Last year’s controversial divide between Miami’s Winter Music Conference (WMC) and similarly institutional Ultra Music Festival was, it seems, fleeting. This March, those two titans of dance music’s ever expanding global events calendar, are back together. The Conference, headquartered on Miami Beach, is running March 16-25, whilst ‘downtown’ Ultra rocks it March 23-25.
There have still been headlines of course. Most notably for WMC 12 which will stretch to 10 days for the first time in its history with a massively revamped programme of events. The marathon Conference, incorporating two weekends of festivities, promises a more detailed range of industry seminars, workshops and lectures on everything from 360-degree artist management to the latest beat-mixing techniques. But then there’s also bold new content around electronic dance music’s relationship with fashion, mobile technology and other musical styles such as rock and electronica.
All this is complimented, as usual, by a stream of industry-led pool parties, cool networking soirees and jams in immaculate boutique hotels. The emphasis, very generally speaking, is on sleek, soulful house and techno. Conference highlights this year like Black Coffee’s Soulistic party, at the National Hotel on March 18, Tribe Records’ Get Deep shindig at The Vagabond on March 21 (featuring head honcho Zepherin Saint alongside DJ Spinna, Rocco and Marques Wyatt), and the Lust4Guesthouse affair at Kill Your Idol (presenting DJ Sneak and Demarkus Lewis) prove this point well.
Visitors might also want to look out for annual Conference party (and tradition) ‘And Let The Singer Be Heard’. On its 11th instalment in 2012, the March 21 gathering, at Ocean’s 10 in Ocean Drive, will squeeze some of clubland’s finest soul-house vocalists and DJs into one amazing room – jocks DJ Spen, Terry Hunter, Todd Terry and Tony Humphries are set to lay down spine-tingling grooves for premier singers Ce Ce Rogers, Michael Proctor, Kenny Bobien, Robin S, Darryl D’ Bonneau, Dawn Tallman and Marc Evans.
Several deliciously deep, under-the-radar tribal house nights can be expected at mid-size Miami clubs Twist and Score during WMC (Danny Tengalia plays Score on March 16, in fact), and any number of the small but chic hotels on thoroughfares Washington, Collins and Lincoln will be hosting free events focussed firmly on young, fast-rising DJ talent.
Nevertheless, WMC 12 also has its fair share of higher-profile gigs, namely at the big ocean-front hotels Raleigh, Shelborne, Surfcomber and South Seas. For example, Tenaglia presents his annual 12-hour Be Yourself extravaganza at Surfcomber on March 17 (a Saturday) and prog-house legend Victor Calderone plays there March 18. Meantime, Murk’s Oscar G hosts a Nervous ‘Made In Miami’ pool party at Shelborne on opening Conference night March 16 (alongside Ralph Falcon); followed by Def Mixers David Morales, Frankie Knuckles and Hector Romero (not forgetting Quentin Harris) on March 17.
In fairness, Shelborne has plenty of highlights; much as it did in 2011. Beyond Murk and Morales, the popular beach resort expects major spectacles from La Tour (March 18, featuring Carl Craig, Tiefschwarz, Martin Buttrich and Nina Kraviz among others); Shelter (March 20, Timmy Regisford); Ovum (March 21, a 16th birthday bash for Josh Wink’s label); Hot Creations (March 22, Jamie Jones, Lee Foss, Cajmere and Defected friend MK, all in Shelborne’s Shine space); Cadenza (March 22, Luciano and friends); X-Mix Productions (March 23, Armand Van Helden, DJ Sneak, Felix Da Housecat, Todd Terry…) and Pacha Ibiza (March 24, Bob Sinclar and DJ Jazzy Jeff).
Speaking of Cadenza, Luciano’s unstoppable ‘Vagabundos’ crew will be commandeering yacht Biscayne Lady (moored in Biscayne Boulevard) on March 21 for an exclusive cruise – Reboot, Robert Dietz and Michel Cleis ‘on point’. The same trio, plus Luciano and Detroit veteran Kenny Larkin, play Space Miami the following evening for a ’14 Hours Of Cadenza’ special; Space welcomes Loco Dice and Marco Carola the night before and, back at Surfcomber, Circo Loco’s official WMC pool party, March 22, sees the likes of Seth Troxler, Dubfire, Art Department, Tale Of Us, Ellen Allien, DJ Sneak and Dan Ghenacia vying for their raucous crowd’s attention.
The events and line-ups go on and on…. Clearly, there’s more activity scheduled than in previous years and with it, greater variety and experimentation. But there do remain some concerns about the extended WMC schedule.
“Expanding the WMC dates was an easy decision given the high demand of artists, businesses and industry delegates,” WMC co-founder Bill Kelly told media in a statement last October. “Hotels, restaurants, cafes, shops and every sort of possible entertainment venue are filled to capacity during WMC week to the point where five days just wasn’t enough.”
But several online electronic dance forums are peppered with comment about the new format being too long. One Miami regular comments: “def cutting off the first and last days and bringing it down to a proper week. More than that on south beach would be way to much!” whilst a post by promoter ‘DarrenHolland’ in October, when Miami’s dates were first confirmed, gives some sense of the conflict event organisers have been feeling in terms of which weekend to attack during WMC – the first or the chaotic, Ultra-clashing last?
The post cites economics (cheaper hotel, rental and bar rates at the beginning of WMC versus its tail-end), volume of footfall (attendance should be strong around March 16-18, rather than chaotic and therefore uncomfortable) and competition (the Ultra effect) as key influencing factors and claims a raft of management changes at several of Miami’s key venues, making the planning process even more complex. ‘DarrenHolland’ stresses: “Do not think that it’s [Miami] back to the way it was it’s not.”
If one or two gremlins do remain in the Miami machine, however, surely it’s in a better place than this time last year. On the whole, schedules have been unveiled smoothly and objections and concerns kept to a fairly quiet minimum.
And if the legs of WMC revellers start to buckle as they approach that second weekend then Ultra should give them the energy boost they need. Ultra is, for many, a wholly separate entity to WMC and brings with it its own unique crowds and musical vibe. However, there will be those attempting to move between both camps next month.
Ultra has evolved from a one-day festival into three days of high-profile, intensely-organised electronic theatre. The main festival shows in Bayfront Park – featuring, among others Kraftwerk, New Order, Tiesto, David Guetta and dubstep sensation Skrillex – are superstar-sized affairs, aiming their brassy 4-4 and eye-popping concert AV at crowds of thousands and thousands. Those sweeping audiences are much less industry insider than globe-trotting dance fan; the sort of crowd seeking thrills rather than deals. It’s a completely different kettle of fish.
Ultra’s fierce independence (from WMC) in turn motivates others to promote and perform around it. The festival’s hustle and bustle is the perfect backdrop against which another interesting set of labels, acts and management companies can lay their wares. As such, Crosstown Rebels seventh annual ‘Miami Session’ (March 24, ‘from morning to midnight’, Electric Pickle) should be penned firmly in the diary. Rebel leader Damian Lazarus brings with him the talented, leftfield likes of Art Department, Clive Henry, Craig Richards, Guti, Maceo Plex, Mr C and Luca Bacchetti among others.
The following day – 7am, May 25, to 5am, May 26, - Electric Pickle hosts the Giant Throbbing Electric Pickle Invades Miami, live performances by Tiger & Woods, Crazy P and Guy Gerber complimenting DJ sets from Solomun, Heidi, Deetron, Shonky, Soul Clap and Wolf + Lamb. Elsewhere, Steve Angello plays Space Miami (March 24), Axwell hits Surfcomber (March 25), and crews from Get Physical and Cocoon swing by new hotspot Treehouse Miami (March 24 & 25 respectively).
When all is said and done Miami looks to have brushed last year’s calendar clashes and entanglements confidently aside with arguably the most action-packed line-up in its long and prestigious history.
Whatever your take on the event today, that inimitable Miami madness is once again on its way…. Get yourself ready.
Words: Ben Lovett
Defected In The House Miami '12 is out now
