Kygo, Deadmau5 and Steve Aoki are three of EDM’s power players at Ultra in Miami on the weekend of March 18-20, 2016.
Sure, it’s a single genre festival, but before you dismiss it remember this: Bieber’s appearance with Jack U collaborators Diplo and Skrillex to close the 2015 edition was the world debut of the “Where Are U Now” phenomenon. At the time, the Biebs’ appearance had been reported as a “joke” or a fluke…
…but by the next morning the troika were on an in-studio radio tour launching the song that led to the comeback year for the part-time bad boy. The collaboration won a Grammy and went platinum in eight countries. So…
…who to keep your eye on this year? DJ Snake for one. The “Turn Down for What” producer is back with hit “Middle” and will be playing Coachella next month. He had a key slot on Friday night, March 18.
Martin Garrix (center) was a fan in the crowd at Ultra just three years ago. On Friday night, March 18, he closed out the main stage with a slew of new songs debuted for the first time. He hung with Blasterjaxx at BMF and iHeart’s Lounge at the W in South Beach before his set.
Prydz and the feisty social media provocateur Deadmau5. The mau5-man put down his phone long enough to check in to SiriusXM’s live broadcast at the 1 Hotel in South Beach where several Ultra performers took a spin on the decks.
Before Tiesto had a standout sunset set on Saturday (with Chainsmokers, Oliver Heldens, Vassy, and Delaney Jane all making surprise appearances), he rode a BLADE private speed boat across the bay from South Beach to arrive at the festival grounds. The transpo app is best known for its NYC helicopter-on-demand service, similar to Uber.
Kaskade has no empty. After playing early on Friday night in Miami, he was set to play the twin Lollapaloozas happening simultaneously this weekend in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Chile on back-to-back days.
Cake-master and label boss Steve Aoki with Ultra A&R man David Waxman.
DVBBS narrated their entire set, continually extolling the Spring Break-heavy crowd.
Aussie Nervo sisters hoist a cake. The year 2016 marks 10 years of shoulder events at Ultra.
The main stage set resembles giant speakers.
Had Red Foo and tennis pro girlfriend Victoria Azarenka not broken up, he would have had a tough choice this weekend. Azarenka faces Serena Williams on Sunday in the finals of the BNP Paribas tournament in Indian Wells.
Disclosure gets in to the south Florida racquet sports lifestyle at the W, where NFL player Reggie Bush also stopped by.
Ultra is in downtown Miami. The arrival and departure is an urban hike.
On the day of his Friday set, Kygo (right) released new music with Labrinth (left). The duo performed the just released single “Fragile”.
In just a few years, Afrojack has joined Paul Oakenfold as one of dance music’s elder statesmen. He’s 28.
The classic “Miami Vice” logo and color palette reborn for an Ultra squad uniform.
Dash Berlin commanding one of Ultra’s 8 stages.
Laidback Luke (right) on the decks at BMF and iHeart’s lounge on South Beach.
Armin van Buuren’s main stage set on Friday night was a highlight.
