The Cameo Theatre was built in 1936 and is located at 1445 Washington Avenue in Miami Beach, Florida. The Cameo has a long history and was a major venue for punk and hardcore acts beginning in 1985 when Richard Shelter struck a deal with Cameo owner Zori Hayon to book shows there. According to the Miami New Times, Richard Shelter's first Cameo event was held in July 1985 and featured D.O.A.
In an interview with Roger Deering, Kristy O'Brien describes the Cameo and the local scene in the 80's. "Growing up in South Florida during the 1980s was a heady experience for anyone with alternative inklings. Against the backdrop of endless blue skies, genteel faded pastel jewel box buildings, midnight porch-sitting elderly and relentless heat tempered with hope, beat the heart of the underground music world known as the Cameo Theater. And undeniably the intense rhythm of that Miami Beach heartbeat was everyone’s favorite local band, the Drills. Most of the great hardcore punk bands such as Black Flag, Ramones, and the Dead Kennedys came to play in this tiny, decrepit hot pink and lime green art deco throwback and as opening band, the Drills were a huge part of the burgeoning all ages movement."
Richard Shelter was the first promoter to bring punk and hardcore to the Cameo. According to Shelter, "When I got back off the road with Pickett and started doing bigger shows at the Cameo, the financing came from Patrick, the owner of Tobacco Road, whom I had worked for part time as a waiter."
Crossover Concerts was founded by Paco D`Onis and Jim Quinlan. The company was formed in 1986 and held its first show the Cameo Theater at the end of November 1986. Crossover Concerts goal was to book everything from African pop to speed metal. They also planned to renovate and eventually buy the Cameo. De Onis and owner Zori Hayon closed the Cameo in late 1989 for renovations and reopened it in March 1990 with a concert by the Sugarcubes.
In the early 90s, The Cameo more or less became a disco dance club. By the end of 1992 de Onis had left, still marveling at the staying power of disco nights, which lasted five years.
The disco madness ended in June 1997 after federal, state, and local undercover agents repeatedly bought cocaine inside the Cameo. Authorities closed the club. A few months later they allowed owner Zori Hayon to reopen after he paid $35,000 in fines and agreed to end the theater's under-21 events, including disco nights."
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July 19: D.O.A, Dirt Clods and Harvest.
August 3: John Cale, Meat Puppets and Psycho Daisies.
August 9: Adrenalin OD, Tex & the Horseheads
Sept 14: Die Kreuzen, Amazing Grace, The Drills
November 26: Dead Kennedys, Raw Power, Sewer Zombies and Broken Talent.
December 21: Suicidal Tendencies, The Drills, Daverse
January 11: Circle Jerks, The Descendents, Maggot Sandwich
January 25: Black Flag, Painted Willie, Gone
April 18: Government Issue, Rugged Edge, Nuclear Beer
April 26: G.B.H., The Meatmen, Rugged Edge
May 17, 1986: UK Subs,Mad Parade,Rugged Edge
May 31: D.R.I., Silent Rage, The Lead
June 21: G.B.H., Agnostic Front, Hellwitch (this was at Lincoln Road, not the Cameo)
July 12: Descendents, Dag Nasty, Die Kreuzen, The Drill
November 6: Bad Brains, Dr. Know, The Drills
November 14: Sonic Youth, Firehose and Charlie Pickett & the MC3
November 15: 7 Seconds, Disorderly Conduct, Belching Penguins, Sector 4, The Chosen
January 10: Marginal Man, Disorderly Conduct, The Roidz, The Lead
January 17: Johnny Thunders Jerry Noland Band, The Preachers, The Skulls and Sleepwalker
January 24: Gang Green, Amazing Grace, True Believers
February 21: The Dead Boys, The Drills
February 27: Descendents, Straw Dogs, Rugged Edge
March 13: At War and Nuclear Assault.
March 14: Fear, Silent Rage, Rugged Edge
March 21: Bad Brains, Toxic Reasons, KGB
April 4: D.O.A., Rhythm Pigs, Amazing Grace, Sector 4, X-Men
May 2: Anti-Heros, Psychic Violents, Doldrums, White Lunch, KGB
May 10: D.R.I., B.P. (Belching Penguins ?), Rugged Edge, Love Guns
May 23: Butthole Surfers, Flag of Democracy, Rape in Vermont
June 13: Descendents, Rollins Band, M.I.A.
July 4: The Meatmen The Chosen, Psychedelicatessan, Steven Stilleto and the Switchblades.
July 11 (however advertised as July 10): 7 Seconds, Dag Nasty, Youth of Today
July 18: The Lords of the New Church
July 25: T.S.O.L. and The Drills
August 15: The Exploited, Rugged Edge
October 3: The Dead Milkmen, Nuclear Valdez, Johnny Blaze
October 10: Bl'ast, FWA, Chocolate Grasshopper, Nuclear Beer plus Skate Jam outside
October 23: G.B.H., The Accüsed, The Undead, Rugged Edge
November 20: Fishbone, Scream
December 5: Red Hot Chili Peppers and Faith No More
December 12: D.I., The Roidz, Doggy Style, The Doldrums
December 16: Anthrax, Exodus, Celtic Frost
December 19: Circle Jerks, Necros and The Drills
December 27: Ministry
December 31: Agnostic Front, Verbal Assault, Rugged Edge
January 4: Megadeth
February 20: The Exploited
March 5: The Dead Milkmen
March 25: Meat Puppets
March 26: Toxic Reasons, The Skulls, KGB
March 28: Nasty Savage
April 2: Agent Orange, All, Doughboys, Johnny Blazes
May 20: M.D.C., The Big Thing, The Roidz
June 11: U.K. Subs, Broken Bones, Rugged Edge
June 24: Youth of Today, FWA, Raging Pusbags, Second Generation, Bad Rep
July 3: J.F.A, Skatemaster Tate, Toxic Zombies, Dr. Martens, Y.D.L.
August 13: The Vandals, The Mentors, Shudder to Think, No Fraud
September 6: Overkill
October 20: Iggy Pop and Jane's Addiction.
November 12: Suicidal Tendencies, Uncle Sam, Rugged Edge, Nuclear Beer
November 19: Ramones, The Dickies, Amazing Grace
December 3: Butthole Surfers
December 13: Voivod
December 23: Danzig
January 13: Circle Jerks, Dr Know, Dead Serious
February 4: Uniform Choice, Gorilla Biscuits, Bold, Insted, Reason to Believe, Bad Rep
February 16: 7 Seconds. Agony in the Garden, The Drills
April 1: Gang Green
April 8: Killing Joke, Amazing Grace
April 14: Dead Milkmen, Live Skull
April 17: The Replacements
May 7: All
May 27: SNFU, The Accüsed, Brotherhood, Powerhouse
June 9: Cro-Mags, Destruction, Mortician, The Believers
July 5: Mentors, St Vitus, The Roidz (Sun - event moved)
July 29: The Damned, Agony in the Garden
February 25: Phish
March 30: Bob Dylan
March 31: Bob Dylan
March 13: Daft Punk, Winter music conference
