What you need to know from day two of Ultra Music Festival 201511080478 10152905474172739 7942483734926531420 O

What you need to know from day two of Ultra Music Festival 2015

What you need to know from Day Two of Ultra Music Festival 2015

With Miami Music Week in full swing, the days leading up to Ultra Music Festival’s 17th edition were filled with nothing but anticipation for the three-day affair. With its unrelenting roster of talent, phenomenal production and thousands of international dance music revelers, the annual show is the staple outline for the beginning of this year’s festival season as well as the next 12 months of electronic music. This weekend’s occurrences – whether it be a surprise appearance on Ultra’s Main Stage or a jaw-dropping musical statement as per Avicii in 2013 – are moments that will resonate within the dance music community until 2016. Straight from Miami, here are the top five takeaway moments from day two of Ultra Music Festival 2015.

Photos courtesy of Ultra Music Festival.

If you missed it, make sure to check out yesterday’s recap as well: everything you need to know from day 1 of Ultra Music Festival.

Live Stage receives a proper revival

Following day one’s Live Stage rain out and the unfortunate cancellation of ODESZA and Chromeo’s sets, fans and artists for day two were equally relieved to see the sun shining strong. An array of live instruments and vocals were abundant on stage: Gorgon City debuted their live band set up for Miami’s smiling crowd which continued to grow by the time Clean Bandit readied to take the stage with their violin and saxophone additions. Songstress Kiesza delivered a fiery, well-choreographed singing and dancing act before the stage began to transition alongside the sunset to the heavier live acts for the day. Big Gigantic and South Africa’s Die Antwoord played in full-force in their own respectively distinctive styles, giving the heavily EDM-only Ultra line up a new and appreciated layer of versatility.

Seth Troxler gets deep at the Carl Cox Arena

After Seth Troxler hit the headlines heavy last year for being less than conservative with his public statements regarding his opinion on mainstream electronic music, the techno and house DJ stepped to the front of the Carl Cox Arena in the Mega Structure for a full hour-and-a-half jam session. The set pulsed with the powerful force of the stage’s impressive speaker system, with Troxler diving down into a deep musical journey while flawlessly mixing a ridiculous number of unidentifiable tracks throughout. The crowd grew steadily as the US-native grooved to his own beats in front of the towering LED panels in the Mega Structure, a touch reminiscent of European super-clubs, and by the time Troxler’s set came to a close, the house was packed to the brim with minimal fiends seeking a break from the blaring electro music at the neighboring stages.

Martin Garrix invites surprise guest Usher to Ultra's main stage

By far one of Ultra day two’s standout moments was when the pioneer of R&B, Usher, stole the festival’s Main Stage alongside partner in crime, Martin Garrix. While for some the surprise appearance was far from a secret as the social media sphere began speculating just hours before the big reveal, it is undeniable that Usher’s presence lit the festival aflame and nearly broke the internet as he performed the pair’s new collaboration, “Don’t Look Down.” Stealthily appearing out of the darkness from a smoky stage, dance music fans welcomed Usher with open arms as he wooed the crowd with his velvety singing talents and iconic stature.

Get Real unveils a stellar debut

Claude VonStroke and Green Velvet, internationally recognized acts in their own right, joined forces at the end of last year following a late-night b2b experiment to make it official under the moniker Get Real. The house legends play sparingly, but when they do, the two DJs attract a crowd that possesses a deep understanding of refined American house music scene and a love for the sound of the underground. Housing VonStroke and Green Velvet in “Get” and “Real” shirts respectively, the Resistance Stage served as a stunning backdrop for the two hour festival set, wrapping a crowd around the fire-breathing Afterburner in a full 360 degree dance floor. With a dash of funk and the expected hard hitting kick drums from any true house show, Get Real’s set drew in a dedicated following and gripped them tightly for the remained of the day’s festivities.

Axwell V Ingrosso reinvent the SHM legacy for the closing set of Day 2

In 2013, Ultra Music Festival hosted the tear-jerking finale to the legendary trio of Swedish House Mafia. Two years later, the trio finally returned to Bayfront Park but as two separate entities. Axwell Λ Ingrosso earned the coveted spot of headlining the Main Stage on Day 2 with much anticipation swarming their performance. Complemented by Hollywood caliber film snippets and a nostalgic stage presence, the Swedish power duo debuted their reinvented sound as they flawlessly intermixed past fan favorites, like “One (Your Name)” and “Calling (Lose My Mind),” with their new, pulverant originals “Can’t Hold Us Down” and “This Time We Can’t Go Home” with Pusha-T. Exceeding the high expectations placed upon them, Axwell Λ Ingrosso have set the bar for their former parter, Steve Angello, to impress the Ultra crowd to the same degree during his early-evening Main Stage set on the final day of Ultra 2015.

Tags: , , , ,

Categories: ,