The Electric Pickle: Wynwood’s Electro Escape
Die-hard scenesters have been peddling up and down Miami for the past decade in search of a suitable late-night joint. Recently, one spot has solidified itself as the it hang for progressive electro tune seekers. Since 2009, the Electric Pickle has dominated the Wynwood Arts District as the purveyor of late-night debauchery. From the Miami electro party masterminds behind Aquabooty, this three-pronged joint has a flavor for whatever you fancy. According to Cuci Amador from local electro-synth duo Afrobeta, management is very hands-on. “The owner and main booker are both excellent DJs and tastemakers,” she says.
If it’s a late night mingle bar-side following another long shift at that job you call misery, the Pickle’s got your fix. Cozy up to a like-minded crowd with a couple of beers and some downtempo tunes. We prefer a few hours of mood music courtesy of Terence & Edwin, who spin the realistic vinyl to keep your toes tappin’.
For those who don’t mind the heat, there’s a pool out back. Unfortunately, not the kind to dip your feet into, the Pickle pool table is of red felt distinction, and more often than not, surrounded by its nicotine posse. Occasionally the bookers at the Electric Pickle will treat excited fans to an al fresco show (Little Dragon earlier this year), which more than likely will end with a fire marshal breaking up the beats. But Afrobeta and other hopeful live acts like the outdoor option, which seems more like lurking asphalt when its not shimmering in lights and vibrating with sound. “We prefer outdoors because there is more space,” Amador says.
Alas, if it’s an everlasting dance party you’re craving, then navigate upstairs. Known more recently as El Bolero Room, the upper loft of the Electric Pickle spells speakeasy. Limited seating suggests you dance all night, and with a lineup of DJs, bands and intimate acts, it’s hard to do anything but just that. Grab a few drinks by the backside bar and boogie down with acts like The State Of. Local musical staples flock to Electric Pickle because of its regular visitors, unique population and bangin’ Dynacord sound system.
The Electric Pickle visitors need no entourage. Once you’ve got a taste of this hipster hideaway, you’ll become part of a family of regulars who cross admiring paths, whether it be once a week, or once every few months.
For musicians like Afrobeta, the Electric Pickle has supported them from the get-go. “We first had a monthly residence there,” Amador recalls from two years ago. The beloved pair returns to its local fans with a farewell show prior to embarking on the month-long Identity Festival Tour on August 11th. But just as Dorothy did, Amador is always drawn back to her Yellow Brick Road. “It’s one of our homes,” she says. And to many others, there’s no place like it.
Image via Electric Pickle
