For the past 365 days, the Design District's most devoted boozers and fanatical music lovers have been regularly letting loose at a classy NE 38th Street joint called the Stage, draining goblets of Chivas at the bar, sleeping on sofas in the parking-lot lounge, and drunkenly two-stepping on the dance floor till it's finally time to call a cab and go home.
That's right, the good times have been rollin' for a year. And this weekend, the tuneage-and-party spot will celebrate its anniversary with a four-day birthday bash and music fest starring Southern neo-soul genius Cody Chesnutt, the Stooges Brass Band from New Orleans, Austin rockers Bright Light Social Hour, and NYC rock crew the London Souls — plus a bunch of the South Florida scene's raddest acts, such as Locos por Juana, ArtOfficial, Los Bastardos Magnificos, and Big Brass Juke.
The Stage officially opened in November 2010 for a string of Miami Music Festival shows, including New Times' VIP party featuring local rock 'n' rollers Teepee, Heartstrings, Lil Daggers, and Jays Blues. And over the past 12 months, it has hosted a ton of killer concerts — late bluesman Eddie Kirkland, Nola's Hot 8 Brass Band, and even September's Sailor Jerry-sponsored blowout with gay San Fran garage crew Hunx and His Punx — and won our "Best of Miami" award for Best New Live Music Venue.
"The Stage has met or exceeded all the goals we had for the first year," owner Carlos Garcia enthuses. "And keep in mind that although we opened for the first time last November, we really didn't become fully operational until this past March.
"We are really hitting our stride now."
