Miami has it all, from Latin music to reggae and Chopin. Miami offers a variety of venues that will suit your musical tastes.
Dade County’s oldest saloon caters to jazz and R&B lovers. Tobacco Road, 626 South Miami Ave., Miami was once a speakeasy under Prohibition and a hangout for Al Capone during the 1930s. Tobacco Road’s live music scene is what makes it so popular. Acts that have performed here include Koko Taylor and Junior Washington. Saturday Night Jazz is a highlight at the Globe Cafe and Bar (377 Alhambra Circle in Coral Gables). Live jazz and blues is performed every day at Bougainvillea’s Old Florida, 7221 SW 58th Avenue, South Miami. The 1929 tavern is on a quiet street, and the crowd is made up of locals.
Latin music is a Miami specialty. Miami’s favourite stars Emilio Estefan and Gloria Estefan are the perfect example. They perform at Bongos Cuban Cafe (601 Biscayne Blvd. Miami), where Cuban food is on the menu. Weekend nights see a packed dancefloor. Cabaret-style performances at Mango’s Tropical Cafe (900 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach), are the speciality. The Macarena Tavern, 1334 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, hosts a popular flamenco performance on Wednesdays and Fridays. Tropical Cigars of Sobe Inc (741 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach), hosts live music every night.
Studio (1801 Collins Ave., The Shelborne Hotel in Miami Beach) has the largest Karaoke Club in the World. It offers over 22,000 songs in 20 different languages and was voted the best Karaoke Club by Miami New Times.
You don’t have to stick to one type of music. Jazid, 1342 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, is a favorite local spot, featuring live music every night. Jazid’s music is a mix of Latin and American jazz and cumbia, reggae and rock. Upstairs, the lounge features DJs spinning deep house and funk as well as hip-hop and other rare tracks.
Miami’s Winter Music Conference, also known as WMC, is the premier networking event for the dance music industry. It attracts professionals from more than 62 countries. WMC is a highly publicized event in the music industry due to its large number of international DJs, top artists and industry professionals. There are many evening events at venues throughout Miami that feature famous DJs and artists from all over the globe. The International Dance Music Awards is the most prestigious annual awards ceremony for dance and electronic music. WMC’s official closing event is Ultra Music Festival. It is the largest American music festival. The new website by CRSHotels features event information as well as hotels for the Winter Music Conference.
Miami has a wide selection of classical music options for those who love it. The music of J.S. Bach is featured at the Miami Bach Society (Coral Gables). The International Baroque Music Festival is held in March, featuring Bach and his Baroque contemporaries. Many classical music concerts are offered by the Chopin Foundation (Miami), which is free to all. Both the Miami Symphony Orchestra (Sunset Center at 10300 SW 72nd Street, Miami) as well as the New World Symphony (541 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach), present world-class orchestra concerts.