whole lot of respect between this generation and even the previous crop of bands from the '90s! It wasn't that long ago, and I remember bands like Lifetime, Sick Of It All, and local heroes Poison The Well were all in vans, working their asses off to get from one show to the next. And trust me, there were days were these guys didn't eat because they didn't make enough money at a show, or their van broke down and they had to have it fixed to get to the next one.

 Yes, it's no secret I hang out at the Poorhouse in Fort Lauderdale a lot. But here's a new event worth mentioning at the bar: My Pod Mondays. It started a few weeks ago and is hosted by the place's legendary bartender, Mr. Jon Owens. People interested in putting their iPods up for scrutiny make up playlists for the night, and hand them over. One iPod gets turned on and played, but if Owens thinks the song selection sucks, the iPod gets turned off, and the next one gets plugged in. Yes, crowd reaction counts, but Owens gets veto power in the end.

It's a simple idea, but a good one for socializing. You end up discussing the music people picked, and always end up thinking, Wow, I haven't heard that in a while. It's a really laid-back night, but everyone always ends up talking.

To read past installments of South Florida According to Brooklyn, click here.

Last Sunday I went to the Cinema Paradiso record swap that was put on by Mark Pollack of New Art School. Three local bands played: the first was No Class Action, the second was Band Number 12, and the third was the Shakers. They also showed the Iggy Pop documentary, Lust for Life, which was amazing. The event was a lot of fun, attended by a lot of people that I hadn't seen in a long time.

No Class Action had a really good set. They're like a hardcore/Oi! band. Band Number 12 was amazing, especially. The band features John Owens on vocals, who also sang for Anchorman. Dan Bonebrake plays bass -- he was in Dashboard Confessional, Where Fear and Weapons Meet, and Anchorman. Darryl Bonebrake, his brother, plays drums; he was in Anchorman as well. Band Number 12 isn't hardcore though; it's more of a straight-up rock band, really catchy, and definitely deserve to be signed to something.

To read past installments of South Florida According to Brooklyn, click here.

It's the middle of June, so that means it's about time for the monthly Keirin Cycles open sprints. The event takes place tomorrow night, June 11.

At last month's events, we had a debut local screening of Maca Frama, a documentary by a bunch of fixed-gear riders out in San Francisco. It was them doing tricks, and pushing the envelope as far as possibilities on a track bike. Tomorrow night, there will be another screening, this time of The Road to Roubaix, which is another documentary, this time about an intense one-day cycling race in France.

To read past installments of South Florida According to Brooklyn, click here.

What I want to talk about this week is how I miss Miami. For the past two months, I've been living back in Ft. Lauderdale again. I was really excited to move back at first because my true friends are here. But as it turns out, there was something missing from my life. It turns out, I really miss living on South Beach! I loved living on South Beach, I really, really did. I miss that I didn't have to drive anywhere; I could ride my bike anywhere I went. I really don't miss the people, but I miss the fact that everything was so close and so easy to get to.

Fort Lauderdale definitely has its perks. It has a pretty decent downtown with one bar that's worth going to, and even though I don't drink or anything, there are really good people there. People there aren't trying to put on a front. And that's the one thing I never really liked about Miami. I wouldn't say everybody, but 95 percent of the people I met there along the way are fakes and phonies. All cock, and no balls, so to speak. 

photo by Justin Namon, thepopnessparty.com

To read past installments of South Florida According to Brooklyn, click here.

I want to talk about the bike scene in South Florida again, because there have been some really good events lately. We just did open sprints two weeks ago at Keirin Cycles in Miami Beach. Then this past weekend in Ft. Lauderdale we had the Call to Cranks event. It was a bicycle weekend done by Jared who does Heart of Gold clothing line. One day we had an alley cat race. The next day we had bike polo and bike sprints. On Memorial Day, we had a barbecue at the velodrome in Brian Piccolo Park, but that got rained out.

The weekend was a great success. It brought a lot of people from Florida together, which was awesome and a lot of fun.

photo by Justin Namon, thepopnessparty.com

To 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 greatest friends I have are here in Ft. Lauderdale, but as far as the nightlife goes, Ft. Lauderdale is a straight-up nightmare. It's a bunch of guys who think they're cool and drink way too much and wear their collars popped, and hang out with their frat bros. At the same time, in Miami, everybody has an attitude and they're your friend to your face, but as soon as something happens they stick a knife in your back.

For instance, recently I went to America's Backyard in Ft. Lauderdale, which was horrible. I walked in there with a bunch of my friends, and everybody there thought they were a tough guy, which was funny. The funniest thing is that the guys who are like 90 pounds have a couple of drinks and think they're even tougher. It's like Ft. Lauderdale is a really cheesy attempt at being Miami. Still, Miami is full of people who want to pay for overpriced drinks and act like they're ballers.

Photo by Justin Namon, www.thepopnessparty.com

To read past installments of Miami According to Brooklyn, click here.

What I would like to talk about this week is the new anti-tethering law that passed Miami-Dade County in March.  Here's the ordinance exactly how it's stated: it "bans tethering or chaining of a dog unless the owner is with the animal, even when there are restrictions." I think this is a breakthrough law for a county in Florida. Finally, animals have a voice. And in local government, the voice is that of City of Miami Commissioner Joe Sanchez, who was instrumental in pushing for the law to be passed.

People, keep in mind that pets depend on us to take care of them and show them the love they deserve from their owners. It's distressing how animal cruelty continues to increase, even among the rich and famous. Just because you have a lot of money doesn't mean you have the right to mistreat any living thing. Take Michael Vick, for example, the Atlanta Falcons quarterback who's an amazing athlete, but is now infamous for raising fighting dogs in his spare time. It's good that he got caught, because it shows that money doesn't let you get away this behavior. Finally, people are being held accountable for their actions when they're inhumane.

Photo by Justin Namon, thepopnessparty.com

To read past installments of South Florida According to Brooklyn, click here.

What I would like to talk about this week is what I've realized more recently is the coolest thing about music: the fact that it keeps changing and evolving. It's funny because whatever each generation comes up with, the previous generation thinks is crap at first. For instance, my Nana (my grandmother) loved Frank Sinatra, but at the time, her mother would say, "What's that crap you're listening to?" Then my mom was a hippie, and my Nana, her mother, yelled at her, "What's that crap you're listening to?"

Then you have my older brother, who listens to Eighties glam rock, and my mom didn't get that. Same thing with my other older brother, Wally, who listened to punk rock and hardcore and worked at CBGB's in the summer of '88. Back then I was lucky enough to go to a lot of the Sunday hardcore matinees there and see what was really going on.

Photo by Justin Namon, thepopnessparty.com

To read past installments of South Florida According to Brooklyn, click here.

What I'd like to talk about today is an event I went to last week at the Bank of America tower downtown in honor of Earth Hour 2009. A friend of mine was working the event, and called me for help at the last second. It was supposed to spread environmental awareness and celebrate Earth Hour, in which you were supposed to switch the lights and everything off during a set time. Mayor Manny Diaz gave a speech and they lit up the tower in green.

I found it very insightful and I even got something out of it. But the thing is this: There were all these people there who drove up in their Benzes, BMWs, or even Bentleys. That's okay, but still, ladies and gentlemen, I had to wonder -- how many of those people really give a shit about their environment? Maybe one or two. If they really did, they would have rolled up on their bicycles or in their environmentally friendly cars. I just think it's a crock of shit that people show up to something like that pretending like they really care.
 

Photo by Justin Namon, www.thepopnessparty.com

To read past installments of Miami According to Brooklyn, click here.

This week is addressed to my haters. First off, I'd like to thank you for taking the time to read my column. Second, the things that I write and talk about are just one man's opinion. I just throw things out there and if you agree or disagree, it's up to you. I don't expect everyone to agree with what I'm saying, and that's cool. But there are a lot of people out there who see things similarly to how I see them, but they don't speak up or say it out loud. All I'm doing is speaking up for those people. I'm not trying to win a Nobel Peace Prize or anything like that; I'm just a regular guy, and I have a platform to speak, that's all. It's just an opinion, you either get it or you don't.

Photo by Justin Namon, thepopnessparty.com

To read past installments of South Florida According to Brooklyn, click here.

Spring break is here, and the streets of South Beach are filled with jackasses. I've noticed more and more as I get older and wiser, that the people who come here from out of town care less and less about what they're doing to themselves or each other on spring break. This was true when I lived and worked in Ft. Lauderdale, and it's true now that I live in South Beach. Back when I was that age I thought it was fun for everybody to go out and wild out and have a good time, but now a lot of kids don't realize that there are real consequences as well.

For instance, I'm hanging out in front of my friend's bike shop the other day on 9th Street. All of sudden I see some spring breakers start yelling at a driver of a taxi cab for no reason, "Get out of the car, you fucking pussy, so I can pound your face in." You ask,  why do I know they were on spring break? They kept screaming, "We don't give a fuck, we're on spring break!"

Photo by Justin Namon, www.thepopnessparty.com

My topic this week is the bicycle phenomenon here in Miami. Personally, I think that people picking up their bike instead of their car keys is awesome. They're saying they really do care about their environment, plus it's a great, fun way to exercise. Even though it may be a trend for some people, it's a really good trend. I just see more and more people riding their bikes around, and it's really, really awesome that people are actually giving a crap and not wanting to pay these outrageous gas prices.

Fixed gear bikes are lightweight, simple, and low-maintenance, which can compensate for the added gears on other bikes. I ride every day to and from work. I don't use my car; I think it sucks. I'd rather get on my bike, not deal with parking, and not fill up my car three times a week to go six or seven miles each way. But also remember to look out for drivers, because trust me, they are really not looking out for you. And wear your lights, and remember we have to follow the same laws cars do.

Photo by Justin Namon, www.thepopnessparty.com

What we're going to talk about this week is Ecco Lounge, the brand-new restaurant/lounge put together by Aramis Lorie and Brian Basti (of Poplife and PS14, respectively).  It's on the corner of SE Second Avenue and SE First Street, and it's opening in early March.

This project is something they've been working on for two years now, and the place is gorgeous. The food is amazing and delicious and beautiful-looking.

Walking in here, you feel like you're at home. It's very warm-feeling and comfortable, a very cool lounge. The look is very Miami, with a lot of bright colors, but with a touch of Italy in it as well. It's huge, too -- two floors. The upstairs is a club that's going to be open on Friday and Saturday nights, and the downstairs is the restaurant. 

photo by Justin Namon, www.thepopnessparty.com

To read past installments of Miami According to Brooklyn, click here.

I think I'm gonna talk about the Miami Beach Police and how they just worry about the petty shit and don't see the big picture. Like yesterday, I'm driving down West Avenue and get pulled over because my taillight's out, and then I get harassed because I have very visible tattoos. One guy came up to me with almost his gun drawn, and the other guy was on the other side of the car, and I was trying to explain that I had just sent away fro my new registration. The police officers didn't want to hear about that, and was very short and aggressive with me. I was just sitting in the car like alright, man, no big deal.

But I'm sure if I was one of those attractive models we have here in South Beach, I'm sure I would have been treated differently. If I had my fake tits hanging out, I probably just would have gotten a warning. But I'm not a woman, and the fact that I have all these tattoos doesn't help my cause, because people are still so narrow-minded. If the officer had looked at my driving record he would have seen it was clean -- I don't get into trouble, I haven't had a traffic ticket in over 10 years. But this guy just really wanted to bust my balls.

photo by Justin Namon, www.thepopnessparty.com

To read past installments of Miami According to Brooklyn, click here. 

This week I'm just gonna shoot off at the mouth. I want to talk about loyalty. And I don't mean this to sound like bitching or complaining -- I'm just talking about a topic that's very important to me. I just feel that my whole life, I've always tried to see the brighter side of things and tried to look at people in a different light, just trying to give everybody the benefit of the doubt. But when it comes down to it, you can only trust as many as you can count on one hand. That's your closest friends and your family. 

photo by Justin Namon, www.thepopnessparty.com

I get a lot of feedback about how I'm always negative and not positive. So if people think that all I do is bitch and complain, then they should e-mail me and give me something to write about. What are the topics people want to hear about? What are the concerns people have about the scene in Miami? Click here to e-mail me. I'll pick one and that's what I'll talk about.

Trust me, I'm not always negative. The truth is, I just see a lot of bullshit and shit-talkers, so I have no problem calling them out and telling people the way it is. And if anybody really has a problem, I'm really not that hard to find. Everybody has a lot of stuff to say, but nobody puts their real name with it. If people disagree with what I say, let me give them an opportunity to speak back to me directly. Here is your opportunity to say I am a jackass, or a douchebag, or whatever. But while you're saying it, give me a topic to talk about. E-mail me here.

Justin Namon, www.thepopnessparty.com

To read past installments of South Florida According to Brooklyn, click here.

What I would like to talk about this week is me being a jackass. Recently, I wrote about predatory men and slutty women, and it's come to my attention that people got the impression I was bashing certain clubs, which I wasn't. The Vagabond and its neighbors take proper safety measures, not just for women, but for everyone. It may be walking someone to their car, or just saying, Yo, my friend, I think you have had a little too much; why don't I give you this bottle of water on the house.

What I wrote was not meant to bash anyone or hurt anyone's feelings or to change anyone's mind about the place they are are going to attend that evening. If that's the impression I left, I apologize. I only meant to warn people about the dangers that can happen in that type of environment, and to be aware. 

To read past installments of Miami According to Brooklyn, click here.

This week, we're talking about how these fucking jackass kids hide behind their fucking computer monitor screens. First of all, we all know you're a jackass if you're talking shit on the Internet, and you don't have enough balls to go up to somebody and tell them what you really think. Obviously you're terrified, so you feel that this is an easy way out, and you're able to be more of a man, so to speak, but you're not. You're just some fucking pussy kid who's gonna run his mouth behind his computer, but when it comes time to put up or shut up, guess what dude, you're fucking hiding out. All you are is a spineless little bitch, alright? Be a fucking man, take some responsibility, say, Hey, I fucking wrote that, and what do you want to do about it?

To read past installments of Miami According to Brooklyn, click here.

I want to talk this week about how the younger generation has no respect for the older generation. The younger kids coming up have no respect for the people who have been there, done that sort of thing. I would be a lot better off in life if I had actually listened to what older, wiser people had said to me. Instead, I had to work my ass off and hustle through life when it doesn't have to be like that. I just closed my ears and said I knew everything, and I was like Fuck all of you, I don't need any of you.

I see these kids come up and all of a sudden they know it all, and they don't know a goddamn thing. They're very rude and very disrespectful, and I see the way the younger kids treat the people who have been around a long time in the area around the Vagabond. If you take a minute and talk to one of the homeless guys around here and ask him what he's seen, he's got knowledge to give. I wish younger people would keep their minds open. 

To read past installments of Miami According to Brooklyn, click here.

With the tattoo convention coming up this weekend in Miami, I want to talk about how these conventions are full of jackasses. I used to work for Eulogy Recordings, one of sponsors of it, and Madball is playing on Saturday - that's the only reason I'd go. And there are those people there who are really interested in the tattoo convention and going to see an amazing artist and getting actual work done. But then there are those jackasses there who have these sweet tribal arm bands, and they're like, Yo man, check out my sweet tribal arm band, isn't it sick?

If you're going to be interested in tattoos, do some research. About 70 percent of my body is covered in tattoos, but the reason I did it is because it wasn't cool. Then you have these jackass kids these days where their first tattoos are neck tattoos. Are you kidding me? You gotta crawl before you walk, son. You gotta earn that shit. You get a neck tattoo and think you look cool, but all you look like is a fucking jackass.

To read past installments of Miami According to Brooklyn, click here.

Most of these guys who hang out in this club scene crap have no respect for women whatsoever. They're just out trying to get their dick wet, which is horrible. I see it every day. Women should be treated with a little more respect. I have literally carried girls out of here and other clubs I've worked at because somebody spiked their drink with something. And there are guys who see these girls as easy prey. It's very animalistic in a way. Some dirtbag scum bag looks at a woman and just thinks, Wow, why don't I try to get in that girl's pants tonight. And he'll just get her a bunch of drinks to get her wastes, so she loses her inhibitions, and then he'll fully take advantage, which is fucking horrible.

But then again, there are also those women who take advantage of men, acting all cutesy and fucking kissing my ass to get free drinks. That happens a lot around here, too. Because there are a lot of these girls who think just because they're cute and attractive, they don't have to pay for a goddamn thing, which is fucking stupid.

To read past installments of Miami According to Brooklyn, click here.

Since I've lived and worked in both Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, I want to talk about the differences between the scenes, and also just getting around in each place. First off as far as Ft. Lauderdale goes, transportation sucks. Everything's extremely spread out, and it's just a pain in the ass to get everywhere. In Miami everything's a little bit closer together. The public transportation is definitely a lot better, and you can literally ride your bike to all these places. You don't necessarily have to drive everywhere.

As far as the people, people are very flaky in Miami. Not like there's a ton of bad people, and everyone in Ft. Lauderdale is good, though. There are flaky people in both places, but there are definitely more flaky people in Miami. And there are way more jackasses who hang out in the clubs, the Ed Hardys who put drugs in girls drinks and talk about, Oh I drive a BMW, and my hair is super-slicked-back, and oh, check out my million-dollar watch. And the kids in Ft. Lauderdale are more like, Hey how's it going, wanna hang out?