It must feel like a gift and a bit of a curse to be the son of one of modern music’s greatest and best-known musicians. Hank Williams Jr. would know. He’s had his fair share of struggles but also, as he told us in the following interview, plenty of opportunities…
Manchester Orchestra had one ambition when recording their newest album Cope. They wanted it to be loud. Really loud. Chris Freeman, the band’s keyboardist and percussionist told the New Times, “Everyone in the alternative world is trying to be quiet playing with acoustic guitars. We wanted to go the other…
By Emily Bloch Some things are inevitable at a good rock show. Someone will try to get in for free, someone will get kicked in the face by a crowd surfer, and someone’s going to stage-dive. But not if Culture Room has anything to say about it. In August 2009,…
According to Deltron 3030, the 31st century is a bleak place. Technology and corporations have run amok. But fortunately, we have rad music to look forward to. At least as evidenced by the rap supergroup’s Thursday night show at Culture Room. Del the Funky Homosapien emceed the story that’s been…
Photo by Neil Krug The Glitch Mob isn’t your average DJ group. In fact, these guys don’t usually DJ. They’re one of those rare, talented acts who play electronic instruments. And they even help design those instruments, as well as the stage production behind their performances. We’ve caught them in…
Photo by Cedric Sequerra Plenty of people were superpsyched to see Adventure Club’s Christian Srigley and Leighton James perform at Ultra Music Festival 2014. These two Canadian guys are veterans of the EDM festival; they’re so involved, they even did Ultra Korea. Srigley and James were ready to rage on…
Photo by George Martinez Ultra Music Festival is epic. Until it’s not. There is much about the EDM fest that’s awe-inspiringly, eye-bulgingly, brain-meltingly awesome. It’s among one of the best raver parades on the planet. It’s got 200-foot LED stages that look like arcades from outer space, complete with lasers,…
Another year, another Ultra Music Festival. We here at Crossfade always make the annual pilgrimage to Ultra land. And from one UMF to the next, there is a lot of stuff that’s not-so-shockingly new. Or as Deadmau5 might screech: “It’s the same fucking thing every year!” Inevitably, though, there’s also…
Nowadays, bands that indulge in old-school, radio-ready pop seem to be something of a rarity. The music biz tends to embrace acts that are outrageous, ostentatious, and unusual. And because Train takes a traditional tack that dictates it provide a steady supply of chart-topping hits, it’s managed to reach the…
Photo by George Martinez50. Girlfriendly PDA. (That’s for the “L” in PLUR.) If you’ve got ears, Ultra Music Festival is a pretty fun time. But if you’ve also got eyes, it’s amaaaaaaaaazing. Basically, this sprawling EDM fest is a phantasmagoric fun parade starring famous people, nearly naked ladies, the beefiest…
Photo by Marta Xochilt Perez At every single musical gathering, there is an enclave of pretty ladies ready to party. Now, unlike the country gals at a Willie Nelson concert or even the MILFs squabbling for a seat at a taping of the X Factor, Ultra Music Festival features fine-ass…
Photo by: George MartinezFrom left to right: Jessie Wedell, C.J. Jones, and Kelli Rika We’ve all seen them. They’re gorgeous, perfectly unattainable beauties with grace, poise, and loads of talent. They’re the go-go dancers of Ultra Music Festival, and they’re dressed in fantastic costumes, floating from the rafters, and charming…
Photo by Ian Witlen/Red Bull Content PoolGiorgio Moroder. “Hello, my name is Giovanni Giorgio. But you can call me Giorgio,” he says before kicking off his hour-and-a-half set on the rooftop of the Gale Hotel on South Beach. Reality is, the man needs no introduction. He’s Giorgio Moroder, one of…
Photo by Marta Xochilt Perez What is it about Ultra Music Festival that makes the young kids go crazy? Can this year’s UMF top the twin weekends of 2013? Does it live up to the hype? What’s better: PLUR or molly? These are the hard-hitting questions that we asked the…
Winter Music Conference and Ultra Music Festival have always been the place where new dance-music records, artists, and genres are broken and made. If your track catches fire at Ultra, you’re guaranteed to have the best year of your career so far. Play your cards right and you’ll definitely get…
Via CPLaw-Miami.comCriminal defender and former state prosecutor Chad Piotrowski. Hey, ravers… Arrested? Apprehended? Busted? Collared? Pinched? Just call the law offices of Chad Piotrowski. He’s a former state prosecutor, and he’s giving legal help to party people in need. “Did you get in trouble at Ultra? Do you need a…
Photo by Marta Xochilt Perez Grumpiest Cat For a festival plump with PLUR, it was certainly odd to see a Grumpy Cat prowling amid the bubblegum-colored tutus. He was testing the saccharine smiles of kandi ravers. But nothing, not even this guy, could bring the party down with a frown…
Photo by Marta Xochilt PerezCheck out Crossfade’s 57-photo slideshow of “The Fashion at Ultra Music Festival 2014.” Beats, beauties, bass, booties, brawn, bras, and some valuable life experience. That’s what it takes to make an Ultra Music Festival, as far as a fashionista is concerned. You’ve never seen anything like…
Photo by Liz Tracy Muscles were so big at this year’s Ultra Music Festival. Like, they were just as huge a trend as they looked on the shoulders, chests, buttocks, thighs… You get the idea: Beefcakes ruled the EDM blowout. We couldn’t creep near the Carl Cox tent without getting…
A screenshot of the countdown at 7:18 p.m. on the last day of Ultra 2014. Uhntz, uhntz, uhntz, uhntz, uhntz. There are 50,000 people partying at Ultra Music Festival right now. And they hope it will never end. But there are probably many, many, many times that number of Miami…
Photo by George MartinezThe Mau5 man miming suicide at last year’s Ultra. He is EDM’s evil stepchild. Many hail Deadmau5 as “my fave DJ!” Some refer to the King Rat as the “Troll of Trolls.” Others whisper “asshole.” For years, Joel Zimmerman, the human who wears that famous rodent helmet…
Photo by George Martinez Those who rave presumably adhere to the values of PLUR: peace, love, unity, respect. While attending Ultra Music Festival, we wondered if the fans’ philosophical perspectives were broader than those four words. And also, had they, in their PLUR-verse, uncovered answers to existence’s most puzzling questions?…
