It's been a phenomenal year for underground electronic dance music in Miami. If 2010 was the year that we put training wheels on our EDM bike, then we were riding that sucker with no hands in 2011.
There was a non-stop barrage of world-class bookings. And none of it would have been possible without safe havens such as the Electric Pickle, Treehouse, Grand Central, and Eve -- not to mention indispensable crews like PL0T, SAFE, LINK, and Un_Mute.
So needless to say, this last week of 2011 has no shortage of floor-destroying international stars. Just see the cut for Miami's six best New Year's electronic dance music parties.
Fred Falke. As part of the Living Room Sessions concert series with Bardot residents. Thursday, December 29, 9 p.m., Bardot, 3456 N. Miami Ave.,
Miami; 305-576-7750; bardotmiami.com. Tickets cost $12 to $15 plus fees via bardotmiami.showclix.com. Ages 21 and up. As one of the quintessential French touch producers, Falke specializes in lush nostalgic space disco jams that will set hearts aflutter on the dancefloor. Expect real, live bass-playing at his performance for Bardot's Living Room Sessions. Read Crossfade's full Q&A with Falke.
Nick Curly. With Electric Pickle residents. Friday, December 30, 10 p.m., Electric Pickle, 2826 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-456-5613; electricpicklemiami.com. Tickets cost $15 plus fees via wantickets.com. Ages 21 and up. DJ-producer Nick Curly is chief of the Mannheim sound, a distinctly German brand of deep melodic tech-house. It's the thing that's kept him and the artists on his 8bit and Cecille labels at the forefront of the transatlantic scene these last few years.
Steve Bug and Mr. C. With LINK residents. Friday, December 30, 11 p.m., Treehouse, 323 23rd St., Miami Beach; 305-674-7447; treehousemiami.com. The LINK party pairs up two of the most influential veterans on the international house and techno scene. Of course, Steve Bug is chief of the esteemed Poker Flat, Dessous, and Audiomatique imprints -- not to mention one of Berlin techno's most important tastemakers. Meanwhile, UK DJ-producer and all-around musical chameleon Mr. C is a three-decade vet who was one of the earliest pioneers of the tech-house sound.
Oscar G, Ralph Falcon, and Lazaro Casanova. Presented by Miami Live Cast and DirtyHaus. Friday, December 30, 9 p.m., Grand Central, 697 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-377-2277; grandcentralmiami.com. Tickets cost $30 plus fees via lovedirtyhaus.com. Ages 18 and up. Murk's Oscar G and Ralph Falcon single-handedly put Miami on the house music map in the early '90s with their incendiary vocal house bangers. In 2011, we saw them going stronger than ever with a new international chart-blazer. Check out Crossfade's recent Q&A with Oscar G, wherein he challenges wimpy DJs "to grow some balls."
Wolf + Lamb, Soul Clap, Deniz Kurtel, and Tanner Ross. With Electric Pickle residents. Saturday, December 31, 10 p.m., Electric Pickle, 2826 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-456-5613; electricpicklemiami.com. Ages 21 and up. Wolf + Lamb and Soul Clap have already managed to make winter 2011 highly memorable with their monthly residence parties at the Electric Pickle. But New Year's Eve will be nothing short of spectacular when they bring international house sensations Deniz Kurtel and Tanner Ross onboard.
Mathew Jonson and Elon. Presented by Un_Mute and Medellin Style with Un_Mute residents. Saturday, December 31, 10 p.m., 90 Degrees, 90 NE 11th St., Miami Ave., Miami; 786-425-3545; club90degree.com. Tickets cost $30 plus fees via wantickets.com. Ages 21 and up. The Wagon Repair label's Mathew Jonson is one of the demi-gods of international techno, a virtuosic one-of-a-kind studio producer and live electronic performer. Joining him is budding Israeli-American techno star Elon, plus local favorites Baez and Louis David.
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