Within the last two years I’ve fallen in love with the dance music festival circuit. What started as a mid-sized festival in Chicago my friend literally had to drag me to because I had not yet felt the warm embrace of the PLUR community quickly evolved into me bargaining going out on the weekends to bars I’d frequented since before it was legal to scheming news ways to save my money and then make it stretch in places like Orlando, Vegas, and the subject of this article…Ultra Miami.
The 125,000 person get together in Bayfront Park that is my own little birthday present to myself for the soon to be second time. I am someone who must list and bullet point everything so I thought, why not give an aspiring attendee the three reasons I’ll be making my return and why they should STRONGLY consider it, too?
1. Miami Itself
I think it’s fair to say there is no place like Miami.
Being a born and raised Midwesterner, this place is so alien from my home world that you would think it would be intimidating. Not the case whatsoever. Unlike some of the other major 100k+ attendee fests you can find in the United States, Ultra takes place right in the heart of the city it’s named after.
Not only is the Miami skyline remarkable to have parallel to mainstage, but the culture of the festival itself seems to be deliberately intertwined with the home of domestic dance music.
As well, if you’re staying in the city – this can be clutch when it comes to figuring out how one is to get home as driving and getting rides is usually treacherous as the crowd lets out. I was able to walk home each night, our hotel mere steps from the venue.
I found Ultra’s location to be uniquely beneficial as I maintained the best cellular service I ever have at any festival I’ve attended. This is never the case when I find myself in Seat Geek Stadium, Camping World/Tinker Field, or Vegas Motor Speedway and it makes a world of difference when you lose your group or find yourself on many sidequests throughout the weekend.
What I also enjoyed is that just about any food business that stays open after Ultra gets out is again, uniquely Miami. I don’t know many other festivals where I can go to a local eatery at 3am for some of the best Peruvian food I’ve ever had on one side of an establishment and on the other, there’s a full blown after party that might go until 6 am.
In closing on this point, this was the weekend I decided there was no way my plans did not include living in South Florida.
Happy to say, I made the move in September, and it’s been a major success and a great start to my 30’s.
2. The Spectacle
How does a festival standout? Location as mentioned is big, but to me I always go back to – what spectacles stuck with me?
What moments felt larger than life and so keen to a single place and time that I’d want to do it again and again? Ultra ticks this box from the get.
Night one may have gotten rained out early, but I got to see Slander close it out in dramatic fashion. They’re my favorite group today and the fact this was their first time playing mainstage meant so much to me. Having them debut two new songs, one where Poo Bear actually joined them on stage for was beautiful.
I actually go back and watching this 45 minute long video on YouTube because I want to relive it that bad. Also, can I just say that it’s pretty amazing that even though two acts that were supposed to go on after Slander, one being Hardwell – they actually were able to move to the next day? What festival does this? Ultra does.
I got to see Excision go b2b with Illenium just for Feel Something on Saturday night and as many times as I’ve seen this song get performed live, the chills I get remembering that specific crowd is unlike any other.
While the pull of house and techno style is very prevalent here, wooks and gremlins can still throw down with the best of them here. There’s representation across all aisles of dance music but I am impressed the heavier sets like the forementioned don’t fall to the wayside.
Even early Sunday for Trivecta’s set, the Live Stage was PACKED with people, the sunniest vibes imaginable for a PERFECT day 3.
Out of all the festivals I’ve had the pleasure of attending, Ultra stands out in a way the others don’t.
The people who put this on understand how to leave a lasting impression and I have to say it’s an overwhelmingly positive one. Give me a good location, people who know how to use it, the only thing you need now…is talent.
3. The Lineup
If you ask me if I’m going to something, I’ll ask you what the lineup is. Even is the topics aren’t related at all.
“You gonna be at your sister’s for Christmas?”
“Depends, lineup looks super weak again this year.”
This is an actual conversation I had with my mom last week. And the answer is no, I’m not attending said dinner (sorry, Linda move to Florida like I did).
That aside, I love the location and the unique vibes but it is the artists that really pull me to an event.
Alesso, John Summit b2b Dom Dolla, Anyma + SOLOMON, Crankdat, Dimension, Mau P, ODD MOB, Subtronics…did I mention we’re only two of three phases being released? Did I mention this is barely a fraction of the artists showing out?
If there’s something that seals the deal for me, it’s a wide variety of DJ’s that keep a festival from being too niche.
Admittedly, it was just sitting back and getting lose at the Megastructure and Resistance that made me give house and techno a chance. These days, I’ll skip my favorite crybanger sadboi DJ for something like John Summit and it’s all because Miami opened my eyes and ears to what all is available to be absorbed, but more importantly – enjoyed and immortalized.
So, those are my reasons and I’m sticking to them. Moving to South Florida and not revisiting this festival seems almost criminal as the memories I made just over a year ago are still burning brightly within me. Not to mention this is their 25 year anniversary and much as I admitted to needing to rank and bullet point everything, I also love significant anniversaries.
To be a part of what is bound to be an unforgettable birthday for this unique and iconic celebration I feel almost obligated to be at. And when it comes and goes – I’ll be sure to write on how Ultra is bound to have another 25 successful runs to come.
