If mega-corporations insist on jamming their brands down our throats, then please let them continue doing it with a culture chaser. Recently, Heineken brought Miami a free Cold War Kids concert and a few months back, Diesel gave us a gratis performance of Santigold and Kid Cudi. And now, Ford…

It’s funny to think that rich, fancy folks pay for sweat lodges when all we have to do is step outside for the next 3-4 months. Are you feeling grateful yet? Yeah, us neither. As you’ll notice, all of this week’s free recs happen indoors. The days of moonlit concerts…

We’re always on the lookout for art that seeps outside of the streets of Wynwood. This month, South Florida screen print artist Rocky Grimes is exhibiting and selling his one-of-a-kind designs at “Normal Absurdity,” an art show at Kidrobot in Miami Beach. What’s he doing showing multimedia videos, hand printed…

Almost all industrialized democracies have done away with the death penalty, but not the United States, putting us in the illustrious company of China, Iran, and Iraq. Some states have abolished it, but here in Florida, it’s standing room only on death row. A local theater company, Alliance Theatre Lab,…

Kurdish director Bahman Ghobadi takes us through the underground music scene in Tehran, where all Western-style music is prohibited. Based on real people, places, and events, Nobody Knows About Persian Cats follows Negar Shaghaghi and Ashkan Koshanejad of the indie band Take It Easy Hospital (yes, a real band) as…

“Like a cocaine cowboy/Making deliveries/I’m at your front door/Bringing you histories.” Listen to Black Bobby and you just might learn something. This D.C.-born indie rapper studied politics at Harvard before moving to Miami to start a record label. He worked on the Obama campaign, got fed up with politics, and…

Her iconic hit “Stay” is still kicking around in our heads, but what has Lisa Loeb been up to the past 16 years? Well, she released her famous Purple Tape album on CD, made some children’s music albums, filmed a couple of reality shows, and in a genius move, designed…

Just when you thought you knew every inch of Miami, a new event space opens. The Simigo Gallery and Workspace is the creation of two artists: photographer Jayme Gershen and painter Rosaura Perez. The duo has already enticed international artists for residencies and performances. This weekend, they will host Luis…

Just when you thought you knew every inch of Miami, a new event space opens. The Simigo Gallery and Workspace is the creation of two artists: photographer Jayme Gershen and painter Rosaura Perez. The duo has already enticed international artists for residencies and performances. This weekend, they will host Luis…

A new exhibit at the Dina Mitrani Gallery takes a firm stance on technology: The digital age murdered photography. Remember how long you spent composing a shot in the days of film? Compare that to your indiscriminate snapping with your digital camera. It’s the image that’s become expendable, not the…

Think of this Saturday’s Sweet Treats Ride as a scavenger hunt for cavities. Beginning at 10 a.m., hungry two-wheelers will meet at the Douglas Road Metrorail station. From there, the first stop will be Chocolate Fashion in the Gables for ganaches, truffles, and tiramisu; next on to cupcake mecca Buttercream…

Ever since we saw Ben Affleck in Pearl Harbor, we’ve been investigating where exactly Hollywood went so wrong. Turns out the turning point was in 1927, when studio head William Fox invited German expressionist filmmaker F. W. Murnau to make an art film with a studio budget. The result, Sunrise,…

It’s only June, but it’s already been a banner year for the filmmakers at Borscht. Last month, they showed a short film at Cannes  — Day N Night Out, written by Tarell Alvin McCraney and directed by Lucas Leyva. And one of their films won second place at a contest…

We’re guessing most of you already know about the shower of hip-hop events hitting Miami this long weekend, but allow us to point out some other events worthy of your time and cash. There’s a saucy Fetish party happening all weekend in Broward. If you’re willing to sport a gag…

If you think about it, Memorial Day, which commemorates fallen soldiers, is a bit of a downer. Comedian Mark Curry has the right idea: Send all the jailed gangbangers, crackheads, and pedophile priests to fight in Iraq – and their lawyers too. Curry, that affable guy from Hangin’ with Mr…

Ever since the World Cup began, we’ve been on a strict diet of all things footie-related. That’s why a night at the movies has to be the Ken Loach Retrospective at the Miami Beach Cinematheque. He’s one of England’s most acclaimed social realist filmmakers, but his latest, Looking for Eric,…

After much debate, size really does matter. The preferred measurement: small, you know, less than 15 inches. Honestly, where do you expect us to put anything bigger? And even if we did have the wall space, our wallets couldn’t bankroll the large-format art pieces usually found in galleries. Luckily, Artformz…

This Thursday through Sunday, you don’t want to find yourself sitting in the front row of the Miami Improv. Canadian comedian Ian Bagg will be at the mike, and his whole bit revolves around calling audience members assholes. “Man, there are a lot of old people in here. Did a…

In a performance of “Mi Novio Es un Zombi” (“My Boyfriend Is a Zombie”), Spanish pop singer Alaska, looking like a gothed-up Cher, grinds onstage with a Freddy Krueger impersonator. In 1989, she and bass player Nacho Canut formed electro pop band Fangoria, naming it after a horror magazine. The…