Thursday
Look, Miami might not have cows roaming the streets and tractors parked outside its high-rises, but this city can still go country whenever it damn well pleases. If you need a country fix, Mama Tried recently launched a country music night, Satan's River, which goes down every Thursday. Tunes are provided by Danny Kokomo of Jacuzzi Boys and Nick County. All that's missing are you and your boots. 10 p.m. Thursday at Mama Tried Miami, 207 NE First St., Miami; mamatriedmia.com. Admission is free.
Friday
Your inner emo-loving, post-hardcore self is already halfway out the door to this one. Coheed and Cambria and Taking Back Sunday will soon share the Bayfront Park stage. Coheed plans to release a new album in October, and Taking Back Sunday now has seven albums under its belt, which is undoubtedly black and holding up the bandmates' skinny black jeans. 6:30 p.m. Friday at Bayfront Park Amphitheater, 301 N. Biscayne Blvd., Miami; livenation.com. Tickets cost $22.13 to $79.50.
It seems everything train-related around here is kinda struggling. The Brightline keeps running over pedestrians, and a depressing number of commuters choose to sit on I-95 rather than ride Amtrak. Well, there's another option, so don't be discouraged. This Amtrac is a DJ who hails from Kentucky and has collaborated with the likes of Sigur Rós, Duke Dumont, and Two Door Cinema Club. You'll definitely want to punch a ticket to this one. 10 p.m. Friday at Floyd, 34 NE 11th St., Miami; ticketfly.com. Tickets cost $10 to $20.
The year 2016 was generally lame. The icing on the lameness cake: We lost David Bowie. Fortunately, a number of venues and bands are keeping his spirit alive, from full-on tribute nights to the periodic cover. Churchill's will host its annual Bowie in Space, headlined by two sets from Armada! and a DJ set by Peter Pepper. Come glammed out, because the best-dressed Bowie will win a prize. 9 p.m. Friday at Churchill's Pub, 5501 NE Second Ave., Miami; holdmyticket.com. General admission costs $5.
Erasure has been rockin' the world since 1985. Born and bred in London's vibrant club scene, the beloved synthpop duo now has nearly 20 albums to its name. And now it's bringing a little of its world to Miami, including jams from its latest releases, 2017's World Be Gone and this year's World Beyond. You can count on the classics too, spanning from "Chains of Love" to "A Little Respect." 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater, 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; livenation.com. Tickets start at $47.50.
First Friday is definitely a thing in South Florida, and like Pokémon, you should catch 'em all. ICA Miami is a First Friday heavy-hitter, celebrating tunes and visual art in the Design District monthly. Enjoy public art installations from Sol LeWitt, Urs Fischer, and Buckminster Fuller in addition to a performance series produced by Grammy king Emilio Estefan and Miami Symphony Orchestra's Eduardo Marturet. 6 to 10 p.m. Friday at ICA Miami, 61 NE 41st St., Miami; icamiami.org. Admission is free.
You need a break from da club, yo. So come cozy up to one of the coziest places around: Surfside. Every First Friday, the beachside town offers perks for visitors. This month, it's a summer harvest-themed affair, with food demonstrations, fruits and veggies for sale, a drum circle, and an assortment of fare from local eateries. Got some ripe fruit in your kitchen? Bring it and make something yummy at a one-of-a-kind smoothie station. 4 p.m. Friday at Town of Surfside Community Center, 9301 Collins Ave., Surfside; eventbrite.com. Free.
A laser show and tunes? Rock on, man! Laser Fridays go down every first and third Friday at the Frost Museum of Science under the planetarium's majestic 67-foot dome. Beginning at 7 p.m., a different show every month pairs various artists' jams with stunning lights for five total hours. Slated for this Friday evening are shows with songs by Michael Jackson, the Beatles, Gorillaz, Daft Punk, and others. 7 p.m. Friday at Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, 1101 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; frostscience.org. Admission costs $10 for adults and $8 for children aged 3 to 11.
Saturday
A granny asked, "Where's the beef?" in a 1984 Wendy's commercial. Well, lady, it's right here at New Times' inaugural BurgerFest. Grub on unlimited burgers from 20 of South Florida's top joints, including Clutch Burger, Salt Kitchen & Lounge, and Batch Gastropub. Banyan Reserve Vodka will also be on hand to help you wash it all down. 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Soho Studios, 2136 NW First Ave., Miami; newtimesburgerfest.com. Tickets cost $40 in advance and $50 at the door; VIP packages are also available.
Your ears don't need to venture far. Miami has some stellar local acts. A good handful of them will play at Gramps this Saturday at a showcase presented by Soundbite Magazine. The lineup for this intimate show includes Palm Beach rock band Watch Glass, indie-pop group Del Pelson out of Boca, Miami's Sun City Riot, and the Brazilian rockers of Red Light Motel from Pompano Beach. 8:30 p.m. Saturday at Gramps, 176 NW 24th St., Miami; eventbrite.com. Admission costs $5 in advance and $7 at the door.
Miami rapper Pouya is a pretty interesting guy. Still very young, he began rapping alongside artists such as Shaggy's son Robb Banks and Fat Nick. He used to do comedy skits with the latter before rapping. A big fan of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, he's been touring the country behind a lot of hype. After dropping many mixtapes to great accolades, his first LP, Underground Underdog, was released in 2016. The album explores his battle with anxiety and depression, and it went on to reach number two on iTunes' hip-hop albums charts. He's dating an Instagram star who's battling cancer. Their journey, documented on IG, is one of the most inspiring things you'll find on your feed. Catch Pouya perform just north of his hometown at Fort Lauderdale's Revolution this weekend. 7 p.m. Saturday at Revolution Live, 100 SW Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale; jointherevolution.net. Admission costs $29.50.
Nothing says summer quite like sweat and barbecue. You can have both at J. Wakefield's Summer Dog Daze Series. Every Saturday in July, the Wynwood brewery will partner with Big O BBQ catering for a themed fiesta with grilled food. These will be laid-back affairs, so bring your pups to get extra-stinky in the doggie splash pools, provided by Freedogm. The first of many barbecues kicks off with an American theme. Sure, this country might suck at the moment, but there's no denying we grill good meats. Expect music from the USA provided by DJ Jay, a pop-up bikini shop, $4 beer specials, and drool-inducing grub. 2 p.m. Saturday at J. Wakefield Brewing, 120 NW 24th St., Miami; jwakefieldbrewing.com. Admission is free.
OK, so your prom was awful. But now have a chance for a redo — and you also get to dress up like a wizard. Potter Prom is set to boast an out-of-this-world dance floor, butterbeer, and a special Harry Potter-themed menu. Guests are encouraged to go all-out with garb, because a costume contest will crown a king and queen. 8 p.m. Saturday at Fado Miami, 900 S. Miami Ave., Miami; freshtix.com. Tickets cost $25 in advance and $30 at the door.
Posters are the most underrated form of wall art. Yeah, they remind you of your college dorm room, but posters can be a cheap and cool way to decorate your grownup walls too. This is the second year that Gables Cinema is hosting its Poster Drive to raise money. The theater is selling more than 360 of the movie posters it has spent years accumulating for only $5 a pop. It's a great way to meet the staff at the cinema. They'll be there to answer the cultural community's questions and engage with like-minded film fans. Noon Saturday at Coral Gables Art Cinema, 260 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables; gablescinema.com. Admission costs $5.
If there's one hip-hop crew that will never go out of style, it's Long Island's best: Wu-Tang Clan. And the GZA is the Genius of the bunch, its "spiritual head," and a guy whose raps have the second-largest vocabulary of all popular hip-hop music. From his first solo album, Liquid Swords, to his 2008 release, Pro Tools, the GZA has proven his chops time and again. This true lyrical genius is headed to Churchill's Pub for an intimate show with DJ Heron, a show at which you might be able to learn a new word or two. He'll be supported by the Hoy Polloy, Legacy, John G, LaToya Jane, Mikey D., and others. The Strange Beats patio, by Strange Media Productions, will present a whole 'nother crew of sounds out back. 9 p.m. Saturday at Churchill's Pub, 5501 NE Second Ave., Miami; churchillspub.com. Admission costs $40.
Sunday
The Shore Club has long been a party hotel. It's more than a place to lay your sunburned head after a day of dozing on the sand: It's an experience. It's a place to see and be seen. And it's a place to brunch. Whether you spent the night going hard and haven't slept or you went home early to look your best for brunch, the Shore Club pool will feed you with a rotating soundtrack of DJs. This week, food will be served on beats by Damaged Goods, Malone Music, and Andre Skyy. Whether you're well rested or not, this is a brunch you don't want to miss. 2 p.m. Sunday at Shore Club, 1901 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; facebook.com/shoreclubhotel. Admission is free.
Radio is making a comeback. Sure, it never really went anywhere, but the popularity of podcasts actually seemed to bolster interest in radio shows instead of wipe them out. This is good news for guys like Dan and Phil. Once known as the Radio 1 Request Show on BBC1, Dan Howell and Phil Lester present Dan and Phil, a British radio program. The two got the part on the air thanks to their popular internet series, The Super Amazing Project. During their show Interactive Introverts, the duo will offer sketches, stories, and crowd interaction. Anglophiles and radio junkies, prepare yourselves for some charming jokes from the other side of the pond. 7 p.m. Sunday at Broward Center, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; browardcenter.org. Tickets start at $34.75.
Monday
The Magic City has often been thought of by cynical outsiders as having no soul. But the truth is Miami is a city with a soul so strong we don't have to go around flaunting it on South Beach. We're confident with what we've got. Miami Soul Sessions is a recurring party harnessing some of that big spirit at 1306 near downtown. The party starts with a craft cocktail happy hour and goes late. You'll vibe out with live soul performances and DJs spinning R&B. Bring your good energy and dancing shoes. 8 p.m. Monday at 1306, 1306 N. Miami Ave., Miami; tickettailor.com/events/onthebside. Admission costs $10.
Tuesday
If late-'90s, turn-of-the-millennium pop music gets your fist pumping, a tour rolling into town this week will have you partying like it's 2001 in Middle America. 3 Doors Down and Collective Soul are bringing their Rock & Roll Express Tour to South Florida. For those born in the '90s, Collective Soul's "Shine" and 3 Doors Down's "Kryptonite" were some of the biggest songs of your teen parents' generation. These two hit-makers will get you screaming "Will you still call me Superman?" and "Oh, Heaven let your light shine down" at the top of your lungs without an ounce of shame. 7 p.m. Tuesday at Mizner Park Amphitheater, 590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton; myboca.us/826/Mizner-Park-Amphitheater. Admission costs $69.50.
Wednesday
Are you feeling trapped in your head and need to get back into your body? Hit up Earth Angel Outreach's Painting Without Brushes at Wynwood's Garden Food & Bar, a four-hour exploratory workshop that'll ground your wandering noggin. Use your hands, sponges, potatoes, found objects, whatever you want — just make some art. Materials will be provided, as will a party under the stars. All ages are welcome as long as they can hang after dark. Expect a food truck, a full bar, a DJ, and canvases of various sizes. Wear your ugliest duds and get ready to rock and paint the night away. 7 p.m. Wednesday at Garden Food & Bar, 270 NW 23rd St., Miami; gardenfoodandbar.com. Admission costs $25.
Have you been an obsessed Jewel fan since you were a kid? Is your Wi-Fi password "BobDylan"? Do you care more about singer-songwriters than life itself? Well, then the bar Nancy has a night for you. Writers in the Round is a recurring night that presents four local scribes who play their own acoustic tunes for a bar filled with folks like you. Admission is free, as are small bites, as long as you spend ten bucks on booze. The night will be hosted by Juan Turros, AKA JT Smoove. If you miss this week, there's always August — the party takes place the second Wednesday of each month. 7 p.m. Wednesday at Nancy, 2007 SW Eighth St., Miami; nancy305.com. Admission is free, but spend $10 on drinks.
