‘It ain’t about Instagram.’ Miami’s R&B lovers flock to this low key party in Wynwood
Your evening begins with the soulful crooning of Whitney Houston, quickly followed by the bouncy melodies of TLC and New Edition. The light is faint — save for the setting sun slipping through the skylight and the reddish-purple bulbs illuminating the club’s outer edges — yet the atmosphere breeds a nostalgia that brightens the faces of everyone in attendance. Your first kiss, your first slow dance, your first love — all these memories and more come rushing back as your shoulders begin to sway.
But Houston, TLC and New Edition are just the start. By night’s end, all corners of the R&B landscape will be touched, evoking feelings buried long ago.
Welcome to “Doo-wop… that R&B thang.”
Created by Headliner Select CEO Michael Gardner and Rahsaan “DJ Fly Guy” Alexander, Miami’s newest R&B day party injects a bit of soul into a scene dominated by hip-hop, EDM and Latin pop. The function, held monthly at rácket, provides an opportunity for people of all ages to celebrate a genre that resonates in their soul.
“With R&B, you can touch so many different kinds of people,” said Alexander.
The brain trust behind LIV’s Sunday party, Gardner has been a mainstay on Miami’s party circuit for two decades. He has seen parties come and go but jumped at the opportunity when Alexander came to him with the idea. To Gardner, the Doo-wop was personal, a chance to do something away from the glitz and glamour of South Beach clubs.
“It’s just something different from what the norm is,” Gardner said. The Doo-wop allows some of the people who’ve outgrown Gardner’s more “hype” events to come back out. “This is more personal for me because it’s my demographic and it just makes you feel good.”
Although the Doo-wop is by no means Miami’s only R&B party, it might be the one that best understands the assignment. There’s a level of intention there, said Alexander, who wanted to create something that frees him from the confines of others’ expectations.
“Even attending other R&B parties, at some point they are going to deviate,” said Alexander, who has been DJing in Miami for 13 years. The Doo-wop “is strictly a celebration of R&B and soul music all day.”
Like many, Gardner and Alexander’s love for R&B began in their formative years. For Alexander, Jodeci’s “Come and Talk to Me (Remix)” and Marvin Gaye’s live performance of “Distant Lover” at the Oakland Coliseum sparked a passion for the genre that hasn’t waned. For Gardner, it was a constant rotation of R&B that ranged from the Stylistics to Teena Marie to Teddy Pendergrass.
Through “my mom, [R&B] is all I heard,” Gardner recounted.
These personal connections fuel Alexander and Gardner’s chemistry when it comes to song selection. The two represent different generations — Alexander is an ‘80s baby while Gardner was born in the late 70s — but don’t let their personal tastes overwhelmingly dictate the night. At one point during the October showing, Alexander spun the Black cookout staple “Before I Let You Go” back-to-back, first with Frankie Beverly and Maze’s version before easing into Beyoncé’s remake.
“When you hear a song that really takes you back, it’s an amazing feeling,” Gardner said.
Added Alexander: “You won’t typically hear Sade at a club. But at this, you gone hear Sade, you might hear some TLC, you might hear some H.E.R. and then you’ll hear some Teddy Pendergrass and everything in between.”
Finding that sweet spot isn’t easy. It requires an extensive knowledge of not just R&B but also the crowd. Contrary to popular belief, a lot of on-site research happens. Alexander doesn’t come with a set list, choosing rather to feel out the audience with music that he deems “a sonic expression of his soul.” Gardner, conversely, spends the night wandering around the club, checking on VIPs, the bar and the line, pausing only briefly to sip on a glass of red wine. He stays away from song requests but, similar to Alexander, knows when a track needs to be played. After all, they share a common goal: finding the track that produces one of those deep-bellied sing-a-longs.
“I’m a side DJ — I be texting him what to play,” Gardner quipped.
“You know like a backseat driver,” Alexander said with a laugh before nodding at Gardner.
“That’s the good chemistry I got with him,” Gardner added.
Already two parties in, the third Doo-wop is scheduled for Nov. 27. What will come next is unknown. Alexander wants the Doo-wop to be a traveling attraction. Gardner throws out the idea of special guests. One thing’s for sure though: The atmosphere is unlike anything currently in Miami.
“These R&B parties are really about the vibe, about having a good time,” Gardner said. “It’s not about how many bottles you can pop. It ain’t about Instagram. If we didn’t have a camera man there, you probably wouldn’t know about it because everybody... ain’t got time to be on Instagram.”
If You Go
What: Doo-wop... that R&B thang
When: 5-10 p.m. Nov. 27
Where: Racket, 150 NW 24th St., Miami
This story was originally published November 26, 2021 at 2:18 PM.
