13 August 28 - september 3, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | Breaking the Mold! Mold! celebrates its new album at Gramps. BY CATHERINE TORUÑO S ince 2019, Mold! has spread its explosive experimental noise- rock rapidly across the Magic City, quickly establishing itself in Miami’s shifting music scene. Mold! founder Carlo Barbacci has been the throughline in the band, shaping it from a col- laborative experiment into its recent evolu- tion — a distinctly personal project with a rotating collective of talented musicians. Closing the band’s monthlong Summer Moldy Tour, Mold! will celebrate its recently released third album, III,at Gramps on Au- gust 30. Also on the bill are Miami heroes Pal- omino Blond, Dime, and Survivor rocker Ben Katzman with a homecoming performance since his move to the West Coast. III is a psychedelic magic carpet ride through a tornado. Per Mold! code, the fast- as-hell album is driven by high-energy drums and distorted, repetitive riffs influenced by Spacemen 3, with lyrics both in Spanish and English. The album cover features collage art by Ian Duclos, Barbacci’s artist friend from Peru. Mixed by Ryan Haft, III was released digi- tally and physically via Community Records. “It’s the first time a label gives a shot. It’s reas- suring,” says Barbacci. Shortly after his move to Miami from his home country Peru in 2018, the 31 year-old musician made Mold! his lifestyle, channel- ing Miami’s chaotic energy and his own anxi- ety into Mold! Investing the majority of his free time and money to the project, Barbacci wasn’t left with much time or energy for relationships or hobbies. III was a turning point for the Mi- ami musician — after trying to share the proj- ect for many years, Barbacci decided it was time to put the band’s future in his hands. “It took three records to accept reality that Mold! is my thing,” he shares. “You have to be ready for something seri- ous, but the people who come into your life are just not,” Barbacci says, comparing his band experiences to dating. “The energy fades down, and you care about it, so you’re pushing and pushing, but other people don’t push as hard, so an imbalance hap- pens.” Still, Mold! wouldn’t keep spreading without the support of Bar- bacci’s rotating lineup, which has re- cently included Peter Allen, Francisco Lujan, Joshua Soria, Sebastian Crow, Jean Carlo Dominguez, and Nestor Rigaud. Barbacci is ready to push Mold! to new boundaries. With undeniable tenacity, Bar- bacci knows that if he eats, breathes, and drinks Mold!, he can make it. From keeping the band alive, to exten- sive touring, performing at Miami’s best venues, and landing spots on major Florida festivals like III Points, Bumblefest, and Winterland, Barbacci takes pride in what Mold! has accomplished so far — yet he’s hungry for more. “I’m very determined. A part of me is tired, there are other things I want to do in life, but I feel like I can’t do those other things until I achieve this. It only takes per- severance. It’s like a means of survival to me,” Barbacci declares. Though Barbacci’s day job as an Audio En- gineer pays the bills, he wants Mold! to be his main gig. “I don’t think I’m gonna make it in this world unless I keep doing this forever,” says Barbacci. He’s hoping his next album will be the best one yet, and the one to help him reach that goal. “I believe in this rule that it works for every- body who works as hard as I do without stop- ping. It has to happen at some point,” Barbacci says. “I just hope it doesn’t happen in 20 years.” Mold! Album Release Show. With Ben Katzman, Dime, and Palomino Blond. 7 p.m. Saturday, August 30, at Gramps, 176 NW 24th St., Miami; gramps.com. Tickets cost $20.04 at eventbrite.com. [email protected] ▼ Music Music Mold! will bring its noise-rock to Gramps on August 30. Photo by Carlo Barbacci “I DON’T THINK I’M GONNA MAKE IT IN THIS WORLD UNLESS I KEEP DOING THIS FOREVER.” Wait, What? A Labubu rave is coming to the 305. BY FLOR FRANCESCHETTI I f you’ve been on social media at all, you’ve probably seen some kind of Labubu fever spreading. Particularly in Miami, the dolls de- signed by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung have been getting special treatment — people are pimping them out with tattoos, piercings, and even tooth gems. Naturally, that kind of ludic energy has set the stage for a Labubu Rave in the 305. “Wait, what?” That’s what we thought when we drove by a banner advertising the event on NW Sev- enth Ave. If you’re reading the New Times music section, you already know Miami has had every kind of rave under the sun since the beginning of time (or at least since Ultra), but a Labubu rave? That’s a new one. So we called Sagiv Israel, co- founder of organizers Chemical X and Domicile, to find out what exactly this event is about. The Labubu Rave is happening next Friday, August 29. “People are encouraged to bring their Labubus. We’ll have vendors selling all kinds of Labubu merch, and yes, there’s even a special guest Labubu making an appearance in human size, ” Israel tells New Times. To add another incentive to participate and have fun while at it, there will be a cosplay con- test with a $100 prize, and a raffle where some- one will win an actual Labubu. Musically, it’s a full-on rave, hard techno, speed house, happycore, DnB, trance, with a lineup fea- turing all local talent. Lopi, Technofa1ry, Mania, Pas- tel Beach, Rhemma, Trixxx, Violeta, are listed in the bill. “No international headliners,” Israel says. “We’ve got enough amazing artists here who aren’t getting the at- tention they deserve.” This premise is more or less the motto be- hind Chemical X, the event production arm of local former venue turned community Domicile. Chemical X has a track record of playful, char- acter-themed raves — think Hello Kitty or Sailor Moon — so this isn’t their first rodeo. But it is their first Labubu rave, and it sounds like it will be as fun, colorful, wild, and maybe a bit scary as the toys that inspired it. Domicile as a venue has experienced many changes with their previous location closing last year, but Israel mentions that there will be excit- ing news coming soon for Miami techno lovers. Labubu Rave. 10 p.m. Friday, August 29th, at 702 Northwest Fifth Avenue, Miami; instagram. com/domicile.miami; Tickets cost $17.20 via dice.com. [email protected] | CROSSFADE | ▼ Music Music The first Miami “Labubu Rave” will happen on August 29. Background by Jason Gamalo, Labubu illustration by @ludmylalys via Canva.
