As if the pace of the world wasnt fast enough, movements in Miami nightlife somehow move even faster. Its not easy to assign a single adjective or attribute to the last decade of after-hours happenings in the city: the 2010s saw both the rise and subsequent commercialization of Wynwood, the decline of South Beach as a nightclub mecca, and the dawn of downtown Miami as a haven for after-hours misfits. Although we lost Grand Central, Electric Pickle, and countless more spots, we gained the promise of a renewed Club Space and accumulated countless anecdotes that made Miami nightclubs the subject of fascination around the world.
Here are ten moments that defined Miami nightlife over the last decade:
Nightclubs come and go in Miami all the time, but few end up with the kind of long-lasting legacy left by the Electric Pickle. When Will Renuart and Tomas Ceddia decided in 2008 to open up a venue in Wynwood, the neighborhood was effectively desolate after dark, with the neon "Bar Open Liquor" sign on the club's building serving as the only sign of life. Over the course of its ten-year lifespan, Pickle managed to punch well above its weight despite its diminutive size. Influential electronic acts like Ed Banger figurehead Busy P, Maceo Plex, Nicolas Jaar, and Seth Troxler all stopped by at some point to get behind the decks. So when the Pickle announced it was closing for good at the end of June 2019, Miami's dance music community mourned the loss of the institution the best way it knew how by packing the dance floor all the way until last call. While Electric Pickle may be gone, its spirit lives on at ATV Records, Renuart's latest project with event producer Poplife, former Grand Central owner Brad Knoefler, and Casa Florida's Gaston Gonzalez. Even with an inviting new space and Pickle's iconic disco ball in tow, it's hard to imagine even Renuart will be able to recreate those ten magical years on North Miami Avenue and NE 29th Street. Jose D. Duran
Trick Daddy performed Grand Central's final show.
Photo by George Martinez
The pulse of Miamis nightlife once beat on the corner of North Miami Avenue and NW Seventh Street. Grand Central, one of the most vibrant venues in Miami's history, was born on March 24, 2010. Under Poplife's guidance, its off-kilter bookings which encompassed everything from indie rock and hip-hop to dance music impressive lighting and raucous dance floor made the downtown club was a safe haven for Miamis freaks. Upstairs laid the Garret, a club within a club that hosted live shows and unforgettable parties such as Peachfuzz and Catwalk. After a solid five-and-a-half years of spilled beers and sweat-tinged memories, the Grand Central met its demise and closed its doors on September 26, 2015. While the club never outright explained the reason for its untimely closure, all signs pointed to the construction of the Miami Worldcenter, which mowed down other nightlife fixtures such as Will Call and Mekka in its wake. Grand Centrals closure left a crater-shaped hole in the hearts of local nightcrawlers and music lovers, but its legacy will live on forever. Jessica Gibbs
LIV got a refresh in 2017.
Courtesy of LIV
Often derided by electronic music purists as a tourist trap made for people who care more about bottle service than actually hitting the dance floor, LIV has wound up having the last laugh this decade. In 2008, the Fontainebleau reemerged from a two-year, $1 billion renovation that saw it transformed from a fading resort to a leader in the hospitality industry. The opening of LIV whose name actually derives from the roman numerals for the year the hotel opened, 1954 in the former Tropigala Lounge was a large reason for this. The nightclub got off to a rough start, as its opening coincided with the start of the Great Recession never mind that Miami Beach's nightclub epicenter was located in South Beach, far away from the Fontainebleau's Mid-Beach locale. However, thanks to its charismatic main man, David Grutman, it was able to keep chugging along until the economy recovered and tourists with disposable income returned. Since then, LIV has repeatedly appeared on the Nightclub & Bar Media Group's list of the 100 Highest-Grossing Nightclubs in the U.S. However, its highest honor might be the consistent name drops it gets from hip-hop artists. In 2017, LIV underwent a $10 million renovation that brought in an upgraded lighting system and refreshed decor. Sure, LIV isn't an underground haven, but it's demonstrated it doesn't have to be. EDM and open-format DJ sets have always been its key to success, and Grutman wouldn't have it any other way. Jose D. Duran
Opening night at Wood Tavern.
Photo by Logan Fazio
It's hard to pinpoint the exact moment when a neighborhood becomes gentrified, but the opening of Wood Tavern in December 2011 seems as good a marker for Wynwood as any. The outdoor patio and hipster vibe of the NE 25th Street and NW Second Avenue bar got Kendall residents to dip their toes into a part of town that used to be considered off-limits after dark. Long lines to enter Wood Tavern soon became commonplace on Saturday nights, and competitors such as Gramps and El Patio began popping up in its radius. Wood Tavern played a major role in empowering Wynwood to take the crown from Coconut Grove and South Beach as the Miami neighborhood where locals go to party. David Rolland
DJ Shadow at Mansion.
Photo by George Martinez
DJ Shadows forced removal from the decks at the now-closed nightclub Mansion in December 2012 was a flashpoint in the debate over the effects EDM was having on dance culture. After the celebrated beatmaker was forced to stop playing by a promoter for apparently being too future for the Miami Beach crowd, a social media shitstorm ensued, dragging the reputation of South Beach and Miami clubs at large down with it. The fallout of the event saw Mansion issue an apology and Shadow share the mix with a cheeky note attached. Fortunately, he returned less than a year later in October 2013: III Points deliberately sought Shadow out as a headlining act for the first year of the festival, a gesture designed to show Miami was ready for sounds beyond bass drops and chants of 1, 2, 1, 2, 3 lets go! in its dance music mixes. For as ridiculous as the whole thing was, the incident embodied several of the trends and competing ideologies that dominated Miamis after-hours culture in the 2010s. Zach Schlein
The 2010s was the decade of EDM and mega-club excess, and while Las Vegas may be the nation's capital for confetti cannon chicanery, no bottle-service palace out VIPs LIV on Miami Beach. Although everyone from Lil Wayne to Drake has name-dropped LIV on Sunday and Kanye West famously rapped about owner David Grutman kicking out a groupie in "On Sight," EDM kingpin Calvin Harris is the only DJ to actually get on the mic and call for the removal of a loud-mouthed fan from the club, as he did in August 2013. On the night in question, the Scottish superstar was hot off then-recent hits "We Found Love" and "Feel So Close," the latter of which he stopped abruptly when a woman yelled at him to "play something original." "That song was originally written by me," he replied. "Why do you come to a fucking Calvin Harris show where Calvin Harris is DJing and don't even know Calvin Harris tracks you dumb fucking bitch?" The rest of the audience roared as Harris threatened to play the song all night just for her before demanding that Grutman kick her out. Hey, that's the VIP EDM crowd for ya. Kat Bein
The 24/7 party palace E11even has quickly become one of the city's most popular clubs.
There was a time when the building opposite Club Space was occupied by a dingy strip club called Goldrush. Unfortunately, the spot relied more on the fact that it operated on a 24-hour liquor license to attract clientele than its actual talent (or lack thereof.) Everyone knew if you wanted to see Miami's best strippers, you had to travel up to the county line and check out places like King of Diamonds or Tootsie's. Goldrush quietly closed in 2013 and was partly demolished; since then, a barely clothed behemoth had opened in its place. In February 2014, Miami was introduced to E11even and the city's 24-hour party district would never be the same. While scantily clad dancers are the norm here, the club prefers to refer to itself as a "cabaret." Whatever it is, this hedonistic destination has attracted the likes of Jamie Foxx, Diplo, Rick Ross, Kaskade, and Drake since it started doing business. However, its greatest achievement may have been breaking Space's unilateral dominance in the area. For well over a decade, Space was the unquestioned after-hours spot for all of Miami; but with the lure of big-name acts, an incredible light show, and, yes, X-rated entertainment, E11even quickly became an alternative for those who'd rather party under LED lights than the sun. (Space later gained back much of its footing after the Space Invaders took over the legendary club in 2016.) E11even was also part of the larger movement that saw South Beach's nightlife offerings decline as areas like Wynwood and downtown started to exert their dominance. Jose D. Duran
Closing night at Tobacco Road.
Photo by Alex Markow
Were gathered here today to celebrate the life of the Vagabond, White Room, Bardot, the Stage, Heart, Foxs Sherron Inn, Tobacco Road, Wynwood Yard, and Sidebar. These legendary venues provided countless moments that defined Miami nightlife in the past decade, whether they caused permanent hearing loss from epic performances hosted on their stages or waking up to an empty bank account after a night of debauchery. From ongoing battles with the City of Miami and noise complaints from neighbors to making way for a giant apartment building, these local venues shuttered far before our fragile cafecito-fueled hearts were ready. It is with a heavy heart that we leave behind this decade and move forward with the fond memories of all things lit. Jessica Gibbs
Mokai's horse stunt.
Screengrab from video
On March 9, 2018, someone decided it might be cool to walk a horse into Mokai nightclub. It was extremely fucking not, because the horse fell down and bucked a poor VIP hostess of its back. Inevitably, a video went viral, there was an earthquake of online outrage, and Mokai's business license was revoked. But this is Miami, where consequences stick to the rich like a magnet on plastic, and just ten days later Mokai was allowed to open again. Its still in business too, a shining example of the worst parts of Miami nightlife. And Mokai's owner Roman Jones - who denied any prior knowledge of the stunt, even though his Instagram page shows the judgment of a man who might think this is all just a great idea is still enjoying a booming career in local hospitality. He also ended up buying that horse in a nauseating PR stunt. Apparently he renamed it "Hope" and relocated it to a barn, where it hopefully got a running start and kicked him in the balls as hard as it could. Ryan Pfeffer
Sunrise at Space.
Photo by Karli Evans
The year 2000 always sounded like some kind of sci-fi dream, which may or may not explain the name of Club Space. It opened at the edge of the millennium and welcomed a new era of Miami nightlife extravagance. For years, the Club has welcomed international DJs to play marathon sets on its famed open-air Terrace where partiers revel in the year-long warmth many hours past sunrise. The downtown institution survived Eminems era when nobody listens to techno to enjoy the fruits of the EDM explosion, changing hands a couple of times in between, but by the middle of the decade, Club Space had become infamous for things like strippers on the first floor and having your phone stolen. It always commanded top-tier talent, but it started to leave a gritty taste in club-goers mouths, until 2016 when Justin Levine and a group of investors bought the place out. Club Space is now managed and programmed by Davide Danese, Jose Coloma, and David Sinopoli, who represent years of experience booking for Link Miami Rebels and III Points respectively. The new team, who dubbed themselves the Space Invaders, renovated the world-famous Club Space and breathed new life into its sturdy bones. Club Space has once again become a premier destination for house and techno lovers around the world, as well as an empowered venue for live music with the Ground downstairs. Kat Bein
The rest is here:
Ten Moments that Defined Miami Nightlife in the 2010s - Miami New Times
