Bardot is turning four!
And in those four years, the Wynwood club has brought some of the best local and national indie, hip-hop, and electronic acts, including Surfer Blood, Gaslamp Killer, XXYYXX, and Peter Bjorn & John, to its floor-level carpet stage.
So, in celebration of its birthday on October 10, the music venue and watering hole will be throwing yet another liquor-fueled bash, this time starring NYC duo The Knocks, along with some other surprises that Bardot's Erica Freshman says, "You'll just have to see for yourself."
See also: The Vagabond Miami Celebrates Fifth Anniversary, Plans New Weekly Parties
Prior to becoming Miami's quintessential art and hipster hood, Wynwood was a cluster of empty warehouses and former textile shops, where the only nightlife hotspots were the Electric Pickle and Cafeina.
And in 2009, when Wynwood was still in its early developmental stages and the nation was in the midst of an economic recession, opening a nightclub was an even riskier proposition than usual.
"Amir Ben-Zion, our partner and a visionary behind the space, knew that the area was gonna grow," Freshman says.
"[Brigitte] Bardot was a muse for Amir, and that's how the name came to be. The space is very replicant of her sensibility."
Fast-forward four years and Ben-Zion's club has become one of the city's best hipster bars in one of Forbes' Hippest Hipster Neighborhoods in America, where lounges and art galleries peek out from every corner.
This explosion of bars in the area -- including Gramps, Wood Tavern, and Bardot itself -- has reshaped Wynwood's culture, but the club's musical vision remains unchanged.
"We always book good talent, and over the last two and a half years, we've made a commitment to book local talent and more big names, but we're still committed to the local music scene," Freshman insists.
DJ Ynot, one of Bardot's residents, agrees.
"It's become the go-to stop," the DJ says. "It's not on the beach and the musical integrity is pretty high, so the music is always interesting.
"On any given night, it's something outside of the box and something worth seeking out, not your usual Top 40 shit."
Unlike many other clubs that tend to stick to one genre of music, Bardot caters to all tastes. And Ynot believes that's a big part of its success.
"If I wanna play disco, I can play disco. If I wanna play some new trap shit or whatever I'm in the mood for, I can. You don't have that freedom everywhere. It's very unique to that spot."
And for the years to come, Ynot hopes Bardot will keep its musical M.O.
"Hopefully in the future, it'll still continue to grow and keep that sound and musical integrity forever and not change the format or switch gears."
For her part, Freshman promises that Bardot's commitment to music and openness will not wane.
"We're gonna keep on doing what we're doing, striving for excellence and keep on pushing ourselves to bringing good talent to the city."
Bardot's Fourth Anniversary Party. With the Knocks. Thursday, October 10. Bardot, 3456 N. Miami Ave., Miami. The party starts at 10 p.m. and tickets cost $25 plus fees via showclix.com. Call 305-576-7750 or visit bardotmiami.com.
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