Miami Nights

I noticed a considerable upsurge in hits yesterday as people were apparently desperate to see the Langerado 2009 lineup. The Langerado website and all other social sites claimed it would be released Monday, December 8th, but then the word came round they needed an additional day to tie lose ends (insert pissed concert goers comment here). Well as promised here is the abridged 2009 Langerado lineup.

Thievery Corporation, Death Cab For Cutie, Snoop Dogg, Broken Social Scene, Girl Talk, Cold War Kids, The Faint, Gym Class Heroes, Tricky, Chromeo, Mute Math, Black Kids, Cafe Tacuba, The Pogues, The Virgins, Zac Brown Band, Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, Slightly Stoopid and Dashboard Confessional join Flogging Molly.....

I'd love to hear readers initial thoughts. There is still no"official" Update on the Langerado website is finally in, fully redesigned too. Did the Langerado organizers leave any up and coming acts out? Who did they leave out, are you disappointed, might I recommend the 395 underpass for all you dirty camping hippies (<3)? Tickets will be on sale December 12, here, but I should think the organizing committee needs to get the full lineup out ASAP if they want a good pre-sale push.

UPDATE: I gotta admit the peeps at Langerado seem to know what they are doing. That's a damn decent line up and it's only an initial one.

Just wanted to remind everyone that tomorrow is the Ladytron concert with Datarock at Studio A. For you retarded folks, Ladytron is an eletro-pop band from the UK that rose through the electroclash scene at the beginning of the decade. Luckily, the proved they were more that just a novelty, so after the genre died, they continued to enjoy plenty of success. Most of you know them through their singles "Playgirl," "Seventeen," and "Destroy Everything You Touch," all of which are dancefloor staples.

They just released a new album last week called Volicefero. The first single off the new album is "Ghosts," which is a little more rockin' then their past efforts but is still laced their classic synthy sounds. In case you haven't heard it, you can check the video for the single below:

Tickets should still be available via Ticketmaster or Studio A's Web site. And sorry kiddies, the show is 18+ only -- thank god. On a sad note, this will probably be the last event I attend at Studio A ever since it will more than likely close at the end of the month.

In a country mostly known for its heavy metal, Norwegian band Datarock is far from metal as possible, stringing together pop hooks, glitchy beats and dance-rock sensibility to make songs that are instant dancefloor classics. If you went to Poplife and Revolver at their peaks you know them very well. If you didn't, well then now is your time to catch up.

I was able to catch them live during WMC in 2007 when they kicked off the Fixed/Ed Banger party at Studio A (they also appeared at the Spiderpussy party during that WMC as well with then little-known Chromeo). Unfortunately, they were stuck with a 11 p.m. slot, so it was basically me and barely 20 people. Still these guys had energy, and they didn't let the fact that they basically played to an empty house suck the life out of their performance. Well, the guys will get a second chance to show Miami what they are made of when they come into town with Ladytron Wednesday at Studio A. Don't be a fool and miss them. Yes, they are the openers, but trust me this is equal billing in my book.

I leave you with my favorite track off their debut album Datarock Datarock, "Computer Camp Love," because any song that samples Grease's "Summer Nights" is pretty fuckin' awesome.

Future Mob, Cooljunkie, Poplife, Sweat Records, and, of course, Miami Nights to bring you the fuckin' most AMAZING show outside of WMC! All the way from Berlin, Modeselektor is stopping by Miami Saturday, May 31! Believe me when I tell you, this is not to be missed. I'm not even joking with you -- this is going to be unforgetable. If you love Boys Noize, Miss Kittin, Digitalism or Jahcoozi, you are going to L-O-V-E Modeselektor. So buy your ticket now at wantickets.com/futuremob and you can thank me later for sending you to probably the most amazing show you'll ever attend.

Now I leave you with my favorite Modeselektor track, "Sucker Pin" off their latest release Happy Birthday!

UPDATE: The directly link above to purchase tickets doesn't take you there yet, but you can go here to purchase them. Tickets are $15 and the event is 18+. I'm also told only a very limited amount will be available for purchase as pre-sale. So get them now!

Hi blogosphere, this is the first post in a new weekly series where I'll post an MP3 or two to highlight certain acts rolling into town that you like, hate, or think are okay.

Yo Majesty is a female rap duo from Tampa Bay that rolls around with an attitude. These ladies got some blog love not to long ago from the track "Club Action" with remixes done by Midnight Juggernauts and Chris from the Bag Raiders. The first half of their tour had them playing with Does It Offend You, Yeah? but while they're down here they'll be joined by Rosetta Stoned and Mauikai. All this goes down at the soon to be defunct but hopefully revitalized Studio A, Friday, May 23. It's all ages and the doors open at 7 p.m., so there'll be more then enough time to go out after. The song is a nice mix of Club Action done by Party Shank.

If you're wondering who the hell I am, my name's Dalton and I like playing with the knobs on synthesizers. Here is a remix of Tilly and the Wall I did with Diego_0:

Tilly and the Wall- Nights of the Living Dead (Diego_0/Dalton Remix)

By now we should all be informed of the terrible news concerning Studio A. Yes yes, it's shutting down. And with Studio A soon seizing to exist, will we now be forced to succumb to battling through Miami highways -- and developing a higher level of driving Tourette's by way of it -- crossing county lines, and wasting a "mutharfucker!" amount of gas just to get to a show at Culture Room or Revolution?

Not if this girl can help it.

So if you are like me, and shows are your thing then rejoice in the fact that there is still good live music to attend to. Actually, if you start thinking about it, Miami has a decent range of venues of all sizes from the American Airlines Arena (which, by the way, I expect every single one of you to already have your Celine Dion tix, she's coming January 23, uh huh), to PS14, which let me tell you, their stage size can be quite deceiving. Now that I think of all the venue possibilities for shows down here, I'm starting to wonder why most bands just play at Ft. Lauderdale. If anyone can give me a reasonable explanation for this phenomenon, I would be quite thankful.

Aside from the venues, Miami is also filled with loads of local music talent, and lots of them happen to conveniently be musically talented -- go figure! So I say that we give NY and LA a run for their money and make the Miami music scene go "BANG!"

With this just said (cue the guitar)

Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a girl of wealth and taste. I've been around for a long long year. Stole many a man's soul and faith. Sup I'm DynamiteGirl and I have chosen to be your informer of shows and most things awesome (whether they be local or touring). I freaking love music, specially the good kind. And don't fret 'cause if theres some sort of holy-mother-of-bob-I-will-travel-4-hours-to see-them! type of show I shall also let you know. Good night and good luck.

Critics consider it "gypsy-punk", they call it "death metal/melodramatic popular song/Japanese classic music." Say whaaaa?! I call it  crazy-dance-when-drunk-till-you're-pants-fall-off music.

So now you think, "Wadafunkk?" But I say "Gogol Bordello!" And if you're still bamboozled by all the genres listed above, then allow me to introduce them to you. Gogol Bordello has actually been around for quite some time now, 10 years almost, and even though they've always provoked a raucous party where ever they go, it's their latest and fourth album Super Taranta! thats made them gain popularity. These eight blokes are based out of New York, but they come from all over. With this in mind, their sound comes from a melting pot of instruments, but they deliver this dirty-clothed vodka-drenched and fist-clenched gypsy music that makes you feel like you're in freaking Bulgaria or something. Actually, the lead singer is from the Ukraine and he's got a mustache to prove it. To make the description simpler, Gogol Bordello makes folkloric punk music that can be considered the Eastern European version of Manu Chau.

Their shows combine burlesque with a euphoric atmosphere, and now South Florida gets to experience it because their coming to the Culture Room, in Ft. Lauderdale, on June 17. Tickets are $20. So get drunk. Get sweaty. Get gypsy.

As far as ego and diva behavior goes, Mr. Kanye West takes the cake. Don't get me wrong Kanye, I can't wait for the day that I'm so rich I can afford my very own assistant that I can throw scalding hot coffee on when he or she doesn't get my order right -- that's the day I know I've made it. But Kanye, you've taken so much pride out of being a grade-A asshole, you expect everyone to just coyly say "Oh, that little rascal Kanye is at it again!"

You've got to realize something, you're behavior isn't amussing, in fact, it undermines your work. I'd like you more if you didn't bitch every time someone has something bad to say about you. In fact, had it been me, I'd given you a lower score. Why? I've seen your light show before when it was called the Daft Punk Alive Tour. You probably get off stealing from French electro artists, because you've even extended it to your music videos. You like to call yourself an "artist", saying what you do isn't pop but "pop art." I'm sorry, what? Since when did rapping about expensive cars, how awesome you are and the girls you bang constitute as art? Fact is, as a rapper you are rhymes are pretty weak in comparison to others and in reality you are all about studio wizardry. And I give props where props are due, as a far as music production goes you are definitely strong on that point -- well, except in the case when you castrate one of the best dance songs perhaps ever created.

So when you roll into town tomorrow to perform at the American Airlines Arena, leave your bullshit at the door, 'cause you ain't as great as you think you are. 

They were amazing. Marina who? Laura Taylor and Ana Bernardino left no doubt in my mind that they are going to bring a lot of good things to the group. The crowd was a little thin last night, which was sort of disappointing because I expected a better turn out. Still, they gave it their all and everyone who was there enjoyed themselves. Anyway, I already wrote a review for the New Times, so I'm not about to write another one. Below is a small clip of the show I took with my camera for your enjoyment. And yes, the sample you hear is "Summer Nights".

I guess this is both a WAO post and a reminder that Brazilian baile funk/hip-hop/rock/whatever group Bonde Do Role will be performing live at Studio A tomorrow. Actually it is the first U.S. appearance with their new lineup, so you have bragging rights after the show. Lead singer Maria Rabatski left the group with little warning, but no fear Rodrigo Gorky and Pedro D'Eyrot have found not one, but two replacements for Maria in Ana Benardino and Laura Taylor, who were selected as new members in an American Idol-inspired contest via MTV Brazil. I guess that's one way to find new members.

Anyway, until they record new music together I leave you with a oldie-but-goodie video for "Solta O Frango". And make sure to catch them tomorrow at Studio A along with local-band the Down Home Southernaires.

File this under "What were they thinking?" Chromeo is stopping by The Fifth Thursday, April 17, for a special live peformance along with Louis XIV. Why the fuck would Chromeo play at The Fifth? I mean Studio A is just over the causeway and a much better venue for this kind of show. I can't for the life of me understand this decision.

And for those wondering why Chromeo was oddly absent during WMC, it seems that being MTV's Artist of the Week is enough reason to raise your appearance rate to $10,000. I was told most promoters laughed at the figured and told them "No thanks." I mean asking for that kind of money and not even having a hit on your repertoire is pretty ballsy and Chromeo ended up losing big time for having big egos.

But I guess they are back to redeem themselves with this special concert. Tickets are on sale for $20 at www.bfg.tickets.musictoday.com. But I do have some bad news kiddies -- the event is 21 and over. I'm not sure if the Fifth understands 80% of Chromeo's fan base is probably under the age of 20.

In case you have no idea who Chromeo is, I leave you with their '80s-insipired music video for "Bonafide Lovin'".

For those who have been wonder, Bacardi B-Live Miami '08 is returning this year -- albeit a little later -- on April 19 to Bayfront Park in Downtown Miami. The lineup includes Space resident DJ Cedric Gervais, Dave Navarro & DJ Skribble, Deep Dish and Groove Armada. Tickets once again can be ordered online free at Barcadi's Web site, with the only requirement being that you be 21 or older.

There is a new twist this year though that may interest all aspiring DJs out there. MySpace and Bacardi are running a contest to fill up the opening slot with an unknown. You can sign up and submit tracks at the event's MySpace page and enter the chance to open up the whole damn thing.

This post contributed by photographer Santiago Felipe of Camera Obscura Photography

It's been a few days since Langerado, and looking back I must say that regardless of a couple of mishaps, Langerado 2008 was successful.

Thursday evening seemed like a nightmare. Horrible traffic that left the concert goers stuck in their car waiting for over 3 hours. The festival grounds seemed like a giant mud pie and I stood there, having random people come up to me, asking, if I was interested in buying shrooms.

Click here to see more Langerado 2008 pictures

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Need I remind everybody the biggest orgy of Latin music and cuisine, better known as Calle Ocho, happens this weekend? I don't care to much to the sounds of Latin beats, but I'm always up for some good ol' Latin food. Props of the Kawanis Club of Little Havana for getting LEBO to design this year's logo, when they could have gone for a more, er, obvious choice by choosing a certain "artist".

Oddly enough, the site doesn't list the performers going this year, but the Miami New Times reports that Pitbull, Menudo and La India (whoever that is) will be attending. I've also heard local artist Jose El Rey will be in attendance as well.

So get your Patria T-shirts ready and girls glue down them loose strings of hair 'cause Calle Ocho is here. The event this Sunday (isn't that god's day?) from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Justice, Justice, Justice. The shit you put me through just to see you live. Instead of the average 3 1/2 hour drive to Orlando, it took me 5 hours to having to listen to three drunken fools in my car complain how they had to pee at every other rest stop. On top of that, the storm of the century seemed to hit the entire state. It did not stop raining once during my drive Thursday afternoon. My field of vision was reduced to only about 30 feet in front of me. However I made it to the Travelodge in Downtown Orlando at 7:30 p.m. with enough time to change and warm up.

I don't know how many of you have been to the proper city of Orlando. Their Downtown shows a lot of promise but sadly seemed empty for a Thursday night. But I wasn't there to analyze the city. I was there to see Justice, who had forced me to leave the County of Miami-Dade just to catch them in their glowing cross glory.

Firestone is an impressive space, probably as big as Mansion with plenty of nooks and crannies. The stage was shielded by the black curtain which everyone knew what it was concealing. I arrived with enough time to hear DJ Mehdi spin, who played a much more crowd-pleasing set than what I recalled he played at Studio A during WMC. His set was filled with indie-dancefloor staples, which oddly felt a little lazy and predictable. It might have been also that Mehdi's set was being broadcast over mediocre speakers that didn't produce the bass I think a Mehdi set deserves. In short, he sounded flat.

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You know what I realized on Friday night? This city has so many hidden gems that are poorly underutilized. The Manuel Artime Theatre in Little Havana is a charming space with great acoustics and enough seating to hold a sizable crowd. This is where Swedish-Argentinian musician Jose Gonzalez made his first stop in his current North American Tour, and this being his first-ever show in Miami. If you haven't heard of Jose Gonzalez you are definitely missing out.

I'm usually not a fan of acoustic/folky shows, but Gonzalez takes it to another level. To call him a folk artist is a insult that insinuates he's a whiny hippie-like coffeehouse musician, and that couldn't be further from the truth. His simple set up of just him and his guitar lets the music speak for itself. Gonzalez either softly strums his guitar or bangs on it so hard you expect the strings to break. All of this is accompanied by his soft, almost Paul Simon-esque vocals. Anyone else might fail under this kind of bare minimum set up, so I have got to had it to him.

The show was almost a sell-out, which the few remaining sets (I think less than 20 or 30) were found way up on the balcony near the spotlights. The crowd thunderously applauded Gonzalez, relishing in the fact that artists of his caliber rarely stop by our city. Or maybe it was the fact that we could all simply take a break from the pump-your-fist-in-the-air superstar DJs and slow down for a bit.

I think everyone knows I'm not a super duper fan of local live music and many people ask me why. Well because a good majority of them aren't any good. And I know you're thinking, "Duran, you think you could do better?" No I couldn't, hence why I gave up my rockstar dreams long time ago. However, if there is one group I do think that has a good chance to break out of this swamp we call Miami it has to be Junc Ops, which is made up of PG-13, Kentsoundz and CNTRL (who contributes to this site every now and then). They describe themselves as sounding like Dangerdoom, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Aesop Rock or Mr. Lif, but they remind me a bit of Modeselektor as well thanks to the glitchy hip-hop beats.

Well now you can take all the eclectic goodness home in the form of a CD. Junc Ops released the debut 2013 today via local label Circuitree Records and they are having a party tonight to celebrate that milestone with a not only a live performance by them, but also in the mix Optokenetic Reflex, DJ Stravinsky, Afrobeta and Ramburglar. All this local music goodness is taking place at Churchill's Pub starting 9 p.m. and $7 cover charge (a starving artist has got to eat, no?).

And just so you can see why these guys are in a league of their own, I have some tracks for you to listen, including the title track "2013" and "Rock Bottom".  

Add this to your list of live shows you must go to at Studio A. Tuesday, April 24, Brazilian rap/Baile Funk/electro/whathaveyou act Bonde Do Role will be in town. This show comes as a surprise to me seeing how the group fell apart last year after lead singer Marina Ribatski left the group. Rodrigo Gorky and Pedro D'Eyrot, the groups other two members, vowed to keep going on but were still forced to cancel a bunch of European dates late last year after the sudden announcement. So what kind of show we'll be subjected to in April, I'm not sure, and how they will carry on their live show without Ribatski puzzles me, but I'm still excited. According to the press release on the Studio A Web site, two new singers will be featured, but no word on who.

Locals the Down Home Southernaires and DJ Mike Deuce will be on hand as the opening acts. Tickets are available for $15 via GrooveTickets.com. The show is being done I suppose as a formal dress rehearsal for the group's appearance at Coachella a few days later.

In case you have no idea who I'm talking about, check out Bonde Do Role's video for "Marina Gasolina" below. "Meet me after school and I'll beat you like gorilla" is the single greatest awkwardly sung lyric. 

And so it's been announced, FINALLY!  Radiohead will begin their North American tour right here in South Florida. On Monday, May 5 the band will take stage at the Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach. Sure, it's a bit of a drive and on a Monday, but just think of all the beer you can consume on your way up there! If you miss work the next day, or got a DUI, just let your boss know Thom Yorke made ya do it. Who wouldn't understand that?

Tickets go on sale this Saturday promptly at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster. Once again we here at MiamiNights always encourage fans to purchase tickets in a timely manner. Don't rely on us cause I doubt we'll be giving away any tickets to this show, and saying it will sell out is just an understatement. Tickets are in the price range of $32 to $55 -- not too shabby for one of many incredible shows to take place this coming year.

They're critically acclaimed and self released seventh album In Rainbows is in stores now. Stop acting like a creep and snag your copy today! Below is their latest video for "Jigsaw Falling Into Place".

While I've said in the past Studio A struggles with its nightlife aspect, there is no denying the venue books some of the city's best shows. Why? Because it's probably one of the best venues in town. It's large enough to feel like you aren't at some bar but small enough that it seems intimate. That is why I am so fucking excited that Ladytron is coming back to Miami June 12 after last being here in 2006. And on top of that Datarock -- who kicked ass last year when I saw them perform during WMC -- is opening up for them. I mean Ladytron and Datarock? Did I just die and go to indie/electro heaven?

Anywho, tickets are on sale for $22. Some people -- notably other bloggers -- like to wait for the day of the show to buy tickets, which will cost you $25. It's safe to say though, I expect this to sell out way before the day of the show.

I leave you with Ladytron's video for "Destroy Everything You Touch" off their 2005 album Witching Hour. Also in June their new album Velocifero drops, hence the tour.