On his song “hYena,” Miami’s Nik SB raps: “All my bitches do drugs and I love ’em for that/Especially when she pop two of her sex appeals/Or Ms. Sims’ first name for the extra thrills/I know her brother praying that she change/But what he expect when she watched him sell…
In the beginning, there was Jack, and Jack had a groove. And from this groove came the groove of all grooves. And while one day viciously throwing down on his box, Jack boldly declared, “Let there be house!” Thus preached the Reverend Chuck Roberts in 1987. And if the gospel…
When musicians, comedians, and Friends of Nature gather to party, you know it’s gonna be a true tree-hugging bash, especially with holistic-minded headliners like Café Tacvba. “We as humans and society belong to nature and Mother Earth, and we have to be cautious and try to take care of it…
By his own admission, Domingo “Sunny” Ortiz has a great gig. While most working Americans are quick to grouse about their jobs, Ortiz, the percussionist for Atlanta-based band Widespread Panic, exudes a level of enthusiasm that would likely make most people bitter with envy. “I can’t think of anything better,”…
If you absolutely abhor Miami’s hipster culture, you can probably blame the defunct nightclub Soho Lounge for its existence. At the turn of the century, it was the center for the kind of Miami nightlife “cool” that was soon co-opted by the rest of downtown and, eventually, South Beach. Classic…
Brush up on those Cabbage Patch skills, and relive the days of bologna sandwiches and kickball — we’re going to Recess! It is Blackbird Ordinary’s Saturday daytime party, where you can “come out and play” and be a cool kid again. “The grown folks’ playground,” says DJ Fly Guy, the…
“It’s still exciting,” insists Widespread Panic’s Domingo “Sunny” Ortiz, “even after 27 years.” That’s right … For the last quarter century, Ortiz and the rest of the outfit — vocalist/guitarist John Bell, vocalist/keyboardist John “JoJo” Hermann, guitarist Jimmy Herring, drummer Todd Nance, and bassist/vocalist Dave Schools — have been rocking…
It’s that time of the year in Miami, when surprisingly attractive reanimated corpses, demonically possessed street walkers, evil noise-addled punks, regurgitating ravers, and centerfold models mob the bars and clubs to get drunk, stupid, and possibly naked in remembrance of the dead. Yeah, yeah, yeah, there are probably better ways…
Vernon Harginy, also known as VURN, sits at the table outside of a Five Guys in North Miami with fellow Pro Club rapper B.Way. Initially, his silence is as strong as the bars on songs such as “Bang” and hYena.” But then he cracks a chuckle when Crossfade poses the…
Kurt Vile has to be one of the more down-to-earth musicians currently working the indie rock scene. From his Philadelphia home, tending to his 1-year-old baby girl, the youngest of his two daughters, he is a breeze to talk with. The 33-year-old Vile has no problem entertaining questions about creative…
It’s no secret that the Magic City knows how to party. And come Halloween, this magical oasis of music and booze transforms into a safe haven for party freaks to dress up as mystical fairies and Captain America and get their dance on. Just check out the six best Halloween…
Forget the candy … Halloween in Miami is all about getting drunk and laid. That’s why we here at Crossfade advise against wearing ultra-creepy costumes. ‘Cause almost no one (except maybe that family member whose 4Chan screename is “Uncle Fester”) wants to have sex with a dead nun or killer…
Draco Rosa’s Vida Tour Fillmore Miami Beach Saturday, October 26, 2013 Over the weekend, Draco Rosa, the multiple Grammy- and Latin Grammy-winning artist, composer, producer, entrepreneur, and cancer survivor arrived at the Fillmore Miami Beach. He had come to celebrate Vida, his latest (and first post-cancer) album. It was a…
Yo, Mahomies! Only a week and a half ago, Austin Mahone — your fave Texas-bred, Miami-based, Cash Money-signed 17-year-old pop sensation — was forced to postpone his entire MTV Artist to Watch Tour because “I’ve never felt so bad.” But like a true teenage dreamboat, Ameezy (and yes, that’s an…
Weird things happen in the 305 come Halloween. Men disguise themselves as giant, live-sized lollipops, ladies roam the streets in lace corsets, leather shorts, fishnet stalkings, and whips, and concerts appear out of thin air, like some sort of black magic. Just check out the five best shows going down…
By his own admission, Domingo “Sunny” Ortiz has a great gig. While most working Americans are quick to grouse about their jobs, Ortiz, the percussionist for Atlanta-based band Widespread Panic, exudes a level of enthusiasm that would likely make most people bitter with envy. “I can’t think of anything better,”…
“We’ll be back soon.” Those were the words spoken by Arcade Fire’s Win Butler near the end of last night’s Reflektors show in Little Haiti. Now, normally, the vague assurance of a local concert at some point in the future is just an offhanded nicety, a tease, an empty promise…
Hear me now, Miami. Big ups to Red Bull for putting on one of the livest parties we’ve ever attended. We’ll drink our vodka and rum with nothing but your sweet rage juice if you promise to bring more Culture Clashes to the 305. The chance to see Slow Roast,…
Arcade Fire as the Reflektors Little Haiti Cultural Center, Miami Presented by Rhythm Foundation Thursday, October 24, 2013 Better Than: A Reflektor-less existence. “We couldn’t have made this record without Haiti.” On two consecutive nights, Arcade Fire’s Win Butler confided this same thing to Miami crowds. His band’s new album,…
Since it’s Friday and Halloween weekend, we wanna break out our Walking Dead costumes and party our heads off. So we’ll be treating ourselves to some liquor-fueled, All Hallows’ Eve themed bashes, where we’re gonna rock zombified looks and maybe even walk away with a few extra bucks if we’re…
“Free your mind, and your ass will follow.” Those wise words from the godfather of funk, George Clinton himself, is the motto at Trade Nightclub’s Shoot the Freak Fridays. “It’s kinda like dance as if nobody was watching and let your mind be free,” says Tomas Ceddia, one of the…
For alcoholics and professional party people, New Years Eve is most certainly amateur night. Which is to say, all the squares, from here to there, are hitting the bottle hard, and think they’re Elvis Presley. Well, Halloween is the same way, especially if you’re a vampire, mummy, zombie, demon, devil,…
