The original Mad Radio venue began in Medellín, Colombia, in 2017 by Leandro Herrera. It has since expanded to Bogotá, Barcelona, and opened in Miami last December. "So if you go to Mad Radio Bogotá, you know it will be the same concept at other locations," says Camilo Peña, Mad Radio Miami's general manager. Peña, who moved to Miami a few years ago to work at E11even, was contacted by the Mad Radio team to become the club's general manager.
The Miami location is open from Wednesday through Saturday from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., and entry is usually free before 10 p.m. Tickets can be purchased via Shotgun or at the door for $10 to $20.
The first thing that might catch your eye is the scenic view of the Little River, with the club's entrance a few steps away. Formerly occupied by Don's 5 Star Dive Bar, the rose-red interior is equipped with a full bar and a formidable sound system. "It's a place where you can dance and talk to your friends. It's a very clean sound," Peña explains. Patrons can hang out at the bar or the booths on the opposite end of the space. DJs usually spin house and disco music in front of the small but cozy dance floor.
Like Jolene or Mode downtown, Mad Radio offers a more intimate lounge experience. Patrons can go for an hour or two to hear the DJ spin or grab a drink without much guilt.
"We are very big about music and want to bring great music while supporting local artists and DJs and being focused on the local community," Peña says.
The team at Mad Radio hopes to show that there are still plenty of options past downtown Miami, Wynwood, and South Beach.
Photo by LukeBeyonD
"We have an app where you can listen to every DJ set live wherever they are playing. Mad Radio is more like a radio station but with a physical club," he adds. Wednesdays are local nights where an aspiring DJ can take to the decks for the first time and be able to get a recording when they're done. "We want to support local artists, and we do it by recording the DJ sets so we can create content for them to have."
If you're craving a bite, upstairs is Mad Records Café, which formerly housed Cafe Kush. The menu includes a pulled pork sandwich ($18), smashed burgers ($18), salads ($18), patatas bravas ($15), and espresso ($3). "It has a bar and restaurant, and we have someone playing vinyl. We mainly do electronic music downstairs, so we like to have salsa, disco, reggae, and funk upstairs," Peña says, adding that the café will expand its hours to include brunch during the peak seasons.
You'll unlikely see DJs like Marco Carola or Carl Cox spinning at Mad Radio, and that's just fine. The management prides itself on hosting parties where everyone can enjoy themselves without partygoers feeling like they're being stuffed into an anchovy can.
Mad Radio's presence also revives a waning area of the city where you can explore the nightlife without entering a full-throttle club. The venue's team hopes to show that there are still plenty of options past downtown Miami, Wynwood, and South Beach.
"It's a vintage area," Peña says. "We want people to come out, have a drink, eat a burger, and get people together for good music."
Mad Radio Miami. 7700 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; madradio.co.
