The First Annual Soul Fest Weekend Spotlights Miami Favorites with a Modern Twist on Soul


Miami’s top live music venue, The Stage, announces a weekend festival focusing on the era when soul music prevailed. In honor of the 1950s – 1960s, The Stage will transform its multi-faceted space into the “Soul of Miami Music” from July 29 – 31, 2011. The festival includes live musical performances, live art, classic cocktails, and exclusive culinary components – all with a modern soulful twist and in collaboration with Design District neighbors Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink (MGFD) and LEBO Studios.

The primary element of this weekend is a series of sensational live musical performances by a medley of The Stage’s most celebrated acts (traveling and local). The line-up represents the evolution of soul music with a broad range of styles, sounds and influences.

James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Schwartz’s mobile food cart will be on-location inside The Stage’s compound during the festivities on Friday and Saturday night serving a soulful menu inspired by the festival. Highlights include southern fried chicken, chef de cuisine Bradley Herron’s now coveted Georgia Peach & Local Radish Salad, and Junk-in-the-Trunk Brownies from acclaimed pastry chef Hedy Goldsmith. The restaurant’s bar manager and resident mixologist, Ryan Goodspeed, will guest bartend with Cricket Nelson, The Stage’s in-house cocktail guru, to share contemporary interpretations of classic cocktails from the mid-20th century.

LEBO will reveal a special month-long exhibit with a focus on the soul during Soul Fest Weekend at The Stage. Guests will have a rare opportunity to experience a live performance by the wildly popular artist and his VJ on Saturday night.
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About The Stage: Nearly halfway to its first birthday, The Stage was voted “Best New Live Music Venue” by the Miami New Times. The new entertainment venue joined Miami’s booming music scene in January 2011 with a state-of-the-art sound system and a platform for intimate live performances on its 200-square-foot stage. Two garage-style doors open the venue to an outdoor courtyard, providing additional space and unobstructed views at every angle. Taking cues from New Orleans, The Stage is a unique and long overdue addition to Miami nightlife. For more information, visit www.thestagemiami.com or head to 170 NE 38th Street in the heart of the Design District.

SOUL FEST WEEKEND ITINERARY:

Friday, July 29 – The Soul of Miami Music, 21+
9 p.m. till – Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink On-Location with Food Cart
11 p.m. – Live performance by Electric Piquete
1 a.m. – Live Performance by the Legendary JC’s
Price: $5 admission
Food: See MGFD’s food cart menu below

Saturday, July 30 – The Soul of Miami Music, 21+ after 9 p.m.
5 – 9 p.m. – “Day Vent” – free daytime backyard BBQ with modern soul music, 18+
9 p.m. till - Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink On-Location with Food Cart
10 p.m. – Private Media Reception + Meet & Greet / Unveiling of LEBO’s art exhibit (runs through August at The Stage)
11 p.m. – LEBO LIVE!
12:15 a.m. till – Live performance by Stokeswood
Price: $5 admission
Food: See MGFD food cart menu below

Sunday, July 31 – Blues & Soul Sunday, 21+
4 p.m. till – Ms. Cheezious On-Location with Food Truck - modern soul food menu
Live Performances by:
4 p.m. – Poppa E
6 p.m. – The Gladezmen
8 p.m. – Joel DaSilva & the Midnight Howl
10 p.m. – Albert Castiglia
Price: $5 admission
Food: Ms. Cheezious Food Truck

Featured Musical Acts:
Electric Piquete: www.myspace.com/electricpiquete
The Legendary JC’s: www.myspace.com/thelegendaryjcs
Stokeswood: www.stokeswood.net
Gladezmen: www.myspace.com/gladezmen
Joel DaSilva & The Midnight Howl: www.jdandthehowl.com
Albert Castiglia: www.albertcastiglia.com


MORE THAN JUST MUSIC:
The Stage is proud to partner with a collection of highly respected figures during the festival.

Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink Food Cart (MGFD) At Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, James Beard Award-winning chef/owner Michael Schwartz shares his passion for where food comes from. Since the restaurant opened in the Miami Design District in 2007, diners have come to embrace and crave its refreshing combination of laid-back atmosphere and seriously good food. The Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink food cart hit the streets for the first time in 2010, in celebration of the restaurant's three-year anniversary. The Genuine way rules the road, with an ever-changing menu of savory and sweet items, made fresh in-house, from the same high quality ingredients that customers have come to expect at the restaurant. www.michaelsgenuine.com

Exclusive “Modern Soul Food Menu:”
Served à la carte
Crispy Pork Belly Sandwich with spicy mustard slaw $7
Chickpea & Vegetable Stew with jasmine rice $7
Fried Chicken, 3 pieces $8
Cole Slaw $3
Peach & Radish Salad with almonds & feta $5
Junk in the Trunk Brownie $5


LEBO Studios / Painting as Performance
LEBO harmonically and rhythmically recreates sequences of sound in time by laying down stylized lines combined with vivid palettes to complement his pieces. The Miami-based artist has developed a cult-like following as he demonstrates his cartoon expressionistic style and improvisational process by engaging audiences at collaborative live painting performances at concerts and well-known music venues across the country. The artist unifies an aural and visual experience by creating continuous compositions on canvas. He has shared the stage with headlining musical talent such as the Beastie Boys, Béla Fleck, Burning Spear, Disco Biscuits, Les Claypool, Arturo Sandoval, Thievery Corporation and Wynton Marsalis. During rare LEBO LIVE! performances, the artist works in tandem with a video performance artist (VJ) to captivate the audience with live painting, DJing and synchronized videos. www.lebostudios.com