Q American Barbeque is the latest venue in Jonathan Eismann's growing empire of Design District restaurants. And though this one takes barbecue and nudges it upscale a smidge, the shabby-chic atmosphere is meant to make you sit, relax, and imbibe for a while. It especially gives Miami blues fans, who don't have too many places to go, a reason to cheer. Every Friday and Saturday night, Q stays open until 2 a.m. and hosts bands playing the blues, as well as rock and roll as meaty and old-fashioned as its ribs.
This weekend, things start off on Friday with the Cat Daddies, a "classic rock and blues revue." Yes, that really means "cover band," but this is an act that's anything but embarrassing. Guitarist/vocalist Brian Butler ably leads this three-piece with a gravelly rasp and muscular riffage, powering through juke-joint favorites like ZZ Top's "Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers" and the Doobie Brothers' "Long Train Runnin.'"
Saturday, though, comes South Florida's best original blues band: Graham Wood Drout's Iko-Iko. Yes, if you've ever been out in South Florida, you've probably caught these guys somewhere, but their appearance here is a sort of anointing for Q. Consider it an old Miami classic crowning a new Miami classic.
The Cat Daddies, 10 p.m. Friday, April 2. Iko-Iko, 10 p.m. Saturday, April 3. Q American Barbecue, 4029 N. Miami Ave., Miami. Admission is free; 305-227-2378; qamericanbarbeque.com
