One night stand: Thursdays at Red Bar Gallery
What happens when you mix one part contemporary art gallery with one part retro British Invasion, and sprinkle it with a bit of sexy? You get Thursday nights at Red Bar Gallery, a colorful fixture on the Brickell nightlife scene. Boasting “art, atmosphere and alcohol,” this rose-colored spot is the perfect place to have a drink, support local artists and, of course, relive the music of an era when legends were made.
Spinning New Wave, techno, underground and indie tunes, DJ Diego Ramirez brings together a variety of influences from yesteryear with a Miami spin. “Music and art make an excellent combination — it’s very special here,” notes Ramirez, a former music television host in his hometown of Medellin, Colombia and the mastermind behind the Thursday night rotation at Red Bar Gallery. Patrons will hear everyone from Duran Duran and Dépêche Mode to The Beatles and The Cure. For those looking to get their groove on en Español, never fear: Ramirez also spins classics from Los Prisioneros, Enanitos Verdes and Estados Alterados.
Art adorns every square inch of the red walls and the plush red brocade ottomans and sofas will devour anyone who takes a seat. The curved dark wood bar serves as the perfect centerpiece in a room dripping with colored lamps and a bohemian ambiance. Co-owners Danny Baez and Courtlandt McQuire hope that the omnipresent art gives people something to talk about as they imbibe. And drinking is definitely high on the to-do list at Red Bar Gallery. Johnny Walker Black and mojitos flow freely from the bar for around $10-13. If you’d rather spend your money on something you can take home, the art is also on sale.
Red Bar attracts the gamut, from bohemian types to business men looking to wind down. The night starts at nine, but most things really get jumping around midnight, which just happens to be when parking downtown gets crowded. “It’s a really cool and intimate place where you can be who you are,” said Baez.
Red Bar Gallery, 52 SW 10th Street, Miami; 786-316-0303
This story was originally published April 23, 2008 at 11:04 PM.