Ultra Music Festival 2013: Review

The second weekend of Miami's Ultra Music Festival was always going to be the show stopper, with Swedish House Mafia's last ever performance, but there were many other top quality acts throughout the weekend to entertain the 1000s of festival goers.

For those accustomed to the UK's wet and wild summer festivals, Ultra would be a shock. To hold a festival in mid-March in the UK would be unthinkable, especially with the weather we have just had, however in the 'balmy' high 20s of Miami's Spring this festival has the weather many UK's festivals desperately hope for.

Not only was Ultra blessed with fine weather, but it also entertained ravers with some of the most inventive festival stages around. From the Mega Structure to the Main Stage they all had something unique to showcase.

The Mega Structure stage, home to Carl Cox and State of Trance had a honeycomb structure with screens and lights on rigs suspended from the curved tunnel-like roof (photo above). The honeycomb structure moved in from all sides, at its closest point forming a level ceiling only feet above the crowds. This coupled with various ‘aerial silks’ performances throughout the day made this stage really memorable.

Of course in terms of acts the Main Stage is where the biggest names were and it is also the stage that commanded attention just by its sheer size as it towered over Bayfront Park. The Main Stage was anything but a ‘bog standard’ stage, indeed with a huge screen in the shape of the Ultra Music Festival logo above the stage there was no doubt where the finest acts would be that weekend.

Extra to the usual big screens at either side of the stage this one went one better and had two extra screens on either side on ‘arms’ that moved around adding to the light show.

If you budget permits and you like dance music then Ultra Music Festival is definitely one to consider for almost guaranteed nice weather and a brilliantly executed festival this has to be number one. It also attracts the finest names in dance year after year so you won’t be disappointed.

Find out more about Ultra Music Festival 2014 here: www.ultramusicfestival.com

Here are some of the most magical moments from Ultra Music Festival 2013