Happy fifth birthday, Vagabond!
That's five years of drunken shenanigans, weird memories, and tunes from some of the underground's finest.
And as if we ever needed a reason to party, the club is throwing a two-day bash in honor of its half-decade of existence with open bar, live music, and sultry burlesque dancers.
Going down this Friday and Saturday, Band in Heaven, Millionyoung, Hunters of the Alps, Ex Norwegian, Deaf Poets, and other acts of the ilk, along with the Shameless Burlesque dancers, will be blowing up the NE 14th Street spot with earsplitting music and sultry dance moves.
Oh, and two days of two-hour open bar.
See also: Miami's Top Ten Hipster Bars
The Vagabond's Fifth-Anniversary WeekendBand In Heaven Album Release Party. With Millionyoung, Hunter Of the Alps, Ex Norwegian, Suede Dudes, New Coke, Bonnie Riot, Lil Daggers, Sweet Bronco, Deaf Poets, and Wake Up. Friday, September 20, 10 p.m., the Vagabond, 30 NE 14th St., Miami; 305-379-0508; thevagabondmiami.com.
Five Years Of Shameless Burlesque & DWNTWN Art Days After Party. With the Riot Act and DJs Analog, Wasabi, and Brad Strickland. Saturday, September 21, 10 p.m.
Now, every born-and-bred 305 native (and anyone who's partied enough in the Magic City) knows that Downtown Miami's nightlife scene has definitely evolved over the past five years, and it's partly thanks to The Vagabond.
What was once a cluster of sketchy bars and lounges (alright, maybe things haven't changed that much), has become a well-anchored hipster club hood that includes Grand Central and The Garret, The Corner, Will Call, and others.
"There is an air of freedom in Miami that is very hard to describe," Vagabond owner Carmel Ophir told New Times last year.
"There is a laid-back approach, but there is an infinite number of opportunities. I think Miami is the last metropolitan city that is still and for the near future continuously growing."
Sure, Miami's "laid-back approach" may have something to do with it, but it takes more than drive and the desire to do something different to turn a dream into a reality in the cutthroat Miami nightlife industry.
"I didn't know what to do next or where Miami was going. I became disenchanted where South Beach was going, so it was a matter of heading downtown to an original stomping grounds," he recalled. "It was gritty, raw, somewhat edgy, and dangerous."
But out of that darkness emerged a beacon for hipsters and independent artists who were trying to make a name for themselves.
"Where you have Wynwood and the arts, I believe in Overtown and the music," Ophir said.
Now after five years, the Vagabond has become a staple in the 305's indie nightlife scene. And in the spirit of its anniversary, the club has revamped its lineup of weekly bashes.
While the lyrical flow and jazzy vibes of Stone Groove continue to dominate Tuesday nights, the new Bollocks! Wednesday bash is all about $5 Jack and pitchers, "punk/ska/rockabilly/garage" tunes, and two-wheelers: motorcycles, scooters, and bikes.
On Sugar Shack Thursdays, ladies get drunk for free! some VIP treatment, with open bar for four hours, starting at 10 p.m., and no cover.
And then the wild, untamed, and goth come out, creeping in from Broward's Green Room, as Hallelujah Presents Black Fridays makes its way to the Magic City.
GoGo dancers, live body-painted performances, and dark tunes from rock to synth pop to new wave command the night, while live music from bands like Astari Nite and the Goddam Hustle darken (or liven) the mood even more. Black lipstick, fishnet stockings, leather corsets, spike chokers, and combat boots encouraged.
From goth to ladies in lace, the dames of Shameless Burlesque take over the weekend with Analog Saturdays. Funk, house, and retro beats play the soundtrack for the night, but come midnight, the dancers tease their way through the crowd. While dudes get lost in a trance with barely clothed ladies, girls drink free bubbly.
Not too shabby, Vagabond. Here's to another five years.
The Vagabond Five Year Anniversary Weekend. Friday, September 20 and Saturday, September 21, 10 p.m., the Vagabond, 30 NE 14th St., Miami; 305-379-0508; thevagabondmiami.com.
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