Of Montreal With Boogarins Grand Central Miami Wednesday, May 7, 2014 Better Than: Of Montreal’s recorded material. Of Montreal is one of those critically acclaimed bands whose dozen-album deep catalog is impossible to dive into. That is, unless you see them live. Such an occurrence will baptize you into the…
Haim With Shy Girls Fillmore Miami Beach Tuesday, April 29, 2014 Better Than: The musical skills of any other teeny bopper groups. Haim (pronounced unlike late-1980s teen dreamboat Cory and more like the last four letters of Hebrew toast l’chaim or the first four letters of Spanish name Jaime) have…
There aren’t many musicians who inspire serious scholarship, but Bruce Springsteen is one of them. The New Jersey native has sold more than 120 million albums over his four-decade-plus career. Although many acts that started in the 1960s or ’70s still sell out arenas, most of these musicians (without naming…
The conversation didn’t start well when I asked singer Matisyahu to comment on his new album, Akeda. “Have you heard it?” he replied. Since it’s not out until June 3, I told him the truth, that I had not. “Listen to these songs,” he said, “and call me back.” See…
The Love Song of R. Buckminster Fuller A live documentary by Sam Green and Yo La Tengo The Colony Theatre, Miami Beach Saturday, March 22, 2014 Better Than: Any movie playing in the multiplex (except maybe The Grand Budapest Hotel). Even in this multitasking day and age when people respond…
Buckminster Fuller was a man full of fascinating ideas. The second president of Mensa is remembered for being an inventor, author, and most famously an architect who popularized the use of geodesic domes. In fact, Fuller thought the geodesic dome could solve the world’s housing problem because of its incredible…
Need a dose of that old-school vibe for your rap track? Well, R&B singer Anthony Hamilton provides a fine, cost-effective alternative to pricey soul samples. “A lot of people want that old sound, that old grit.” he says, speaking by phone from his North Carolina home. “So they say, ‘Let’s…
Swamp Stomp Music Festival With Bright Light Social Hour, Roosevelt Collier’s Phunk Phactory, and others Tobacco Road, Miami Saturday, March 1, 2014 Better Than: The sound of alligators and mosquitos lurking in the dark. As you look toward the sky from the Tobacco Road parking lot and see the multitude…
Soulfrito Music Festival With Nas, Don Omar, Busta Rhymes, and others Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens Saturday, February 22, 2014 Better Than: The Winter Olympics. In contrast to the Olympic Games being broadcast the past couple weeks, Soulfrito: The Urban Latin Music Festival was organized to represent nations — Puerto…
Even if Wendy Davis loses her bid to be governor of Texas, she can be proud that her political career inspired a great song. Just as the Beatles wrote “Come Together” in honor of Timothy Leary’s campaign to be governor of California, the members of Bright Light Social Hour wrote…
Nine Mile Music Festival With Ms. Lauryn Hill, Stephen Marley, Damian Marley and others Miami-Dade County Fairgrounds, Miami Saturday, February 15, 2014 Better Than: Staying home, eating discounted Valentine’s chocolates while listening to “One Love” over and over again. After last year’s Nine Mile Music Festival earned complaints for making…
Twenty years ago, one of the most common arguments between bong hits was who was the better bassist Primus’s Les Claypool or the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s Flea. Like many other such debates (such as whether peanut butter tastes better scooped directly out of the jar), this age old question…
Tegan & Sara VH1 and Scope’s Art + Music + Beach Party SCOPE Pavilion, Miami Beach Friday, December 6, 2013 At 8 p.m., the massive oceanfront tent that houses one of the largest auxiliary fairs during Art Basel Miami Beach week, Scope, closed its doors for the night. Nearby, a…
Janelle Monáe With Roman GianArthur Fillmore Miami Beach Saturday, November 23, 2013 Better Than: James Brown reincarnated as a woman. Janelle Monáe’s set began with four roadies dressed in matching white pants, lab coats, bowties, and glasses clustered in front of the stage, seeming to be in the middle of…
Growing up on Key Biscayne, author Soman Chainani was surrounded by lots of good children and lots of evil children. He was able to combine his observations on their behaviors with his imagination to write the New York Times bestselling young adult novel, The School for Good and Evil. This…
Climb high enough on the tree of American rock ‘n’ roll history and you will reach two branches, one marked Elvis Presley, the other Bob Dylan. Climbing higher up Elvis’ side, you find rhythm and blues and gospel; higher on Dylan’s side is country and folk. As polar opposite as…
G. Love and Special Sauce at Culture Room January 26 and 27
