Heart Nightclub Opens in Park West September 11

If you've been keeping up with Miami's Park West area, you know that there has been a lot of recent closures, including Mekka and Will Call so far. The culprit? The impending Miami Worldcenter construction. And though, to some, Park West appears to be in danger of losing its status...

By Jose D. Duran

September 2, 2015

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If you've been keeping up with Miami's Park West area, you know there's been a lot of recent closures, including Mekka and Will Call so far. The culprit? The impending Miami Worldcenter construction.

And though, to some, Park West appears to be in danger of losing its status as a nightlife district, old favorites like Space and the Corner remain steady, while burgeoning clubs like E11even and Libertine find their respective crowds. Libertine especially, from our firsthand experience, seems like a success thus far. The crowd ebbs and flows throughout the night at the intimate venue, attracting people who aren't ready to go home at 5 a.m.

And now the area is about to get a little more heart. A new place, Heart Nightclub, is scheduled to open September 11 at 50 NE 11th St. It's being touted as a destination "curated for music enthusiasts who value an unpretentious experience over velvet-rope exclusivity."

If that address sounds familiar, it's because that's the space occupied by Bekkoi — a nightclub set up by longtime Mekka owner Michael Slyder — and formerly Nocturnal. It's doubtful he's involved with Heart, as sources tell us Icon Hospitality — the nightlife entity behind downtown's Space and Libertine and Miami Beach's Mansion, Set, and Mokai — is behind the new venue. (We emailed Heart asking to confirm Icon's involvement but haven't received confirmation.)

If Icon is involved, Heart's Friday-only schedule would make a lot of sense in that it wouldn't cannibalize Space's Saturday-only nights. The schedule is also heavy with underground house and techno acts, which seems to coincide with the current trend of avoiding EDM acts that command exorbitant fees that only festivals and corporate-sponsored parties seem to be able to afford these days.

If fact, we'd compare it more to local nightclubs like Trade and Electric Pickle — except on a much grander scale. In fact, the venue boasts a whopping 20,000 square feet of space and three floors, each one set to deliver a different experience and vibe, including a patio that comes equipped with a Funktion-One sound system.

Honestly, it all sounds great to us and moves away from the EDM bullshit that consumed Miami for far too long. The only way 11th Street could get any better is if someone finally swooped in and turned Club Therapy (formerly Studio A) back into a concert venue.

Let's keep that excitement going and check out Heart's 2015 schedule so far:

Friday, September 11
Exclusive Preview
Boris (Sci+Tec)

Friday, September 18
Grand Opening
Paul Ritch (Drumcode) and Anthony Attalla (Incorrect)

Friday, September 25
Oscar G & Ace Alvarez (Murk)

Friday, October 2
Carlo Lio (Sci+Tec) and Mendo (Cadenza)

Friday, October 9
Deborah De Luca (Solamente) and Shonky (Apollonia)

Friday, October 16
Luca Bacchetti (Ovum)

Friday, October 23
Nathan Barato and the Junkies (Bullitt)

Friday, October 30
Reboot (Noon)

Friday, November 6
Coyu (Liaison)

Friday, November 13
Uner (Bullitt)

Friday, December 11
Technasia (Bullitt)

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Jose D. Duran is associate editor of Miami New Times where he primarily oversees the arts and culture and music beats. Jose joined the New Times staff in June 2008 but has been covering Miami culture since 2005. His work has also appeared in publications likeVice, Billboard, and Spin. He’s earned numerous accolades including placing first for Weekly Newspaper Contest: Business Reporting from the Florida Press Association in 2020; placing third for the Writing: Light Feature from the Florida Press Club in 2019; and placing third in Weekly Newspaper Contest: Best Obituary from the Florida Press Association in 2015. Jose holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Florida.

Contact: Jose D. Duran

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Twitter: @jose_d_duran