UK Duo Layo & Bushwacka Show Shine Patrons a Good Time in Miami

So I took my first trip to Florida & had to check out a club in Miami Beach.

Scanning the local newspaper it looked like this was the best bet. I considered Crobar because they're closing next weekend with Erick Morillo, but this weekend they just had a bunch of local talent for a reunion party before they close out next weekend.

So we walked into Shine, on the first level of the Shelbourne Hotel on Collins Ave. Cover was $20, to be expected. Not much of a line and it was just after midnight. Walked into a remix of Jaydee's 'Plastic Dreams' being played by local DJ Chris Bourne, half of production duo Tarrentella. "Always a good song to walk into a club to," I thought. I like to know the DJ's know where they come from and Plastic Dreams was a seminal track for me so I was happy to hear it in this setting. The soundsystem was thumping and Bourne continued to play progressive/tech house with an electro tinge until about 1 AM. He did an excellent job, really knew his crowd. At about 1 Layo & Bushwacka stepped to the decks with a laptop & records and started out continuing the vibe with more tech/progressive house also with some electro flavors.

Drink prices were a little rough. . . which I assumed they would be, but $14 for a small vodka redbull seemed a little outrageous. $11 for a gin & tonic - you get the picture. The ceiling was lined with cool little LEDs along the wall that the Light Jockey pulsed & changed colors to the beat of the music and the 4 immense JBL floor stacks kept the dancefloor bouncing. By 2 AM the club was pretty packed and the dancefloor was in full swing.

Clubs stay open past 5 AM here, so things were just getting started. Layo & Bushwacka continued to thrash the crowd into a frenzy dropping some of their remixes. Moving yoke light fixtures bounced light on and off the crowd, swirling light all over the club.

The club itself was set up very intelligently, the DJ booth raised up a bit over the dancefloor and the bars and seating areas in 'tiered' sections to the back. You could be almost anywhere in the club and have a clear shot of who was in the DJ booth.

The sound system was crystal clear, not too much bass - just right! The remote speakers near the bars and seating areas seemed to put out mainly mid-treble content, letting the subs on the dancefloor carry the bass duties and it worked well.

All in all, I had a blast at Shine Saturday night. Jon Cowan, the promoter for this night does a excellent job booking talent. April 22nd has New York house music icon Armand Van Helden showing up, with Chris Bourne pulling resident duties again.