Kickin’ it at Chum Bucket

Miami Chum Bucket is an all volunteer, all ages music club and performance space. The venue is located on 28th st right before the intersection on 17th ave. The venue is large and features grafitti art along the walls. Marlena Skrobe//Co-Photoeditor
Miami Chum Bucket is an all-volunteer, all-ages music club and performance space. The venue is located on 28th Street before the intersection on 17th Avenue. The venue is features graffiti art along the walls. Marlena Skrobe//Co-Photoeditor

Miami has seen a handful of venues come and go in the past decade, with few lasting more than a year.

While many locals have found places to lurk on the weekends, the punks, metalheads and show-goers have been in a state of unrest over the lack of places to see their favorite bands perform.Chum Bucket is Miami’s newest all-ages, DIY (do-it-yourself) venue, was hatched roughly a year ago.

Chum Bucket was founded by members of local bands such as Baker Acted, Eztorbo and Guerrilleros de Nadie, punk bands that have been playing shows for years in the South Florida area. After many benefit shows and much promotion, Chum Bucket welcomed the public on March 26.

“The Chum Bucket is an awesome addition to the Miami music scene with potential for all different genres and events,” local musician Julian Del Rio said.

More than music, Chum Bucket will be hosting workshops and even have a lending library. Local bands will share the stage with other local bands, but one of the best aspects of the new show space will be the number of touring bands that do not usually come this far south.

“It’s a place we could book the bands we wanted and a place we felt was there for us and not to make a profit off of us,” Ashley Maclaren, one of the founders, said. “We also hope to bring bigger bands down that never come to Miami.”

The Chum Bucket is maintained and managed by a group of local musicians, but a strong sense of unity is found within the venue.

Volunteers, and show-goers have even been cleaning up the show space after performances. It seems to have encouraged not just more attendance to local shows, but an entire attitude of wanting to help out and be a part of something.

“So many people want to be involved and help out. At shows, people will just grab a garbage bag and start cleaning up, and we had people coming to help us fix the place up,” Maclaren said.

Chum Bucket is a do-it-yourself venue that already has a strong following. One of the very few South Florida venues open to all ages, it’s sure to be home to all the kids that just want to hang with their friends, see their favorite bands and be a part of a local community.

Caroline Helmers may be contacted at chelmers@themiamihurricane.com.


If You Go:

Chum Bucket is located at 1545 NW 28 St., Miami

For more information visit: miamichumbucket.com