Music

Guadalupe Victoria Yolí Raymond, better known as La Lupe, is perhaps one of the most iconic figures in Cuban music.  She was a singer of boleros and guarachas and known the world over as the Queen of Latin Soul.  Her command of the stage was renowned and her emotional range…

Santiago FelipeCut Copy lead singer Dan Whitford at Ultra Music Festival Day 2.Ultra Music Festival ’09: Cut CopySaturday, March 28, 2009Bicentennial Park, MiamiBetter than: Listening to them on your iPod.Most of my encounters with Cut Copy have been while drunk at The Vagabond or White Room, where indie dance-rock is…

@page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –>We will no longer mention anything that happened last week and only look forward, intrepidly. Tomorrow night the Weirds return to Churchill’s with another free concert (Tuesday, March 31, 2009) of off the beaten path excellence. Night…

Didn’t quite get your fill of electronic music at WMC? Well here’s some good news for you: The Crystal Method has announced their first tour in five years will be stopping in South Florida on May 14.  Revolution Live will play host to CM who are touring in support of…

So after wrapping up a couple of feel-good stories about a female inmate being sexually assaulted by prison guards and the ridiculous shenanigans by some cops in a tiny place called Biscayne Park, I stepped out this past Friday to The Vagabond for a little Winter Music Conference R&R. There we caught…

Santiago FelipeCrystal Castles vocalist Alice Glass at Ultra Music Festival Day 2.Ultra Music Festival ’09: Crystal CastlesSaturday, March 28, 2009Bicentennial Park, MiamiBetter than: Everything else at Ultra — seriously.The lights dimmed at the Bayfront Stage at Ultra Music Festival and from the darkness emerged the silhouette of the lead singer…

John HoodAmanda Palmer projected on the screen at Culture Room.Amanda PalmerSaturday, March 28, 2009Culture Room, Ft. LauderdaleBetter Than: A televised confessional.If there’s a better way to preface a Culture Room show than by hitting the legendary Mai-Kai, I don’t know what it is. When that show happens to be by…

Sources say that The Prodigy missed their flight to Miami and might not make it in time to perform tonight at Ultra Music Festival. With Calvin Harris and Bloc Party already AWOL this week, we are starting to see a trend.Stay tuned here as the news develops.UPDATE: A commenter noted…

My sources are buzzing tonight with some special surprise guest appearances at several parties. First, it’s been confirmed  that Ed Banger Records head-honcho Busy P will be spinning at the Fool’s Gold Showcase tonight at White Room. The party is free, no RSVP required.Over in Allapattah, Our House West of…

John HoodThe Ting Tings at Day 1 of Ultra Music Festival.Ultra Music Festival: Santigold, The Ting TingsFriday, March 27, 2009Bicentennial Park, MiamiBetter Than: The best pop you’ve never heard.Hard to say the best way to tell when I’m most thrilled by a band. Is it when I’m so giddy with…

Justin NamonBoys Noize being a little shy at Louis.Yes, I’m not going to be very popular by saying this, but Day 1 of Ultra Music Festival sucked. Perhaps it was the nerve of organizers scheduling Santigold for a 5 p.m. performance slot (WTF?), or Bloc Party canceling, or perhaps LMFAO…

John HoodBlack Eyed Peas brought their humps to the main stage at Ultra.Ultra Music Festival: Black Eyed ThievesFriday, March 27, 2009Bicentennial Park, MiamiBetter Than: Having My Wallet StolenCall me a snob, but besides stage-front, my favorite place to hang at Ultra is the VIP/Press Lounge. And this year, was no…

Photo by Beth HommelYou know her as lead singer and all-around knockout for “Brechtian punk cabaret act” The Dresden Dolls. But now you’re gonna to get to know her even better. See, she’s got a new record out, her own, a new producer twiddling the nobs, and a nifty tie-in…

Michelle SolomonA-Trak spinning at Bacardi B-Live.If you were one of the 300 “regular” folks, or the 150 or so “press” types who got invited to the Bacardi B-Live Press Pool Party on Tuesday night, say a hefty thank-you prayer to the God of Groove.Inside the basement Japanese restaurant, Fountainbleu’s Blade,…

Here are some pictures from between 1 and 3 in the morning of Gigolo Night at Goldrush strip club in Downtown Miami. Thanks to Goldrush for the shooting access. It’s a good place to spend every dollar in your pocket — don’t worry they have an ATM. Also thanks to…

The main room of Soho Studios around 1:30 a.m.My WMC day on Thursday went from swish to underground to somewhere in the middle, and it was interesting to see how conference is holding up across the economic strata. It seems like in the alternate world of dance music, people who…

So yesterday I headed to the beach to bop up and down Collins, checking out some of the hotel parties for WMC.  I hit the Raleigh for a penthouse party given by AX, where the Belvy was flowing like sweat on the pool deck at the Shelborne, which is where…

The “Legend” label tends to get thrown around, but in this case, there’s just no label that fits better. Smokey Robinson is one of, if not THE greatest Motown singer/songwriter in history.  His career with The Miracles produced tons of hit songs like “Shop Around”, “Who’s Loving You”, and “The…

For the Latin music lovers out there, WMC hasn’t forgotten about you. Our sources at the Shelborne say salsa princess La India is slated to make a cameo some time this afternoon, er, which is basically now. The hotel is hosting DJ Magazine’s Recession Sessions so this ought to be…

Apparently Timbaland felt like driving over from Pinecrest for some fun on Saturday. He’s been added to the bill for Ultra that day, where he’ll be performing a live set after the Prodigy and before Paul Van Dyk. If you somehow need more information about Ultra, visit ultramusicfestival.com…

Well it’s Winter Music, and this writer has gone to exactly no events.  Today is the Sasha and Digweed booze cruise, errr yacht excursion (invite only so forget about it) and tonight is Tony Touch at the Vagabond, but…. also next door slyly opening for Frankie Bones is Miami’s own…