2025 Was Such a Good Year for Music in Miami

Miami is an intrinsically musical place from its rooted Caribbean influences to the unusual birds that come and grab a little bit of our heat.

It takes nerves to consider oneself a local. What makes you one? I guess surviving each and every little nuance with the slightest complaint, like Cubans say, “esto es así,” a self-proclaimed c’est la vie, accepting the city you’re bound to without paying too much attention to its adversities. It is expensive, some would say overpriced, but we come to value it in the most inadvertent moments: a colada in between shifts, the always beautiful weather, food in all of its variants, and the warmth of Spanish in every corner.

I want to make a Momentum 2025 music Miami list of concerts, albums, shows, and songs. Not the best ones, not the most remarkable; just what they were for me and how I experienced them.

January

California Honey Drops at the Miami Beach Bandshell 

Their sound: pristine.
The vibes: infinite.

Since I was invited last minute, I hadn’t listened to these guys before and didn’t know what to expect. I couldn’t believe I was experiencing such a high-quality show. The beginning of the year brought with it my first big rush of musical energy. The air smelled like nature. Everyone was waving and cheering; most of them—true fans—were singing the songs.

Lead singer Lech Wierzynski has an old soul and the energy of 200 singers all at once. Their unusual instruments (washboard, anyone?) and their instrument swaps are a high-caliber experience.

It was my first encounter with musicians after a concert—being able to talk to Johnny and say, “Hey man, you rocked!” I remember inviting them to see Tremora, a local Miami band who is also part of this momentum. In retrospect, that was kind of wild of me.

February

A good run of contacting local musicians and researching the local scene resulted in one of the first multi-band shows of the year: I got to see Perro Negro, The Zappe Cats, and Condors and Chaos on the same night at Savage Labs.

This allowed me to introduce myself to them, and the idea of a seemingly possible music channel—where I could introduce local music to a wider audience via social media—was born. This idea brewed in my mind for the following months. The Zappe Cats made a particularly strong first impression.

Shout-out to Eddy Gatoe from Girl Blues Band for telling me about it.

March

Khruangbin. But not only that: Helado Negro doing soundcheck, humble, generous, while allowing us to enjoy his unique sound. Then, Khruangbin.

Visuals, pantomime, and so many conversations that followed the show with my friend Lexi—all of them recorded. Something was definitely brewing by then. A girl can dream. A girl was dreaming big, with both feet on the ground, like Regina Spektor says.

April

The Hermanos Gutiérrez concert at the Fillmore was spiritual and peaceful. Adrian Quesada was there too, and we got a first listen to an album that Rolling Stone would later acclaim for doing “for psychedelic boleros what the Buena Vista Social Club did for the Cuban son,” setting a very high bar for the sequel. They debuted the song Tres Hermanos right then and there.

Hermanos Gutiérrez presented their music with intention and grace. Witnessing their performance brought me back to my beloved desert of New Mexico and Chihuahua—places they happened to mention between songs as sources of inspiration. Their music comes from the exact same place I once called home. One of the songs even carried a motif based on “Amo y Esclavo,” which moved me to tears.

I would consider this one in my top three.

May

Locally speaking, Lagniappe became my favorite place to listen to live music. I got to see House Savage, Electric Kiff, and Maya Azucena. SoFar Sounds was another great experience, with Tremora’s lead singer, Carlos Escanilla, performing alongside various artists.

June

This month, I got lucky and won tickets to see Vampire Weekend. They asked me to talk about my experience getting the tickets and about the concert and that was it for me. I felt the calling stronger than ever. It became something I needed to do.

I had always been a writer, but my transition into music journalism surprised even me. I was finally able to put together the two things I love most. With patience and love, Music in a Heartbeat was born.

July

Things evolved quickly. I scheduled my first interview. I reached out to a musician whose music I had just discovered and who felt deeply aligned with my taste. We ended up having one of the best conversations of the year: Chris Logan, the Border Town Kid.

I wrote an extensive article, now available on my Substack. That same month, I started my YouTube channel and recorded my first in-studio interview with local band Tremora, a band I had been following for months, whose sound had already captured my attention. You can find it on Music in a Heartbeat.

August

August heat brought along a Mississippi original: Yot Club. I had been anticipating this show all year, and it was everything I hoped for—and more. His energy and charisma were present in every song. The shoegaze comparisons come from the dreamy, atmospheric textures, the use of chorus, reverb, and distortion is my favorite kind of sound.

I had a blast, a sweaty one. He closed the show with a cover of “Keep On Going With the Flow,” and it was deeply comforting. A full text can be found on my Substack.

La Santa Cecilia also blessed us with their presence this month. I had never cried and had so much fun at the same time. We need to have them visit us more often.

The very next day, I attended another unforgettable concert: rising star Alexa Lash and Blue Mystic. One of my top ten moments of the year—it felt like watching two crescent moons rise at once, two flowers blooming in parallel motion.

September

September was a month of preparation, contemplation, and music. I attended Project Sirena, an initiative by Alexa Lash that showcases female singer-songwriters from Miami’s local scene—a true community service that continues to grow and flourish, like everything meant to last.

I also recorded my interview with The Zappe Cats, which was posted the following month. I genuinely enjoy recording interviews in the studio. Every step of the process has taught me something new, and this experience was no exception. The Zappe Cats are as talented as they are warm and humble.

October

I published my interview with The Zappe Cats, an experience that was fulfilling from beginning to end.

That same month, I wrote an article and attended a fundraiser for Gaston Adanto, a young musician whose story is as inspiring as his music is vibrant and full of life. This event would not have been possible without Andrew Frix of Frix and Friends, who organized the fundraiser and played most of the night for friends and family. One of my top moments of the year.

I also attended my first-ever pre-album release listening party, hosted by Alexa Lash.

November

November, my birthday month, came with quieter, more reflective energy. I wrote an article about a devastating fire that destroyed most of Solange Sosa’s material possessions and collaborated in efforts to raise funds for her resettlement. Her concert was delicate yet powerful, filled with intention.

I also attended a Balthvs concert and wrote a review, which you can find on my Substack. I’m proud to say they liked it. Top concert of the year.

For my birthday celebration, I went to see Cumbiamba. Although their set felt shorter than I wished, I enjoyed every moment.

December

How are we closing this year?

You’ll find me in the New Mexican desert, enjoying a cold one with my old ones—maybe riding a horse into the horizon. But before that, I’ll attend Helado Negro. And maybe—just maybe—he’ll be my last interview of the year.

Thank you for being part of this incredible year—the best of my life.

With love,
Magno