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 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 'n' roll as meaty and old-fashioned as the eatery's ribs.
This weekend, things start off 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 such as ZZ Top's "Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers" and the Doobie Brothers' "Long Train Runnin'."
Saturday, though, brings the area'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.
