All weekend, Jazid will celebrate its 16th anniversary on South Beach. And with live music every damn night for a decade and a half, this club has seen some of Miami's best bands get their start on its stage.
Almost 14 years ago, Kulcha Shok Muzik founder Lance-O began hanging out at the laid-back SoBe party spot, and he's held down its Sunday-night reggae party since 2007. So last week, we spoke with him about good vibes, local bands, and 16 years at Jazid.
New Times: When was the first time you ever went to Jazid?
Lance-O: My first time there ever... Oh my god, I don't even think I can remember. It had to be 14 years ago, just going to see live music. I've always been close to Jazid. Living on the Beach, it's always been a neighborhood place for me.
What were you doing back then?
I was just a DJ on the Beach, working about four or five nights a week, playing reggae and dancehall at places like Liquid.
How do you feel about 16 years of Jazid?
It says that if you deliver the right product, you're gonna sustain yourself. All these superclubs with their $20 million face-lifts are just out to make a lot of money quick, turn it over, and do something else. Live music in some shape or form is still reigning.
Which bands have been some of Jazid's best over the years?
It's most of Miami's best. Spam Allstars, Suénalo, Locos por Juana, Jahfe have all made their names there. Then Afrobeta, Xperimento, ArtOfficial, Elastic Bond got their start at Jazid before moving on to other markets and venues. And there's plenty more bands starting there now.
How about the famous faces?
People who've played or come to chill over the years... We've had the Marleys — Damian, Julian, Stephen, his kids. We've had the Mighty Diamonds, Sanchez, Bunny Wailer, Steel Pulse, Gondwana, Cultura Profetica. Sometimes they come just to hang out. A lot of times they end up performing.
How's your Kulcha Shok Sunday night going?
It's a dream for me, because I always wanted to do a roots-reggae night, and nobody else really does it. People play reggae. But it has become a broad term, like hip-hop or R&B or rock. The reggae we're playing has positive messages, good vibes, and slow tempos.
What's your craziest memory from Jazid?
Seeing a guy who was a regular dive across the couch and tackle a guy, hard. He flew right into him, and I thought it was going to be a full-out brawl. But it ended up that it was just a friend he hadn't seen in a very long time.
What about your best night there?
Last December when HalfPipe performed on my birthday. That was one of the best nights, musically and vibes-wise, I've seen at Jazid. Not the most people that have ever been there. But music and vibes are more important to me.
