Do cool things happen in Miami? Yes. Simply click "more" to read the ten best things to do this weekend. For more in depth proof, though, read the Atlantic's "In Miami, an Alternative Cultural Renaissance" by frequent Cultist contributor Liz Tracy. It surveys how our city has emerged into a worthwhile tour stop for musicians in the past few years, thanks to local promoters and artists, and that beast of Art Basel.
The argument is always posed as "Miami's cultural scene is arriving" - never that we've reached our goal. We've been jogging on this treadmill of cultural significance for a good five years now. It's a nebulous zeitgeist to interpret, but Barry Jenkins's Borscht short, Chorophyl, strikes the right chord. As Andrew Hevia recently wrote in Filmmaker Magazine, the short explores the emotional space of living in a city that's reinvented itself in five years. The main character is rapt in a wistful nostalgia. As Hevia puts it, "with a newness so sudden, she is dumbstruck into silent contemplation."
Friday
- Zo's Summer Groove: Alonzo Mourning's annual charity weekend of events hosts a comedy show, featuring D.L. Hughley, Nema Williams, Capone, Roz G, Marvin Dixon, and Smokey Suarez, tonight at Hard Rock.
- Britney Spears: Brit reemerges from the shadows with a concert at the American Airlines Arena. Insert shaved head joke here.
- Justin Martin: San Francisco DJ/producer and Dirtybird label co-owner Justin Martin plays the Electric Pickle.
Saturday
- Tarzan's Cup: Half of Miami goes clubbin,' and the other half likes to show off their physical prowess at Cross Fit gyms, morning boot camps, and obstacle courses like Saturday's Tarzan Cup.
- Not at Comic-Con: The Internet is pulsing with tales of the San Diego Comic-Con, the most notorius of fan fests. If you're into comics and/or costumes, this likely has made you depressed. Commiserate with other geeks at Tate's Comics Not at Comic-Con party.
- El Reencuentro: Only in Miami does El Reencuentro -- Menudo's reunion tour -- make a top ten list of events.
- Grand Central One-Year Anniversary: Craze, Nick Catchdubs, and Mike Duece provide the soundtrack to hipster haven Grand Central's one-year anniversary party.
- Alicia Keys: Soul-pop diva, 14-time Grammy winner, and Swizz Beatz's baby mama Alicia Keys plays the Hard Rock for Zo's Summer Groove.
Sunday
- Bike Miami Days: Guess how old Miami is? One hundred and fifteen years young and Sunday is its birthday, ya'll. To celebrate, bring your bike and wheel around downtown for Bike Miami Days.
- El Malentendido: The Hispanic Theatre Festival interprets a classic Albert Camus play. Read our review here.
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