Preview: Ultra Music Festival

March 24, 2008 7:46 PM
by Marcos Colón [email]

If you really think about it, a lot happens in the span of ten years. Simple things like trends, whether in fashion or entertainment, change and evolve, while more serious and significant events such as wars can either begin or end (or just drag on at times). Either way, a decade is enough time for drastic change, so to have a run at anything for ten years is meaningful. This Friday and Saturday Ultra Music Festival reaches that meaningful accomplishment as they celebrate their own ten-year anniversary.

Started in 1998 by organizers Alex Omes and Russell Faibisch, the festival has become an annual staple of entertainment whose reputation has reached far beyond the city limits. The fact that Ultra is officially affiliated with Winter Music Conference may help its numbers, but it doesn’t add to the fact that it has developed itself into a stand-alone festival. This year’s event once again brings in top tier talent and carries on the two-day setup that began last year. Drawing in about 7,000 people the first time around, Ultra Music Festival has now turned into a monster that attracts nearly 50,000. Be sure that the Junkies will be attending the festival to provide all with feedback on each day’s performances and other occurrences.

Day one of the festival is all about the variety in the many stages. The Dance Rock Stage features none other than the gold plated hockey masked MSTRKRFT boys along with BBC’s Radio One personality Annie Mac. The highlight of that stage has to be German electro duo Digitalism, who are currently taking a break from their US tour to grace us all with their presence and sickly addictive electro house. The Amnesia Ibiza Arena definitely has consistently in their line up as performances by Lee Burridge, Damian Lazarus, M.A.N.D.Y., James Zabiela and Steve Lawler will make it hard for anyone to leave.

A unique addition to this year’s festival comes in the form of The Rabbit Hole stage, where headliners, Rabbit in the Moon, will be making an exclusive live WMC appearance. This performance art/trance collective, who at times are labeled as the Pink Floyd of electronic music, are Ultra veterans now and will be able to provide the necessary mind blowing experience to the many in attendance. Although the highlight of this stage may be this performance, be sure not to miss BT’s live 10-year retrospective set as well as The Crystal Method who’ll be providing plenty of breakbeats. Next up is another new addition to this year’s festival, the Carl Cox & Friends stage. This stage will host performances by Danny Tenaglia, Josh Wink, Richie Hawtin and the man himself (Cox if you didn’t catch on by now) who’ll be providing a 10-year classics set.

On the main stage, day one has a line-up that’s sure to please any and all as The Veez kicks up things. Deadmau5, Erol Alkan, Junkie XL and Eric Prydz, who makes his first U.S. festival appearance, continue the party before The Bravery take the stage and give the audience a different taste for the day. After their performance, Justice is set to take over for an exclusive DJ set that will lead into the one and only Tiësto, making his performance an intimate one, compared to the clusterfuck crowds that he’s used to play to in Europe.

Day two competes with day one in both the talent and stage category as well starting off with the BreakBeat stage that will feature Krafty Kuts, Hybrid and Stanton Warriors. The Drum and Bass stage is not far behind with nearly 30 performers all headlined by Planet of the Drums. I may not be the biggest fan of drum and bass, but I must say that these guys have made me one.

The Bayfront Stage might be one of the best in the festival as Audiofly, Benny Benassi and Sasha & John Digweed are just a few to name. Like day one, the second half of the festival also features the Carl Cox and friends stage with Cox performing for the second consecutive day, this time bringing along David Guetta and MOBY, who’s another performer making an exclusive WMC appearance.

It may not seem like it gets any better than day one’s headliners, but it does. Sander Van Doorn, Pete Tong, Erick Morillo and Paul Van Dyk take over the main stage before Underworld will come in and make the best out of their exclusive 2008 Florida live appearance.

All in all, this year’s Ultra Music Festival will definitely be one to remember, not only because of its 10-year anniversary, but also primarily due to the quality line-up that each day has to offer. Stay tuned on CJ when the Junkies provide you with up to date performances, appearances and occurrences.