During WMC 2010, White Room (currently Eve) was the unofficial DJ VIP room. Except, it wasn't really VIP. DJ and fans easily hung out side by side. It was the only place were the average partygoer could find him or herself talking with some of the best EDM and DJ acts. It's where we talked Annie Mac's ear off because she was just relaxing next to the bar.
Behind that egalitarian atmosphere was Miami/Atlanta/Los Angeles collective the Overthrow, along with Toronto's Embrace. And if things go as planned this Miami Music Week, Mamushka's will be the place during WMC/MMW 2012 where turntable masters and the regular folk can hang out together and drink.
"[White Room] and the lineup sort of created a community there," says Samuel Baum, Overthrow's Minister of Culture. "If you came in there and played it cool, everyone was going to be cool with you. We are bringing that sense of community to Mamushka's. We want to create an environment when a music fan can feel involved."
And Mamushka's, the dive-y lounge on NW 36th Street, is perhaps the best location to replicate that. There is no bottle service or velvet ropes to be found. As long as you pay the cover -- and fire codes permit -- you're in.
"We bringing in our own sound and lights, so all that stuff is going to be jacked up," he says when asked if Mamushka's sound system can handle the WMC onslaught. "Pabst Blue Ribbon and 42Below will be there, so drink prices will be lower than anywhere else in the city, probably. Karmaloop will be there too. There is no VIP section, you know, where only certain people can go over there -- none of that. It's not the restrictive SoBe megaclub or at Ultra where [acts] on stage away from the crowd."
Also, it might not be such a far stretch to expect some surprise guests to get behind the decks.
"With that sense of community and creativity, you might get someone who might not be on the bill, but their friend might be DJing so they might want to play a set," says Baum without giving even as much as a hint as to who to expect. "Overthrow's philosophy is to expect the unexpected."
Some of the acts you can expect during the week include Boys Noize, Jacques Lu Cont, Surkin, Tensnake, Fred Falke, Art Department, and Spank Rock. You can also expect the Overthrow to close out the week in a familiar fashion with Hard 2 Leave at Goldrush -- yes, the strip club.
Here's hoping you live to see March 26.
The Overthrow's Winter Music Conference & Miami Music Week Schedule:Follow Baum's Miami Music Week misadventures on Twitter @sammyscryer.
Paris Social Club Presents Bromance. With Jacques Lu Cont, Brodinksi, Gesaffelstein, Yuksek, Surkin and more. Wednesday, March 21. Mamushka's, 31 NE 36th Street, Miami. Doors 10 p.m. Tickets $15 via wantickets.com. Visit embracepresents.com.
The Pyramid Club Miami. With Fred Falke, Treasure Fingers, Plastic Plates, and more. Thursday, March 22. Mamushka's, 31 NW 36th Street, Miami. Doors 10 p.m. Tickets $15 via wantickets.com. Visit embracepresents.com.
Below the Bassline. With MK, Gina Turner, Worthy, Solo, and more. Friday, March 23 Ricochet Lounge, 3250 Buena Vista Blvd., Miami. Doors 4 p.m. Tickets $5 via belowthebassline.eventbrite.com.
No. 19 Presents Super Nature Social Experiment. With Art Department, Maceo Plex, Soul Clap, Tone of Arc, and more. Friday, March 23. Mamushka's, 31 NW 36th Street, Miami. Doors 10 p.m. Tickets $25 via wantickets.com. Visit embracepresents.com.
Boy Noize Presents Miami Noize. With Spank Rock (live), Switch, Housemeister, D.I.M., and more. Saturday, March 24. Mamushka's, 31 NW 36th Street, Miami. Doors 9 p.m. Tickets $25 via wantickets.com. Visit embracepresents.com.
Hard 2 Leave. With Craze, ACT Slater, Brenmar, Skeet Skeet, Tamara Sky, and more. Sunday, March 25. Goldrush, 29 NE 11th Street, Miami. Doors 11 p.m. Tickets $20 via h2l-2012.eventbrite.com.
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