WMC 09: Karu & Y No Bass?

WMC 09 – March 28

The OM Records party at Karu & Y was an electronic music lovers dream and a music technicians nightmare all wrapped into one.

With five different rooms featuring different DJ sets of all sorts of genres, there was something for everyone. Mark Farina put people in a trance out in the Buddha Gardens. Chuck Love had listeners mesmerized at his one-man band efforts, as he would sing a little, play the flute, play the guitar all while keeping the beats going. (Like a human jukebox.) Kruder and Dorfmeister rocked the Buddha Lounge with a set that had the room jumping and beats and bass so strong that you could feel your inside body parts feeling the groove.

WMC 09: Ultra Part Deux

WMC 09 – March 28

Highlights from Ultra Day 2

--Dutch trance hero Armin van Buuren rocking the main stage with racing beats that had people literally running to get closer to the speakers, while ravers pointed and marveled at a young guy in his own world dancing provocatively in a gold thong, a wreath of flowers on his head, and nothing else.

--Roni Size followed by Goldie playing booming, rapid-fire drum 'n' bass that had feet flying in one mass blur.

--Crystal Castles lead singer Alice Glass writhing and shrieking onstage to the Canadian electronica duo's fierce, futuristic indie-dance tunes, overlooking a sea of probably a thousand people moving wildly.

WMC 09: PVD at Space

WMC 09 – March 28

This is one of the most highly anticipated events of the season - Paul van Dyk at Club Space. The pounding beat draws us into the venue, forcing us to move our feet and nod our heads in time to the rhythm.

We enter the cavernous main room and the bass is so powerful that it passes through your body, shaking you from head to toe. The space is packed with bodies, moving together in sync. Looking up into the darkness, you see crystal chandeliers surrounded by no less than 80 disco balls. Flashing lights cut through the shadows, revealing the German musician, high above the crowd, swaying back and forth between his instruments.

A melody breaks loose from the hard beats, swirling around the room and leaving behind the heavy bass line. Transcendental strings provide a counterpoint, intensifying into a crescendo - and with a flourish, the DJ drops the beat back into the mix, leveling the crowd with another series of chest-pounding thumps. Obediently throwing our hands in the air, the audience jumps up and down: one part applause, one part plea for more.

A bright light flashes momentarily - revealing the flush, excited revelers for a split-second. Back in dark now, a loud hissing accompanies a flood of dense fog that fills the room with a burst of cold air, as if the ceiling has been ripped off to reveal an arctic night sky, cooling down our hot, sweaty bodies.

The DJ smiles wide, diving back into his laptop to prepare the next movement of his symphony.

For the rest of the night, his hypnotic message is devoured by the ecstatic onlookers, united by sound. As day breaks, we emerge from the club content, with a newfound energy that propels our tired legs home.

-- JUSTIN KENT

WMC 09: Triple Trouble

WMC 09 – March 27

Friday night’s lineup at the Remix Hotel was selected by our own Michael Hammersly as the best of the week, and he was right on spot.

From the early set by the Martinez Brothers, to the final set by Laidback Luke, the crowds never stopped dancing. The final three DJs of the night topped off the evening. Louie Vega started things off at 7 p.m. with a mixed set that included his gaggle of sexy dancers in bikinis flowing through the crowd, getting everyone moving.

Then came DJ Sneak, who is a dead ringer for rapper Fat Joe (but in looks only). The rotund mix-master played an amazing set that went from deep house to latin house to old school to funky break beats. He had the crowd anticipating his next sound (no wonder they call him Sneak).

WMC 09: Afternoon Delight

WMC 09 – March 27

An afternoon of adventure during WMC. Turntables on the Hudson was grooving with a set by Jazzanova at the Delano. Great atmosphere with a typical South Beach vibe -- lot's of flesh, buff dudes and girls in g-strings bikinis. For those who prefer deep house, this was their gig.

Same vibe/atmosphere at PashaNYC pool party at the Royal Palm. Hotel. The house was a bit more progressive, so there was a lot more dancing among the same beautiful people.

Over on Lincoln Road, the Grooveparlor set at Segafredo Originale was pumping. It's an outdoor cafe/bar, so not a lot of people, but lots of passers-by stopped to groove to the music. Some old school sounds and vocal house had the small crowd really into it. Good place to sit back with a cold drink, which is exactly what I did.

WMC 09: A different shade of Oakenfold

WMC 09 - March 27

British superstar DJ Paul Oakenfold -- who arrived in Miami on Thursday and spun that night till 5 a.m. at Mokai -- had a night off from behind the decks Friday. But instead of going off and doing his own thing, Oakie decided to do something a little different.

He teamed up with 944 magazine and Jose Cuervo's "Live Notoriously Well'' campaign for an event to help kick off the Platino Penthouse at the Sagamore Hotel.

The entourage stormed into Love/Hate in Miami Beach (the joint made famous by the Miami Ink crew) and randomly picked out two guys for a night of VIP treatment. They scored a limo ride to the Sagamore with Oakenfold for free table and bottle service all night.

WMC 09: Ultra begins

WMC 09 - March 27

The Ultra Music Festival, the fabulous freak show that has highlighted WMC for the past 11 years, kicked off late Friday afternoon at Bicentennial Park, the perfect place for dance-music fans to roam from tent to tent, stage to stage in search of the right groove.

It's also a chance for those with an outrageous fashion sense to show off: Hundreds of revelers were decked out in garish, futuristic Day-Glo colors, space boots, wigs, masks - you name it. It's a people-watcher's dream.

Early birds got a treat, as techno and house pioneer Josh Wink, who has performed at WMC for the past 17 years, filled one of the main tents from 5 to 6 p.m. with deep, penetrating bass. Also hot were the booming beats of Loco Dice vs. Luciano, the trippy tech-house of Kevens and old-school beats of DJ Romero. 

Just a day in Miami

In Miami, it's only natural that I feel like sometimes I simply live a life less ordinary. Let it be on days when I wake up and it's over 80 degrees while other places suffer amongst subzero weather, or on days like the one I'm about to narrate which include dancing tourists and "behind the scenes" strolls through fashion catwalks, it's easy to feel like in South Florida we're truly part of something special.

Yesterday afternoon I was whisked away by a friend and work source for a lunch meeting at Nikki Beach where we chatted over chicken fingers about Miami.com and her life in New York. Once I got there, I could feel WMC going on in full swing as local Nikki Music DJ's (the club's own record label) spun their best beats to girls gyrating in bikinis and high heels right next to buff chested guys. Oh well...better get in the spirit. Taking off my work coat and revealing a red tank top, I was introduced to a glass of Ed Hardy champagne which was not bad. The light, fruity and tart taste was good for 3 p.m. and so was the recognition that Nikki Beach was serving Medalla Light for VIP's! Say what? Medalla is Puerto Rico's own light beer, and it's a rarity to find in the United States. Will Miami begin to carry it soon? We hope so! It's delicious and reminds me of home.