The fifth annual HARD Summer Music Festival runs August 3-4th at Los Angeles State Historic Park. Topping this year’s bill are Skrillex, Bloc Party, Miike Snow, Boys Noize, Squarepusher, James Murphy, and Nero.

The lineup also features DJ sets from Chromeo and The Bloody Beetroots, A-Trak, Magnetic Man, Claude Von Stroke, Little Dragon, Erol Alkan, Datsik, aarabMUZIK, Danny Brown, Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire, Action Bronson, John Talabot, 12th Planet, Dillon Francis, Gaslamp Killer, Gesaffelstein, Brodinski, Fake Blood, and Bootsy Collins and the Funky Unity Band.

Two-day and VIP passes are now on sale via Fla.vor.us.

According to the company’s website, “DayGlo Color Corp. is the world’s largest manufacturer of daylight fluorescent pigments. We develop technologies that improve and enhance any color, from subtle specialty effects, to glow-in-the-dark pigments, to our classic range of fluorescents.” One might argue they not only improve and enhance any color, but also human beings – that is, if Ultra Music Festival is any indication.

Throughout the festival’s three-day excursion, which sets down on Bayfront Park in Miami each March, thousands upon thousands of festivalgoers brand themselves with the stuff. Anywhere else this style would be considered fashion suicide, but it’s posh within the festival’s confines. In fact, if you don’t have any sort of neon, sparklies, or what have you, it’s as if you’re not one of them. No kidding, they’ll probably think you’re a narc.

As kitschy as DayGlo appears to the layman, it adds an aesthetic that’s oddly futuristic in scope. It may seem uniform, but when everyone’s showcasing radiant blues, yellows, pinks, lime greens, et al., it’s hard to imagine you’re anywhere else but some other post-modern world. It’s like you’re in a live-action rendition of The Jetsons, only it’s really loud, everyone’s zoned out on alcohol or drugs, and even the robots are cute.

Of course, there’s more to this festival than just arbitrary fashion decor, but really, that’s the stuff you remember. The music’s great, with dozens of artists pushing their respective genres, but it’s the people and the friendly community within Ultra that separates it from anywhere else. Look, whenever I told friends or colleagues that I was attending Ultra, I was met with sympathetic eyes, as I was shipping off to war, or something really dangerous – clearly they didn’t know what they were talking about.

Photo by Cap Blackard

I’ve never encountered a more jovial crowd, one thrilled to be alive and away from society. Sure, there’s a likely chance the drugs were doing most of the talking for everyone, but at the end of the day, a happy soul is sure better than an angry one. Also, something dawned on me while I shuffled around the park in a glorious stupor: This is the future.

It’s easy to write Ultra off as an escape to “get fucked up and laid”, but when you’re dancing under thousands of intricate LCD lights, ricocheting an array of colors that somehow go with the extraterrestrial music that’s being pumped out on stage, and everyone’s just synched together mentally, there’s something rather spiritually intelligent about it all. It’s as if there’s this higher plain of existence here that’s being attained, and perhaps we’re the fools for missing out.

You don’t even need the drugs to get there; instead, you just have to lose yourself in the ether, and go in with a sense of humor. Otherwise, you’ll begin to really think hell is on Earth.

-Michael Roffman
President/Editor-in-Chief 

Friday, March 23rd

Neon Indian – Live Stage – 5:20 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

“I feel like we’re at a seminar right now,” Neon Indian frontman Alan Palomo observed. “And I should have a Q&A about the effects of having a loud monitor.” After some frustrations with sound check, the chilly Texas indie rockers, with a penchant for ’80s New Wave, submerged in the warbly synths of “Local Joke” just as the sun began its downward shift. It was hot, it was sweaty, but it was fitting. With so many DayGlo enthusiasts everywhere, the band’s glossy, liquified jams (or, just its name alone) felt almost too choice for the scene. For a nighttime act, this daytime set did well enough to entertain the hundreds stalking about and soundtrack the thousands having a frustrating time getting in. Plus, who doesn’t want to dance to “Polish Girl” again and again? -Michael Roffman

Chris Lake – UMF Korea – 5:50 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Located directly in front of the main entrance, the beats pulsing from the UMF Korea stage were impossible to avoid Friday evening. Just two hours after Ultra 2012 kicked off, tech-house DJ Chris Lake was already performing to a tightly packed audience. The UK-bred, LA transplant worked through early monitor issues to develop a double-edged set of beauty and beats. Driving four-to-the-floor tech movements were cut with lush, live female vocals – a body-swaying mixture to help ease revelers into the more foreboding sounds that the stage would offer Ultra Weekend. -Derek Staples

Loco Dice – Carl Cox & Friends – 6:30 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Initially walking into the Carl Cox tent was like wrapping oneself in a blanket of lights and sounds. And if not properly monitored, the melodic tech mixes delivered by Germany’s Loco Dice would ease attendees into an open-eyed trance. Delicate sounds ran through a solid bottom end, like morning dew trickling through porous sandstone. -Derek Staples

New Order – Live Stage – 6:40 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

Technically, without original bassist Peter Hook, this isn’t New Order. But those who gathered around the Live Stage at dusk didn’t care to notice. Dancing ensued from the start when frontman and guitarist Bernard Sumner, donning his own band tee, strummed straight into the stormy distortion of “Crystal”. Tight and kinetic, this UK collective remains a popular export for Americans, especially with still club favorites “Bizarre Love Triangle”, “True Faith”, and “Blue Monday”, all of which were performed with precision for Ultra’s dance-obsessed crowds. Throughout, a couple of the band’s gooey tracks fell flat (“The Perfect Kiss” and “Regret”), but the two-hit punch of “Ceremony” into “Bizarre Love Triangle” and the set’s eventual closer, “Temptation”, showcased an act that deserved a bigger stage and a proper set time. Still, Sumner remained in high spirits: “It’s great to be back. It’s been a long time since we’ve been here – I dunno why – probably because it’s too nice. We don’t do that sort of thing.” There’s that familiar spirit of Manchester eking out. -Michael Roffman

Richie Hawtin – Carl Cox & Friends – 8:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

He may not fill his set with bass drops, but very few DJs deliver with the same level of low end as Windsor’s Richie Hawtin. Atop of the continued floor-rattling bassline, Hawtin mixed in nearly non-existent tones, making you question if you were actually hearing the bleeps or if your brain was simply continuing his well-defined pattern. Hawtin showed no fear juggling the beat and tempo through the mixes. While most DJs rest on the repetitive kick or hi-hat, Hawtin manipulated polyrhythms for jarring transitions throughout the two-hour set. -Derek Staples

Miike Snow – Live Stage – 8:10 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

Maybe it’s that they’re on the coattails of a sophomore LP (Happy to You – due out Tuesday), but Sweden’s own Miike Snow commandeered the Live Stage. They had the tools, too. With a center console stripped from ’60s-era Star Trek, Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg (or, Bloodshy & Avant) constructed all the cherry-flavored hooks and lines that strangle the group’s latest material. Opening with the piano and harmony-led “The Wave”,  this became a set that just did not let up, and all of the new tracks were ready-made for festival crowds everywhere. In fact, with accompanying visuals, tracks like “Devil’s Work” and “Vase” felt rather claustrophobic in the amphitheater setting, and frontman Andrew Wyatt, with his grungy decor, appeared as if he were too contained. Basically, they exuded the confidence of a headliner, and depending on the festival, they may very well be ready. Oh, and has anyone grown tired of “Animal” yet? Doubtful. -Michael Roffman

Skrillex – Main Stage – 9:10 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Just a few years ago, it would have seemed impossible for a U.S. bass DJ to grace Ultra’s massive Main Stage post-sundown, but that was before Skrillex went and won three Grammy’s this year for his West Coast Jump Up. Now having toured the world, Skrillex showcases more substance and control than his earlier drop-heavy bass assaults. With stage production equal to that of his recent Mothership Tour, he had the audience “Breakin’ a Sweat” with his Doors collabo. Skrillex then showed some respect for dub, with a subtle bass remix (for Skrillex, anyhow) of Damian Marley’s “Welcome to Jamrock”. He then worked Avicii’s “Levels” through the bass grinder, adding his signature, mechanical bass growl to the track’s lighter aesthetic.

To the surprise of many, Skrillex went with some straightforward techno mid-set with “Make That Booty Clap”. At one point, he brought the song to such a standstill that you could hear the crowd’s collective inhale waiting for the drop, but no drop was to be had until Skillex blew the crowd back with the newer Wolfgang Gartner collaboration “The Devil’s Den”. The performance may not have included sufficient hyper-drive bass for the die-hard Skrillex fan, but the hour-long performance showcased an evolution in his ability to produce a complex set for an educated, international EDM community – and still get peeps on their feet to rage. -Derek Staples

Kraftwerk – Live Stage – 9:30 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

“Do you think they’re even really doing anything up there,” someone asked me early on during Kraftwerk’s impressive hour-long set. It’s an honest question because, really, the four stoic members that make up the German industrial collective don’t ever do much onstage – at least from what we can see. Instead, they let the archaic CGI animations behind them do most of the work. A minimalistic journey that would have Pixar in tears accompanied “Autobahn”, creepy, robotic dolls (something out of The Twilight Zone) burned into our nightmares during “The Robots”, and a Marxist-like montage sold the crowd on a “Computer World”. In a word, it was weird, but when each member – who, by the way, were dressed in minimalistic Tron-ready suits – exited the stage in procession, it all made sense. The homogenous nature of the four – that structured unity – is downright intimidating with its precise force, and it’s something you just have to witness live to make sense of. Color me jealous: Those sold-out museum shows will blow everyone’s fucking minds. -Michael Roffman

Dada Life – UMF Korea – 10:20 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Olle Corneer and Stefan Engblom of Dada Life are a mirror of the enjoyment shared by their audiences. A pair of sweaty bodies onstage, the Swedish duo produced high-energy, saw-jaw electro-house. Combined with the bright hues of the tent’s massive L.E.D. screens, the continual bass vibrations and hard-splashing synths were a suitable follow-up to all those still ready to rage following Skrillex’s Main Stage performance. And forget hydration, the duo would much rather pop some bottles of champagne during the peaks of the set than be seen with some thirst-quenching water. If revelers wanted to leave with their brain and all body parts intact Friday evening, this set was definitely the one to avoid. -Derek Staples

Nobody Beats the Drum – UMF Worldwide – 11:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

In the shadows of Tiësto’s monster Main Stage setup, the future of Dutch dance music, Nobody Beats the Drum, took to the tight confines of Ultra’s Worldwide Stage. Sjam Sjamsoedin and Jori Collignon mixed hip-hop, breaks, heavy bass, and electro to appease a younger audience that is continually besieged by diverse types of audio. Equipped with a classic analog synth and a table full of gear, the duo continually made eye contact to keep the tracks progressing and the people bouncing across the grass. The only negative was that the experience wasn’t shared with a larger number of people, but my guess is that this won’t be a problem for long. -Derek Staples

Saturday, March 24th

Yousef – Carl Cox Cocoon – 2:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

As the resident DJ at Space Ibiza during Carl Cox’s weekly showcase, Yousef holds one of the most sought-after gigs in the business. He kept early attendees gyrating with soft-drop techno and sexy Mushroom Jazz-esque melodies. To add an element of improvisation, he often mixed in new tracks with live drum pad patters. In line with classic house, Yousef pulled in beautiful male and female vocal samples to add contours to the set and give the audience a bit of a breather. -Derek Staples

Skream + Benga – UMF Brazil – 3:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Seminal UK Dubstep DJs Skream + Benga have accelerated the evolution of the genre since joining forces. Once known for their dark, grimy productions, Saturday’s performance was a clinic of Jump Up and bass-heavy electronica. The duo scrapped all melody for underground bangers, made even more raw by the hoarse vocal accompaniment of MC Sgt Pokes. For everyone who felt the U.S. had the market cornered on bass music, the performance opened many ears to the ultra-aggressive, half-time, UK Bass sound. -Derek Staples

Nadastrom – UMF Worldwide – 4:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

The leading ambassadors of Moombahton – Dirty Dutch slowed to the tempo of reggaeton – Nadastrom are a perfect fit for the sunny embrace of Miami’s Bayfront Park. Set against the backdrop of a pristine, blue sky and million-dollar yachts, Dave Nada and Matt Nordstrom kept the gorgeous international crowd dancing in a picturesque scene that seemed too surreal to actually be possible. West Coast Jump Up was a bit of a death knell to actual dancing in clubs, but Nada’s brand of bass music added mounds of sexiness back to the dance floor. -Derek Staples

Little Dragon – Live Stage – 5:00 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

There are a lot of faces to Little Dragon – not literally, but sonically. They shift from tribal trip-hop to “audibly okay” synthpop to soulful electronica, sometimes in the same song – actually, almost always within each song. That’s an intriguing element to the Swedish outfit and an attribute that could work to their advantage onstage – not at Ultra, however. Blame it on the picture-perfect sunny day, or just an all too early time slot, but the genre-hopping collective just felt sort of staple. Frontwoman Yukimi Nagano exhibited the only energy onstage, playing well to a devoted audience, but her surrounding band remained tranquil throughout. The percussion-heavy jams stocking each track offered moments of interest, but overall, it just didn’t do anything for me. -Michael Roffman

12th Planet and Skrillex – UMF Brasil – 5:00 p.m

With so many DJs in one place during a long weekend, surprises were bound to happen. And few surprises could be any more explosive than a tag-team set by bass juggernauts 12th Planet and Skrillex. Not announced until the day of show, the UMF Brasil tent was packed to capacity with ravenous bassheads ready for a non-stop serious of drops and Jump Up electro-energy. The set included recent collab “Right on Time” and the raucous remix of Nero’s “Guilt”. The duo also managed to separate their individual aesthetics, 12th’s focus on the darker UK Bass and Skrill’s love for West Coast electro-house. With bass literally vibrating the room and two ill-advised drops reverberating in my headspace (Skrillex fans sure love to share), photographic evidence just couldn’t do the set justice. So, please enjoy the vid below courtesy of Bassmaxx. -Derek Staples

Metronomy – Live Stage – 6:00 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

English indie pop export Metronomy crafts flavorful electropop. Sure, it’s a genre that busted at the seams half a decade ago, but the group offers a slight spin on it: The bass takes precedence over the synths. Bassist Gbenga Adelekan’s bevy of lines undulates behind Joseph Mount’s vocals, infusing this quasi-electro funk that’s been a longtime coming for the genre – at least successfully. Through catchy, bubbly tracks like “Heartbreaker”, “Some Written”, and “Everything Goes My Way”, the group offers a tangible, catholic collection of genre shake-ups. The latter track runs off vocals by drummer Anna Prior, whose purple getup sparkled in the evening’s setting sun. Later in the set, the Live Stage erupted with smoke and pyro, after which Mount exclaimed: “There’s nothing more shocking than pyrotechnics when you don’t know they’re gonna happen.” Yeah, their surprised expressions were about as priceless as that highly aggressive jam they segued into at the end. -Michael Roffman

Duck Sauce – Main Stage – 6:45 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

No duo seem to have more fun at the decks than A-trak and Armand Van Helden (aka Duck Sauce). Backed by a massive inflatable duck, the duo resurrected smile-instigating disco tracks, keeping the mood light in the late afternoon sun. After beginning the set with “aNYway”, the visuals went dark for crowd favorite “Big Bad W0lf”. Not only did the duo turn the mix all the way down to build a tension among the crowd, they actually managed to initiate a daytime howl from the entire Main Stage audience – one that held around until set end for the hysterical “Barbara Streisand”. None of these hijinks distracted the two artists, each masterful at mixing, track selection, and working in tandem to bring the most out of one another. -Derek Staples

Carl Cox – Carl Cox Cocoon – 7:30 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

No one owns the tables like Carl Cox. A behemoth of a man, Cox counts down the transition between tracks with exaggerated arm motions, then jumps into the decks for the mixes. Often playing four or five tracks at a time, the set was deeply layered with hard dance and techno, keeping both the mind and body busy. The sensory overload continued with a visual onslaught. Lasers, mass amounts of smoke, robots, and hypnotic screen images completed the experience that was Carl Cox. The repetition of most house sets makes two hours nearly unbearable for bassheads and electro-junkies, but pulling away from the dynamics 0f the Cocoon was almost impossible. -Derek Staples

M83 – Live Stage – 8:00 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

It was a short-lived dream of an epic set that never was. After attracting a mammoth crowd (the weekend’s largest for the Live Stage, at least at the time), minutes inched past eight o’clock, and yet Anthony Gonzalez and his team couldn’t be found. Instead, technicians raced about the stage, fiddling with wires and looking horrifically scatterbrained. Oddly enough, the crowd livened up – no thanks to the onstage DJ, who was relegated to essentially “babysitting” the sea of souls – and dancing ensued. Ten minutes passed, then 20, then 30, and eventually 45 minutes, most likely when M83 would have stepped offstage. However, this was when Gonzalez & Co. finally were OK’d to go on, but only to perform two cuts: “Midnight City” and “Couleurs”. The situation altogether was disappointing, but the band slapped out more energy than any act all weekend. At one point during “Couleurs”, Morgan Kibby fell to her knees as her hands just laid waste to the keys floating above her head, while newcomer Jordan Lawlor climbed up on anything he could get his feet onto, demanding the claps from the crowd. It wasn’t a great first visit to Miami for M83, but the devoted thousands who remained only proved that they’re wanted back very soon. -Michael Roffman

Justice – Main Stage – 9:40 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

The French duo’s fan base arrived in full force Saturday. From painted crosses to already-fading band shirts, one couldn’t look around without seeing some sort of allegiance to Justice. So, yeah, the Main Stage was overstuffed and continued to fluctuate as the two issued their aggro-dance-y disco to much fervor. Now, it’s easy to toss around religious connotations – you know, because of the whole cross thing – but shuffling around with thousands of fans during an extended performance of “Audio, Video, Disco” might be enough to make an atheist a true believer. The track’s greasy arena rock standards delivered all the sensationalized giddiness that one reads about in retrospectives only it felt earnest. And for a crowd that held up shirts reading “Bitches Love Bass” or, um, an inflatable penis, this was the closest thing to church they’ll ever experience; there wasn’t an ounce of negativity in the air. Justice led the procession with blunt, minimalistic force, and they exorcised any and all demons. Also, chew on this: Who else could throw in a drop as long as John Cage’s 4’33″ WHILE offering (what appeared to be) The Black Panther Salute? Not even joking. -Michael Roffman

Dillon Francis – UMF Worldwide – 10:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

If this is the ADHD generation, Dillon Francis should be its musical figurehead. Francis continually switched between bass aesthetics – from a brain-jarring remix of “Right on Time” to a Luvstep take on Rihanna’s “You Da One”, complete with the slowed-up half-time of Moombahton. When not at the knobs adding the Moombahton flair to tracks like “Me & You” by Nero or Steve Aoki’s “Keep on Dancing”, Francis kept busy interacting with the crowd, pointing to the loudest fans and making funny, sometimes overtly sarcastic, banter behind the decks. In a show of great humility, Francis welcomed stage headliner, and BBC Radio 1 tastemaker, Annie Mac onstage during the close of his set and thanked her for helping him along in his career. -Derek Staples

2manyDJs – Live Stage – 11:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

2manyDJs are truly a multi-media experience. Dressed in crisp, five-piece suits Saturday evening, David and Stephen Dewaele worked their mashup skills on tracks such as MGMT’s “Kids”, 2 Unlimited’s “Let the Beat Control Your Body”, “Master of Puppets” by Metallica, and Blur’s “Parklife”, all with absolutely hilarious takes on their album covers. The visuals were taken to the extreme for a mashup of Boyz Noise and Erol Alkan’s “Lemonade”, where the cover seemed to actually be playing tennis.

The set ended as an absolute bash. After taking the crowd to “Out of Space”, the duo performed their take on Nirvana’s “Lithium”, while the famous baby from the Nevermind cover was barraged with trash from a rather grungy pool party. And nothing closes out a set like five straight minutes of confetti floating across the live stage. -Derek Staples

Avicii – Main Stage – 11:00 p.m.

Photo by Music Obsessed.com

The Madonna rumors started circulating early on. Whispers around the park hinted that the Material Girl would be appearing onstage sometime Saturday night. She spent the day in South Beach promoting her new LP, MDNA, so why wouldn’t she stop at that little electronic festival across the bay? As with anything nowadays, it became the worst-kept secret, and pretty much everyone knew she’d be appearing with Avicii at the Main Stage.

“I’ve been here in spirit for many years, but it’s good to finally be standing on the stage, looking at all you people who have come here from all around the world,” Madonna exclaimed, after observing the evolving blanket of flesh before her. ”In my world, the words ‘music’ and ‘dance’ are not separated. Electronic music has been a part of my life since the beginning of my career. I can honestly say that a DJ saved my life.” She gushed about Avicii some more, insisting she’s a “huge fan,” and then coquettishly asked, “How many people in this crowd have seen Molly?” It all felt forced and made even more transparent once Avicii opened his set with a remix of “Girl Gone Wild”, during which Madonna stood beside him wearing her MDNA shirt.

After the whole scheme, Avicii was left to his own vices. What’s odd, however, is how much of a promotional push Avicii received at Ultra, as well. Street teams handed out I Heart Avicii pins all day, while others wore shirts with the same logo. Also, regardless of the international acclaim, it felt odd that he followed Justice, who arguably closed the night proper. Still, the Swedish DJ (who probably had everyone swooning with his choice looks) had a pretty good night. Not only did he receive a resounding endorsement from Madonna, but he also had fireworks to end his set. Basically, you’ll hear more about him this year. -Michael Roffman

Sunday, March 25th

SBTRKT – Live Stage – 3:30 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Having yet to see SBTRKT perform his self-titled album live, I was especially stoked for this set. However, after technical difficulties cut into the set time and extra time was shaved to set up for Flying Lotus, the set came and went in what seemed like 25 short minutes. SBTRKT (nee: Aaron Jerome) was joined onstage by Sampha, which was billed as SBTRKT Live, and the two brought tracks “Living Like I do”, “Pharaohs”, and “Wildfire” to life with the use of a table full of tools and a complete drum kit. Each track was edited from the album cuts, with “Wildfire” receiving a dark, two-step remix. Perhaps most surprising, other than the brevity of the show, were the vocal talents of Jerome, who performed and looped most of his vocals live. -Derek Staples

Flying Lotus – Live Stage – 4:40 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Flying Lotus (born Steven Ellison) has always crafted a unique style of low-end-heavy, beat-driven, instrumental hip-hop. On Sunday, those beats received some lyrical flow courtesy of Brainfeeder’s Azizi Gibson. Flylo even showcased two of the tracks he produced for the up-and-coming emcee. The effort was noble, but Flylo’s production had enough depth and power on its own to outshine the freestyle attempts of Gibson. One unexpected bass drop alone had enough force to blow Gibson’s nonsensical verses backstage. Flylo continued to show some love for another young rapper, Odd Future’s Tyler, The Creator and his demented “Yonkers”. But Flylo didn’t just let the track play out, chopping the track up to add 8-bit elements and a boosted bottom end. To finish the set, Flylo went hard, cuing up Waka Flocka Flame’s ”Hard in da Paint”.

Minor note to Ellison: Fans understand the need to promote, but please leave Gibson in LA next time. Or just have him make a little less noise over the delicate, complex nature of your productions. -Derek Staples

Magnetic Man – Live Stage – 6:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Following Skream + Benga’s high-energy Saturday performance, fans of the UK brethren just weren’t sure what to expect of Magnetic Man’s Sunday evening performance. Joined by producer Artwork, the set was exemplary of the more melodic side of UK Bass. Once again joined by Sgt Pokes, the emcee’s gruff vocals added harsh contrast to the project’s more atmospheric tones, especially during “Getting Nowhere”, which featured the vocals of John Legend. The three-piece settled into a trance-like dub production style until Pokes asked the audience if they wanted to jump, which sent Magnetic Man into a frenzy of darting synths and ratcheting bass lines. Magnetic Man saved their most recognizable tracks, “I Need Air” and “Perfect Stranger”, until the crowd reached full capacity nearing the ending of the set. To cap off the epic performance, Katy B joined the guys onstage and sang “Perfect Stranger”, complete with booming fan interaction.

Bloody Beetroots DJ Set – Live Stage – 7:20 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

The founder of the Bloody Beetroots, Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo, once publicly pondered on his genre, settling on the term Contemporary Electronic Dance Music. But when it comes to his DJ sets alongside Tommie Tea, the sound is simply clashing electro-house at its finest. Be it dancing, jumping, or moshing, it’s almost impossible to be still when SBCR is donning the black Spider-man mask behind the controller. With the sun setting, the redesigned stage setup took full effect for bangers “Warp 1.9″, “Push the Tempo”, and the metal-infused “Church of Noise”. After nearly an hour of mayhem, BBR changed course to end the set, jumping down from behind their wall of lights to spin the Isley Brothers and “Shout” with the audience. -Derek Staples

Chase and Status – Live Stage – 8:45 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

After 27 hours of electronic music, Chase and Status were like the deathblow to any remaining grey matter. Saul Milton and Will Kennard produce some of the darkest, most intricate drum and bass, half time, and drumstep around. Combine that with the abilities of live drummer Andy Gangadeen, the guitar skills of Milton, plus the vocal assault of MC Rage, and you have arguably the most entertaining live bass music outfit currently around. What separates Chase and Status is their ability as musicians, not simply producers. “No More Idols” had an amazing build and melody, and just when the song was about to reach its peak, we were blasted back into our seats with the intensity of the bass. As Milton joked, “This is the Unites States of Bass, and we salute you Chase and Status.” -Derek Staples

Armin Van Buuren – Main Stage – 10:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Between 2007 and 2010, the Netherlands’ Armin Van Buuren held the crown as the world’s number one DJ. Through his “A State of Trance” podcast, Van Buuren has introduced countless electronic fans to the freshest in trance music and also helped shape the style of the genre. If Sunday night’s set was any indicator, lush, vocal trance is a thing of yesteryear, replaced by hard-hitting techno phrasing, periodic sub-bass lines, and the occasional sing-along vocal loop. To add to the communal nature of his music, nearly all of the words for the tracks were displayed across the L.E.D. panels of Ultra’s Main Stage. No track received a bigger rise from the audience than The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside”, which was accompanied  by a bright, yellow techno smiley face on the massive screens.

The set was not only a celebration of trance, but a massive party for the international electronic music community. Flags from around the globe could be seen with a simple turn of the head, “hellos” and “I love yous” were shared in a myriad of languages, and thousands of people danced like fools together as if no borders, feuds, or wars existed. During that one hour, people could lose themselves within those repetitive beats, content with the pure happiness that had settled over the massive Bayfront Park crowd. -Derek Staples

Gallery

Photographers: Cap Blackard, Matt Rainey, and Derek Staples

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It’s been a long year. Scratch that, it’s been a veeerrrry long year. From social revolutions to the end of our occupation of Iraq, from the death of celebrities and dictators to a man who sneezes bullets and the mystery of planking, the world experienced a slew of emotions and all sorts of cultural and political upheaval in 2011. And that’s not even counting the plethora of music news that had the blogosphere abuzz this year.

So, as the question begs, what comes next? Well, 2012. If you were to believe certain factions, it’ll be the end of days. A more likely scenario, though, is that it will be another busy year, with people to meet, triumphs to celebrate, disasters to mourn, and a whole other set of memories to file away as we march perpetually onward toward the Great Unknown. A dreary prospect for sure, one that almost makes the impending Apocalypse sound warm and fuzzy. However, there is temporary respite in the form of New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s Eve is that magic night where one year is all but over. It’s the chance to stop worrying for a moment. It’s an opportunity to celebrate surviving the last 364. It’s the start of a whole new scheme or design for the upcoming 365. Rather than chugging cheap champagne and letting off fireworks, NYE should be commemorated with the one thing that makes any year bearable: music.

As we have for every other major celebratory occasion, CoS has your back with our handy-dandy New Year’s Eve 2011 Concert Guide. From the beaches of Miami to life in the City of Angels, and everywhere between, our guide has everything you’ll need to know to see your favorite bands live. Whether you’re planning to rock out with Patti Smith at New York’s Bowery Ballroom, get freaky with The Flaming Lips and Yoko Ono in Oklahoma City, or hit up BOTH of Kaskade’s NYE shows (in two different state mind you), our guide is the only New Year’s Eve accessory you need (save for maybe a noisemaker). Plus, if you’re not one to brave the weather and the sea of drunks, we’ll tell you what you should be watching on the old boob tube. The point is, if it’s happening on NYE, it’s in this guide. Your only concern will be how to get home and/or where to pass out at the end of the night.

If we’ve missed any gathering or shindig, please let us know in the comments below. Call this a cliché bit of writing, but we’d like to leave you with some parting words from the immortal Benjamin Franklin to guide you into what lies ahead: “Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.”

See ya in 2012.

-Chris Coplan
News Editor

New York City

– AarabMUZIK, Balam Acab: 285 Kent

– Assembly of Dust: Mercury Lounge

– Avicii: Pier 34

– The Bad Plus: The Village Vanguard

– Charles Bradley, The Budos Band: Music Hall of Williamsburg

– Chuck Berry: B.B. King Blues Club

– Dark Star Orchestra: Wellmont Theatre (Montclair, NJ)

– Deadmau5: Pier 36

– Deer Tick, J. Roddy Watson and the Business, Dead Confederate: Brooklyn Bowl

– Fitz and the Tantrums: The Gramercy Theatre

– Gogol Bordello: Terminal 5

– Gov’t Mule: Beacon Theatre

– Infected Mushroom: Best Buy Theater

– The Knocks: Gansevoort Park Avenue

– Laidback Luke: Pacha

– Lee Fields & The Expressions: The Bell House

– Los Lobos: City Winery

– Matt and Kim, Super Mash Bros., Body Language: Hammerstein Ballroom

– Neru: Webster Hall

– The New Deal: B.B. King Blues Club

– New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men: Roseland Ballroom

– Nick Catchdubs: Loreley

– Nosaj Thing: Glasslands

– O’Death: Spike Hill

– Patti Smith: Bowery Ballroom

– Phish: Madison Square Garden

– Steve Lawler: District 36

– Ted Leo and the Pharmacists: Maxwells (Hoboken, NJ)

Chicago

– Alkaline Trio: Metro

– Big Gigantic: Riviera Theatre

– Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears: Double Door

– Cage the Elephant, Sleeper Agent: Aragon Ballroom

– Cave: The Hideout

– Disco Biscuits, Future Rock: Auditorium Theatre

– The Hood Internet: Lincoln Hall

– Keys N Krates: Chicago Urban Art Society

– Local H: Bottom Lounge

– Murder By Death: Subterranean

– Old 97s: Intercontinental Hotel Grand Ballroom

– Rusko, Sinden, Switch: Congress Theater

– The Spits: Cobra Lounge

Los Angeles

– The Aggrolites: Alex’s Bar

– Benny Benassi, Paul Van Dyk, Kaskade, Dada Life: Anaheim Convention Center (White Wonderland)

– DJ Quik: Key Club

– Duck Sauce, Diplo, Chromeo, Felix da Housecat, The Bloody Beetroots, LA Riots: Oak Canyon Park (Together As One)

– The Henry Clay People, Races: The Satellite

– Give Up the Ghost: Ukrainian Culture Center

– Jenny and Johnny, Cults: The Standard Hollywood

– John Digweed: The Avalon

– Junkie XL: Detroit Bar

– L.A. Guns: Whisky A Go Go

– Lupe Fiasco: Hollywood & Highland Center

– Musiq Soulchild: House of Blues

– Wanda Jackson, Best Coast, Dan Sartain: Club Nokia

San Francisco

– The Fresh & Onlys, Thee Oh Sees: Brick and Mortar Music Hall

– Furthur: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

– Kreayshawn: The Regency Ballroom

– The Limousines: Rickshaw Stop

– Maceo Parker: Yoshi’s

– Santigold, Amon Tobin Islam Live, Beats Antique, Claude Von Stroke,: Concourse Exhibition Center (Sea of Dreams)

– Primus: Great American Music Hall

– The Slip: Cafe du Nord

– Sonny & The Sunsets: Amnesia

– Talib Kweli: Sloane Squared

– Tedeschi Trucks Band, The New Mastersounds: The Warfield

– Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue: The Fillmore

– X: Slim’s

– Yeasayer (DJ Set): W Hotel

– DJ Z-Trip: Fort Mason Center

London

– The 2 Bears: XOYO

– Adam Beyer: Fabric

– Ferry Corsten: Brixton Academy

– Gabby Young and Other Animals: Royal Festival Hall

– Gary Numan: All Star Lanes

– Gross Magic: The Victoria

– Joker, Brekage, Roska, Plastician, Sigma: Electric Brixon

– Kasabian, Chase & Status, Zane Lowe: The O2

– Toddla T: The Nest

– The Wedding Present: Dingwalls

Elsewhere

Aspen

– Jane’s Addiction: Belly Up

Athens (Georgia)

– MartyParty, Dubconscious: New Earth Music Hall

– of Montreal: Go Bar

– Reptar: Georgia Theatre

Atlanta

– Against Me!, Fake Problems, Franz Nicolay: The Masquerade

– Cake: Fox Theatre

– JJ Grey & Mofro: Variety Playhouse

– Kylesa: The Earl

– Naughty By Nature, Ed Kowalczyk: Hyatt Regency

– Perpetual Groove: Center Stage

– STS9: The Tabernacle

– Zac Brown Band: Philips Arena

Atlantic City

– Brand New: House of Blues

Austin

– Big Freedia: The Mohawk

– The Black Angels, Wooden Shjips, Ume: Emo’s East

– Bob Schneider, Quiet Company: Paramount Theatre

– Designer Drugs: Austin Music Hall

– Gary Clark Jr.: Antone’s

– Groupo Fantasma: Beauty Bar

– Hayes Carll: La Zona Rosa

– Penguin Prison: American Legion Hall

– Russian Circles: Red 7

– White Denim, Royal Bangs: The Empire Space

– Willie Nelson: Moody Theater

Australia

– Arctic Monkeys, Crystal Castles, Dan Deacon, The Naked and Famous: The Falls Festival (Lorne)

– Fleet Foxes, Beirut, CSS, CANT, Unknown Mortal Orchestra: The Falls Festival (Marion Bay)

Baltimore

– Carbon Leaf: Hyatt Regency

– SOJA: Baltimore Soundstage

Boston

– David Wax Museum: Lizard Lounge (Cambridge, MA)

– Lucero: Paradise

– New York Dolls: New England Conservatory

Charlotte (North Carolina)

– Widespread Panic: Time Warner Cable Arena

Dallas

– Girl Talk, Ghostland Observatory, MSTRKRFT, Neon Indian, Pendulum (DJ Set): Lights All Night

– The Polyphonic Spree, Centro-matic: House of Blues

– Quinton and Miss Pussycat: Zubar

Denver

– Flux Pavilion, Doctor P: Colorado Convention Center

– Gauntlet Hair, Pictureplane: The Larmier Lounge

– Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad: Cervantes’ Other Side

– Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Orgone: Cervatnes Ballroom

– Ladytron (DJ Set): City Hall

– Pretty Lights: 1stBANK Center (Broomfield, CO)

– Railroad Earth: Ogden Theatre

– Truckasauras: The Summit

– Ween: The Fillmore

Detroit

– The Detroit Cobras: Magic Stick

– Greensky Bluegrass, The Macpodz: Majestic Theatre

– Maze featuring Frankie Beverly: Masonic Temple

Greenville (South Carolina)

– The Avett Brothers: Bi-Lo Center

Houston

– Blue October: House of Blues

– Christopher Lawrence: Stereo Live

– Young Jeezy: Reliant Arena

Lake Tahoe

– Bassnectar, Pretty Lights, Thievery Corporation, The Glitch Mob, Childish Cambino, A-Trak, Theophilus London, YACHT: Snowglobe Music Festival

Las Vegas

– Chris Brown: Pure Nightclub

– Guns N’ Roses, Sebastian Bach: The Joint

– John Legend: Pearl Concert Theater

– Kaskade: Marquee

– NOFX, Lagwagon: House of Blues

– Paul Oakenfold: Rain

– Steve Angello: XS Nightclub

– Stevie Wonder: Cosmopolitan

Louisville (Kentucky)

– The Pass: Butchertown Pub Studios

Miami

– The Heavy Pets: Tobacco Road

– Spam All-Stars: The Catalina Hotel

Minneapolis

– Dawes: Varsity Theater

– EOTO: Skyway Theater

Milwaukee

– Skrillex, Dillon Francis: The Rave

Nashville

– Bassnectar: Bridgestone Arena

– Moon Taxi, Apache Relay: Exit/In

New Orleans

– Big Sam’s Funky Nation: The Joy Theater

– Black Lips: One Eyed Jacks

– Dr. John: House of Blues

– Funky Meters: Tipitina’s French Quarter

– Galactic, Anders Osborne: Tipitina’s Uptown

— Rebirth Brass Band: Howlin’ Wolf

Northampton (Massachusetts)

– Josh Ritter: Calvin Theater

– Rubblebucket: Pearl Street Nightclub

Oklahoma City

– The Flaming Lips, Yoko Ono: Brickstown Events Center

Orlando

– Trivium, Sevendust, Black Tide: House of Blues

– Slightly Stoopid, The Expendables: Hard Rock Live

Ottawa

– Electric Six: Mavericks

Philadelphia

– Clutch: Trocadero

– Eternal Summers, Bleeding Rainbow: Level Room

– Good Old War, River City Extension: Theatre of Living Arts

– Lotus: Festival Pier

– Man Man (DJ Set), Dr. Dog (DJ Set), Sun Airway (DJ Set): Johnny Brenda’s

– Smoking Popes: North Star Bar

Phoenix

– Meat Puppets: Clubhouse Music Venue

Portland (Maine)

– moe.: State Theatre

Portland (Oregon)

– Leftover Salmon: Roseland Theater

– Nurses, Radiation City: Mississippi Studios

– Pierced Arrows: Ash Street Saloon

– Red Fang: Star Theater

– Reverend Horton Heat, Supersuckers: The Crystal Ballroom

– Talkdemonic: Misson Theater

San Diego

– Fedde Le Grand, Porter Robinson, Hardwell, Bart B More: Valley View Casino Center (OMFG! NYE)

– Kinky: 4th & B

Seattle

– Mustard Pimp: King Cat Theatre

– Starfucker, Champagne Champagne: The Crocodile

St. Louis (Missouri):

– Cowboy Mouth: Old Rock House

– Devon Allman’s Honeytribe: Blueberry Hill

– Excision: Koken Art Factory

– Umphrey’s McGee: The Pageant

Toronto

– Elliot Brood: Lee’s Palace

– Kyuss! Lives: Cherry Cola’s Rock N’ Rolla Cabaret & Lounge

– The Sadies: Horseshoe Tavern

– Steve Aoki, Thomas Gold: Kool Haus

Vancouver

– Tiësto: Pacific Coliseum

Washington, DC

– Animal Collective (DJ Set), Le Tigre (DJ Set), ANR (DJ Set): 1800 L Street NW (BYT NYE)

– Drive-By Truckers, Booker T, Alabama Shakes: 9:30 Club

– Gucci Mane: Love Night Club

– Morgan Page: Fur Nightclub

– Painted Face: Rock and Roll Hotel

On TV

– Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve (ABC): Lady Gaga, Florence and the Machine, Blink-182, Nicki Minaj

– New Year’s Eve with Carson Daily (NBC): Drake, The Roots, Cee-Lo Green

– NYE in NYC (MTV): J. Cole

– Coldplay New Year’s Eve: An Austin City Limits Special (PBS)

Other notable acts include Skrilex, Duck Sauce, 2manydjs, Groove Armada (DJ Set), Flux Pavilion, Carl Cox, Armin Van Buuren, Kaskade, Bassnectar, Chase and Status, The Bloody Beetroots, A-Trak, Laidback Luke, Little Dragon, Neon Indian, SBTRKT, Flying Lotus, Miike Snow, and Pretty Lights.

Also on the bill are Fedde Le Grand, Knife Party, Steve Aoki, Magnetic Man, Zeds Dead, Porter Robinson, Sven Vath, Sander Van Doorn, Borgore, Doctor P, Metronomy, Jack Beats, 12th Planet, Skream! + Benga, Steve Lawler, Joris Voorn, Katy B, and more. Check out the entire first phase, broken down by day, in poster form below. And stay tuned to our Festival Outlook for additional lineup news and updates.

Three-day and VIP passes, priced at $299.95 and $599.95, respectively, are now on sale. Visit the festival’s website for complete ticketing info.

Other notables acts include TV on the Radio, Social Distortion, Mastodon, Band of Horses, Ray Davies, The Original Meters, Dr. John and the Lower 911, OFWGKTA, Major Lazer, X, The Bloody Beetroots, A-Trak, Boots Electric, Cheap Trick, Violent Femmes’ Gordon Gano, and Kreayshawn.

Rounding out the bill are Ani DiFranco with Ivan Neville and Herlin Riley, Portugal. the Man, Mates of States, Keller Williams, Fitz and the Tantrums, The Wombats, The Limousines, Claude VonStroke, Cheeky Blakk, Ozomatli, City and Colour, DJ Z-Trip, Daedelus, MyNameIsJohnMicahael, Lee Burridge, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, and Givers. You can find the day-by-day breakdown here.

Three-day passes are priced at $150.00 and can be purchased via elevate.com. Also available are VIP packages with or without parking. You can find complete ticketing information here.

The Beetroots are more than happy to bring stage diving to unsuspecting clubs worldwide. Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo, the creative force behind the tandem, and fellow DJ Tommy Tea are now adding Edward Grinch to form The Bloody Beetroots DeathCrew 77. And this new creation is even more explosive than the Power Rangers Megazord.  Rifo now mans the guitar, bass, and synths with Tommy Tea on controllers and Grinch on drums. Still playing much of the early material, the trio now reinterprets the bangers with an aggression and energy that is just not possible while stationed behind a mixer. The videos below demonstrate the group’s new look.

And now US audiences can see what all this commotion is really about. After Rifo and Tommy Tea play an exclusive DJ set at Miami’s Mansion on October 13th, the DeathCrew will head to New York and begin a tour encompassing the rest of October and early November. While the stage presence for the upcoming tour has greatly expanded, the setting will remain intimate and undoubtedly turn quite raucous. A complete list of dates follows, and if you happen to live in Texas, California, or Vancouver, you have the privilege of experiencing the event more than once.

The Bloody Beetroots DeathCrew 77 2010 Tour Dates:
08/13 – Irun, ES @ Ficoba
08/14 – El Ejido, ES @ Creamfields Andalucia
08/20 – Kiewit, BE @ Pukkelpop
08/21 – Bigginghuizen, NE @ Lowlands
08/24 – Nice, FR @ Crossover Festival
08/25 – Montpellier, FR @ La Villa Rouge
08/26 – Aix en Provence @ La Mistral
08/27 – London, UK @ Led Festival
08/28 – Charleville-Mezieres, UK @ Le Cabaret Vert
09/03 – Manchester, UK @ Uni
09/04 – Stradbally, IE @ Electric Picnic Festival
10/13 – Miami Beach, FL @ Mansion Night Club (Exclusive DJ Set)
10/15 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
10/16 – Montreal, QC @ Telus Theatre
10/17 – Toronto, ON @ Guvernment
10/18 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
10/21 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
10/22 – Austin, TX @ La Zona Rosa
10/23 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues
10/26 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
10/28 – El Paso, TX @ Club 101
10/29 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
10/30 – Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Auditorium/Expo Center
10/31 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
11/02 – San Francisco, CA @ Mezzanine
11/03 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
11/04 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox at the Market
11/05 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
11/06 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom

As the premiere event in dance-music, Ultra continues to increase both international participation and diversity within the ever expanding electronic music genre. Performers from all 50 states and nearly 60 countries performed during the event’s two days, which inherently contributes to the growing number of artists, record labels, and sub-genres. According to co-founder Russell Faibisch, “Dubstep really blew up over the last 12 months, so we decided to combine it with drum ‘n’ bass and create ‘dub ‘n’ bass’.”

With the majority of dub n’ bass performers spinning on the Biscayne Stage, located immediately upon entering the gates, the genres growing popularity became evident as the crowd steadily grew during the mid-afternoon. With most of the crowd favorites not scheduled until after 3:30 pm, fans took full advantage of acts like Nero, Freq Nasty, Planet of the Drums, and Andy C to get limbered up and sweaty for the long day to come.

Artist collaborations also highlighted Saturday’s performances. Damian Marley and Nas took to the Main Stage just after 3 pm.  While the group seemed far removed from the rests of the day’s acts, reggae and the Marleys have become so ingrained in Miami the fit seemed slightly more natural. The duo mixed electronic overtones into hits from Welcome To Jamrock and included tracks from the upcoming May 18, release Distant Relatives. While each man possesses a strong individual sound, the back-and-forth between the two vocalists worked well during their collaborative tracks.

As evening approached, the international duo of German-born Boyz Noize and London-based Erol Alkan took to the Biscayne Stage. Their set marked two events: the first glimpse of Deadmau5 helmets and the only time Consequence of Sound witnessed CDs used for mixing/sampling. Whatever the source, samples from “Lemonade”, “Death Suite”, and “Waves” resulted in high velocity fist pumping and the visually pleasing pogo.  Often it seemed the duo were attempting to play Twister on the turntables, but always managing to become untangled.

Photos by Santiago Felipe

Other than the surprise Deadmau5 collaboration to close out Ultra, the collaboration between Dim Mak founder Steve Aoki and Dim Mak artists The Bloody Beetroots, Death Crew 77 was the most unexpected set of the festival. During last year’s performance, the Bloody Beetroots performed a typical turntable DJ set. Saturday night’s performance included the bass, guitar solos, turntables, vocals, classical piano scales, Steve Aoki stage diving, and a level of energy that seemed unsustainable.  If the Beetroots were not on your radar, put them firmly in the center now! Click here for a video of the madness.

Italian DJ Benny Benassi ushered in a cool Miami evening, but also the the star-studded Main Stage talent. Re-mixing “Purple Haze” among dance anthems “Satisfaction” and “Electro-Sixteen” Benassi kept the audience frenzied throughout his set.  The energy became palpable, amidst the humid Miami evening, when Kelis joined Benassi onstage for their collaboration “Spaceship” wearing a metallic silver face mask and silver lace-up boots.

Joined by an additional percussionist, Maxi Jazz and Sister Blizz of Faithless made their South Florida debut at Ultra 2010.  While the audience may not match that of levels in the UK, the Faithless faithful eagerly awaited the opportunity to hear classic singles like “Reverence” and “Insomnia” plus new releases from The Dance.

While much of the festival audience had rushed to the Main Stage with hopes of getting close within a mob of 50,000 people, many electronica purists traveled to the Biscayne Live Stage to witness the monumental performance of Orbital. Not having played in the states since 2004, Phil and Paul Hartnoll performed a captivating set. The brothers know all the tricks. With the ability to improvise over complex acid house beats, many would hail the Orbital set as the performance of the festival.

“Satan” sent chills through spectators spines, and the fan favorite “Halcyon + On + On” incorporated samples from “You Give Love a Bad Name” by Bon Jovi and Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven is a Place on Earth” evoking more emotions than any other house artist would even attempt. To express their gratitude for all those in attendance, the brothers were each kind enough to thank fans for watching them after so such a lengthy hiatus.

For many people unaccustomed to the local Miami electronic scene, Ultra was the first opportunity to hear the colorful Afrobeta. Even at a festival with 300 acts, this two-some consisting of  Cuci Amador and Tony Smurphio, has a totally unique sound. Located somewhere in-between Peaches, Crystal Castles, and an 8-bit video game, Afrobeta’s bubble-gum house was quite a major shift from the preceding Orbital set.

Prior to closing out Ultra with Deadmau5, festival veterans Ghostland Observatory delivered their brand of Austin-infused electronica to several hundred fans. With a live show that includes dozens of lasers, their famous green smog machine, and glowstick battles, Ghostland’s stageshow fit perfectly into late-night at Ultra. Aaron Behrens and Thomas Turner delivered “Shoot ‘em Down”, “Club Soda”, “Sad Sad City”, and “Move with Your Lover” with a level of vigor equal to that of the adoring fans remaining at the stage.

Over the last three years, Deadmau5 has become a perennial headliner. Creating beats with a naturally repetitive quality, Joel Zimmerman continues to keep yearly attendees guessing what’s next, unlike other several other Ultra mainstays. What a better way to change things up than adding Tommy Lee on drums and Sofia Toufa on vocals? Deadmau5 continues to demonstrate his ability to headline premiere dance-events the world over, leading toward IDMA awarding him the Best Electro Track, Best Solo Artist, and Best American DJ awards for 2010.

Expect even bigger things for Ultra 2011. With sold out tickets and a lack of capacity to host any more artists, Ultra 2011 was announced to be transitioning into an even larger three-day event. Sleep feels very warranted, but next year can’t come faster.

All pictures not noted courtesy of Alex Broadwell

Deadmau5, Tiesto, Groove Armada, Swedish House Mafia, and The Crystal Method have been tapped to headline this year’s festivities, set to take from March 26-27. Also scheduled to appear are The Disco Biscuits, Faithless Sound System, Ghostland Observatory, Infected Mushroom, the Black Eyed Peas’ Will.i.am, Armin van Buren, and Carl Cox, who will perform twice during the festival.

As a whole, the phase one portion of Ultra Music Festival 2010 looks like this:

A-Trak, Above & Beyond, Afrobeta, Alex Metric, Armin van Buren, ATB, Bassbin Twins vs. Uberzone, Bassnectar, The Bloody Beetroots, Carl Cox, Crookers, The Crystal Method, Deadmau5, Diplo, The Disco Biscuits, Dirty South, Eddie Halliwell, Eric Prydz, Evil Nine, Faithless Sound System, Felix da Housecat, Freeland, Ghostland Observatory, The Glitch Mob, Green Velvet, Groove Armada, Infected Mushroom, Kevens, Lotus, LTJ Bukem, Major Lazer, Plump DJs, Pretty Lights, Rabbit in the Moon (3D), Rusko, Skream, Steve Aoki, Swedish House Mafia, Tiesto, Will.i.am

Additional acts will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Advance two-day and VIP passes are currently available for purchase. Head to ultramusicfestival.com for additional details.

As mentioned, the festival takes place from March 26-27, 2010 in Miami, Florida. It will serve as the closing event for the annual, equally electro heavy Winter Music Conference.

Hat tip to Nicholas for the help…

Fresh off news on Coachella’s decision to tap Muse and Glastonbury’s love affair with Bono, the super indie friendly San Miguel Primavera Sound Festival (as it now is known) has unveiled its initial lineup for 2010. As it stands now, Pavement and the Pixies, aka the previously announced headliners, will be joined by the likes of Wilco, The Fall, Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions, Panda Bear, The New Pornographers, The Antlers, The Bloody Beetroots, The xx, Wild Beasts, and Here We Go Magic.

Primavera Sound 2010 goes down from May 27-29 at Parc Del Fòrum in Barcelona, Spain. Tickets, priced at 95 € ($142.50), are currently on sale. Hit up primaverasound.com for all the necessary details.