Let's face it, it’s always a hell of a task to decide what to do on the weekend. Sure, sometimes we’re lucky enough to have just one option, but when South Beach and downtown Miami are our playgrounds, usually that’s not the case. Recently there’s been a lot of nightlife news coming from the downtown area, especially with new venues opening up, but this week one very unique all around hub of music and art, Awarehouse, will be hosting one of the most anticipated events of the year, featuring the live sounds Prefuse 73, a wizard behind the decks whose music never goes underappreciated in his hometown.
On Saturday, May 15th from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., Awarehouse will be hosting the Synthesis festival, a very special inaugural event that’s set to bring together eclectic local talent from the world of art and music for a night of endless entertainment. Awarehouse, one of the newest and most talked about layouts in downtown Miami, will feature both an indoor as well as outdoor stage where live music will take over. Prefuse 73 is set to headline the event, but there will also be live performances by some of the city’s best including Otto Von Schirach, Peasants with Feathers, Panic Bomber (DJ set), OrganicArma, Dino Felipe and many more.
“The event came from the necessity of having a concept festival based on the electronic/indie/rock music talent of the city,” said Acustronic CEO and Synthesis producer Juan Carlos Penaloza Yepez. “We want to combine this with the performance possibilities that the Awarehouse offers artists; from the state of the art sound and lighting to the art of installations, live visuals, sculpture garden and projection mapping.”
If you have yet to visit Awarehouse, be prepared for a venue that’s structured to be “outside the box.” It’s the ultimate combination of studio, art gallery, and live music venue. While the inside area may draw up some miniscule comparisons to other venues, it’s their outdoor area that really takes the cake.
“The outdoor sculpture garden is like being in another world where you can enjoy the outdoor elements and sit comfortably on a bean bag, have a conversation, listen to music and observe large abstract sculptures by fine art master Edgar Negret,” says Denise Faxas, Acustronic’s Chief Audio Engineer and Synthesis producer. “What sets Awarehouse apart is the multiple environments and mutative use. You can experience the inside main room as you would any club or dance environment, with lights, state-of-the-art sound and visual projections. Even within this space you can have a moment along observing the art that is placed throughout.”
One of the driving forces behind the creation of Synthesis came through the variety of small niche crowds in Miami that do not normally cross paths. These individuals can all be seen at specific nightlife venues, but they’re usually never found in the same place. That’s where this event comes in. The lineup for Synthesis offers an eclectic mix of sounds that definitely span the ear candy of a majority of the target audience. From Otto von Schirach to Animals of the Arctic, it’s an interesting group of acts all hailing from Magic City.
“The process for setting up the lineup was natural and fun,” said Yepez. “Everybody is looking to create an artistic movement locally and we have the talent in this city. WVUM is the glue for us to now have this incredible line-up of very original acts. The venue is holding all pieces together to combine elements that usually are separate in the city. We are into multicultural possibilities.”
The nightlife scene in Miami is a tricky one. While those outside of the city’s realm see it as a paradise of endless entertainment, the locals in the city have a short attention span and regularly love it when something new comes along. The Synthesis festival could potentially turn into something extremely unique to the city if it’s run on a consistent basis. Their inaugural event is set to be a smash hit, and if things pan out, you can definitely expect more in the coming months.
“We would love this event to be a motivator for the music audiences in Miami, as well as for the artists involved,” Faxas says. “If affective music is presented in a multi-sensory environment where the sound can be heard with detail and clarity, where the music can be visualized through evolving graphic art, where the music can be complimented by thought-provoking art and the experience can be shared with like-minded individuals, then we have created the start of a cycle where culture can grow.”
Kudos.
