The Five Best Concerts in Miami This Weekend

Night of Weirds: Bernie Party. Angsty teenagers think it's cool to be weird, but they don't necessarily understand what it's like to actually be weird. It's not just about dyeing your hair neon colors or wearing lipstick shades at odds with trends: Being weird means you are profoundly socially awkward, part feral, powerfully obnoxious, and, if you're fortunate, also irresistibly talented and lovable. Miami's Jeff Rollason, creator of the long-running Night of Weirds, is all of those things. Since 2007, his wife and Curious Hair bandmate Max Kane have unconditionally supported a community of other gifted and maladjusted experimental musicians as well as their fans. In this weirdest of political times, Rollason and Kane are set to put on a show in honor of their preferred presidential candidate — U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders — at the seedy Biscayne Boulevard gay joint Jamboree Lounge. The Sunday, February 9, afternoon show will serve as a get-out-the-vote event for Sanders, a typical Night of Weirds, and an International Noise Conference postparty. Read more about this wild gathering in "Night of Weirds Stages a Bernie Sanders Party at Jamboree Lounge." 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday, February 9, at Jamboree Lounge, 7005 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-328-9474; facebook.com/jamboreelounge. Admission is free.
International Noise Conference: With Phaxas, Kenny Millions, Male Model, and others. International Noise Conference (INC) began as a joke. Though the idea — to celebrate free-form music in all its crudeness — was conceived in earnest, the name was always meant to be ironic. “Let's put this overly official name on this debaucherous, crazy event,” explains Rat Bastard, founder of INC and music program coordinator at Churchill's Pub since early last year. Though INC began as a semigag, it has since become a globally recognized, authoritative symposium for noise lovers and all things weird. Launched in 2004 as a three-night party, the event presented a 34-act lineup. Although that number might seem impressive, it pales in comparison to this year’s 200 scheduled performances, a total that continues to climb with last-minute announcements. First conceived by Rat with help from Todd and Ian Lynne (the brothers who also cofounded Cephia's Treat, an influential local noise label), the festival’s initial go-round was a small but unmitigated success. Ian was tragically shot and killed only months after the festival wrapped, but his legacy lives on in part through the one, all-important rule of INC: no laptops. Read all of Olivia McAuley's article about INC, "All Are Welcome at the 2020 Edition of International Noise Conference." 8 p.m., Friday, February 7, and Saturday, February 8, at Churchill's Pub, 5501 NE Second Ave., Miami, 305-757-1807, churchillspub.com. Free.
Sebastian Mikael. With Babyface. Swedish-Ethiopian singer Sebastian Mikael's latest work is reflective of not only his own return to music but also the renewed emphasis contemporary artists are placing on R&B's soulful roots. After a four-year hiatus from recording and releasing songs, the Slip-n-Slide Records artist is ready to take the reins of his comeback. Set to open for Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds at the Miramar Cultural Center this Friday, February 7, Mikael is on a mission to recapture the soul of R&B. "When you tap into organic music that’s just honest from the heart, the main ingredient is soul; everything else is just what I’m feeling. It’s having that creative freedom to go against the grain,” Mikael says. “It’s important for people to see that, and I think people will come to me for that.” Read all of Shanae Hardy's interview with the artist, "Slip-n-Slide Artist Sebastian Mikael Pushes Alternative Soul Music to the Fore." 8 p.m. Friday, February 7, at Miramar Cultural Center, 2400 Civic Center Pl., Miramar; 954-602-4500; miramarculturalcenter.org. Tickets cost $65 to $100.
DJ Tennis and Danny Daze. With Rebolledo and Öona Dahl. Manfredi Romano — or DJ Tennis to clubgoers — is relishing a quiet night at home following a string of continent-crossing tour dates that saw him showcase his twisted, hypnotic song selections around the globe. The Italian-chef-turned-tour-manager-turned-booking-agent-turned-artist-and-label-head relocated to Miami in 2013 and resides in a cozy, color-splashed home north of the Design District. Though he spends most of his downtime in the Magic City, he summers in Amsterdam, where he shares a flat with fellow techno purveyor Danny Daze — a dyed-in-the-wool Miami native born Daniel Gomez. Daze’s hip-hop-indebted style of DJ'ing and electro-fueled productions have made him one of the city’s most respected DJs, as well as one of Tennis’ biggest influences. The two Miamians will descend on the Space Terrace decks Saturday, February 8, for a marathon performance, where they'll invite their devotees to revel in the culmination of a decade of personal and professional synergy. Read all of Jaime Sloane's article on the two DJs, "Miamians DJ Tennis and Danny Daze Revel in a Decade of Friendship at Club Space." Saturday, February 8, at Club Space, 34 NE 11th St., Miami; 786-357-6456; clubspace.com. Tickets cost $10 to $20.
Wigwood Festival with DJs Aural Fixationz, Saddest Angel, Cqqchifruit, and more. The fourth-annual Wigwood Festival is set to descend on Miami this weekend, beginning with a wild and wonderful invasion of downtown's Club Space. The annual celebration, which organizers tout as "a queer cultural revolution," will include an array of musicians, DJs, comedians, visual artists, and vendors. Landon Cider, Jodie Harsh, Amanda Lepore, and the Carry Nation will be among the many acts performing. Head to Gramps this Saturday for an all-day (and well-into-the-night) party, and wind the weekend down by lounging poolside at the Freehand Hotel's bar, the Broken Shaker. Read all of "The 15 Best Things to Do in Miami This Week" by Douglas Markowitz and Olivia McAuley. 11 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Sunday at multiple locations; wigwoodmiami.com. Weekend passes cost $35; Sunday's event is free.