The club legend is always right...

[Guest meta]

I did retire, but from time to time, I have to keep you music snobs in check. I read another thread that Miami gardens is like Nam, so I used them for my example. here

yeah i knew you would come back it was only a matter of time. You can't leave this board alone, especially with the fresh new look it has.

[Guest RzO]

The jig is up

that is funny, the jigstick is always up!

anyhow....

i just turned 26 on sunday, and like stated when i go out in miami i feel like the young one, cause in actuality i am. Most of the people i have met and became good friends with are older and know how to have a good time. Which to me means i have alot of good years ahead and so what if i want to be in a nightclub. I like house music, and since its played in clubs thats where ill be. Its funny cause alot of my friends from high school/college etc are my age and all like damn im getting old i cant go out and all that jazz. I am the complete opposite, every year i celebrate my birthday better that the year before, i have no issues with getting older. If one can look at it like this their wouldn't be so many bitter old folks and more like the people i have met on these boards and out in Miami. I say it all the time, I have alot to look forward too and i have no problem rocking it out till the wee hours and then some for a good while longer.

Coach, its funny cause i said to kelly, that we will be like u and annete when we get older, lol. u guys rock

as far as live music goes, yah that's great and i wouldn't say edm is dying as much as its fragmented, which in turn is killing a saturated scene. Sobe will always have clubs, the upscale places will survive. If 11th st is reduced to Space and the strip club, so be it, although i do like pawn shop its kinda hard to keep that running where it is, if i had to pick i would want ps,kny, and space to be the dt places that stay. Like always only time will tell, and for the time being im going to continue to go out and have fun every weekend, life is meant to be lived to the fullest, to each that statement is obviously different. I for one am not a complainer, making the best of any situation will always get you a more prosperous result.

[Guest deprivation]

I don't think live rock music is where it's going either. I think all music genres including edm, rock and hip hop are seeing a decline. I think this then hurts the clubs and concert promoters. People aren't excited about the music and stay home.

Why the decline? I don't think there is an exciting sound for the masses today that we can all agree on that we all like. I think back to 1991 when Nirvana's Nevermind came out and really put alternative rock at the forefront and stopped bands careers like Poison and Motley Crue at least for a decade. I recall friends that were into New wave, rock and pop bands rushing to the store to buy Nevermind. Bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and whoever else from Seattle then were buzzworthy. Also, think of all the alternative rock radio stations that popped up started playing that sound.

As for EDM - trance, house, and electro are older styles of edm with loyal followings that won't die, but aren't in style any longer. Minimal by it's very own word Minimal can only go so far with its sound.

I see things going in cycles and there will be something new or a current sound will need to evolve to get people out of the house and opening their wallets.

[Guest pod]

"Alternative" reduced rock and roll to a bland sameness across the board. Bands like Poison, Crüe, etc, well, rag on them all you want, but damn it, they had showmanship. Not everyone's into watching someone essentially vent their life's troubles on the audience for 90 minutes. People want to be entertained, amused, thrilled.

It's why the bands and acts I like put on a helluva live experience. Industrial and rock bands with an electronic edge these days pull out all the stops, they bring a production, and not just four bored looking guys under some PAR cans on stage in some dingy warehouse near my apartment.

When I go out, whether it be for a DJ night, a live event, or whatever, I want a production. Bust out the lights, lasers, and pyrotechnics. Yes, the rock bands I want to see are Rammstein, Laibach, KMFDM, Ministry (yes they still tour), and even though they are the commercial end of things, Nine Inch Nails. These acts bring the production.

[Guest ICON]

if all of the clubs were to close tomorrow... at least we can all say "Wow... we all had a great time while it lasted."

To this day.. i dont understand why barbarino claims that all clubs are failing and edm is dead. If that is the case.. then what in the fuck are all of the people packed like sardins doing in the edm clubs every night?

I heard that SPACE was rediculosly packed this past weekend. Everywhere on the beach is packed.... Sure, PS is not packed like it used to be but that comes from management... not because EDM is dead.

This past weekend, there were three major parties going on. SPACE (SvD), Pawn Shop Rave like party with BT and 100 other DJs, and Lawler at Mansion... I heard that every place was crowded.

When I look at the pics that POD puts up on the site every place looks packed.

It's one thing to say that the EDM clubs are dying because of bad management.. If a club cant make money charging $8 beers and $15 mixed drinks and $30 cobver charges... then something is very wrong... But saying that EDM is dead because of Rock and Hip-Hop is just stupid.

Hang it up barbarino... move up to Sarasota.. buy yourself a nice place since you make a lot of money... buy youself a pair of croc shoes... buy yourself a Mercury... and just chill on the beach. Your nightlife career is over.

[Guest deprivation]

True, the grunge bands didn't have the showmanship that the hair bands and were criticized for it. However, whether you like it or not, that's what happened. The sound and style changed to grunge. I recall an interview with Poison or Ratt admitting it was over for them when they heard Nirvana. They said they wished they hadn't worked so hard on their outfits and concentrated on their musicianship.

Personally, I like all the bands mentioned and think they are all relevant. My point simply being that styles and things change.

[Guest pod]

I'm in the middle of the road. To your average person out and about, dance music is a hard sell. Thankfully, there's a strong community of people who like to go out and have fun in this town, who also are into the sounds. In these lean times, it's that community that keeps the flame alive, so to speak. OG's said innumerable times that the wave has come and gone a few times. Hell, in my decade doing this, I know of twice now where the wave has receded.

Simply put, it happens. The music gets popular, and spawns countless people trying to imitate the success stories. For every Space, there's ten other clubs that (to quote LP) "are sucking air", trying to imitate the successful formula there. If dance music didn't work at Space, why the heck has the club been loyal to it for over seven years now? In my mind, the more, the merrier, yes, but at the same time, as long as we have a few major venues willing to support, I'm happy. Sure, I go out to have fun, but my preferred soundtrack for the evening is dance music. I simply cannot really get into "open format", since it just seems like a lame cop-out for any jackass with a cheap laptop and Serato box to be a DJ. There's a few guys in town (Mark Leventhal immediately comes to mind) who can pull off the 'open format' sound, but for the most part it's what I described it as. Worse yet are these "indie-whatever" DJs who inevitably fall back on tired hip-hop, pretending to be ironic about it.

But I'm ranting. Live rock music on the beach has a major uphill battle. Simply put because you can't convince the rock fans to adhere to a dress code if they are to see a band. Rock music, if it is to take off in town, will be a staple of the Downtown (DWNTWN haha) and Design District scenes once everything settles down.

But dance music has survived in clubland for over thirty years now, in various forms. It's not going anywhere. It might not be what we hear today, but it will be something that can be construed as dance music.

There's enough room in this town for a viable dance scene, and a viable rock scene. Where each scene goes, remains to be seen.

As for grunge acts having musicianship? OK, if a wave of distortion is considered as such. The hair bands spawned some of the most technically adept guitarists around. Don't get me started on Dream Theatre, either, where you combine showmanship with true technical ability.

[V. Barbarino]

Pod, you make fun of that line up, but lets look at the facts before you dismiss them.

I was at this bar in NC one night, they played live music, they had this band come up one night, no announcement no nothing. They rocked it! Turns out it was Hootie and the Blow Fish. Which you and others may hate on, but they were hugeeeeeeeeeee and great.

My buddy's wife use to follow this band around playing people's backyards for free, turns out it was Maroone 5. I know lola has seen bands before they got big as well. The key is this, how many loved Morrillo when I did? Not many, his mass appeal came later. Those bands in that list, may not be huge, and may never be huge, however from time to time, you'll catch a band in it's early stages of stardom. Plus some of them have huge niche followings.

Also record companies subsidize artists to get them "out there" and South Beach could do the perfect place.

Now, if I told you Lily Allen, The Plain White T's, Candle Box, Ever clear all have played the Culture room recentely, you would say, well that's ok, but you are probably thinking why not Aero Smith?

The financies don't work for huge bands, but for small bands, they make a lot of sense.

Now finally, I'm going to censor this, however check out what was emailed to me:

"Working on it. Stage situation is a huge

prob. "

Not telling you where or what club said that, but it's coming sooner than you peeps think. I personally think Opium will be the 1st out of the gate.

[Guest pod]

These are commercial bands that (no offense) only white people like. You forget at the moment that Miami's clubgoing and party population largely consists of Latins, Blacks and Europeans right now. Are either of these three demographics going to listen to Maroon 5 or Hootie and the Blowfish? Hell no. "I'm Only Gonna Be With You" doesn't appeal to the type of people who party on the Beach and Downtown.

And, due to Miami's issues with crime and the language barrier (as you well know) not enough white people are moving down here who would support such a thing. Don't you advocate building a wall or something?

Lauderdale, yeah. It's been and is still done. Miami, South Beach? No way. There's not enough of that demographic around unless you count UM and Pinecrest. And half those kids frequent the open format nights on the Beach or full-on dance clubs.

Live music might grab on on South Beach, but it's going to be Latin, and whatever the current European trend is in live music, which right now actually tends to take a lot of influence from dance music. A lot of the English bands out there these days have "that" sound.

[Guest coach]

I heard that SPACE was rediculosly packed this past weekend. Everywhere on the beach is packed.... Sure, PS is not packed like it used to be but that comes from management... not because EDM is dead.

Actually, the last time I was at Pawn Shop, it was so packed I had to stab 3 people just to get a fucking drink. All 3 spaces were open. Hip Hop in the main room. EDM on the patio. Emo in the back room. All three were slammed as fuck. The CJers actually made their own little space outside the lines on the patio so we wouldn't have to deal with the crowd.

[Guest deprivation]

I knew rock was in trouble when I went to the mall and a salesgirl was trying to sell me a t-shirt that made me look like a rock star. Rock was meant to be a rebellious sound to the establishment like hip hop was back in the late 80's. Not to be sold out for 9-5 folks who can buy ripped jeans and trendy t-shirts to look the part.

As for hair metal -- the spandex, big hair and dance moves got old after awhile. People got so sick of it, they'd rather listen to young white guys whine about their troubles.

[Guest pod]

Thing is, the showmanship and production continued on in other genres, but for whatever reason it didn't "stick" with mainstream America. I never saw what was so amusing about the proverbial white guy whining about his troubles. Considering the song is probably an embellished tale at best.

Maybe it's because the theatrical aspect was carried on by the darker sounds of industrial, goth, and so forth. The stuff that mainstream America didn't get into because of the unfortunate subculture attached to the music. The music and performances in and of themselves aren't so bad, it's the dang pasty kids in the audience. A lot of musicians in the industrial genre actually have a strong background in classical music, engineering, and mathematics. Rock that makes you think without listening to whining.

[Guest ICON]

Pod, you make fun of that line up, but lets look at the facts before you dismiss them.

I was at this bar in NC one night, they played live music, they had this band come up one night, no announcement no nothing. They rocked it! Turns out it was Hootie and the Blow Fish. Which you and others may hate on, but they were hugeeeeeeeeeee and great.

How can anyone hate on Hootie!?

I remember when I went to school at FSU.. there was a bar called Pot Belly's and we use to watch Creed before they blew up... It was pretty cool watching the guys we watched every thursday night becoming a mjor success story on MTV, radio, etc... this was way before the internet was popular and satellite radio... when MTV was still playing a few videos that werent Hip-Hop.

[Guest pod]

I don't necessarily hate on Hootie, I just can't relate to their material. It's a bit bland in my perspective, ya know?

I grew up on a steady diet of the stuff that most of you guys probably shied away from as being too angry. I was an angry little bastard.

[Guest Willie Morales]

EDM is dead and no one wants to see djs perform, here are a couple perfect examples:

I just think we are a little spoiled here in Miami with the huge amount of talent to choose from... don't get me wrong I love live music and it would do great in Miami but I don't think it will have such a huge effect as everyone thinks on the local nightlife... most concerts are over by midnight 1am at the latest and you know no one is going home... so bring on the bands and I’ll see everyone at afterhours...

[V. Barbarino]

EDM is dead and no one wants to see djs perform, here are a couple perfect examples:

I just think we are a little spoiled here in Miami with the huge amount of talent to choose from... don't get me wrong I love live music and it would do great in Miami but I don't think it will have such a huge effect as everyone thinks on the local nightlife... most concerts are over by midnight 1am at the latest and you know no one is going home... so bring on the bands and I’ll see everyone at afterhours...

David Hasslehoff is popular in Germany, but that doesn't mean he's doing well globally. Your examples of what is going on in countries that are behind the US, (remember we invented House music), is a poor one.

[V. Barbarino]

I don't necessarily hate on Hootie, I just can't relate to their material. It's a bit bland in my perspective, ya know?

I grew up on a steady diet of the stuff that most of you guys probably shied away from as being too angry. I was an angry little bastard.

Pod, please take your head out of your ass. I'm not talking about what your or I like, I'm talking about what will make $$$$$$$. Do you think LP gives a fuck about liking his djs? He's in it for the $$$$, thus why clubs should embrace live bands that have mass appeal and can make $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!

[Guest pod]

Different ball of wax down here, like I've been saying. Even discounting afterhours, clubs can and do stay open until 5 AM around these parts. I have yet to see a rock show anywhere that lasts much beyond 2. Now, you could book bands late, but it would take some training on the part of the rock crowd, and the bands themselves.

And live performances versus DJ events are two different beasts. A live performance tends to have everyone focused on the performer, where as a DJ event tends to have people interacting with each other more.

In regards to what the masses like and pulls the most money, well, why hasn't it been done already? LP's been booking dance acts for seven years now. Why didn't he just say "fuck it" and book Uncle Tom and the Blowfish (yes I went there) back in 2004 when the dance music market started to slip?

Simply put, cultural cachet if you will. It's not "cool" to book Tiger Woods and the Angry Sea Bass. That's what people in Tallahassee, Gainesville, insert-college-town here listen too, not the fashionistas of Miami. Hell, the most commercial venues in town, run by the Opium Group, why don't they book mass-appeal acts? Again the "cool" factor. Miami thinks and in some cases is the capital of cool in this country. Booking middle-America rock bands is not cool. Booking DJs is cool. On the live tip, booking English rock bands is cool. Think Hard-Fi. Booking live hip-hop is cool. In Miami, Hootie (sorry, running out of insults) is not cool.

Miami clubs and Miami club owners are willing to sacrifice a bit in terms of money to get that cool factor. Call it ego, call it what you will. It's not fashionable to book that sort of live act in Miami. Will it be? Maybe, maybe not. I don't think it will. It's been tried before, and it never has caught on.

[V. Barbarino]

Different ball of wax down here, like I've been saying. Even discounting afterhours, clubs can and do stay open until 5 AM around these parts. I have yet to see a rock show anywhere that lasts much beyond 2. Now, you could book bands late, but it would take some training on the part of the rock crowd, and the bands themselves.

And live performances versus DJ events are two different beasts. A live performance tends to have everyone focused on the performer, where as a DJ event tends to have people interacting with each other more.

1. 330am, the sobe clubs start to thin out considerable.

2. By 4am, they are usually ghost towns, the clubs make little profit after 4am. Dade can back me up on this.

3. On open format nights, you go from dj to band, back to dj for the close.

4. You can charge higher ticket prices because it's an "event".

[Guest eroc0411]

well i was retired too but then i noticed the V. man had returnd... If thats all the breaking news u got... My friend u should retire!... ANd if ur just here 2 call out spics and blackies.. then go that route, but ur inside info suxs... pawn shop suxs, old news... but since i guess u said its now, its gold! ohh how the flock follows... ... I'd be more impressed if u told me whats being built in all those empty lots next 2 the arts center...

I was at a video shoot at cameo about 7 months ago and a live band does look pretty cool.. but the dance floor ain't that big... so where do u expect the mosh pits or what ever it is u ppl do. no room??? Mansion yes there big enough...

ANd as far as edm music... well its pretty dead.In Ny atleast 2 the extent of ppl buying bottles 2 look cool... I was in ny for six months and no clubs played edm music more then once a week... and 2 be honest there was no much bottle service... Even pacha ny which has mosly edm music still played hip hop in the basement and had a whole other room which is bigger then mokai catering 2 us SPICS.(and they have great bottle promotions, and they take care of loyal customers) i went 2 cielo (ramon's 2nd home) and yea cielo was jamming great vibe but no much of bottle service either.And talking 2 the staff at cielo they said the ower of cielo is beyond rich and has all the respect of big dj's where they dont over charge the venue(ala miami, roger sanchez yet again??? he's $20 bucks in ny how much at cameo this time $60.? suckers!!!) .. Nyc rite now is all bout mash ups and 80's rock...

ANd FYI Saleen, most spics grow up on bands... i know i did... it was all guns n roses, metalica, kiss, joureny, def leppord, b4 i came 2 this country and got in2 hip hop then dance... It took morillo 2 get me going w/ this edm shit... Miami are just a bunch of posers n followers... if opium group decides 2 do live bands... trust me every coke whore and bottle puppy, old rich man will be breaking the doors 2 hear ur live bands... But its up 2 the powers that be... Miami does not lead the revolution it follows it...

further more if this (nick) is the best u can do as far as ur breakng news plz retire...As much as i thought i missed reading ur post i guess not... I can pick up the newspaper and read that live bands r starting 2 be the next wave... Hope it does... right now miami is pretty boring, same shit every nite... diversity never hurts... ANd don't give up on Karu just yet my friend........ welcome back JACK AZZ!

damn pod it was a pain in the ass 2 login in again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[V. Barbarino]

well i was retired too but then i noticed the V. man had returnd... If thats all the breaking news u got... My friend u should retire!... ANd if ur just here 2 call out spics and blackies.. then go that route, but ur inside info suxs... pawn shop suxs, old news... but since i guess u said its now, its gold! ohh how the flock follows... ... I'd be more impressed if u told me whats being built in all those empty lots next 2 the arts center...

I was at a video shoot at cameo about 7 months ago and a live band does look pretty cool.. but the dance floor ain't that big... so where do u expect the mosh pits or what ever it is u ppl do. no room??? Mansion yes there big enough...

ANd as far as edm music... well its pretty dead.In Ny atleast 2 the extent of ppl buying bottles 2 look cool... I was in ny for six months and no clubs played edm music more then once a week... and 2 be honest there was no much bottle service... Even pacha ny which has mosly edm music still played hip hop in the basement and had a whole other room which is bigger then mokai catering 2 us SPICS.(and they have great bottle promotions, and they take care of loyal customers) i went 2 cielo (ramon's 2nd home) and yea cielo was jamming great vibe but no much of bottle service either.And talking 2 the staff at cielo they said the ower of cielo is beyond rich and has all the respect of big dj's where they dont over charge the venue(ala miami, roger sanchez yet again??? he's $20 bucks in ny how much at cameo this time $60.? suckers!!!) .. Nyc rite now is all bout mash ups and 80's rock...

ANd FYI Saleen, most spics grow up on bands... i know i did... it was all guns n roses, metalica, kiss, joureny, def leppord, b4 i came 2 this country and got in2 hip hop then dance... It took morillo 2 get me going w/ this edm shit... Miami are just a bunch of posers n followers... if opium group decides 2 do live bands... trust me every coke whore and bottle puppy, old rich man will be breaking the doors 2 hear ur live bands... But its up 2 the powers that be... Miami does not lead the revolution it follows it...

further more if this (nick) is the best u can do as far as ur breakng news plz retire...As much as i thought i missed reading ur post i guess not... I can pick up the newspaper and read that live bands r starting 2 be the next wave... Hope it does... right now miami is pretty boring, same shit every nite... diversity never hurts... ANd don't give up on Karu just yet my friend........ welcome back JACK AZZ!

damn pod it was a pain in the ass 2 login in again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You could have saved your self ten minutes of typing that and said you agree with me.

[Guest pod]

Really? Your account and pass are the same, and apparently you've managed to login, but anyway...

New York is New York. It is true that for the most part up there the music format is godawful no-talent mashup and open format. I said earlier that there are very few open format guys who have true talent, and I stand by that. Oddly enough, some of your favorite dance DJs make killer open format sets when you're not looking, because well, they understand and produce music, or at the least have studied music theory and know how to count beats, match up songs, scales, tones, et cetra. You've got a master on your hands who can "match" a rock song with a hip-hop song and keep it all in key. I know maybe two full-time open format guys in Miami who would even know what the hell I was talking about when I said that.

Does Miami "follow"? In mainstream commercial club culture, yes. If for whatever reason a Beach club decides to do a live band night, well, it might just go over well if the marketing machine is done right. Cover bands are a dime a dozen. A real band produces and plays it's own material.

The mistake a lot of you guys are making is assuming that Miami is part of the US. Hard to believe that Barbarino of all people is acting as such? Top 40 guitar-plucking isnt gonna fly on the Beach. You'll see Hard-Fi, Mana, and maybe something remotely innovative like Shiny Toy Guns before you see Uncle Tom and the Halibuts. The rock the Beach may carry will be something a bit more trendy and fashionable. Again, every club operator I know is willing to give just a little to maintain that cool factor. And frankly, that's good because there might just be a tiny chance of booking somebody I like. I'm not expecting an out and out brawl on the Cameo dancefloor to the strains of Ministry, but at least something a little more edgy and, well current than some rehashed 90s crap that is playing for $20K and a nice set of suites at the Loews.

Live events can be done on the beach, I just don't see it manifesting itself like you would see in a college town. The audience simply isn't there for that sort of thing. Hell, you want a good example, just look at the lineups at the AA Arena music-wise. Mana, Alejandro Sanz, etc. I can guarantee both those shows will be slammed and possibly sold out. Your live scene on the beach will definitely have a Latin element, perhaps a hip-hop flavor, and most certainly rock that is palatable to the Dolce and Gabbana crowd.

And, yes, there's always going to be a place for just straight up dance music. And by god, sometimes that can be live too. I am surprised lately to see some noted local DJs experimenting with this.

[Guest eroc0411]

Really? Your account and pass are the same, and apparently you've managed to login, but anyway...

New York is New York. It is true that for the most part up there the music format is godawful no-talent mashup and open format. I said earlier that there are very few open format guys who have true talent, and I stand by that. Oddly enough, some of your favorite dance DJs make killer open format sets when you're not looking, because well, they understand and produce music, or at the least have studied music theory and know how to count beats, match up songs, scales, tones, et cetra. You've got a master on your hands who can "match" a rock song with a hip-hop song and keep it all in key. I know maybe two full-time open format guys in Miami who would even know what the hell I was talking about when I said that.

Does Miami "follow"? In mainstream commercial club culture, yes. If for whatever reason a Beach club decides to do a live band night, well, it might just go over well if the marketing machine is done right. Cover bands are a dime a dozen. A real band produces and plays it's own material.

The mistake a lot of you guys are making is assuming that Miami is part of the US. Hard to believe that Barbarino of all people is acting as such? Top 40 guitar-plucking isnt gonna fly on the Beach. You'll see Hard-Fi, Mana, and maybe something remotely innovative like Shiny Toy Guns before you see Uncle Tom and the Halibuts. The rock the Beach may carry will be something a bit more trendy and fashionable. Again, every club operator I know is willing to give just a little to maintain that cool factor. And frankly, that's good because there might just be a tiny chance of booking somebody I like. I'm not expecting an out and out brawl on the Cameo dancefloor to the strains of Ministry, but at least something a little more edgy and, well current than some rehashed 90s crap that is playing for $20K and a nice set of suites at the Loews.

Live events can be done on the beach, I just don't see it manifesting itself like you would see in a college town. The audience simply isn't there for that sort of thing. Hell, you want a good example, just look at the lineups at the AA Arena music-wise. Mana, Alejandro Sanz, etc. I can guarantee both those shows will be slammed and possibly sold out. Your live scene on the beach will definitely have a Latin element, perhaps a hip-hop flavor, and most certainly rock that is palatable to the Dolce and Gabbana crowd.

And, yes, there's always going to be a place for just straight up dance music. And by god, sometimes that can be live too. I am surprised lately to see some noted local DJs experimenting with this.

i had 2 change the password.. it had 2 be reset... then i changed it again...

well like i said b4 wtf does miami stand for other then cubans running this shit!!! hopefully in all those empty lots next 2 the arts center (the V-man hasn't broken the inside info) he could tell us that there breaking ground on some trade schools that will bring the white element in2 town... i read they might be opening a law school.. it would be great if they could really turn that area in2 a college atmosphere. OR atleast asping artist and such. Or maybe just bulldoze all those boarded up stores between Karu and Space and build the marlins a stadium ... And more breaking info... Your city mayor Pete Hernandez wants 2 introduce a bill that stipulates 3 am liquor curfews at downtown clubs... so that would open the door for more rock acts, no?? and i agree w/ V. on opium garden.. all the big promotors are focusing on Mansion and Set... i think suite and snatch are the next 2 get the ax...

only wanna be w/ you... great f-ing song!!!

[Guest Davenavarro10]

Rock concerts can and have been done on the beach. I'll name a few. I know

that the Beastie Boys, Sugar Ray and Lit have played at Crobar. A few years

ago Velvet Revolver played at Mansion and I heard the place was packed.

I think it all depends on the bands that are booked. If the Chilli Peppers or

Pearl Jam were to play at Cameo, I guarantee that all hell would break loose.

They'd probably have to play a few nights in a row because the demand would

be so high. The Strokes played at Billboard Live years ago when they were

just starting out. I think a band like Live could easily fill up Cameo or Mansion.

Rock is coming back to the beach, but not in the clubs. There are going to be

quite a few bands playing at The Filmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason

Theater. Which is a great place for a rock show. I saw The Strokes there

3 years ago, and they were amazing. It's a great venue. And one of the

greatest rock singers of our time Mr. Chris Cornell will be performing on Nov.

3rd at Revolution in Fort Lauderdale. This is a show you don't want to miss.

[Guest pod]

Wow, and I thought I was the whitest Latin I knew. You take the cake, Eroc. Hand in your Sedanos discount card at the door and trade it for an Albertson's one.

Hernandez has an uphill fight on the 3 AM issue if in fact it isn't just him rambling, which it most likely is. First of all, with the Beach at 5 AM for the foreseeable future (The one thing that dirty bastard Dermer did right by shelving the issue), Downtown isn't going to scale back to 3 AM anytime soon. It may end up being a 'grandfathered' zone, whereas any venue with a 24 hour permit gets to stay open late if they were there if and when the measure passed. Plus, I'd say half of the Commission is supporting the district at the moment. The one club who's best interest involves having the zone has made calls to action on this issue to people who are on the inside track repeatedly.

Last month there was a meeting with the Commissioner for the district (Sarnoff), and lo and behold, Space calls everyone and anyone involved in clubland to show up to this meeting. Well, about 200 people did, versus 20 or so residents who showed up, most of whom did not care either way about the clubs, but were largely there to ask for more parking, more cops, and the controversial video surveillance system. In a magnanimous gesture, LP even offered to pay the mortage for a year of any condo owner or tenant who complained about the noise from his club. Plus, elections are coming up, so Hernandez is just blustering for the liberal media again.

But anyways, what I'm getting at, again, is that the Miami club scene is too trendy for it's own good to accept cheesy whiteboy rock bands like Pearl Jam and Live for their own good. Velvet Revolver went over well simply because they're a real rock band that has it in them to fuck supermodels and have bad drug habits still. In other words, party like the proverbial rock stars. People don't want the boy next door on a 20 dollar acoustic in a South Beach club. They want the gods of rock music, or barring that, someone with a sense of adventure and showmanship. A horde of VIPers isn't gonna have patience for some guy whining on stage. They want to be wowed, and they certainly don't want to share floor space with your typical rock and roll fan. Can you see some Birkenstock wearing scumbag (Don't tase me bro!) going to SET or Cameo for a rock show? Hell no! Fabrizio would be spinning in his grave if he was dead. South Beach has always prided itself for better or for worse as being the "American Riviera", or in their less lucid moments, an offshoot of the Mediterranean coast. And those two exclusive locales do not include normal whiteboy American rock music. There's live music, certainly, but it's probably in French, Spanish, or Italian. Good example thus far of that is Tu Madre at Cameo, they've managed to successfully book a few Latin live acts in the short existence of the party. Jazid? Latin, jazz, funk, R & B, nary a broke student to be seen.

Your live music on South Beach will be Latin, trendy, and European-influenced. And there's always a spot for dance music. There has been for the past 30 some-odd years in nighttime entertainment in this city. Longer than most of you guys have been alive. There's some DJs from this town whose careers have spanned more than that, too. Disco, New Wave, house, trance, freestyle...you get the picture. There's isn't gonna be a sea change in club design, business, and trends because a few people on some forum say so.