.jpg)
As the city of Miami continues to grapple with the decline of live music venues—many being repurposed for an already overpowering DJ culture or shuttered entirely—the cultivation of live music spaces has become a rare commodity. The city’s nightlife thrives, but its relationship with live music is increasingly transactional.
For local musicians, the options are growing scarce. So, what do artists do in response to this challenge? They gather.
Independent jam sessions, underground secret house parties, and grassroots drum circles on the beach—these organic gatherings allow musicians to develop their craft, connect, and hear each other.
At the same time, there has been an uprise of events that merge music with meditation, healing arts, and communal immersive experiences that blur the line between ritual and entertainment, tapping into something ancient while shaping a new cultural movement.
This is where Gather ‘Round bridges the gap, bringing the raw, unscripted magic of these underground communities into a thoughtfully curated experience. Reclaiming space for musicians, artists, and everyday people to come together—to create, listen, and engage in ways that revitalize the soul.
.jpg)
Held in the iconic HistoryMiami Museum Plaza, the latest edition of Gather ‘Round brought Miami’s artistic pulse into the heart of the city’s downtown—a location brimming with both history and modern cultural vibrancy. As the city hums with its gritty charm, Gather ‘Round created a space where creativity could breathe freely, unshackled by conventional event formats.
A key component of the strategy is to revive underutilized historic spaces across cities, turning them into thriving centers of culture and conversation. Each venue brings with it a new energy, a new sound. The venue becomes a living, breathing part of the experience. Michael Cantalupo, the mastermind behind Gather ‘Round, invites us to see spaces as living entities, places with their own frequencies and histories—and respond to the sounds they crave. It’s about activating a conversation with the place itself through the curation of the sound. The HistoryMiami Museum plaza, for example, is steeped in history, yet, like much of the surrounding city, it’s largely forgotten, immersed in the reality of homelessness. This is a truth that many want to ignore, but he believes that these spaces, when activated with culture and gathering, become catalysts for the difficult conversations that need to be had.
.jpg)
The evening began with a sound bath led by Jared Bistrong and the South Beach Sound Healing Orchestra. Gongs and chimes washed over attendees as they lay on pillows, letting go of the outside world.
At the heart of the night was a seven-piece ensemble that wove together Miami’s rich musical influences, seamlessly blending jazz, Latin rhythms, and ethereal sound-healing instrumentation. A soundscape that defied genres—an evolving conversation between structure and spontaneity.
Pierangela Dozsa, vocals; Marcelo Romero, saxophone; Julian Bermudez, piano and keyboards; Sami Head, bass; Marvin Clairsaint, drums; Katie Berns Lee, percussion; and Michael Cantalupo, hand pan, harmonium, percussion, and vocals.
Pierangela, radiant at the center, embodied the night’s essence with seamless grace and a powerful voice. She opened with an invitation: “For anyone who may be feeling a little vulnerable, we invite you to lean into that. This experience is completely improvised.” From there, the music unfolded like a slow-building tide. Overhead, planes carved through the night sky. A train rumbled on the horizon, threading itself into the music like part of a cinematic score.
.jpg)
In a world that increasingly values passively consuming content, Gather ‘Round reclaims the lost art of true connection. Cantalupo’s vision is to bring back the sacred and the communal. Music in its most raw and unfiltered form is the conduit for this reconnection.
This is not just a performance—it’s an invitation to be part of something larger than yourself. Gather ‘Round is a call to anyone who longs to be part of the live experience but feels disconnected or has lost touch with their creative intuition. Often, people think they need to be a musician to participate, but Cantalupo describes Gather ‘Round as an invitation for anyone to come back into the knowing of their own mind, spirit, and intuition. To be around people who are having some kind of awakening. To step outside of routine and into something ancient, something we once understood instinctively but have, in many ways, forgotten.
While some of the songs are rehearsed, there is always a loose structure in place, allowing for the natural flow of participation and spontaneity. Layers are added, rhythms are shifted, and people are invited to join in—to harmonize, to sing, to dance, and to create. The event is a celebration of the fact that music belongs to all of us, and through this collaborative spirit, Gather ‘Round becomes a living, evolving experience where everyone has a chance to shape the sound.
.jpg)
Cantalupo sees Gather ‘Round growing beyond Miami, activating spaces in other cities and building a network of communal, creative expression. More than an event, it’s a movement. If you missed this edition, don’t make the same mistake twice. Gather ‘Round isn’t something to just hear about—it’s something to experience. Follow the project. Show up. Don’t miss the chance to be part of the next cultural awakening in Miami.
