In recent years Miami’s Wynwood District has become a hotbed of artistic creativity. The influx of visual artists living in the gentrified neighborhood who are working in a spate of mediums has earned Wynwood an international reputation thanks to its wealth of art galleries to the famed Wynwood Walls.
Next month sees the return of III Points — a festival which positions itself on the intersection of art, music and technology — to the bustling neighborhood. Taking place October 10-12, the 2014 installment includes headliners Lykke Li, Duke Dumont, Flying Lotus (live), Four Tet, Jamie xx, Hercules and Love Affair, Com Truise, and the U.S. debut of Hot Natured.
While there’s a lot of national and international talent already confirmed, the bill noticeably boasts a variety of local talent which shouldn’t be ignored.
Here’s a list of eight Magic City-based acts performing at III Points — listed in no particular order — which you shouldn’t snooze on.
1. Austin Paul
Only in his early 20s, the talented vocalist/songwriter has already provided vocals on three wondrous tracks on Kastle’s self-titled album released in 2013 and selectively issued his own tracks. Paul is a star in the making.
2. Lazaro Casanova
One of the 305’s most skilled house heroes, who is known for playing seven-hour sets at local hotspots like Bardot, Casanova, and co-helming the prolific petFood label with Jay-You, Casanova runs the monthly Futro party with Oscar G from Murk. The mustachioed DJ’s sets run the gamut from upfront tunes peppered with old-school house jams thrown in for good measure.
3. Thunderpony
Red-hot Miami duo composed of Ricardo Mogollon and Luis Baquero straddle the worlds of house and techno. They have been making dance floors sweat at Trade and will most certainly bring the noise to III Points.
4. Dude Skywalker
Informed by deep house, disco and hip-hop, Miami natives Sam Plessett, Alex Borges and Fabio Galarce’s modus operandi is rooted in diversity. Aligned with the aforementioned petFood and a Boiler Room session under their belts, the triumvirate is famous for tearing it up at local haunts like The Electric Pickle and Bardot. If that wasn’t enough, the trio recently turned out a smoking remix of local indie rockers Krisp’s “Mamani Vice.”
5. Uchi
Since III Points takes place in a bastion for art, it’s only fitting that Isabella Douzoglou (a.k.a. Uchi) has been invited to play. Championing a sound that’s bathed in dark techno, ambient and experimental, her Dead Air series on Miami’s WVUM remains somewhat legendary among those in the know. Catch her if live and breathe blips and bleeps. (Listen to Uchi’s brilliant III Points mix here.)
6. Laura (of Miami)
A native of Bogota and raised in Miami, Laura Sutnick has been in the mix for well over a decade, spinning an infectious blend of house, disco and indie-dance at choice venues around Miami and points beyond, including Bardot, Soho Beach House and The Standard Miami.
7. Pase Rock
Having covered Billy Ocean’s “Nights” and re-rubbing tracks by Aaliyah, Pace Rock keeps his party going by delivering an onslaught of bass-heavy tracks that don’t stop ’til you get enough.
8. Frank Flux
Local DJ/producer who has played at Patpong Road has been getting his name out there thanks to his crafty edits, which have apparently gained support from bigwigs like A-Track and Lunice. It’s definitely good to see some low-end theory represented during the festival.