Ramona Gonzalez of Nite Jewel
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Nite Jewel
with Tanlines, RBTS WIN, MillionYoung, Palm Trees and Night Waves
March 24, 2010
Grand Central
Miami, FL
Review and Photos by Liana Minassian
Wednesday, March 24th marked the grand opening of new downtown venue, Grand Central. Recently incorporated Nightdrive Productions, who now have their Tuesday night parties at Black Bar on NE 14th St, hosted the event. While the show fell during Winter Music Conference, the acts represented the opposite side of the electronic spectrum of the thumping house and techno DJs blowing up on the beach. The crowd still danced and the music still blared, but without the repetitive lyrics and recycled looping beats, not to mention obnoxious teams of people tripping out.
RBTS WIN
Instead, Miami was graced with electro kids RBTS WIN, whose video-game-style analog melodies kept things fun and funky. They warmed up the crowd and won them over after a sweaty set, thrashing and dancing over their keyboards and synthesizers. Taking the stage soon after, MillionYoung mellowed out the sleep deprived WMC-crowd with his dream-pop influenced hit “Cynthia.” However, with the addition of Awesome New Republic as his back-up band, the crowd was jolted alert again as he grabbed the mic and sang “Day We Met.”
Local duo Palm Trees was missing their beatmaster Albert Ovadia, but were still visually entertaining to say the least. Singer Andi-Metro Esperanza, pranced in her leggings, slightly resembling Scarlett Johansson if she shaved half her head and moved to Miami. Her ironically named back-up dancers Boys Pose, were dressed like gothic samurais, whipping their black ponytails around and dancing dramatically. To everyone’s surprise, they closed their set with a cover of T.I.’s “Whatever You Like,” and were joined onstage by performance artist Andrew Strasser a.k.a Bad Brilliance, in his signature light bulb costume. The end of their set marked the halfway point in the night, as most people went to the bar only to become a walking marketing campaign for Red Stripe which came in a ‘SUP (magazine) beer koozie.
Singer Andi-Metro Esperanza, pranced in her leggings, slightly resembling Scarlett Johansson if she shaved half her head and moved to Miami. Her ironically named back-up dancers Boys Pose, were dressed like gothic samurais, whipping their black ponytails around and dancing dramatically.
Palm Trees Andi-Metro Esperanza and Boys Pose
Next in the line-up was Night Waves whose frontman, Kyle Peterson, informed the crowd they drove all the way from L.A. to be here. Unfortunately, it seemed to be without little reward as most people walked away from their set, preferring to sit down on one of the many couches lining the back wall of the building. Indeed, the live incarnation of Night Waves didn’t seem to quite measure up to their recordings, but so is the fate of many electronic acts these days.
While the other opening bands were enjoyable, the night could have been just as successful if only Tanlines and Nite Jewel had played. While Nite Jewel was supposed to be the main event, most of the crowd was there to see the experimental pop duo Tanlines whose tropical flavor has won over the WVUM radio station and most of Miami’s indie dance scene. Inevitably, their hit “Real Life” was a crowd pleaser, but from start to finish Tanlines had Grand Central wrapped around their larger-than-life finger. Their audience danced and sang along in a fit of bliss, marked by tropical drum beats and synthy hooks.
Nite Jewel
When Nite Jewel finally took the stage, the sleepy atmosphere was comforted by Ramona Gonzalez’s endearing voice, making the remaining crowd draw a little closer. Their lo-fi brand of synth pop felt like a throwback to the 80s and experimental artists like Laurie Anderson or bands like Talking Heads. Either way they wrapped the night up nicely as Grand Central’s reign on eclectic acts is just getting started.
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Tanlines
Nite Jewel Ramona Gonzalez
Night Waves Kyle Peterson
Palm Trees vocals Andi-Metro Esperanza
MillionYoung