MixHell and Jacob’s Ladder
Go Local This Weekend

By Dominick Scala

Considering I spend half my time in San Francisco (a place where you can’t spit in any direction without hitting someone who is, or claims to be, a DJ) I figured I’d focus on a Miami Beach event and some fine South Florida local talent.

Mixhell, who will take the stage at The White Room in Miami, on Saturday, Nov. 7, is the musical lovechild of wedded duo Igor and Laima Cavalera. The Brazilian DJ/remix team combines dark rock, hip-hop cyberpunk and electro-dance. They have released 10 original tracks, remixed over 25 songs, and have been remixed over 20 times. When Igor was 15, he took up drums and started a metal band with his brother Max (vocals) calling it Sepultura. Over the next 20 years they sold over 15 million records, toured the world several times over, and Igor earned the reputation of one of the greatest heavy metal drummers of all time. By 2006 Igor had grown weary of Sepultura, and decided it was time to stay home and focus on his family. Not long after, he developed a true passion for dance music. With Laima at his side, the two began making tracks, DJing and networking with the likes of Soulwax/2ManyDJs, Justice, MSTRKRFT, Diplo, Busy P and James Murphy.

Eventually making their way to the stage, Igor and Laima both DJed, side-by-side, playing their own edits and enhancing the records they play with original percussion they’ve recorded themselves. In the midst of their performances, Igor will leave his turntables and sit behind his drum kit in the middle of the dance floor. (You might think you’re in the Amazon as he pounds rhythms out of his drums, surrounded by sweat and bodies moving in unison.) Many other live dance acts have tried to mix in instrumentation to their set, yet they lack the power, intensity and passion of the Mixhell experience.

Hailing from Miami Beach itself, Jacobs Ladder is the power-pop trio making waves through hard work, persistence and a genuine love of music. Their style seems to be on the upside of rock-n-roll — almost ‘happy’ sounding, merging elements of pop, reggae, and rock. They have toured over the last three years playing in excess of 400 shows nationally, opening for bands such as Fall Out Boy, The Matches, The Ataris, Bayside, and The Audition. In 2007, they released an EP called “On a Chariot of Fire” selling roughly 4,000 copies to date. Incessant touring and paying their dues (which basically means sleeping in the van) has finally begun to pay off. The boys have stapled a solid fan base, have reached ‘pro’ status with the number of plays on myspace, and just finished up their second EP, “Ours for the Taking,” produced by Cyrus Bolooki of New Found Glory. The album was recorded and mixed by Ryan Haft at Dungeon Recording Studio in Miami.

Jacobs Ladder will have a record release and tour kickoff party at Churchill’s Pub, 5501 N.E. Second Ave., in Miami on Friday, Nov. 6 at 8:30 p.m. Call 305-757-1807 for more info.

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