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Winter Music Conference 2011 - March 8-12 / Ultra Music Festival March 25-27 (pg. 7)
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| jchung52 |
| hmmm what to do.. what to do... |
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| KStuff |
Does anyone find these hotel prices already insanely high??? I'm hoping the hotels are charging high prices now for the early bookers who book right on announcement. Then post some discounts in the coming months. Then raise prices for the last minute people.
Looking at my last minute bookings the last two years (south part of South Beach), I don't gain ANYTHING booking this early in advance!
2009 - Shelley Hotel - 4 nights - US$174.50/night, booked on March 10
2010 - Penguin Hotel - 4 nights - US$232/night, booked on March 2 |
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| Swamper |
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/16...118/story.jhtml
Winter Music Conference Officials Explain Conflict With Ultra Music Festival
'We're going to be hurt a little bit,' admits WMC owner Bill Kelly about 2011 scheduling differences between the electronic dance music events.
By Adam Stewart
Controversy has swirled around the electronic dance music community for the past two days over the Winter Music Conference and Ultra Music Festival's misaligned 2011 schedules. While initial uncertainties left EDM enthusiasts crying foul over the seemingly early WMC dates, the initial lack of information has now given birth to crucial endorsements from prominent players. Late Wednesday afternoon Luis Puig, owner of Space Nightclub in Miami, came out swinging in defense of the 26-year-old Winter Music Conference's integrity and slammed Ultra Music Festival, accusing it of greedy practices.
"WMC used to be about free parties with DJs and industry folks sharing and enjoying new music. Now, it is about greed and money," says Puig in a 780-word manifesto sent on Wednesday to his nightclub's promotional e-mail list. "I love Ultra [Music Festival] and what they bring to the game," he goes on to say, "but I do not agree with their greedy strategy to manipulate and monopolize Music Conference. This is just not good for anyone." While Puig blatantly admits that he does indeed capitalize off of the business brought in by UMF (whose gates are just a short walk from his downtown Miami club), he is quick to point out that "without WMC, there would be no Ultra Music Festival."
Meanwhile, while Puig's manifesto was being absorbed by the masses, the official Winter Music Conference team posted an update to its website titled "Just the Facts," aimed at dispelling the various rumors scurrying about the Web over the past 36 hours.
"We were blindsided by Ultra's last minute announcement," said WMC organizers of UMF's supposed noncompliance. The WMC post alleged that UMF management breached their contract with WMC, claiming "a signed October 15, 2009, contract between the two entities [stating] that the 2011 Ultra Music Festival would be presented during the five-day period in February, March or April 2011 designated and promoted by WMC as the 'WMC week.' " While the specific legalities officially associated with this possible breach are unclear, it is rumored that UMF was unable to secure permitting in Miami's Bicentennial Park for the weekend of March 11-13 due to the annual Calle Ocho Carnival, which is expected to draw a crowd of more than 1 million to downtown Miami on March 13. A lack of municipal resources are being tagged with the blame.
"This is the last year Ultra will be able to use [Bicentenial] Park as the City has begun construction on a large museum," Puig claims. "[T]here is no other large park for festivals anywhere near the Beach." If this is indeed the case, 2012's events could be pushed even further apart.
Puig — who also heads up the WMC's famed Surfcomber Pool Parties — spoke to MTV News Wednesday night and argued that neither artists nor party promoters will even have the ability to properly sustain a pool-party-laced, faux-WMC week centered around the UMF dates. "The city will not give out weekly permits for pool or beach parties outside of WMC [week], which means that there will not be Pool Parties the week of Ultra," he said. "What is Miami without a pool or a beach?" If this is indeed true, then one of the most alluring and popular elements of a potential "UMF Week" would be pushed to the wayside.
Later in the evening, WMC owner and co-founder Bill Kelly spoke exclusively to MTV News and further corroborated the points in Puig's manifesto, exclaiming, "Louis nailed it on the head!" Kelly, however, does admit that the departure of UMF from WMC week will absolutely affect his longstanding operation negatively. "We're going to be hurt a little bit," he says, noting that more than 25 percent of those who buy the official WMC registration pass — which currently costs $275 — do so to take advantage of the complimentary UMF ticket (now selling at $179 for the three-day pass). However, Kelly goes on to speculate that the separation of the two entities might actually open up new doors for both parties, including one scenario that might even entail the creation of WMC's own exclusive "festival style" performance centerpiece.
"The possibility of doing a smaller, more intimate festival on the beach is a real possibility now," says Kelly. "Because of Ultra Music Festival's size, they have been banned from [having their event] on [Miami] Beach." Some would agree that Puig, who recently pulled off the Miami permutation of the Swedish House Mafia's "Masquerade Motel" to a crowd of nearly 10,000, is perfectly suited to take on that challenge. When asked, Puig neither confirmed nor denied the possibility.
In addition to Puig's WMC endorsement, many others seem to be at least silently preparing to publicly do the same, including promotional groups such as BMF/Aurelia, who last year played host to the popular Belevedere VIP Lounge at the W Hotel, which also has announced its pairing with the official WMC dates, likely returning its base of operations to the W.
"Winter Music Conference is a weeklong cultural celebration and they have our full support," says Aurelia Group president Lainie Copicotto. "From VIP Music Lounges to huge nightclubs to small 'in-stores' and poolside performances, WMC is not about one event or one DJ. WMC is the bigger picture."
With these key WMC endorsements, those historically involved have now been prompted to take sides in the matter. Ultra Records, which carries no affiliation to UMF, and the online-EMD-music store Beatport have both told MTV News that they will issue statements and event plans for Miami in the coming days. MTV News is also tentatively scheduled to speak with the official UMF concert promoters later this afternoon. |
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| rabbitjoker |
| The Ultra lineup looks pretty good! 3 day festivals are a lot of fun. |
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| Cribby |
I have never and will never be interested in doing the UMF, and that post just answered some of my questions thus making my choice an easy one. Pretty sure I'll be doing 8 - 12th.
:) |
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| geroin |
| quote: | Originally posted by Cribby
I have never and will never be interested in doing the UMF, and that post just answered some of my questions thus making my choice an easy one. Pretty sure I'll be doing 8 - 12th.
:) |
after seeing that lineup i don't think i'll ever be interested as well :stongue: |
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| rabbitjoker |
This UMF lineup looks good to me:
Tiesto
David Guetta
Carl Cox
Eric Prydz
The Crystal Method (Live)
Will.i.am
Kaskade
Timo Maas
Armin van Buuren
Swedish House Mafia
Sasha & Digweed
Above & Beyond
Paul Oakenfold
Fedde LeGrand
Robbie Rivera |
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| StereoPrincess |
| lol. well, the WMC people are sure doing a great PR job against the UMF people. Why hasn't anyone from the UMF side said anything? Really lame. Anyways, the ing guy from Space talking about monopolizing the DJs. That is a rediculous laugh! They are the biggest, greediest, bunch of promoters around. |
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| KStuff |
While a lot of people don't like Ultra, I think it's the perfect way to cap off WMC. We don't get the festival experience in Toronto, and there's something about being with thousands of people enjoying the greatest and most popular DJs in the world (even if a lot are commercial pop crap), being outside and going from stage to stage. I think the Carl Cox tent is worth it alone, seeing 2 hour sets from the likes of Sasha & Digweed, Richie Hawtin, and Carl Cox. There's definitely a lot of variety. Then after it's over, go to a club and have your pick of a ton of events happening.
WMC is great, all the events, pool parties, etc. The vibe of EDM everywhere you go. Getting mobbed at 5:30 AM by a group of europeans who thought I was Moby :wtf:
This split, combined with construction in the park that will limit space, saddens me. |
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| geroin |
| quote: | Originally posted by KStuff
We don't get the festival experience in Toronto, and there's something about being with thousands of people enjoying the greatest and most popular DJs in the world (even if a lot are commercial pop crap), being outside and going from stage to stage. |
you could experience that somewhere else without having to spend a few thousand dollars. |
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| KStuff |
| quote: | Originally posted by geroin
you could experience that somewhere else without having to spend a few thousand dollars. |
That's why I'm rethinking my trip this year. The combination of the WMC and Ultra was something I don't think happens anywhere else (to the same magnitude). |
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| AY STAR |
| quote: | Originally posted by rabbitjoker
This UMF lineup looks good to me:
Tiesto
David Guetta
Carl Cox
Eric Prydz
The Crystal Method (Live)
Will.i.am
Kaskade
Timo Maas
Armin van Buuren
Swedish House Mafia
Sasha & Digweed
Above & Beyond
Paul Oakenfold
Fedde LeGrand
Robbie Rivera |
keep in mind each of those dj's will probly play 60-90 min only |
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