As gentrification has encroached on areas once considered undesirable, nightclubs that once took advantage of few nearby residents are now finding themselves threatened by noise complaints. Just as Miami's coastal areas are endangered, so are the city's evolving nightlife spaces. Afro Roots' concluding showcase will include a performance by Elastic Bond at the Murray Nelson Center in Key Largo June 29. This season's performers have included Cuban singer and poet Danay Suarez at the Seminole Theatre in Homestead and Malian singer and guitarist Fatoumata Diawara at the North Beach Bandshell. Now in its 21st year, Afro Roots is celebrating across South Florida once again, this time spotlighting women in world music. In 2018, when the fest celebrated its 20th year in Miami, curator Jose Elias took the show on the road, with performances from Jupiter to Key West. Because the Afro Roots folks are not simply satisfied with a day- or even weekend-long affair, the festival's performance schedule often goes on for months leading up to a final blowout.

But all one has to do to break out of that faulty line of thinking is hop over to one of the Afro Roots Fest's shows. Over the years, Miami has unfairly earned a reputation as a subpar live-music town. Even if you've never heard the performer's name, you can rest assured tickets to a show at the Bandshell will grant you admittance to a one-of-a-kind cultural experience in a gorgeous setting that puts locals - and local acts - at the forefront. Favorite Latin electro-pop duo Afrobeta opened for headliner Juana Molina last September, Spam Allstars set the mood for a special Valentine's Day evening earlier this year, and local group Nu Deco Ensemble performed its alternative orchestral arrangements alongside visiting Grammy-winning Afro-pop artist Angélique Kidjo. While the Rhythm Foundation clearly has an ear turned toward innovative world sounds and the goal of fostering cross-cultural connections for Miami's residents, it hasn't forgotten about the city's wealth of homegrown talent, often pairing the best local acts with international headliners for a more dynamic bill.

In the past year alone, the charming, open-air amphitheater - which in 2009 was named to the National Register of Historic Places as a gem of Miami Modernism - has hosted countless seaside concerts, like the New York Times-acclaimed GroundUp Music Festival and the Miami Reggae Festival. From experimental Argentine folk-pop to left-field jazz to dubbed-out Caribbean sounds, the North Beach Bandshell, helmed by nonprofit talent booker the Rhythm Foundation, continues to provide community-focused music programming in Miami Beach, even as other cultural venues fade away.

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