Music & Nightlife


Edited by Virginia Gil timeout.com/miami/music @virginwrites Front and center


Between emerging artists to superstars, musicians have their pick of stages across Miami’s growing list of performance halls. By Jon Warech


The Fillmore


FOR YEARS, LIVE music in Miami was limited to mainstream acts in giant arena shows or little-known bands playing the club circuit, but things are changing. What’s finally bringing the indie acts and exciting tours to town? It’s concert halls, like the increasingly popular Knight Concert Hall at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts (1300 Biscayne Blvd; 305-949-6722, arshtcenter.org), which, according to vice president of programming Liz Wallace, has helped put Miami on the map for certain artists who didn’t have a home here before. “Where would Harry Connick Jr. or Tony Bennett perform if we weren’t here?” The venue, which seats 2,200 and has


welcomed acts like the Roots and the Beach Boys, has aided in revamping the city musically. “Look what happened to Nashville,” she says, alluding to the way the city extended its offerings beyond country music with new venues. “Nashville was very specific and now it has exploded because it’s a welcoming community for music makers.” Wallace hopes Miami is on that path, and helping the cause is Live Nation, which operates the Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater (1700 Washington Ave, Miami Beach; 305-673-7300, fillmoremb


DISCOVER! Time Out Miami May 18–August 16, 2017 52


.com) and Bayfront Park Amphitheater (301 Biscayne Blvd; bayfrontparkmiami .com). “The buying power that comes with having that Live Nation name allows the concert theaters to go after acts that wouldn’t normally play a smaller venue,” says Samantha de Silva, director of sales for premium seats at the Fillmore. “It revitalized the Fillmore, gave it relevance in the scene and made it able to compete with nightclubs and other venues.” South Beach has never had options for the kind of musicians packing the Fillmore’s mainstage; Sting, Lana Del Rey and Chance the Rapper have all played before sold-out audiences. The theater is also home to the Gleason Room (400-person capacity) and the newly restored 120-person VIP Room, which has an advanced sound system for shows and after-parties. This summer’s lineup includes Spain’s La Oreja de Van Gogh and tribute band Brit Floyd. Across the bay, Bayfront Park Amphitheater’s marketing director Karina Mestre says the Live Nation partnership has also made an impact. “It’s bringing more awareness to Miami because of these shows.” The venue recently hosted John Legend’s Darkness & Light tour. Bayfront’s


rise to prominence has been slow over the past two years, but this summer the venue welcomes more acts than before: Third Eye Blind, Deftones, Silversun Pickups and others. Proximity to public transportation is a draw, but so is the neighborhood itself. “Downtown comes alive. You have the skyline and the bay, so whether you have lawn seats or front row, you’re going to get a great view,” says Mestre. Outdoor options are also expanding in Miami Beach with the North Beach Bandshell, a city-owned venue that, as of last year, is managed by Rhythm Foundation. “It went from a few events a year to shows every weekend,” says communications director Karla Arguello. The Bandshell has welcomed the likes of Beirut and Hot Chip. “We bring music from all over the world, so we have something for everyone.” Musically, that’s really what this city has


become: something for everyone, with a venue for nearly every act. “People have a more cultured view of Miami with regards to music now,” says De Silva. “Now that we have a bigger music scene with a show almost every weekend, it gives people something to look forward to.”


Get more concert info at timeout.com/miami/music.


PHOTOGRAPHS: SHUTTERSTOCK


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