An anomaly among nightclubs and lounges in South Beach, Rokbar was a favorite among locals and downtowners who wanted something a bit more authentic than what the area usually afforded. Unfortunately, effective immediately, Rokbar has closed its doors for good.”I came onboard a year ago and we had plans for…
Who is Mikey Steel, and why should you care about his birthday? He was born in the mountains of Kentucky. His momma was a black bear and his daddy was a mountain lion. They lived off pork fat and whiskey and grew weed by the ton in their backyard. As…
Read Crossfade’s Q&A with Junip’s José González. Does Junip make that big, blood-pumping muscle in your chest go pitter-patter in an irregular way? Well, you’re not alone. These three Swedes — José González, Elias Araya, and Tobias Winterkorn — do fucked-up things to Crossfade’s cardiovascular system too. So watch for…
Lil B With O’Grime and YNG June 12, 2011 Better Than: The outcome of the NBA Finals. Last night, hip-hop cult sensation Lil B performed to a small crowd at downtown nightclub Eve. The event was announced the day before, promoted almost exclusively on Facebook, and subject to a fair…
In anticipation of the upcoming Best of Miami issue hitting newsstands June 16, here is a sneak peek at one category and its winner.Best Solo MusicianOtto von Schirachottovonschirach.com…
When guitar god Dick Dale straps on his superpowered Fender Strat, he’s not fucking playing. Strings will snap. Ears will bleed. Speakers will explode. And last night at the Vagabond, the 74-year-old axe master — also known as the King of the Surf Guitar, the Godfather of Heavy Metal, the…
In anticipation of the upcoming Best of Miami issue hitting newsstands June 16, here is a sneak peek at one category and its winner.Best Live Music VenueGrand Central697 N. Miami Ave.Miami 33136305-377-2277grandcentralmiami.com…
For the last decade and a half, Back Door Bamby’s been calling out all of SoFla’s sexy weirdos for a weekly freak scene. So it was no surprise the guestlist for Saturday night’s 15th anniversary party at the Vagabond included monster-sized yellow fowl with breast implants (see right), strangely sexy…
The oldest liquor license in Dade County belongs to Tobacco Road. B.B. King has played there, John Lee Hooker has played there, and more blues legends than you can roll a barrel of whiskey at have too. It’s the type of place where you can swing your wang dang doodle…
José González is, no doubt, an odd name for a Swede. Born to Argentine parents in Gothenburg, González grew up playing in hardcore bands — surprising, since he’s known for his soft voice and sweet songs. His cover of the Knife’s “Heartbeats” made most people’s tickers skip a beat. And…
Seth Putnam, the 43-year-old founder of long-running shock-rock grindcore band Anal Cunt, died yesterday of a heart attack. Kim Kelly, Anal Cunt’s PR rep, released a statement via Tumblr, that eulogized the notorious vocalist and preemptively defended the often instigative and offensive Putnam from critics who might enthusiastically cry, “Good…
Last week, Crossfade got so stoked about Dick Dale’s Sunday night surf rock party at the Vagabond that we restrung our Strats, waxed our boards, and called the King’s cell to talk “Hank Williams, big waves, ukeleles, lions, tigers, leopards, Latino tunes, and how to make people’s ears bleed.” Tonight,…
You hear that? In the distance. That chanting. It sounds like some sort of mantra, like some sort of militaristic call to arms. It rings out from Western Hialeah, all the way to Pinecrest. What are the people saying? What is this holy refrain? Wait, wait, I can make it…
Los Amigos Invisibles With Minimal Grand Central Miami June 11, 2011 Better Than: Your standard art walk afterparty. The disco ball was all too fitting at Grand Central last night with the funky, disco jazz rock-pop fusion of Los Amigos Invisibles. Only the Grammy-winning Venezuelan band could have a whole…
If you follow Lil Wayne’s every word, whisper, tweet, or bowel movement with the same kind of psycho obsession as Crossfade, then we suggest you get a life, a little professional help, and maybe even some medication. It’s ruined our life. And it can ruin yours too. But if you’re…
Raving, like so many other once innocent pleasures of a bygone era, has become the object of merciless mockery in our culture. But there used to be a time when raving was just honest, good un-ironic fun. And unsurprisingly, there are plenty of rave heroes, bless their souls, keeping the…
The issue of the arts within Cuba is a polarizing one. And you’d be hard pressed to find a more politically charged art form out of the island than Nueva Trova, which was more than just a genre following the revolution that put Castro in power in 1959. It was…
Start the motherfucking countdown! The Rising is upon us! Indeed, we’re just days away from unleashing our big, fat Best of Miami 2011 issue upon the world. And to honor the occasion, we’ve decided to surf against the tide of time by rifling through our massive digital archive of back…
The upstairs lounge at Grand Central is one of those projects we’ve been hearing about since 2010. Awhile ago, venue reps told us that they would be opening a more intimate hangout in the second-floor loft where live acts and DJs who weren’t necessarily suited for the cavernous space downstairs…
Crossfade is a firm believer in designated drivers. Drunk driving can not only kill you, but it can kill someone else and ruin the lives of their friends and family. We also believe rappers have a lot of money. We believe this because we watch MTV Cribs. But in the…
Have you ever had one of those really fun nightmares where everyone’s dancing at superspeed while eating loads of bad drugs, shrieking like overloaded human synths, and playing 32-bit video games in rubber underwear? Well, you’ve obviously never passed out at 5 a.m. with Borgore’s “Nympho,” “Gloryhole,” or even his…
At four feet, two inches tall, Terra Jole is definitely one of the tinier pop stars in the game. Though she makes her living impersonating big names like Gaga, Britney, and now Katy Perry, she’s a true talent, performing all of these pop goddesses’ songs live onstage. When Jole’s not…
