David Guetta. Armin van Buuren. Ti?sto. Avicii. Skrillex. And those are just the household names. What sounds like a name drop from DJ Mag’s Top 100 list is in fact just a few of the headliners at this year’s Ultra Music Festival.
Yes, Ultra is back and it’s bringing its star-studded “I can’t believe they’re all in one place” lineup to Miami for its 14th year to cap off Winter Music Conference. This year, The Badger Herald was lucky enough to snag a press pass to bring the sights and sounds of the festival back to Madison.
Those attending Ultra this weekend can expect three days of sunshine, insanity and electronic music bliss at the festival awarded Best Music Event of 2011 by the International Dance Music Awards. More than 100,000 electronic fans from 70 different countries came to Miami’s Bayfront Park last March to hear the hooks, drops, buildups and bass of the genre’s best artists, and this year’s sold-out show promises no smaller or less diverse a crowd.
Those lucky or diehard enough to have secured a ticket and a way to Miami will hear everyone from Afrojack to Zed’s Dead, with more than 350 DJs confirmed for the festival itself and more in town for the 200+ other events taking place during the 10 days of Winter Music Conference. If there is a DJ you love and you have the money, chances are you can catch them in Miami at a pool party, afterparty, nightclub or Ultra itself sometime during the conference.
The festival has a reputation for bringing in both the best seasoned artists and the most promising up-and-coming acts the electronic genre has to offer. Ultra’s artists come from all subgenres of electronic, with acts like Dash Berlin and ATB repping the trance scene, Avicii and Kaskade covering house, the likes of Mord Fustang, Bassnectar and 12th Planet appeasing the dubstep kids, Madeon and Justice satisfying the French electropop requirement and Kraftwerk and New Order representing the electronic legends category, with Benny Benassi, Carl Cox and Fatboy Slim following in their footsteps. Glitch hop, drum and bass, electro, ambient, hardstep and moombahton DJs will be there as well, guaranteeing there will be more must-see acts than hours to see them.
Along with the eight stages of non-stop music, fest attendees can check out non-profit orgs’ and charities’ booths in the Eco Village, buy merch from various vendors and experience the unforgettable taste of hot festival food on even hotter days. They can also enjoy the spectacle that is 200,000 electronic fans decked out in bikinis, furry boots, body paint and the deadmau5 heads that come out regardless of whether the DJ is in attendance or not.
The Badger Herald will be covering the festivities and bringing you show recaps, interviews with artists and live tweets and photos of the action. Follow our Twitter feed @BH_Arts and check out The Beat Goes On blog on our website to keep up to date on the chaos. The festival will be streaming live from youtube.com/umftv, but if you’re tempted to swing down to Miami to experience the fun in person, check out wintermusicconference.com to see the events and where to buy tickets.
