Here are ten moments that defined Miami nightlife over the past decade:
The Electric Pickle Lives and Dies
Nightclubs come and go in Miami all the time, but few end up with the kind of long-lasting legacy left by the Electric Pickle. When Will Renuart and Tomas Ceddia in 2008 opened a venue in Wynwood, the neighborhood was effectively desolate after dark, and the neon "Bar Open Liquor" on the club's exterior served as the only sign of life. In its ten-year lifespan, Pickle punched well above its weight despite its diminutive size. Influential electronic acts such as Ed Banger figurehead Busy P, Maceo Plex, Nicolas Jaar, and Seth Troxler stopped by at some point to get behind the decks. So when the Pickle announced it would close for good at the end of this past June, Miami's dance music community mourned the loss of the institution the best way it knew how — by packing the dance floor till last call. Though the Electric Pickle is gone, its spirit lives on at ATV Records, Renuart's latest project with event producer Poplife, former Grand Central owner Brad Knoefler, and Casa Florida's Gaston Gonzalez. It's hard to imagine that even with an inviting new space and the Pickle's iconic disco ball in tow, Renuart will be able to re-create those ten magical years on North Miami Avenue at NE 29th Street. — Jose D. DuranGrand Central Rages for Five Furious Years
The pulse of Miami’s nightlife once beat on the corner of North Miami Avenue and NW Seventh Street. Grand Central, one of the most vibrant venues in Miami's history, was born March 24, 2010. Under Poplife's guidance, the club's off-kilter bookings — which encompassed everything from indie rock and hip-hop to dance music — impressive lighting, and raucous dance floor made the downtown spot a safe haven for Miami’s freaks. Upstairs lay the Garret, a club within a club that hosted live shows and unforgettable parties such as Peachfuzz and Catwalk. After a solid five and a half years of spilled beer and sweat-soaked memories, Grand Central met its demise and closed its doors September 26, 2015. Though the club never outright explained the reason for its untimely closure, all signs pointed to the construction of Miami Worldcenter, which mowed down other nightlife fixtures such as Will Call and Mekka. Grand Central’s closure left a crater in the hearts of local nightcrawlers and music lovers, but its legacy will live on forever. — Jessica GibbsLIV Dominates Miami Beach
Often derided by electronic music purists as a tourist trap made for people who care more about bottle service than hitting the dance floor, LIV has had the last laugh this decade. In 2008, the Fontainebleau Miami Beach reemerged from a two-year, $1 billion renovation that saw it transformed from a fading resort to a leader in the hospitality industry. The debut of LIV — whose name derives from the roman numerals for the year the hotel opened, 1954 — in the former Tropigala Lounge was a large reason for the resort's rise to prominence. The nightclub got off to a rough start owing to its inception during the Great Recession — never mind that Miami Beach's nightclub epicenter was South Beach, far from the Fontainebleau's Mid-Beach location. However, thanks to its charismatic main man, David Grutman, the club kept chugging along until the economy recovered and tourists with disposable income returned. Since then, LIV has repeatedly appeared on the Nightclub & Bar Media Group's list of the 100 highest-grossing clubs in the nation. However, LIV's highest honor might be the consistent name-drops it gets from hip-hop artists. In 2017, the club underwent a $10 million renovation that included an upgraded lighting system and refreshed decor. Sure, LIV isn't an underground haven, but it has demonstrated it doesn't have to be one. EDM and open-format DJ sets have always been key to the club's success, and Grutman wouldn't have it any other way. — Jose D. DuranWood Tavern Opens as Wynwood's First Bar
It's difficult to pinpoint the exact moment when a neighborhood becomes gentrified, but the opening of Wood Tavern in December 2011 seems to be a good marker for Wynwood. The patio and hipster vibe of the bar on the corner of NE 25th Street and NW Second Avenue got Kendall residents to dip their toes into a part of town that used to be considered off-limits after dark. Long lines to enter Wood soon became commonplace Saturday nights, and competitors such as Gramps and El Patio began popping up in its radius. Wood Tavern played a major role in empowering Wynwood to take the crown from Coconut Grove and South Beach as the Miami neighborhood where locals go to party. — David RollandDJ Shadow Gets Kicked Off the Decks at Mansion
DJ Shadow’s removal from the decks at the now-closed nightclub Mansion in December 2012 was a flash point in the debate over the effects of EDM on dance culture. After a promoter stopped the celebrated beatmaker from playing for apparently being "too future" for the Miami Beach crowd, a social media shitstorm ensued, dragging the reputation of South Beach and Miami clubs at large down with it. The fallout saw Mansion issue an apology and Shadow share the mix with a cheeky note attached. Fortunately, he returned less than a year later, in October 2013: III Points sought Shadow as a headlining act for the first year of the festival, a gesture designed to show Miami was ready for sounds beyond bass drops and chants of “1, 2, 1, 2, 3, let’s go!” in its dance mixes. For as ridiculous as the whole thing was, the incident embodied several of the trends and competing ideologies that dominated Miami’s after-hours culture in the 2010s. — Zach SchleinCalvin Harris Yells at a Heckler and Gets Her Booted From LIV
The 2010s was a decade of EDM and megaclub excess, and though Las Vegas may be the nation's capital for confetti-cannon revelry, no bottle-service palace out-VIPs LIV in Miami Beach. Although everyone from Lil Wayne to Drake has name-dropped the club's reoccurring event LIV on Sunday and Kanye West famously rapped about owner David Grutman kicking out a groupie in the song "On Sight," EDM kingpin Calvin Harris is the only DJ to get on the mike and call for the removal of a loudmouthed guest at the club. On the August 2013 night in question, the Scottish superstar was hot off then-recent hits "We Found Love" and "Feel So Close," the latter of which he stopped abruptly after a woman yelled at him to "play something original." He replied, "That song was originally written by me. Why do you come to a fucking Calvin Harris show where Calvin Harris is DJ'ing and don't even know Calvin Harris tracks, you dumb fucking bitch?" The rest of the audience roared as Harris threatened to play the song all night just for her before demanding that Grutman kick her out. Hey, that's the VIP EDM crowd for ya. — Kat Bein
The 24/7 party palace E11even has quickly become one of the city's most popular clubs.
Photo by Adi Adinayev / adinayev.com