Miami’s like a ghost town, populated by a handful of zombified veterans, delaying re-entry as long as possible. Tales of old conferences have been told; reasons to return discussed. And good-byes, some with an air of possible finality, were exchanged.
But so were reasons to return, like the boat party, Sunday School and John Digweed’s throw-down at the Vagabond. At least in Digweed’s case, that has as much to do with the club as it does the DJ.
What many people don’t know is that John has been promoting events since he was a teenager and understands probably better than anyone the impact of a friendly door, affordable prices, a comfortable patio and a world-class sound system. Joining forces with the people behind Groove Jet, the legendary 90s’ beach venue that Danny Tenaglia has called the most magical club ever, he and his partners set about creating the best club in Miami. Free from the pressures of the beach’s club power structure, they found a space in an area downtown resistant to gentrification, and crafted a club from the fan’s perspective.
They did such a good job that it was, in the words of a first-timer Saturday night, like stumbling onto an oasis after days on the South Beach diet. John beamed his way through a six and a half hour set, looking happier even than two Wednesday’s ago at the Mayan. He hit full throttle around three a.m., and then spent the next three hours escalating the intensity until, as the sun was coming up, he whipped through a closing set of classic house music. It was an only-in-Miami moment, and sounded so good that I’m already thinking about where to stay next year.
By Neil Feineman
