Music in Miami?

[Tombo 7/4]

I'll spend next week in Miami for business.
Can't seem to find anything interesting musically on the net.
Suggestions?
Gigs, clubs, jazz, latin, stores, drumshops...or anything worth seeing??
Thanks
T

[beat hit]

I guess no front-line nor closet HODers in the Miami area!! Too bad!!

PS: Hey Tombo... Hope you're doing well.. Let us know if you find anyting interesting during your stay in Miami!!!

[DSOP]

I lived in Coconut Grove for a while long ago. There should be some good latin music somewhere in Miami Beach. There were also one or two clubs in Coconut Grove with live music every night. Downtown Miami is probably not happening at all.

[Phil T.]

Don't know much about music scene, but South Beach is where the clubs are.

http://www.visitsouthbeachonline.com/

[Tombo 7/4]

Back from Miami. 4 deluge days, 3 sunny days.
Was working downtown, staying in South Beach.
Being a latin jazz zealot I was counting on the Arturo Sandoval Jazz Club, but it was closed. Arturo recently moved to CA. Pretty much a cultural desert.

But!...the HOTTIES!! Gee...!!!
I was in a tiny oceanfront hotel squeezed between the Delano and the ShoreClub Skybar, the two upscale night clubs for the R&F.
I could sneak in a couple times just before they put the velvet ropes. Mercedes limousines, Hummer limousines, name it were coming and going non-stop.
They were shooting a movie one day at the ShoreClub, I swear I saw Johnny Depp...

Got a deal on a Les Paul. Had I told you that I'm now a total guitar freak? Haven't perused HOD for ~4 months. I spend my free time shredding axes. More later.

[Henry II]

Back from Miami. 4 deluge days, 3 sunny days.
Was working downtown, staying in South Beach.
Being a latin jazz zealot I was counting on the Arturo Sandoval Jazz Club, but it was closed. Arturo recently moved to CA. Pretty much a cultural desert.

But!...the HOTTIES!! Gee...!!!
I was in a tiny oceanfront hotel squeezed between the Delano and the ShoreClub Skybar, the two upscale night clubs for the R&F.
I could sneak in a couple times just before they put the velvet ropes. Mercedes limousines, Hummer limousines, name it were coming and going non-stop.
They were shooting a movie one day at the ShoreClub, I swear I saw Johnny Depp...

Got a deal on a Les Paul. Had I told you that I'm now a total guitar freak? Haven't perused HOD for ~4 months. I spend my free time shredding axes. More later.

You are spot on that Miami is a cultural desert. Back in the 70's there were half a dozen decent jazz clubs and a dozen rock clubs in the area. Now, live music, any genre, is virtually non-existant. And, notwithstanding the R&F, the greater Miami area has the lowest per capita income and the lowest per capital level of education of any major city (1 million or more), in the U.S.

[DSOP]

Last time I was in Miami was 2005. I was shocked at how gross and disgusting it was. I loved it in the late 80s.

[Henry II]

Last time I was in Miami was 2005. I was shocked at how gross and disgusting it was. I loved it in the late 80s.

The Greater Miami area has always been a giant shit hole for the most part. It is a stunning contrast in poverty and obscene wealth, especially in the ocean front/water front areas. The City of Coral Gables, which is adjacent to the City of Miami, is an exception. It is the most beautiful city in Florida and a very nice place to live and work, if you can afford it. It was a planned city from the beginning with strict building and zoning laws. There are no bad areas of "The Gables." The worst part of the Gables would be the part that abuts the City of Miami.

Coconut Grove, where you lived, is a historic black segregated neighborhood (part still is), in the South end of the City of Miami proper. It was a bohemian hippy hangout in the 60's and 70's with record shops and head shops. Now, it's been built over with a combination of high rise condos, wannabe artsy fartsy galleries, restaraunts and shops, and is overrun by legions of seemingly parentless teenagers on weekends. Like the rest of Miami-Dade, the ocean front of Coconut Grove is very nice and very rich.

[DSOP]

Spot on Henry. The contrast between stupid rich and complete despair is over the top in Miami. I recall hearing gun shots many nights. One time, my parents were visiting me from Ft. Lauderdale, where they had a winter condo, and they were robbed in their car. My dad foolishly chased the perps on foot! Lucky they didn't shoot him.

I think the whole state of Florida is pretty fucking sad (sorry to any Floridians reading this) and represents the worst that the U.S. has to offer humans. I remember Coral Gables too. A friend lived there. I bet it sucks now too.

[Henry II]

Spot on Henry. The contrast between stupid rich and complete despair is over the top in Miami. I recall hearing gun shots many nights. One time, my parents were visiting me from Ft. Lauderdale, where they had a winter condo, and they were robbed in their car. My dad foolishly chased the perps on foot! Lucky they didn't shoot him.

I think the whole state of Florida is pretty fucking sad (sorry to any Floridians reading this) and represents the worst that the U.S. has to offer humans. I remember Coral Gables too. A friend lived there. I bet it sucks now too.

Are you familiar with Forbes Magazine's "Most Miserable City" index? It's based on a combination of crime, traffic, jobs, cost of living, political corruption, etc. etc. In 2011, Miami was #2 and Stockton California was #1. This year, Miami is #1, West Palm Beach is #4, and Ft. Lauderdale is #7. So, the 3 major cities in South Florida (all within 50 miles), combine to basically make the most miserable area in the U.S. Hell, political corruption, alone, is enough make Miami the most miserable city in the World.

Here's a link to the Forbes article: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenha ... le-cities/

PS: Coral Gables is still a beautiful city.