Ahead of the release of Defected In The House Miami 2014, and with Miami the next major destination on the collective dance music calendar, Defected Ben’s Lovett takes a look at the parties and projected impact of what has become one of the most attended – and lucrative – weeks of the year.
Last year, analysts for the Washington Economics Group put Miami’s Ultra Music Festival’s financial worth for Miami-Dade County at around $79m. Those same analysts calculated that 60% of Ultra’s 165,000 attendees spent money on accommodation, food and drink and transportation to the event. It’s unsurprising, then, that an unprecedented swathe of Miami-Dade country businesses has been benefitting. March’s so-called ‘Miami Music Week’ – occurring concurrently with the more ‘traditional’ Winter Music Conference – continues to grow rapidly, embracing new genres and audiences.
The Miami of 2014 is taking things to breathtaking new levels of brand-backed spectacle. DJs do not simply ghost in and out of town, they quite literally take it over. EDM’s Grammy-winning poster boy Avicii launched his own ‘hotel experience’ at the Marlin last March and is back this spring cementing the idea with an equally bold set up at SLS Hotel South Beach. The ‘Avicii Hotel’ will open for business March 26-30, promising a unique twist to Miami’s traditional scheduling for dance fans.
A collaboration between SLS Hotel and Avicii manager Ash Pournouri’s At Night Management company, the pop-up residence will offer guests ‘world-class programming and events’, not to mention exclusive room packages (including entry to the SLS’ Philippe Starck-designed Japanese restaurant Katsuva) and VIP access to a number of other Miami week events. It’s a far cry from Avicii-branded shuttle buses in 2011 and ice-cream trucks in 2012. “I’m so excited to, for the second year in a row, launch the Avicii Hotel and get in front of fans on this amazing property,” the Swedish star declared in a recent statement.
Elsewhere, Red Bull – long affiliated with the club scene – will be revisiting its ‘Guest House’ premise; a premise that premiered successfully in 2013. Taking over the Gale Hotel March 27-30, the brand promises showcases from Hot Creations, Diynamic and Richie Hawtin’s M_nus stable, as well as LuckyMe, Mad Decent, PMR and Skrillex’s OWSLA camp.
But what of the main WMC (March 21-30) itinerary? WMC, now in its 29th year, returns to its daytime base at the Miami Beach Convention Center presenting a typically rich mix of in-depth seminars, panels, DJ workshops and industry exhibitions. Highlights include a Hardwell Q&A on March 28 and, prior to that, the International Dance Music Awards, March 27. Major (and varied) IDMA nominees include Disclosure, Armin Van Buuren, Joris Voorn, Hot Natured, Calvin Harris, Carl Cox, Seth Troxler and, of course, Avicii. Many of clubland’s great and good are expected to attend.
Of a similarly significant size, Ultra (UMF) takes place across three days, March 28-30, at Bayfront Park. The line-up is an immense fusion of heavyweight EDM and impactful underground, featuring Avicii, Tiesto, Afrojack and Steve Angello alongside Luciano, Marco Carola, Jamie Jones and Tale Of Us. There are also spots for Basement Jaxx, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A and Gesaffelstein. The event has, however, retreated from occupying two weekends as it did last year – in part, perhaps, following last year’s unfortunate headlines around a pre-launch stage collapse injuring four workers, though it was also Ultra’s landmark 15th anniversary. Nevertheless tickets have sold quickly, outpaced only by surrounding buzz. Most ticket packages are already sold out.
On to the pick of the Miami pool, club and hotel parties.... Visionquest are as good a place to start as any, bring their Super Pleasures experience to Treehouse Miami on March 21, featuring Crosson, Curtiss and Reeves (but not Troxler) alongside Matthew Dear and DJ Three. The same evening also welcomes the WMC’s Soho House Miami party at the Soho Beach House Miami, DJs including Paul Oakenfold. On March 22, Guy Gerber brings his Pacha Ibiza night Wisdom Of The Glove to Story Miami – Davide Squillace and Martin Buttrich comprise the supporting line-up. Elsewhere, Chus + Ceballos’ Stereo Productions hosts a muscular house ‘n’ techno showcase at Space with Technasia, Uner, Andrea Oliva and, in the ‘Loft’, Carlo Lio and Pig & Dan. Over at Nikki Beach, the Electric Beach Festival gathers the likes of Harry ‘Choo Choo’ Romero, Jose Nunez and Roland Clark.
Miami’s first Sunday, March 23, is relatively light on action but does boast a Cristian Varela ‘and Friends’ bash at Segafredo Brickell – guests are currently under wraps but expect a rock solid techno line-up. On to Monday, and the Lola ED vs Fathers & Sons affair at Treehouse Miami promises Apollonia, Shonky, Jovonn, Julian Perez and Sonja Moonear, whilst the 14th Edition RE-Union at Kill Your Idol involves trad-house veterans Jamie Lewis, Benji Candelario and Victor Simonelli. March 25 sees Treehouse hosting the Mindshake Showcase with Paco Osuna, BPitch queen Ellen Allien and Items & Things co-founder Troy Pierce, and Pierce’s label buddy Marc Houle playing live at the Octopus Recordings event at Trade.
The pace accelerates as March 26 arrives. Somewhere In... MIA, back at the Treehouse, presents a stellar roster of talent including Carl Craig, Moodymann, Martin Buttrich, Stacey Pullen (all under the Planet E banner), and Heidi, Scuba, Jackmaster and Paul Woolford (under the Hotflush one). Elsewhere, Defected fave Nick Curly presents Trust at the intimate Electric Pickle, inviting along friends Kevin Saunderson, Shaun Reeves, Subb-an, jozif and Matt Tolfrey; Loco Dice and Marco Carola go ‘back to back’ all night at Space; and house divas of the world unite for Miami’s annual And Let The Singer Be Heard jam. The latter gig, hosted by Ocean Ten, offers stirring vocals from Barbara Tucker, Dawn Tallman and Miranda Nicole, as well as the legendary Cassio Ware. Away from house, Hospitality stirs up feisty drum & bass via a Lmnt party featuring Danny Byrd and S.P.Y.
The eve of Ultra, March 27, and our party count increases once again. Where to start? Let’s try Jamie Jones and Paradise Miami at Ice Palace West. Tantalisingly, no line-up details have been given yet. Josh Wink, meanwhile, celebrates 20 years of Ovum with the 2Ovum: Celebrating 20 Years 1994-2014 shindig at Treehouse, and Sasha boards the Biscayne Lady at Pier A (behind the Hard Rock Café) for the Last Night On Earth Sunset Cruise. Claude VonStroke serves up a Dirtybird BBQ (Cafeina Woodward is the locale), Dream hosts Paul Van Dyk’s ‘Vandit Allstars’, and The Bingo Players are remembered at the Ice Palace (‘Player’ Paul Baumer sadly passing away from cancer in December).
March 28 means Nervous’ Viceroy Hotel Rooftop Pool Party, local Murk men Oscar G and Ralph Falcon leading the line next to MK, DJ Sneak and Kevin Saunderson. It also means Richie Hawtin’s ENTER Miami event at the Ice Palace, backed by Tale Of Us, tINI, Apollonia and Drumcode’s Adam Beyer ‘back to back’ with Ida Engberg; Catz ‘N Dogz on the Bohemian Yacht Club cruise (from Pier A, Bayside Market Place); Solomun’s Space-based Diynamic showcase (Paul Van Dyk also plays); Trade’s Social Experiment Miami, involving Art Department, Dennis Ferrer and Deniz Kurtel; Dubfire ‘back to back’ with Seth Troxler on the Biscayne Lady; and No Added Sugar’s fourth annual Beach Festival at Nikki Beach – details to follow.
As I write, it’s literally just been announced that Sharam and Dubfire will be reforming Deep Dish to host a special headline show at the Ice Palace on March 29 – the occasion is brand new single Quincy, which earns a release just two days later. Expect this one to be stratospherically huge. Much like Crosstown Rebels’ 9th Get Lost Miami Session at Ice Palace West, boasting Damian Lazarus, Craig Richards, Carl Craig, DJ Harvey, Droog, Ellen Allien, Fur Coat, MK, Infinity Ink, Pete Tong, Pezzner, Sasha, Shaun Reeves, Thugfucker, The Martinez Brothers and Tiga, to name but a few....
Still on March 29, the Biscayne Lady’s Born Electric cruise hosts James Zabiela, Breach and Tensnake; Get Physical’s Treehouse shebang pivots on a headline slot from M.A.N.D.Y’s Philip Jung; Maceo Plex presents Deep Ellum (at Trade); Boys Noize commandeers Lmnt for a BNR Invasion; John Digweed visits The Vagabond for the 13th annual Bedrock Creations Gathering; and the legendary Kenny Carpenter hits Puntino Dal Toro.
That leaves March 30, and Miami’s cult Last Resort finale at Ice Palace West. The gathering this year mixes Maceo Plex, Solomun, Tale Of Us, Maya Jane Coles, Catz ‘N Dogz and David August with Mano Le Tough, Jimmy Edgar, Marc Houle, Jackmaster, Midland, James Zabiela, Laura Jones and My Favorite Robot – a hugely-impressive house-themed line-up. Elsewhere, Adam Beyer throws a Drumcode bash at Space, and Max Vangeli helms Fifty Miami Ultra Lounge’sH50 Pool Party – Harry ‘Choo Choo’ Romero, Jose Nunez and Junior Sanchez are among supplementary guests.
Proof is in the pudding but, once again, Miami’s line-up suggests incredible things for spring 2014. Clubland continues to expand and diversify and, in turn, Miami’s major ‘music week’ is pulling out all the stops to keep pace and then some. Whatever revellers’ sonic tipples – underground den or brash neon hotel - there’s little chance of them going home disappointed. Dance music’s annual mad March fix is nearly upon us – and, boy, we can’t wait....
Words: Ben Lovett
Defected In The House Miami 2014 is out 23rd February - order from iTunes and Amazon
Paolo Rocco, Andrea Oliva and NiCe7 play Ministry of Sound for Defected In The House April 5 - click for full listing and tickets
For more info on WMC – visit http://wintermusicconference.com. For Ultra – head to www.ultramusicfestival.com
