53 June 18–24, 2026 NEW TIMES miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com 53 June 18–24, 2026 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES B EST º f M IA M I ® 2 02 6 variably makes its own. In 2026, the group promises to release new music, and Miami shivers with anticipation. BEST SOLO MUSICIAN Ana Paz anapaz.net Imagine mixing dream pop with jazz fusion, sprinkling in a bit of soul, a dash of alt-indie and a hefty scoop of polyrhythm. Add an extra Mi- ami-specific ingredient to the concoction — let’s call it Chemical X — and Ana Paz is born. Her first EP entitled “Surrender” (2025) is a three-song reflection on grief, exploring the complexities of longing and a desire for the past. Known for her ethereal harmonies and catchy melodies, she’s spending 2026 honing her craft as a singer, songwriter and multi-in- strumentalist. Intimate, profound and cine- matic, her unique sound is a meditation on personal pain channeled through collective art. BEST SONGWRITER Mr. Entertainment and the Pookiesmackers mrentertainmentandthepookiesmackers. bandcamp.com As a Hollywood, Fla., native and Miami music scene veteran, Steven Toth — the man who christened himself Mr. Entertainment — has long been a droll musical chronicler of the many facets of our strange state. He’s found inspiration in the tragic and trivial alike, ref- erencing the Pulse nightclub shooting in the song “Broken Record,” while the song “Mid- night Cowboy” nods to the great movie by the same name which shot some some scenes in his hometown. With the latest album from his rock band Mr. Entertainment and the Pookiesmackers, Don’t I Know You From Somewhere?*, Toth and bandmate Emile Milgrim find lyrical space to muse on every- thing from their musical influences to the se- cret lives of parents. While there are two cover songs (Velvet Underground and Fugs) on the album, most of the tunes serve as a time machine to channel their musical influ- ences, whether that’s 1960s psyche folk in “Zeppelin, Faeries And All Of That Shit” or the 1980s synth rock of “Merkin for the Man.” BEST UNDERGROUND PARTY Autonomy instagram.com/autonomy.305 After graduating college in Boston and spend- ing a year abroad in Beijing, Victor Princiotta returned home and noticed there were no shared spaces between Miami’s disparate subcultures. To establish dialogues between them, Princiotta started an online forum called Autonomy. A year later, it evolved into a roaming, DIY party series under the same name. Lineups featured an eclectic mix of performers and bands across genres. As the project grew, more collaborators joined the fold. Laura Solarte, better known as Bitter Babe, opened the door for international book- ings. Stephanie Burt, aka Marie Qrie, brought booking experience from III Points and The Ground. Grace Tillyard, aka Xilla, formerly of London collective Sisu, joined the effort after relocating to Miami. Today, Autonomy is Mi- ami’s most trusted incubator for left-field sounds. Last January, the collective celebrated its 10-year anniversary at The Boombox, and in March, the brand collaborated with Record Behavior and Guest House Radio to debut a camping festival. BEST VENUE FOR LOCAL ACTS Churchill’s 5501 NE Second Ave. Miami, 33137 305-757-1807 churchillspub.com Respect your elders, kids. Churchill’s Pub has been around since 1979, providing a stage for both established and up-and-coming bands. Many legacy acts have performed within its gritty, stained, sticker-covered walls. More importantly, countless newcomers have used that same stage to build their chops or test new songs in front of a crowd, knowing they’re performing where history was made. The secret to its longevity? Resilience and no identity crisis. Despite shutting down during the pandemic, undergoing a change in own- ership and even surviving rumors of being re- placed by a Chili’s, the “CBGB of the South” rose from the ashes like a phoenix last year. It returned looking almost exactly the same, save for a few tune-ups: fresh paint, upgraded bathrooms and a new patio. Most crucially, it still provides a home for the weird, the loud and the indie. Arts & EntertAinment
