As I wander through the streets of South Beach for the first time, I’m bombarded with the culture that is Miami. Although I’m here for spring break, I can’t help but notice the posters and street lamp signs littering the streets advertising Ultra. Amidst the hustle and bustle, the beautiful people and the glittering streets, the little purple flyers advertising one of the largest electronic music festivals in the US stand out in my mind.
It’s a well-known question by most fans of electronic music: are you going to Ultra? I’ve never been lucky enough to say that I was until this year. It cost an arm and a leg to attend, but I firmly believe it will be worth it and have set my expectations high for Ultra in 2015. There are two main reasons for this: the age limit and the sheer diversity of the lineup itself.
The first reason may be the most important. An age limit is a universal tenet to any successful electronic festival, not just Ultra. Almost anyone can agree with this opinion. I’ve attended too many all-ages festivals that end in disaster for some concert-goers. Just this past summer, I witnessed at least five young attendees being carried out of festivals on stretchers. I remember walking past an ambulance at Spring Awakening and seeing a young girl of about fifteen passed out within it, a flower headband hanging halfway off her skull as she lay in a hospital bed. Experiences like these were disturbing enough to make me realize that an age limit is, indeed, necessary. Miami is already an adult like atmosphere to begin with. That combined with the accidents that seem to plague underage ravers, an age limit seems to be the best option to optimize the Ultra experience.
Enough about age limits and accidents, though. Ultra never fails to bring one of the most diverse lineups of any festival in the US or even the world. From the alternative, uplifting tunes of Porter Robinson to the feel good, tropical house vibes of Thomas Jack, Ultra really spans all genres. They bring the big, popular acts such as Bassnectar, Skrillex and Hardwell, as well as veterans that are less well known by the younger crowd but nevertheless musical geniuses such as Paul Van Dyk, Carl Cox and Pete Tong. With a mind-boggling seven stages to alternate between, there is something for everyone to enjoy at any time throughout the day. I really have no idea how I’ll be able to pick.
There are so many names on this lineup I have trouble deciding who I am most excited for. I love all sub-genres of electronic music, from trap to trance and more. Ultra has never failed to bring a little bit of everything, even curating a new Resistance stage reserved simply for fans of underground music. Despite not being able to pick a single name that excites me the most, I know I will never run out of options to hear familiar tunes and discover new artists. That coupled with the enchanting atmosphere of Miami’s downtown is enough to have me counting down the days until I walk through those gates, ready to experience my first round of Ultra Music Festival.
