Nightclub Review: Club XXIII in Miami Beach

XXIII Club wants to be more than just an ordinary party venue. The South Beach nightclub not only welcomes guests to party, but serves as a home for artists and creatives to showcase their work.

The venue is located at 23rd Street and Liberty Avenue in the northern part of South Beach, where Studio 23 used to be. Shortly after the venue’s doors closed, the partners of XXIII wanted to stand out from the previous iteration of the place and transform the space into everything Studio 23 was not.

“XXIII started when a few of us saw an opportunity to make a difference in the nightlife industry here in Miami,” said executive director Benjamin Paré. “Rather than being a revival of a previous club, especially one in the previous space, it is an abolition of everything this club was and stood for. Whereas this club was an urban hip-hop club known for having no ac, no crowd control and less than stellar service, we aim to be a club that offers varied programming, supreme service, a top-notch crowd and, of course, plenty of ac . »

XXXIII aims to change the tainted perception of local nightlife, by providing customers with quality service and programming.

“We, like many others, have seen a decline in service in Miami’s nightlife industry,” says Paré. “We have customers who don’t even want to come back to Miami to party anymore because they go out and feel ripped off or everyone is doing the same thing. We aim to provide the best service and hospitality in Miami for all this come through our doors.”

As guests enter XXIII, they are greeted by upbeat music, a spacious dance floor, and street art decorating the walls. Bright lights fill the medium-sized room, with light shows, lasers, and LED panels scattered throughout the space.

On the service side, customers have the option of buying drinks at the large granite bar or reserving a table accompanied by an attentive waitress.

Besides the typical club offerings, XXIII aims to create a community of creatives – photographers, videographers, musical talents and media makers – by giving them a place to showcase their work. According to Dex Hobbes, director of nightlife and media, the venue is not just a place for guests to dance, but a space for artists to create (or enjoy music and hospitality).

“What was [XXIII] trying to do is create a mood for the guests and performers. It will be a home where they can relax and try to create a more energy-based environment,” Hobbes said. new times. “We think there are a lot of clubs that have so much talent that people won’t go to certain clubs unless there are big names. We’re trying to recreate a community within the club that is really built on the people in the industry with the locals and those on the street.”

Last December, during Miami Art Week, XXIII invited local street artists to decorate the walls of the place. Hobbes says the decor will change regularly as they plan to welcome more artists to add their own touch to the walls from time to time.

“We were very happy to have Uncut Art and Bradly Theodore do installations on our walls for [Art Week]“, says Paré. “Art has a huge influence on us as people and on us as an institution. We are here not only to stimulate people’s senses with musical art, but also with visual art.

Besides physical art, the organizers plan to get involved in different types of media and technologies. Hobbes says XXIII dives into cryptocurrency and hosts many NFT events.

The music, however, will occupy the heart of XXIII. From Tuesday to Sunday, the venue hosts a myriad of events focusing on a range of styles, from tech-house and hip-hop to música urbana and reggaeton.

“We’re an intimate venue with a huge program — so no matter what, you can always have a great night out at XXIII,” says Paré.

Club XXIII. 247 23rd Street, Miami Beach; 786-655-6006; 23clubmiami.com.