Ultra Music Festival was one for the record books this year. Its sold-out 23rd rendition took place in Miami’s beautiful Bayfront Park on March 24-26. Thousands of attendees gathered from across the globe to enjoy this three-day musical adventure in conjunction with the famous Miami Music Week events. With a diverse lineup, amazing art installations, and an evening drone show each night of the festival, there was no shortage of exciting things to see and do during the duration of the event.
View this post on Instagram
One of the things we most enjoyed were how many stages there were onsite along with a killer lineup. Each stage was specially curated and had its own unique sense of style. Stages like the RESISTANCE Cove, with its triangular structure amongst the beautiful palm trees was one of our favorites as it was slightly more intimate and provided a touch of shade as well. However, the Ultra Main Stage remains the undisputed champion. With its enormous logo fixed front and center along with luminous LED screens coming from every angle, it was a sight to see.
Kicking off on a hot spring day, we certainly felt the Miami heat as we entered the venue. Not to mention the full force of fire theatrics from the main stage which kept us nice and toasty. Everything from the massive stages and the park layout kept us in awe through the entirety of the festival. We can certainly say that the music production was top-notch and each and every set we saw was absolutely amazing. Reliving the magic that was Ultra, we wanted to share our top three sets over the weekend.
DMNW’s favorites include Hardwell, Eric Prydz, and Armin van Buuren
After a triumphant return to the festival in 2022, Hardwell returned to Ultra’s Main Stage on Saturday to a packed audience and a bass-thumping set. Playing songs like the infamous Spaceman, a remix of Eminem’s Lose Yourself, and an awe-inspiring Adagio remix, there was no shortage of people dancing and having an epic time. The Dutchman also made a surprise guest appearance for his Revealed takeover on the UMF Radio Stage on Friday.
Another favorite music legend Eric Prydz brought his HOLO performance to the Ultra RESISTANCE Megastructure stage for the very first time, and all we can say is WOW. This was truly a spectacle like none other. The mind-bending visuals that were featured and crazy light effects were unlike anything else we have ever seen at a festival experience.
This set was fully immersive and it was extremely packed. While making best attempts to make our way through the crowd, we ended up in the far back which made it a little hard to see the full 3D visuals. All in all however, it was definitely one of the most stand out sets of the entire weekend.
Eric Prydz presents HOLO Photo Credit: Rudger Geerling/Rudgercom
Excitingly for any trance fans, Armin van Buuren marked his 11th anniversary with A State of Trance at the Ultra Worldwide Stage on Friday. While making our way from a crowded HOLO set, we ventured over to the stage hearing sounds that were a bit unfamiliar. Was Armin playing Techno?!
Our jaws dropped as this was certainly not the typical Armin production, but we weren’t mad at it! This year, ASOT welcomed the likes of Gareth Emery, Ferry Corsten, Ilan Bluestone, Blastoyz, and more. Plus, a special back-to-back performance from Armin van Buuren and Ferry Corsten. However, the fun didn’t stop there, because trance fans could also catch Armin van Buuren on the Main Stage on Saturday for another fantastic performance.
Armin van Buuren & Ferry Corsten b2b. Photo Credit: Rudger Geerling/Rudgercom
Ultra slated to return to Miami in 2024
With so much exciting music jam-packed into three days, all we can say is that we will be back Ultra! The crowd vibes were surprisingly chill and everyone was simply out to have an amazing time. People smiling and dancing everywhere, made us forget some of the stressors of life and we definitely soaked it up and lived in the moment.
If you have ever been hesitant about attending, this is your sign to give it a try! Following the close of the 2023 event, Ultra Music Festival revealed the dates for the 24th edition in 2024 slated for March 22-24, 2024. Tickets are already available, so be sure to snag yours soon!
Ultra Main Stage Closing Moment Photo Credit: Alive Coverage
Important things happen in Pacific Northwest nightlife, and DMNW will send you alerts!
