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Top 10 Indie Clubs in Miami: Awarehouse

The Awarehouse has 20,000 renovated square feet for Miami’s latest center of contemporary culture and artistic ingenuity. It is an events’ venue for live performances, a hub for fine art showcases, and headquarters of the Acustronic concept label & Luis Perez Galeria.

By Dawn Dubriel // September 2011

Here is the whole top ten, including some of our favorite neighbors.

Best of Miami 2011

Thank you to the Miami New Times and all of you who voted us for “Best Place to Throw a Party” 2011!! Check out the mention here and in print.

On this night, you decide you’re tired of the bright gallery lights, the soulless corridors of corporate event spaces, and the stale cigarette-scented couches of megaclubs. You go in search of the rabbit hole — a place where art freaks can wander aimlessly through a maze of exhibits, indie-electro fans can bang heads to the beat all night long in a warehouse garage, and New York City transplants can collapse on beanbags in a 10,000-square-foot garden to watch video projections like they’re at a Central Park concert. You drink the magic potion and realize that Wonderland is really Wynwood and that the Mad Hatter tea party could take place only at Awarehouse. You quickly make friends with past partiers: electronic-norteño accordion players from Tijuana’s Nortec Collective, funk-heavy hip-hoppers from N.E.R.D., American Apparel enthusiasts freaking over a rummage sale, and a plethora of experimental painters and photographers who love to watch disco lights roam over their canvases. Eventually you’ll pine for the real world once again. But tonight you’ll happily settle for life through the looking glass.

Awakening at the Awarehouse

The Awarehouse is not really a gallery or even a regular exhibition space. For the most part, it is known as a handsome multi-media and live music venue, which sometimes hangs up art. But, this month and through July, the art gets serious here — although, in its essence,the group show meshed with the musical evening, which became the main event, featuring the likes of Mr. Feathers and Askultura.

Upon first approaching the garden this evening, a plane landing at night greets visitors on an outdoor wall. Runway lights make up the looping 16 millimeter installation from Barron Sherer called “Low Visibility Loop.”

Resting on a platform, the metallic green disco-ball chair with huge molecules — or space balls — sprouting from the seat is the next eye-catcher as you walk into the crisp, two-story renovated warehouse. It’s from SInisa Kukec, as is the light-reflecting, rotating, large, mounted sphere across from it. In between, a whitish, moon-like projection make up his troika. Behind his are three comic-strip cut-out collages from Stephan Tugrul. Rather than looking messy and loud, as pop-collage often does, these are strangely elegant. The cut-out magazine images are layered and layered, so they form their own structure, resembling a landscape set against a metal-gray background.

There’s a nice new sculpture from Brandon Opalka on the front wall, in a similar vein to the works he unveiled at his recent solo show at Dorsch gallery. Made from bottles, a book and a mirror, it’s a 21st century urban altar.

But for many on opening night, the centerpieces in the show move around with you upstairs in the furnished open loft space. They are the hologram sculptures from Mark Diamond, a long-time Miami artist known for his moving, 3-D images. There are some quiet, panoramic still works that deserve a sit-down on the chairs, but the holographs — one of red hot candies, another of a certain jazz musician and his horn — require a good walk around, again and again. Too much explaining will take away the effect.

Downstairs in the back, video artist Juan Maristany and Freddy Jouwayed collaborated on a room with video sculpture and an interactive drawing. On this opening night, a floor covered in pens encourages the crowd to pick one up and add their own scribblings to the ever-spreading wall drawing. Jouwayed works it, too.

There are numerous paintings and some freaky sculpture as well from other artists. All the art will be hanging around for another event on Second Saturday in July, for the type of evening that makes this work come alive.

By Anne Tschida // June 14 2011

Awarehouse Takes Miami Second Saturday to a New Extreme

Nitetalk: Mr. Feathers Flies His Freak Flag into Awarehouse

The cool kids know that Second Saturdays end in the wilds west of Wynwood, at Awarehouse, where the mad merge of sound and vision is always something outta this world. This Second Saturday will be all that and then some. Why? Because the one and only Mr. Feathers is bringing his galactic racket to the stage, that’s why. Niteside couldn’t resist a quick get with.

First, we’ve gotta ask: Did your name come from an Elvis Costello song? No, I know what your talking about though. I see it every time I go to look up something about myself on Google. It was originally Peasants With Feathers (poor people with the hope of rising to the top or fame and or fortune), but then was shortened to just Mr. Feathers.

But you’ve been making a racket for much of your life, right? Yes, I have been spinning and making music almost all my life, you can ask my parents. They used to tell me to stop making all that noise. I remember them telling me that it wouldn’t get me anywhere. Wow, were they wrong! I’m actually playing a live set this upcoming Art Walk on June 11 at Awarehouse. So there!

Don’t you also accompany the infamous Otto Von Schirach when he performs? Indeed, I am one of Otto’s original performers.

How’d that all come about? I was listening to his performance years ago and went straight up to him and asked him if I could get dressed up and perform with him. I didn’t know that before me there had been someone dressed as a clown, which I think was Romulo’s Uncle. So, at the next show, at the Piccadilly Garden, I got in camouflage pajamas and waved around a giant Number 2 pencil. This have changed a lot since then.

Word is you’ve now got your own album out too. Wanna tell us a bit about it? I do have a new album out digitally everywhere. It’s called Galactic Trinity and it’s on Triangle Earth, a label started by Otto Von Schirach himself. Otto and I did some vocals on some of the tracks and made the rest of the sounds.

Will you be performing all of this at Awarehouse on Saturday night? You know it, straight up gansta vomitarium. Little bit of Galactic Trinity, mixed with Miami Bass and alien juice.

Your show is gonna consist of much more than sounds though, no? I’m having Black Barbie do visuals that night. She also has worked for Otto in the past. This should be a real treat for the 1986 raver kids who pass by with their Texas Instruments.

If you had to sum up Saturday night’s spectacle in a single sentence, what would it be? This Saturday could be your Happiest Holiday ever!

Before we go, can you please tell us: Is your heart really made from laser beams? My heart really is made of laser beams you can ask anyone who has ever looked me in the eyes.

Mr. Feathers performs live Saturday June 11 at Awarehouse 550 NW 29th Street West of Wynwood Also on the bill are Axiom, Kirkjon, Askultura, Duncan Ross, organicArma, Operation Human Mind Expansion, Ydiz & Chuckles, Beatmachines and Dusthead.  Doors open at 10pm. For more information log on here.

By John Hood // Tuesday, Jun 7, 2011

[Show Review] Pretty Please CD Release Party

o where do I start? After 2 years of hard work, Pretty Please has finally released their debut album and launched their CD release party this past Saturday on December 11, 2010. The venue was probably one of the best high end venues I’ve been to in awhile, especially for a local show. The venueAwarehouse was a huge building that was more like a huge art gallery. The outside was an enormous outdoor space for artists and painters to paint freely while the outside acoustic acts were performing as warmers for the acts playing inside. The show was supposed to start off with Pocket Of Lollipops, but they cancelled. The event was done very well and considering the venue itself you can tell there was a lot of work put into the CD Release Party.

I want to start off by saying that I’m not into watching a lot of acoustic acts unless they really shine and stand out for me. It’s really not the acoustic acts’ fault, but in my personal view I just get too hyped up for live bands playing that listening to acoustic acts outside doesn’t become much of an interest for me. Considering I was reviewing the show though, I decided to pay more attention and regardless I know a good acoustic act when I see one. I got in just in time for the watered down version of Dead Dead Bird performing outside and it was just two guys, one on percussions and the other one with a acoustic guitar/vocals. I think the show started with a disclaimer that the “vocalist” is not a vocalist or guitarist, but merely just a drummer. They performed a few songs that sounded like they were written and performed right on the spot including a song called ‘Fuck Buddha’ which is the name of their former bassist. The lyrics to the song included a line that went something down the lines of, “he quit the band and to join another one and they probably suck too.” I wasn’t too sure about the crowd’s reaction but I turned away and headed inside.

The inside was filled with a shit load of art and a bar to get your drink on while the DJ inside was spinning a lot of dance music. It was the kind of dance music I wasn’t exactly into neither but a lot of people inside were still dancing to it or just paying attention to the art that was hung on the walls. By this time I was hanging out with my best friend and his girlfriend waiting for one of the highlights of the night to performing on stage, Space Between Words.

I love Space Between Words and their performance was nothing short of great. They had really good stage presences, great crowd interaction, and an energetic performance. There were a few bits of technical difficulties, but they were so unnoticeable because the band kept their shit moving. Space Between Words is a fun band to listen to. They’re humorous on stage, friendly, energetic, and just plain ol’ amazing. If you guys are into The Pixies, Weezer, and/or Sonic Youth, you’ll find a lot of fondness with the sound of Space Between Words.

In the outside stage there was another performance, but it wasn’t exactly an acoustic act, it was a solo electronic musician by the name of Altus Noumena. It was interesting to watch due to the fact that a lot of times you don’t get these kind of acts and it was kind of refreshing to see a difference as opposed to other acoustic acts. Although, not all of his tracks were really my style I do have to say that some of his tracks were actually pretty cool, it was unique and a lot of people were into it. This is really not a negative review at all on this particular performer because I wish I could see a lot of these at our local rock shows.

Next up was a performance by JOCE which was the lead singer of the former legendary local band Al’s Not Well (or Al Is Well). When I wrote earlier about not being too big of a fan of acoustic acts when I’m in the mood to see live bands, JOCE is an exception. I think JOCE is THE local acoustic act that needs to be heard and witnessed no matter what show you’re at. The best way to describe her music would be an experimental folk genre with a Bjork and Beth Gibbons from Portishead voice. You know real talent when someone that uses her voice and guitar solely kicks the ass of your ears.

Right before Pretty Please‘s performance on the main stage inside there was a dance performance byTania Sofia to the music of Afuche. She pretty much danced in the center stage and although I missed half of the performance I was there just in time to see her use a rather large ladder as being part of her routine. It had a fairy tale feel to the performance along with the masquerade-like mask and all. It was really cool actually and not something you always see at a rock show. It’s more evidence that the ones running this event made a huge effort of making this party as artistic as possible.

Finally, Pretty Please’s performance started with the song “Leftovers For The Dogs” which was exciting to see along the fact that Biance Brite was truly back in the band and it wasn’t a false rumor after all. She began the set also by stating that it took 2 years to finally get this record released and that it feels good to be back. I think for old school fans of Outre Violet and beginning era of Pretty Please, it was exciting for the audience. Great way to continue the path of having Biance Brite back for future shows by starting out with her return in the CD release party!

The band had a huge screen in the background that felt as if you were watching an actual stadium band live. The screen showed clips that would relate to the songs they were performing. The band seem very well coordinated with each other as if Biance Brite had never left the band to begin with. The mixture between having Bavie and Bianca together is also very much great force as they share lead vocal duties. It was seriously hard to believe I was even at a local rock show anymore.

The stage was also shared with Ferny Coipel on clarinet, Jorge Gonzalez on guitars, and more. Pretty Please proved to have set the stage like if they were an actual national act and in all honesty while I was there through only half their set, it was all I needed to see. I would highly suggest anyone to come check out a show whenever Pretty Please performs again, but if you missed this show, then you missed the full on power of their performance. Considering they had full control of their show it was very easy to set it up the way they wanted it to. This also proves that Pretty Please ran a great event and in the future I would recommend other venues to allow these guys to take control the way they did.

Overall, the CD Release Party seemed to me like a huge session. The painters outside that gave the theme of the show a great characteristic considering it was targeting the art rock crowd, DJ Saul Good (which played a rougher harsh-beats-type electronic dance music), the venue itself, Space Between Words, JOCE, and Pretty Please were pretty much the main highlight of the show. With the exception of JOCE and Altus Noumena, I wasn’t too thrilled with the acoustic acts. In other words, I think the watered Dead Dead Bird should never do a acoustic set ever. I found that to be quite possibly the biggest and probably only flaw about the show. The anticipation of seeing Pretty Please go on way later than planned was probably another, but its understandable, especially when you’re the band performing AND running the show. My final word is I vote Pretty Please to run more shows like this and that I hope the rest of the local scene pays attention to this side of the local art/local rock scene because it came hand in hand together extremely well.

by: Mario Iván Oña

Riding the Wilds West of Wynwood at Awarehouse

Last weekend, amid the hangovers and general fatigue that inevitably lingers after another blow-out Art Basel, a cool core of a couple hundred or so with-it locals turned out at a spot West of Wynwood to hear a pop punk amalgam known as Pretty Please. In addition to the swingin’ sounds, there were works from a dozen buzzy Miami visualists, among them Claudia Calle, Monica Travis, and Nicole Soden. A proverbial damn good time was had by all. But had not this spot existed, it’s unlikely the racket-makers would’ve been staging at all that night – they certainly wouldn’t have been staging amid such divine splendor. But they all were there, because there is a there there, and that there is called Awarehouse.

Opened in March ‘09 by a collective of digital wizards, art junkies, and all-around explorers of sound and vision, Awarehouse has become the scene of many a righteous night in the wilds West of Wynwood. At any given moment, there are cybernauts inventing their own algorithms, visualists assembling their visions, and sound-slingers rehearsing, recording, or taking to the stage. Not that there are clear delineations between what one does or doesn’t do, mind you – hell, the lines are so often blurred they might as well not exist. But the beehive does boast boisterous action of every stripe, and it’s become the kinda magnet that attracts anyone intent on making more of Miami than what’s been mapped out by those touting best laid plans.

Just ask Iggy Pop. In August of last year, the punk rock legend (and Miami resident) turned up at Awarehouse to help raise A/C money for Sweat Records. The main man made an entire night out of it. In fact, when Mr. Pop wasn’t watching locals Jacuzzi Boys and Awesome New Republic make their patented racket, he was hobnobbing with his neighbors. N.E.R.D. and Kinky seemed to very much dig the space too, at least if their respective stagings are any indication. And each had a packed house of acolytes to help them prove it.

But it’s the crème de la crème of Miami sound and vision that really makes Awarehouse a place in the sun. At one time or another, everybody takes to the place, which only makes perfect sense considering the place was built explicitly for them to take to. But of all the merry music-makers that have taken to Awarehouse, the threesome known as organicArma have taken to it the most. Why? Because they happen to be the hosts, that’s why. And as such, they’ve taken to the place with a graciousness few bands in any land can fathom. In addition to their own stellar shows, it is oA who steps aside and offers up the space for their pals to show the world what they’re made of. And in an age of cutthroat competition and petty backstabbing, that kinda kind action is as rare as snow in this town.

Together organicArma is Phaxas, Dharma, and Abraxas. The former two are responsible for the racket; the latter backs ‘em up with the visually phantastic. Behind them is Sam Camera, who chronicles every nuance of their rising, and Aurax, who serves as a sorta Overseer for them and the entire Awarehouse. As an outfit, oA is riding the wave that roars over the digital divide, and they’ve shown that machines are nothing without a little humanity. As operatives, the five have proven that success can come from being both humane and human. Something to think about the next time you’re considering sticking your foot out in front of your next best friend.

Pretty Please photo courtesy of Jeffrey Delannoy

by: John Hood

Hood’s Eye View: Art All the Year-Round

At first I felt a little taken aback when asked to write about art in October. I mean, Basel isn’t until December, right? And that’s when Miami really goes mad about the subject. But calendar be damned, our town isn’t just a seasonal swing anymore, and our town’s art is no longer just a one-month affair.

In fact, Miami’s art scene is bursting at the seams all year-round. Even in summer, when the heat hits you in the head like a hammer, there’s an onslaught of action everywhere you look — if, that is, you know where to look.

Take Butter Gallery, Paco De La Torre’s haven for Miami’s most with-it visualists. Butter kicked off the heat wave with a scorching exhibit from ATL-based Overthrow associate Greg Mike, whose “Loudmouths” had the whole town chattering. But Butter wasn’t content to create havoc just once over the summer months, and it closed out the heated season with a double shot show that included some very happening photogs (The It Click) and Sean Desmond’s well-traveled and highly regarded look at an infamous San Francisco neighborhood (The Tenderloin Project).

Of course Butter wasn’t the only arthouse going at it under the hottest sun. Bakehouse kept everybody cool (Water) and keen (Books) with twin shows from its residents and associates; Bas Fisher took our town’s oddities to a whole next extreme (Weird Miami); Gallery I/D started out with new works by new artists (Rise), then had Karolina Wojtasik take us to India (Sundara); OHWOW went uber visual (Dadarhea) and put out a booklet of graphic, fantastic postcards to boot (Richardson); and The Awarehouse got into the steam of things by sounding off loud and clear (¡Mira Que Lindas!). Toward the end, even the Bass got into the swing of things (Human Rites), as did MAM (who has a new director by the way), with a show from Miami’s most storied outsider artist, Purvis Young.

Naturally, all of the above have full schedules for fall and beyond, and that includes the ever burgeoning Butter, which will begin the cool down with Yuri Tuma’s Garden party, continue with neo-classicist Rick Falcone’s Living to Die and Dying to Live, then greet Basel with new works from Francesco Lo Castro, including something big with my mug on it. Really.

So, you see, we’re not all about any one month anymore; nor are we subject to any one season. This is Miami, baby, and we rage all year long.

Photo Star Claudia Calle Turns Her Lens on China

When the Colombian-born, MIA-based lenswoman Claudia Calle turned her keen eye and camera on China, the resulting images took the International Photography Awards’ “Best of Show.” On Saturday night The Awarehouse is throwing an opening party in her honor — and yes, the vivid pics will be on display.

Why China? I had the privilege to visit China three years ago as I have always had an interest in learning about the culture. I love to travel and learn about new countries, people, food, culture, religion, and passion.

It’s a long way from your native Colombia, in many aspects, isn’t it? Yes, it is. Coming from Colombia to Miami itself was a long way. But I’ve been in this country for more than ten years now. Going to China is a long trip, but well worth taking! It opened my eyes to amazing people, and I also found similarities with my native country — Colombians are friendly, hospitable, honest, hard workers, just like the Chinese.

How much time did you spend in country and what was one of the most surprising things you learned? I was in China for a month and I was surprised by the misconception I had about their culture. I thought they were stiff, mass-producing, insensitive robots. I was so wrong! They are lovely, sensitive people with true values about their family and culture.

I was most impacted by the pollution. They are destroying their ecosystem for future generations just to please a global consumer and to become a powerful country. I saw Chinese people adopting western culture and forgetting about their heritage and methodologies. They eat at McDonalds, drink Starbucks, dream about buying new cars and wear foreign brand clothing (ironically, almost all of it is “Made in China”). The illusion of progress is changing their “Long Life” philosophy for a lifestyle that is fast, solitary, unhealthy and stressful.

Were there any other preconceived notions that were dispelled while you were there? Yes. In fact, perhaps all my preconceptions were dispelled. I thought Chinese people looked alike; not true at all. I thought they produced only cheap quality stuff; again, not true at all.

Your China series earned the “Fine Art Collage” first place achievement from the International Photography Awards. I understand the competition was quite stiff, no? My “Republic of China” series was selected among 15,000 submissions from 103 countries. I was also hand-picked to appear in the IPA “Best of Show” Exhibit in late-October in New York. I was extremely honored.

Awarehouse. Claudia Calle’s Fine Art Collage

In celebration of Claudia Calle’s “Fine Art Collage” first place achievement from the International Photography Awards (“IPA”), presenting The Road to Calle: Republic of China, a solo exhibition at Luis Perez Galeria / Awarehouse. The artist will showcase a series of socio-cultural images, which represent China’s controversial mass production issues, globalization, copyrights and propaganda. Slated to coincide with Wynwood’s monthly Second Saturday Art Walk, the opening reception takes place on Saturday, October 9th, 2010 from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m., which is free and open to the public. A beer sampling courtesy of Samuel Adams and DJ sets by Aramis (Poplife), Mr. Pauer (Fabrika) and Kiko de Gallo (Groovalizacion) will set the tone at Luis Perez Galeria / Awarehouse, with the official after-party taking place at Grand Central. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

“I create from a spontaneous place where, even if only for a brief moment through the lens, I can expose the wondrous nuances of my surroundings,” said Calle. “My passion for traveling and studying social and cultural phenomena pushes me to capture the essence of people and things in front of me. Experimenting with photography, painting and non-conventional materials allows my canvas to expand, making all traditional techniques or rules disappear.”

Calle’s Republic of China series was selected by International Photo Awards among 15,000 submissions spanning 103 countries. The pieces, which fuse photography with collage and acrylic on wood, were further handpicked by renowned curator Adriana Teresa to appear in the IPA “Best of Show” Exhibit in late-October at Splashlight Studios, New York.

Claudia Calle was born in Manizales, Colombia, but has resided in Miami for more than 10 years. The vibrant artist whose designs and photographs capture poignant everyday moments, both locally and in foreign countries, opened an eponymous studio in Wynwood during Art Basel 2009 at 2722 NW 2nd Avenue, Miami FL 33127. Calle studied photography and graphic design at the Caldas University in Colombia, the Audiovisual Art Center in Mexico and at Miami AD School. She is the recipient of numerous awards including two honorable mentions by the prestigious International Photography Awards with her series Living in Silence and Between Frontier: The Longneck Story (2009); “Five Minutes of Fame” by the Museum of Contemporary Art (2009); and Photographer’s Forum “Top 100 Best Photography Worldwide” (2002). Please visit www.claudiacalle.com for more information on the artist. Awarehouse 550 NW 29th Street Miami FL, 33127 305.573.4004 www.awarehousemiami.com