The gay bar will also celebrate five days of circus-themed festivities February 14-19, with international DJs and performances by Plane Jane, who is currently competing on this season of RuPaul's Drag Race, and Ada Vox, contestant of season 16 of American Idol and runner-up on the first season of Queen of the Universe.
"Within our community, you have the same couple of spots that are late-night, then you have us. That's kind of the pre-game," says AJ Prasaguet, general manager of Palace. "We are trying to bring something on Ocean Drive that will hopefully sustain itself and allow for us to have another venue that can stay open until 5 a.m. in the nightclub world."
The new lounge, adjacent to the main bar, will serve as a mini nightclub open from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Patrons will walk through a "tunnel atmosphere" that connects both spaces. Under a giant disco ball, the room accommodates about 100 guests, with go-go dancers, a bar, and a half-a-million-dollar speaker system designed by Miami-based audio company Infinite. (Venues like Club Space, LIV, and Story also use Infinite sound systems.) The room is soundproof in order to avoid sound bleed from the main bar.
More than three months ago, Palace occasionally started to open the lounge concept as a trial run. "It was a huge hit, so there is a need for that within the community," Prasaguet says. "We held a few events in there, where I opened up the lounge at 10 p.m., finished the drag show early at 11:30 p.m., and then by midnight, we opened the bar inside the lounge."
Of the gay bars in Miami Beach, Twist, Nathan's Beach Club, and the Gaythering, Palace is the only one with regular dancers and drag queens. It's also the only gay bar on Ocean Drive.
This week, the iconic bar will morph into an Under the Big Top-themed aesthetic (as in a big tent; not a dominant gay man), with stilt walkers, flame throwers, and some of the queens as the bearded ladies.
"That's quite funny. So Under the Big Top can have many different variations of thought behind that, but no," he adds, chuckling. "It's going to be a circus playground for everybody."
Who needs a lip-synch assassin when you have Ada Vox? The drag queen and soul singer, known as the "Voice of Drag," will take the stage on Saturday, February 17, for her second time performing in Miami Beach.
"It doesn't matter if I'm in front of millions on live television, an intimate jazz club in Hollywood, or even my Thursday night show, Miss Vox and the Vixens," says Vox, who is based in Las Vegas. "I just want people to feel things when they're watching me."
Her performances serve grit, live vocals, and pageant camp, with roots inspired by Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, and Etta James. A typical Vox performance boasts covers and original tracks that often tell a love story.
"Even though I was 12 years old when I heard their sad love songs, I thought I was in love too," Vox says. "It's about being able to create that inner turmoil and emotion through purely the delivery of one's voice, which I think is the most intimate form of communication that we can use."
Drag queen Ada Vox is known as the "Voice of Drag" because of her gritty live vocals.
Project Publicity photo
"We were a regular church-going family, sang in the church choir, I was raised by Latino people in Texas, all that good stuff, but I never had to come out," Vox explains. "They obviously had reservations, but it was always a very loving, accepting family."
In classic Latino style, Palace's new executive chef, Yohsy Fernandez, will serve up spicy Caribbean dishes for Noche Latina on Thursday, February 15, including roasted lechón with mojo and onions, arroz con frijoles negros, plátano maduros, yucca with mojo, chicharrón de pollo with yuca frita in remoulade sauce.
Prasaguet also wanted to highlight drag queen Plane Jane, known for her shady, bimbo personality, and original song, "Burger Finger," a comedic original song about the stench and sauce left on a finger after devouring a burger. She is set to perform on Friday, February 16.
She won Drag Race's talent show challenge for performing the song, which has brought controversy among former Ru Girls like Monét X Change and Bob the Drag Queen.
"Plane Jane's 'Burger Finger' was trying harder to be stupid than she actually is," Bob said on the pair's Sibling Rivalry podcast. "I just don't like this direction where Drag Race is going."
Whether stupid or shady, she has undeniably made a name for herself.
"I want to elevate the Friday night Drag Race viewing party, and I know she's one of the front runners," Prasaguet tells New Times. "Her 'Burger Finger' kind of mantra fits in with the whole circus week. She definitely has that MO about her."
From a rooftop pool party hosted by Eliad Cohen on February 18 to a daytime closing party on President's Day, the Palace's 36th-anniversary celebration is for anyone and everyone.
"If you're single, with someone or many, it's definitely a venue where there's love for everybody," Prasaguet says. "Whether it's the beginning, middle, or end of your night, it's a very easy bar to come by yourself or with friends and find all walks of life that are very inviting under the big top."
Palace Bar 36th Anniversary. Wednesday, February 14, through Monday, February 19, at Palace Bar, 1052 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach; 305-531-7234; palacesouthbeach.com.
