Here are the best events happening in Miami this weekend.
Friday
The comedy icon Whoopi Goldberg has been the center of movies and TV shows such as Sister Act and The View. Now she's taking center stage at the Hard Rock Event Center this Friday evening. In addition to talking politics daily on The View, she's recently lent her voice to Descendants 2 and The Stinky & Dirty Show and appeared in Instinct and Random Acts of Flyness. Whoopi continues to do it all. 8 p.m. Friday at Hard Rock Event Center, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood. Tickets cost $45 to $130 via ticketmaster.com.
Do some neck stretches — you're gonna need 'em. This Friday, the Headbanger's Bowl will take over Churchill's, loaded with three stages of goodness. Slated to perform are 1000 Pounds of Thrust, Death of a Deity, Sun City Riot, Immoral Orchestra, Mind Virus, and other brilliantly named bands. In honor of the recent 4/20 weekend, there will be a $100 blunt-rolling contest too. Get stoked — and toked? 9 p.m. Friday at Churchill's Pub, 5501 NE Second Ave., Miami; churchillspub.com. Admission costs $10.
John Joseph has had one helluva life. Most folks know him as the lead singer of one of the most influential punk rock bands of all time, the Cro-Mags. The dude has also overcome an abusive mom, escaped harmful foster situations, survived a shooting and stabbings, and has completed more than ten Ironman events. He'll discuss his life and outlook with a Miami audience this week. 7 p.m. Friday at Sacred Space, 105 NE 24th St., Miami; consciouscityguide.com. Tickets cost $25.
Saturday
A Latin-reggae spectacle is set to go down in Wynwood. Puerto Rico's Cultura Profética, Venezuela's Rawayana, and Argentina's Los Cafres will rock Mana. The three bands share nearly 70 years in the music biz and dozens of albums. If you had to choose one album to jam to (which is basically like choosing a favorite child), Los Cafres' 2004 smash LP, ¿Quién da Más?, is a classic. 7 p.m. Saturday at Mana Wynwood, 318 NW 23rd St., Miami. Tickets cost $50 to $90 via eventbrite.com.
Our idiot politicians continue to debate how much of a border wall to build. But there's one wall in Miami Beach we can all get behind: the giant wall of the New World Center, where you can check out a live simulcast of the New World Symphony's performance with conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and world-famous pianist Yuja Wang. The concert will be projected on the huge wall overlooking SoundScape Park Saturday evening. It's known as a WallCast, and it's the last one you can catch this season. 8 p.m. Saturday in SoundScape Park, 400 17th St., Miami Beach; nws.edu. Admission is free.
Music. Culture. Art. And cocktails too? Yes, please. You can get it all at Doral Art & Sip. The shindig will go down the fourth Saturday of each month at CityPlace Doral and is an awesome opportunity to enjoy art displays, live painting, tunes, and other diversions. You'll do it all to a backdrop of beats by DJ Mezmriz. This month's featured artists include David Banegas, Miriam Wimmer Stranberg, Alejandra Estefania, and GottheMojo. 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at CityPlace Doral, 8300 NW 36th St., Doral; cityplacedoral.com. Admission is free.
It's the event Fido has been waiting for. Bo's Dog & Pet Fest, happening all weekend in Coconut Grove, will be loaded with 75 pet exhibitors, training demos, arts, crafts, and some A/C stations for when the heat gets hairy. Of course your well-behaved pets are invited. You'll want to adorn your fur-baby in the finest threads for the best-dressed pet contest. And maybe you'll want to match your animal for the master/pet look-alike contest too. 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 2895 S. Bayshore Dr., Coconut Grove; miamipetfest.com. Admission is free.
It's true that Cuban singer and poet Danay Suarez is a Latin Grammy winner. But that fact doesn't quite capture the damn-near-spiritual experiences she crafts for audiences when she hits the stage. This Saturday, she'll be joined by Islamorada-based guitarist David Feder at the Seminole Theater in Homestead. The concert is part of Afro Roots Fest's 21st season. 8 p.m. Saturday at Seminole Theatre, 18 N. Krome Ave., Homestead; seminoletheatre.org/afro-roots-fest. Tickets cost $25.
Saturday is Independent Bookstore Day 2019. And South Florida's most prominent indie bookseller, Books & Books, is ready to celebrate. The Coral Gables location is marking the holiday in style with exclusive books and literary pieces galore. Among the unique finds you can scoop up are an Adichie canvas pouch, an exclusive Charles Bukowski vinyl, and other special merch. 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday at Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables. Admission is free; RSVP via eventbrite.com.
It's time for another PosterFest, loaded with presentations, workshops, and all kinds of colorful, printable treats. This year's fest carries the theme "Design for Good," zoomed in on South Florida's HIV rates, advocacy, and social change. There will be an exhibition of vintage HIV/AIDS-awareness posters as well as contemporary pieces from which to draw inspiration. The event is co-presented by AIGA Miami and Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County's STD/HIV Prevention and Control Program. 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Wolfsonian-FIU, 1001 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; wolfsonian.org. Admission is free.
You don't often get to see two hip-hop icons on one stage. But that's exactly what you can do Saturday when Method Man and Redman hit Fort Lauderdale. The dynamic duo dropped their last LP together in 2009, and since then, Method Man has released two solo studio albums, including 2018's Meth Lab Season 2: The Lithium. Redman's Muddy Waters, Too is in the works, marking his latest since 2015's Mudface. 10 p.m. Saturday at the Venue Fort Lauderdale, 2345 Wilton Dr., Fort Lauderdale; eventbrite.com. Tickets cost $40 to $60.
Imogen Heap
Photo by Jeremy Cowarts
Imogen Heap is headed to the Fillmore on her latest tour, which also resurrects Frou Frou, her duo with Gyu Sigsworth, for the first time since 2003. Frou Frou only had one studio album to its name, 2002's Details, but Heap has released three albums since, including 2014's Sparks. A classic listen is Frou Frou's tune "Let Go," which was featured in the 2004 film Garden State. 8 p.m. Sunday at the Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. Tickets cost $30 to $45 via livenation.com.
"My Girl." "I Want You Back." "Tears of a Clown." Which is your favorite Motown track? The Detroit-based label gifted the world with some of the greatest music to come out of America, and in celebration of the label's 60th anniversary, the City of Miami Beach will host Motown Brunch at North Beach's Normandy Fountain this Saturday. Participating establishments include 222 Taco, the Salty Donut, 7tyone Restaurant & Coffee Bar, and many others. Soulful singer Yoli Mayor and singer-songwriter Alejandro Elizondo will provide the tunes. 11 a.m. Saturday at Normandy Fountain, 7802 Rue Vendome, Miami Beach; facebook.com. Admission is free.
