In Haitian culture the lakou looms large: It is the communal space where neighbors and families not only share meals and music and rituals and celebrations but also the space in which they forge closer bonds and offer mutual support.

And now, nestled across the street from the Villain Theater in Little Haiti, Miami has its own Lakou — a rising multifunctional space dedicated to the "convergence of art, food, and cultural expression" which kicks off its new Saturday night live music series this week with a performance by Miami reggae legend Jean P. Jam .

"There's been a lot of talk about the whole Little River district popping off," Lakou owner Aaron Goldstein tells New Times. "And we just thought there was a good opportunity to pay homage to the big piece in the mosaic of Miami that

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