The Rain Washes Away The Pain
< Continued from page 4
It was now Friday morning and knowing that my second WMC was coming to a close hurt figuratively and literally. I had had such a memorable week yet my ankle hurt something fierce and I could barely walk, which scared the hell out of me because I was really worried that my WMC was about to come to an unexpected and abrupt end. Today’s scheduled list of go-to events looked to be a doozy—but with my ankle feeling as though I would remain, for the most part, bed-ridden, what else could I do other than fight through the pain, stay positive and optimistic and hope and pray that my ankle was only mildly sprained.
Meanwhile, Ron and Dewight left the hotel, heading to their respective events to cover while I sat on the bed feeling a bit downtrodden.
Then I saw one singular bright flash of light followed by what sounded like a torrent of rain falling outside the window. Not knowing how long Mother Nature would douse Miami, I decided to take a shower. Maybe the hot water would help ease the swelling and pain. Oddly enough, after showering, my ankle only ached and even though I was now hobbling like a child’s Weeble-Wobble toy, pain-wise, I was feeling pretty good to go (but not before popping three more Ibuprofen)!
I walked outside under the hotel’s façade and it was still monsooning. After waiting fifteen minutes, the ominous skies began to break up and it looked overcast. Feeling that my ankle was feeling better with each passing minute, I decided that it was now or never.
I walked to the Aqua Hotel over on Collins for the Dubstep At The Aqua event. I introduced myself to DJ Munkz, who was spinning an interesting blend of, you guessed it, Dubstep to a few friends in attendance. Despite the weather, Munkz got things going, yet he, like everyone else, knew that the rain was delaying the actual start to Day 4 of WMC.
I was about to leave the Dubstep when the skies doused those mere mortals caught outside. Cute girls wearing next to nothing ran this way and that, trying to evade the rain and go under an awning or inside a hotel. I waited out this next deluge then hurriedly walked over to the South Seas Hotel where Oscar P. & Jessica Bendig’s South African Miami Invasion was also trying to find its rhythm on this thus far damp and dreary morning. I stayed for a bit and even nursed a very strong mango Mojito. I was feeling eeeeeexcellent!
As soon as the skies looked less threatening once again, the music began to pulsate courtesy of F.eU’s DJ’s, Fresh & Euphonik, who were showcasing some deep soulful House interspersed with South African tribal beats, all of which seemed to help Mother Nature to dry her weepy eyes.
Later on that evening, I ended up at Score to witness my first Danny Tenaglia set for the Classics Past, Present, and Future party that was off the chain! I especially loved DT’s rendition of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” that was something I can honestly say I really hadn’t heard before just in the way that DT transformed the song into a bona-fide House stomper. All in all, I had yet another stellar end to a fantastic day and night!
Saturday: Tough Love Earned The Right Way
The Ultra Music Festival is one of the largest outdoor music festivals in the world. It may just be the epitome of dance music glory, enabling tens of thousands of fans the listening pleasure to experience many if not all of the world’s top EDM acts over the course of two-days. Starting at high noon and concluding at midnight on both Friday and Saturday, the UMF is a spectacle for the eyes, a feast for the ears and fun to watch people come dressed up in some wacky and zany outfits. I even saw a dude walking around dressed like Deadmau5 but with a ‘FauxMau5’ mask on as several tourists took pictures with him. Good grief.
In total, UMF boasts eleven stages, arenas, villages, or collectives, as they’re called, and each area caters to a specific genre. There was the Ultra Main Stage, Bayfront Live Stage, Carl Cox & Friends Arena, UMF Ibiza Arena, and more! The UMF enables and saturates the avid EDM listener with a very diverse listening experience, as you move (or not) from one outdoor or under-the-tent venue to the next.
There are also many food kiosks, as well as water and alcohol stations, souvenir stands, plenty of police, fire, and EMS personnel, and above all else, Port-A-Potties. Other than when I went to Lallapalooza at Randall’s Island during the mid-90s, I've never seen more Port-A-Potties lined up in a row at UMF.
But while my virginal UMF was fun, it was also a bit frustrating. Despite a cloudless sky with temperatures climbing into the mid-70s, I arrived shortly after 1pm and found myself immediately bombarded with a large amount of bass coming from the Drum & Bass stage.
Since it was early, people were flocking in through the main gates slowly but steadily. Perhaps my not wearing a hat began to take its toll on me and thus, wear me down because I wasn’t able to find, let alone gain access to, the press area behind or in front of the UMF’s main stage area. Eventually I bailed and slunk back to Collins Avenue, but not before taking a walk around this gigantic outdoor festival that is billed as one of the largest in the world.
The main stage was an awesome sight. A huge, black and towering array of speakers looked as though they surrounded the entire main stage. And it was quite loud, too—deafening. Good thing I had brought my ear plugs with me.
I caught the middle of Calvin Harris’ set. His rendition of Temper Traps’ “Sweet Disposition," for one, was pretty amazing. Following Calvin Harris and right on schedule, time-wise, was Damien Marley featuring Nas, complete with a live band and back-up singers. Nas began belting out several of his familiar songs from his 1994 album, “Illmatic,” and although the mood was positive, it wasn’t until Damian Marley sauntered out onto the stage with his exceptionally long dreadlocked hair that the party truly started. Hearing some Reggae felt good; just hearing another genre other than dance music, even if only temporarily, felt good.
It was now Friday morning and knowing that my second WMC was coming to a close hurt figuratively and literally. I had had such a memorable week yet my ankle hurt something fierce and I could barely walk, which scared the hell out of me because I was really worried that my WMC was about to come to an unexpected and abrupt end. Today’s scheduled list of go-to events looked to be a doozy—but with my ankle feeling as though I would remain, for the most part, bed-ridden, what else could I do other than fight through the pain, stay positive and optimistic and hope and pray that my ankle was only mildly sprained.
Meanwhile, Ron and Dewight left the hotel, heading to their respective events to cover while I sat on the bed feeling a bit downtrodden.
Then I saw one singular bright flash of light followed by what sounded like a torrent of rain falling outside the window. Not knowing how long Mother Nature would douse Miami, I decided to take a shower. Maybe the hot water would help ease the swelling and pain. Oddly enough, after showering, my ankle only ached and even though I was now hobbling like a child’s Weeble-Wobble toy, pain-wise, I was feeling pretty good to go (but not before popping three more Ibuprofen)!
I walked outside under the hotel’s façade and it was still monsooning. After waiting fifteen minutes, the ominous skies began to break up and it looked overcast. Feeling that my ankle was feeling better with each passing minute, I decided that it was now or never.
I walked to the Aqua Hotel over on Collins for the Dubstep At The Aqua event. I introduced myself to DJ Munkz, who was spinning an interesting blend of, you guessed it, Dubstep to a few friends in attendance. Despite the weather, Munkz got things going, yet he, like everyone else, knew that the rain was delaying the actual start to Day 4 of WMC.
I was about to leave the Dubstep when the skies doused those mere mortals caught outside. Cute girls wearing next to nothing ran this way and that, trying to evade the rain and go under an awning or inside a hotel. I waited out this next deluge then hurriedly walked over to the South Seas Hotel where Oscar P. & Jessica Bendig’s South African Miami Invasion was also trying to find its rhythm on this thus far damp and dreary morning. I stayed for a bit and even nursed a very strong mango Mojito. I was feeling eeeeeexcellent!
As soon as the skies looked less threatening once again, the music began to pulsate courtesy of F.eU’s DJ’s, Fresh & Euphonik, who were showcasing some deep soulful House interspersed with South African tribal beats, all of which seemed to help Mother Nature to dry her weepy eyes.
Later on that evening, I ended up at Score to witness my first Danny Tenaglia set for the Classics Past, Present, and Future party that was off the chain! I especially loved DT’s rendition of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” that was something I can honestly say I really hadn’t heard before just in the way that DT transformed the song into a bona-fide House stomper. All in all, I had yet another stellar end to a fantastic day and night!
Saturday: Tough Love Earned The Right Way
The Ultra Music Festival is one of the largest outdoor music festivals in the world. It may just be the epitome of dance music glory, enabling tens of thousands of fans the listening pleasure to experience many if not all of the world’s top EDM acts over the course of two-days. Starting at high noon and concluding at midnight on both Friday and Saturday, the UMF is a spectacle for the eyes, a feast for the ears and fun to watch people come dressed up in some wacky and zany outfits. I even saw a dude walking around dressed like Deadmau5 but with a ‘FauxMau5’ mask on as several tourists took pictures with him. Good grief.
In total, UMF boasts eleven stages, arenas, villages, or collectives, as they’re called, and each area caters to a specific genre. There was the Ultra Main Stage, Bayfront Live Stage, Carl Cox & Friends Arena, UMF Ibiza Arena, and more! The UMF enables and saturates the avid EDM listener with a very diverse listening experience, as you move (or not) from one outdoor or under-the-tent venue to the next.
There are also many food kiosks, as well as water and alcohol stations, souvenir stands, plenty of police, fire, and EMS personnel, and above all else, Port-A-Potties. Other than when I went to Lallapalooza at Randall’s Island during the mid-90s, I've never seen more Port-A-Potties lined up in a row at UMF.
But while my virginal UMF was fun, it was also a bit frustrating. Despite a cloudless sky with temperatures climbing into the mid-70s, I arrived shortly after 1pm and found myself immediately bombarded with a large amount of bass coming from the Drum & Bass stage.
Since it was early, people were flocking in through the main gates slowly but steadily. Perhaps my not wearing a hat began to take its toll on me and thus, wear me down because I wasn’t able to find, let alone gain access to, the press area behind or in front of the UMF’s main stage area. Eventually I bailed and slunk back to Collins Avenue, but not before taking a walk around this gigantic outdoor festival that is billed as one of the largest in the world.
The main stage was an awesome sight. A huge, black and towering array of speakers looked as though they surrounded the entire main stage. And it was quite loud, too—deafening. Good thing I had brought my ear plugs with me.
I caught the middle of Calvin Harris’ set. His rendition of Temper Traps’ “Sweet Disposition," for one, was pretty amazing. Following Calvin Harris and right on schedule, time-wise, was Damien Marley featuring Nas, complete with a live band and back-up singers. Nas began belting out several of his familiar songs from his 1994 album, “Illmatic,” and although the mood was positive, it wasn’t until Damian Marley sauntered out onto the stage with his exceptionally long dreadlocked hair that the party truly started. Hearing some Reggae felt good; just hearing another genre other than dance music, even if only temporarily, felt good.
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