MiamiNights - Miami Night Clubs, Nightlife

So if you didn''t know, but you probably did, Bronques of lastnightsparty.com was in town for less than 24 hours Saturday night. While it isn't necessarily anything special him being in town, I mean he's been here a million times before, it's certainly refreshing him taking pictures of Downtown's nightlife scene instead of South Beach. Anyway, check out the two galleries he posted up titled Fly In and Fly Out, one being of the Freegums and Hexagon events during art walk and the other of the hedonistic pursuits of Miami kids at Poplife.

Oh and by the way, the titty factor is minimal, so put away your lube. 

Wednesday April 23 from 11 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. White Room will be hosting the Ardbeg Graffiti Tour '08. Moet Hennesy USA is sponsoring the event to introduce Miami to Ardbeg, a single-malt scotch. All I am hearing is "We want to give you free booze!" I'm sold! Also on hand is "internationally renowned" graffiti artist Rajan Sedalia who is selling out for what probably is a nice hefty corporate check to do Ardbeg artwork live (before you send me hate mail, I'd sell out too). It's unclear if this is a free event that's open to the public or if there is some list action going on. I'll try to figure out the logistics and let you know as soon as I find out.

UPDATE: RSVP is required for the event tonight. You can RSVP directly to info@whiteroommiami.com.

For over 8 years Barbara Basti has been giving Miami its weekly shot of indie cred with a few breaks in between. Along with Aramis Lorie, she has been bringing the Poplife party every Saturday night. While the party has had many homes, including Piccadilly Garden, I/O Lounge, the District, Post, Pawn Shop and its current home White Room, it still remains the same -- good music, eccentric people and fun times.

MN: So 8 years later and Poplife is still going. Why do you think your night has been successful when so many others have failed?

BB: POPLIFE - The Recipe (for all those who've been wondering) three parts really believing in what we do.  We -- me, Aramis (my partner), my DJs, everyone involved -- live this, the music and events, the people. I consider it a lifestyle:

2 parts crazy ridiculous persistence
2 parts hard, hard, obsessive hard work
2 parts focus on quality
1 part obsessed with new music
1 part can't stop dancing
1 part cocktails
A sprinkle of love from all the great people

Mix and serve.
Vio la!

Click here to read full article..

If you have the slightest bit of awareness within the Electronica scene in South Florida, You've known about this for months. Notorious Nastie drove up to Winnipeg, slapped Aaron Funk in the face with sun block, locked him up in the trunk of his car feeding him only pastelitos and black n milds (dramatization) until tomorrow. In other words, Venetian Snares is playing PS14 on Saturday. Next up on that line up is our local sample mangler,  Mr. Otto Von Schirach. Safe to say, there will be laptops and thumpiness. If you have never heard Otto or VSnares before, DON'T GO TO PS14!!! You will experience acute ringing in the brain due to fluctuating oscillator rates and loop patterns exceeding 240 bpm. Breakcore is not for the light hearted. You might be better off just going to Poplife -- seriously.

Speaking of Poplife & the White Room, Jose El Rey is booked for the same Saturday night. El Rey is everything you love to hate about Miami rolled up into one sweaty 5' 7" pan con bistec of a man. A little bit freestyle, 2live, electro & lo-fi. 100% hot sauce!  I can't quite pin him to Little Havana or Hialeah, or even determine that he is actually Cuban. But for the sake of diction I'll go on the record stating he is one hot Cuban motherfucker from the hoods of 305. I'd post a song, or a YouTube vid, but in all honesty they are complete trash. His vocal recordings suck. He commands a presence on stage he hasn't yet captured on a track. 

Goodness from the Maxim (Espanol) interview:

Maxim: What's with that perfumador of atmosphere that you have hung of the neck?

Jose: It is practical. it is a very powerful scent. and I am not going to you to lie, I sweat much when I touch. when I have intimate relations with the senoritas.

I put deodorant, perfumes and all that, but I have noticed that in my car, the perfumador of atmosphere of royal aroma pine, which I have, clouds all the scents. furthermore, when I return to house, I do not want to smell like the bar, I do not want to smell like the motel. I want to smell like the king, Royal Pine, for that reason I chose that aroma.

I will try and grab time slots and have them up; to be able to take full advantage of both acts would be golden. Flyers in extended.

Click here to read full article..

Okay, well I put that rather crudely, but that's the gist of the New York Times article published Sunday that basically tells me what I already know: Miami's art scene is alive and well whether Basel is in town or not. The author has a rather odd fascination with prostitutes and crackheads, referring to them liberally every time she mentions Wynwood. We get it. Wynwood is Miami's crack den filled with art galleries. However, the author does hit in on the nail when recommending travelers to come after Basel when there is still plenty of great works of art to be seen and at the same time avoiding those Basel headaches like the velvet ropes and hordes of people.

Several of my favorite area businesses also get shout-outs like Domo Japones, Circa 28, White Room and Lost & Found Saloon. She says about Circa 28:

Even on nights when there are no receptions, the art party rages. At midnight on a recent Friday, a crowd had gathered at Circa 28, a chill bar that opened in Wynwood in December. It happened to be during the Art Basel fair, but there was not a dolled-up socialite or dark-suited corporate sponsor in sight. Abstract paintings hung crookedly on the walls, and young artists sat languidly under a bookshelf — in marked contrast to the hedonistic, bottle-service hangouts of South Beach. Outside on the deserted sidewalk, a truck pulled up and opened its flatbed to reveal a portable art exhibit and D.J. booth that began to play lounge music.

Soon people trickled out of the bar, beers and all, creating an ad hoc tailgate party. A police car was parked a block away but seemed uninterested. A good clean party is tolerated here, almost protected, in a neighborhood with a history of more serious crime.

Young artists? At Circa 28? Oh, I think she means the American Apparel employees in tight jeans and outdated sunglasses. Same difference, right? And oddly enough, Overtown/Wynwood mega-complex Karu & Y doesn't get mentioned. Are we over Karu & Y already?

[via Critical Miami/Nefarious Girl]

There has been many great wars fought on this earth, but none might be more important than the one which will occur this Saturday. There will be a lot of causalities in the form of bruised egos and nipple slips. Yes people, House of Diehl is back! On Saturday they will present their greatest fashion battle yet as they pit artists vs. designers in their Miami Style Battle.

If you attended the Style Wars event late last year at White Room, you know what goes down. Basically its guerilla fashion design that is made right before your eyes. Participants have merely minutes to create an outfit and have it go down the runway -- and those cry babies on Project Runway think they have it tough.

Where will this battle take place? The hottest (well, only) faux hotel in town, Stoli Hotel of course. In addition to the House of Diehl event, New York fashionista/rapper Roxy Cottontail will be hitting the decks. But how hard is it to persuade you to go to a Saturday event where Stoli will be served free from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.? Yea, I didn't think so. Also, make sure to stop by at the after party at Poplife. E-mail to RSVP to is on the flier!

Also as a bonus, I've included a video by Nefarious Girl from last year's Miami Style Wars:

Good party. I didn't expect much due to the circumstances of the evening: it had been raining that day, no one seemed too energized about heading out that night, etc., but the turn out was pretty good. There was some awkward energy when I first got there -- reading auras is my second-best skill, right after parkour -- but it soon turned positive. The haircuts were out in force along with a lot of people I haven't seen in a long time. Most welcome was the old bartender from District who can actually serve a drink correctly and quickly, which is apparently a lost art among these newjacks that steal our money every weekend. Induce was playing refreshingly hard.

I still think they should do some more work to clean up the outside area and finish it off: more careful lighting, low volume speakers, perhaps some oversized art, etc. The red room is just about perfect for seduction and trouble making.

The most exciting part about the evening to me was seeing all the foot traffic. People parking at PS14 and walking to Space, parking near Space and walking to White Room or Karu. White Room seems to have established the fourth vertex of the entertainment district, getting us ever closer to having a real, walkable downtown. It's a shame to say this, but this walkability factor (without getting raped by a dolphin or bum) is something I envy about Ft. Lauderdale. Werk!

UPDATE:The official opening for White Room is taking place this Friday, November 30th, from 9 to 11pm. Cocktail reception and Paella Tasting will be provided. Aramis and Hans will be serving up the tunes. This is a great opportunity to view this chic new venue in Downtown Miami. To RSVP send an email to Barbara.

Welcome back Poplife. After a short hiatus and quasi return as "Dirty Disco" the party that never dies makes it's triumphant return to the newly opened White Room. For it's inaugural night at the new venue they will be starting the first Bad Sweater Contest. You know what sweaters they are talking about. The one's your Alzheimer ridden grand parents give you expecting a thanks and a kiss type. Personally, I just tear the things to shreds in front of my grandparents or drive out to Downtown and give it to some under-dressed hooker. But if you have more respect than I do, this is your time to win prizes for the ugliest piece of clothing in your closet. Unemployed Lloyd (NYC) will be spinning the jams along with the usual suspects Aramis, Induce and Matt Cash. White Room is located at 1306 N. Miami Ave, Downtown Miami. Click here for quite possibly the worst flyer design ever.

By now you've probably heard about White Room, a new spot that is in the process of opening in the north end of downtown. It's located in the Performing Arts Corridor at an unusual spot: N. 13th Street and North Miami Ave, around the corner from Karu + Y. There are three rooms: an outdoor area, totaling about 6,000 square feet, a large indoor area totaling about 3,000 square feet, and smaller, intimate second indoor area totaling about 1,500 square feet. During the opening drinks were an affordable $7. It felt rather unfinished to me, but the official opening isn't for three more weeks, so I think they have time to close up the loose ends.

This spot reminds me most of The District, the ill-fated spot in the Design District that for a time was prime destination for all manner of self-indulgent indie folks, all haircuts and opinions. I don't think it is in direct competition with any of the other spots in this region, because Karu is more mainstream and luxury-focused, PS14 is more of a watering-hole (hi, bathroom doors plz), and Pawn Shop has become much more mainstream of late. I welcome the diversity it provides to the neighborhood.