Miami and South Beach come decorated in EDM, literally, for the annual Winter Music Conference. It’s embedded in everything, from the mobile billboard announcing the Robin Schulz Pool Party at the Delano on Sunday to “Carnage Loves Miami” on another, to the side of your cab brandishing a vinyl banner of Dada Life.
Riding with the cab windows down, in March, ’cause we can, we head to day 1 of the BMF Media hosted SiriusXM 808, Music Lounge three-day party and media gala at the classy and cool W Hotel Miami Beach, with its wealth of today’s hottest featured artists, special guests, and surprise fanboy sightings.
One half of dance music duo DVBBS mingled with the reverent and unmistakable Tommy Sunshine who schmoozed with up-and-comer Sam Feldt while in the background Chris Malinchak kicked off his housy set with “Happy.”
Rodg, Riggi & Piros, Michael Woods, Jochen Miller, Kygo, David Gravell, Heatbeat, MaRLo, Andrew Rayel and Dash Berlin shared the back-to-back six-hour spotlight leading up to the grand finale of Armada artist, Armin van Buuren, who maintained his perpetual and infectious smile to the delight of the moment and the intimate and adoring crowd.
With novelties abound in every direction, the poolside featured a popular beads crafting table to make message bracelets and necklaces. And this year’s party’s beverage of choice was Heineken and Jägermeister served with a variety of specially featured complimentary concoctions including a Mast’s Mule of vanilla with a kick from ginger and sliced jalapeño, an ice sculpture embedded with strategically placed Jäger bottles and a Jäger shots dispenser. When the main Jäger promoter, Cliff, comes up and comments at you ooh-ing and ahh-ing over their innovative party appliance and offers to share a round of shots with him, you can’t say ‘no.’
With the South Beach sundown long behind us the groovy sounds of Dom Donnelly opened Room 2 of Miami Beach’s Treehouse surrounded by its rustic array of fishing nets and dangling sea creatures. For the record, Oscar G from Murk (pictured above) clearly won the first day of Miami Music Week with his Frankie Knuckles heart shirt.
Lane 8 opened Room 1 with its trove of parent’s garage treasures including a hanging house-shaped planter made from a milk carton, an audio cassette recorder and an amber, owl-embossed ashtry. DJ Agoria wound down his electro-house set with the Hot Since 82 remix of “Recluse” before featured duo Dusky took to the decks and blasted their latest “Yoohoo” to an uproarious, packed and steamy crowd.
Not that you need the validation, but you know you’re at a great party when Tony McGuinness of Above & Beyond not only shows up early, but stays for the duration.
Images by Kathy Vitkus (@edmforlife)
