We just got back from Miami, and putting together all the emotions we experienced is probably the most complicated thing we’ve had to do since this blog was born. Miami left a mark on us, Ultra blew us away, and the music gave us a big dream. Since we’re among the few in Italy who experienced it live, we’ll try to tell you all about it.
Since around 2009, I’ve been following this great American festival closely, appreciating its artistic and musical qualities above all. I’ve often had to answer the question, “Why do you prefer UMF over Tomorrowland, which is much more popular and beautiful?“; I think the answer lies in the fact that I saved up every single cent over the years to afford this trip, which was worth every penny of the dream we lived…
Miami immediately presents itself as a city rich in musical culture, where even the most average person knows what’s about to happen at the end of what is the global Music Week (Miami Music Week). The atmosphere in the city is all about partying and having a good time, no matter what. You can see it from the wealth on the streets, the flashy cars, the encounters with DJs on Ocean Drive, and the pool parties hosted by record labels. But what impressed us most was seeing people from all over the world flock to Miami for one single purpose: the music.
Ultra Music Festival is a technological marvel with an insane level of organization. It can shut down an entire city and pack 165,000 people (official source) into a city park, all there to forget about the worries of daily life. A long line in the sun (Video), three security checks, and you’re in, ready to live the dream and discover the design of the Mainstage (Video). The adrenaline inside is indescribable. A flood of people rushes to the mainstage to start jumping non-stop and live through three days of total exhaustion.
Day 1
We spent the first day trying to explore the festival in its entirety, visiting all the stages, food points, and merch stands, and checking out the general organization before ending the day with amazing performances at the mainstage from Armin Van Buuren, Hardwell, DJ Snake, and Axwell & Ingrosso (we expected a reunion, but it DIDN’T happen, leaving a general disappointment). We have lots of videos to show you, but it will take time to edit and publish them all. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get notified when we upload them.
Day 2
We’re inside, right in front of the crazy Salvatore Ganacci, who not only made us jump but also made us laugh hysterically (Video). We now know what the festival offers, so we start wandering from one stage to another, trying to catch as many DJs as possible, but it’s almost impossible to see them all. We enjoy the great sound from Fedde Le Grand, who never disappoints and makes the mainstage jump under the blazing sun. We try to get closer to the MegaStructure where Carl Cox is playing, but the whole area is packed with people. From the hill nearby, we can see a sea of ravers, and it’s impossible to get closer, so we give up. It’s time for Tiesto, and missing a legend like him is out of the question. His DJ set was fabulous, full of #BigRoom and trance gems toward the end, plus new IDs like his collab with W&W (Video), all during a stunning sunset behind Miami’s skyline. After a quick recharge, we head back to the mainstage where Afrojack delivers his super-flashy set that blows up the night (Video ReCap): Mr. Marshmello takes the stage late into the evening, and the mainstage is packed. He plays all his global hits, and Will Smith even joins him on stage to perform the iconic “Miami” (Video), along with G-Eazy (Video) and many more (Video ReCap). But we’re all waiting for the closing set by The Chainsmokers, who take a while to come on. My colleague Pierpaolo and I are near the sound booth, and I notice a guy positioning himself on top of it, in front of a drum kit, while Marshmello is finishing his set. Pierpaolo shouts, “It’s Andrew Taggart!” and I laugh at him, but then the lights go out, and the sound booth lights up. It was really Andrew, who lights a red flare and runs across the dancefloor to the stage (Video). The rest is just more spectacle (Video ReCap). We’re exhausted but incredibly happy as we head back home.
Day 3
We run inside, full of excitement. It’s the day of the ASOT stage, an experience we’ve always dreamed of. We rush to the MegaStructure, where shortly after, Andrew Rayel, an artist we particularly love, takes the stage, making us jump for an entire hour with his melodic trance remixes. Wow! (Video ReCap). We move to the mainstage for Dash Berlin, who we adore for his pop-trance hits, and his set is never boring. We have a moment of panic when Dash plays Waiting (Video); this track is a milestone for us, and being there while Dash played it was epic (Video ReCap). Next, it’s time for Nicky Romero. Expectations are high since Nicky is another favorite of ours. His DJ set is filled with ElectroHouse vibes and doesn’t disappoint (Video ReCap). We return to the ASOT stage for two intense hours with Armin Van Buuren. This is probably the performance that impacted us the most. Armin is one of a kind, and honestly, for two hours, we barely jumped to any tracks. Like many others, we simply closed our eyes and let our minds travel with each song Armin chose and played. It was a sensory experience beyond limits, thanks to the insane sound system at the MegaStructure, lights, effects, and everything else that crowned two hours of pure bliss for trance lovers.
We are exhausted, completely wiped out, and we can’t even jump anymore, but Miami and everyone at the Ultra Music Festival know what’s about to happen. As we head back to the mainstage (where Guetta is playing), we come across a packed Live Stage where there’s a b2b set with Tchami and Malaa (Video). What surprises us the most is how every single stage at that moment is completely full of people, packed because some of the biggest names in the world are performing, and the excitement is palpable. It’s late at night, David Guetta is still playing, and we manage to find a spot in the crowd of about 120,000 people in front of the mainstage. Sean Paul and Becky G come on stage to sing Mad Love live. Guetta ends his set early because something big is about to happen. Yes, that moment we’ve been waiting for five years is finally here. Sebastian Ingrosso, Axwell, and Steve Angello are back together. We covered the #Reunion of the Swedish House Mafia in our article.
Our EXCLUSIVE video recap of the Swedish House Mafia #Reunion
And so our #Ultra20 experience comes to an end (Video). We are absolutely exhausted, you can hear it in our voices, after a marathon of music, performances, technology, and incredible emotions that for 20 years has made Miami the center of music for three days each year. At the end of the night, the festival is already confirmed for 2019, with dates set for March 29, 30, and 31. We won’t go into detail about who performed better or worse at #Ultra20; what mattered most was having the chance to experience something amazing, even though the lineup wasn’t exceptional. Will we be back in Miami in 2019? Maybe!
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