Ultra Music Festival powered through unfavorable conditions to create lasting memories for devoted Ultranauts in 2024.
Few festivals have the international grip that Ultra Music Festival does on dance music fans. Known for its killer lineups, larger-than-life stages, and immaculate vibes among Miami’s downtown atmosphere and Bayfront Park breeze, Ultra consistently draws in attendees from around the world.
To put this into perspective, 55,000 people attend Ultra each day, and 20% of those are international travelers. Whether you’ve grown up watching their carefully curated livestreams or are new to the scene, you’re more than likely aware of the impact that Ultra has had since its inception nearly 25 years ago.
Hopping on a cross-country flight for my third Ultra Music Festival on March 22-24, I looked forward to embracing new experiences this year. This would be my first time staying relatively close to the venue in Miami itself; in the past, I’ve stayed in nearby cities like Hollywood or Fort Lauderdale and rented a car. I was also attending with a new group of people who, little did I know, would quickly become close friends by the end of the trip.
The first day of Ultra Music Festival brought unexpected challenges.
While Ultra typically sees hot, fun-in-the-sun Miami weather, most of the weekend was met with rain and dark, cloudy skies. Attendees avoided large, deep puddles of water while donning their ponchos for day one. I know we can’t control Mother Nature, so I did the best I could to prepare for the conditions. Alan Walker ushered my friends and I into day one, pulling us in to admire the Main Stage’s new design stocked full of suspended triangular panels. Few fans were even brave enough to dance through the mud.
Tiësto played a fiery Main Stage set as the rain began to pour down. While I put on my poncho, my friends weren’t so prepared and quickly became drenched. We enjoyed the set as much as we could until the rain became torrential and then left to find shelter as Tiësto’s “Secrets” with KSHMR and VASSY erupted through the speakers. On our way to the massive merch tent in which we agreed to regroup, I was happy to catch Maddix throwing down a high-octane techno set at the Worldwide Stage.
The rest of the night consisted of hobbling around the festival in ankle-deep pools of water as we struggled to find a decent landing spot.
Once SLANDER closed the Main Stage, a voice came over the speakers announcing that the festival was shut down due to high winds and lightning. I wasn’t surprised to see this coming and was honestly considering leaving anyway, so we joined the crowd exiting the venue.
After a tumultuous two hours trying to get back to our Airbnb amid flooded streets and Ubers not wanting to come get us — even with taking the Metromover a few stops away — I had never felt so relieved to be “home.” I know that this is not usual Florida weather for March, so I only hoped the remaining days of the festival would only get better from here.
Luckily, the weather improved day after day, and Ultra’s organizers were quick to remedy the situation as best they could.
Fans stayed glued to Ultra’s socials for crucial updates as they drained water from the venue and added truckloads of mulch to the grounds. A later start time to day two was announced, meaning four hours were lost from the original schedule. For the first time in Ultra Miami history, however, the festival would be bumping tunes until 1am to make up for lost time.
Friday artists including Hardwell, Adam Beyer, and Amelie Lens were fortunate enough to have their sets rescheduled over the following two days. Others, like the Friday Main Stage closer of FISHER and Chris Lake’s Under Construction, weren’t so lucky.
I was relieved to see these actions taken by the festival as they worked tirelessly to ensure the best weekend possible, given the inclement weather. With a heightened disposition heading into Saturday, I put Friday’s mess behind me and looked forward to a better experience. Kill Safari, comprised of Bro Safari and Kill The Noise, ripped apart the Worldwide Stage for the world debut of their collaborative project. I let my inner headbanger out as I reconnected with a few other Southern Californian friends before jaunting over to the Main Stage to prepare for my most highly anticipated sets of the night.
Performances from Gryffin and Hardwell kicked the Ultra Main Stage into high gear as Saturday night approached.
I’m not normally a main stage fiend, but there’s something about the Ultra Main Stage that has a hold over me. Every year, I itch to get closer and closer to the massive structure and bask in its display of synchronized LED panels.
I can’t get enough of the energy here as artists who play this stage really bring their all to Ultra, consistently debuting brand new sets and otherworldly experiences. My friends and I enjoyed the sounds of Gryffin as he rinsed his new collaboration with Armin van Buuren, “What Took You So Long,” and later shredded the guitar as the crowd fed off his passion.
Finally, it was time for the legend Hardwell to take the stage for his rescheduled performance, and I couldn’t be more ecstatic. I’ve been chasing the high of his comeback set at Ultra Miami 2022, and, of course, he delivered. He opened up with the unreleased track “Move” with KAAZE, and a sea of Ultranauts blasted off into oblivion as his forceful sounds impacted the crowd.
A slew of gargantuan IDs followed, such as his Armin van Buuren collab “Follow The Light,” “XTC,” and a remix of Ray Volpe’s “Laserbeam.” Hardwell brings the intensity to Ultra every year, and this was one of his best performances yet.
Beats were flowing at the Worldwide Stage as well, with sets from Chase and Status, Klangkuenstler, and RL Grime b2b Knock2 dominating the decks.
My plans for the rest of night two were loose as I enjoyed the extra hour of the festival. Popping over to Worldwide, I witnessed Klangkuenstler annihilating the crowd with heavy industrial techno before Chase & Status soothed us with a dose of drum and bass.
After a lap around the festival, I was met with an impressive drone show over Main Stage before being pulled back in for sets from Martin Garrix and David Guetta. I’ve missed Garrix at Ultra every year, so I was thrilled to finally catch him and dance my heart out to David Guetta’s future rave sounds before ending day two.
Sunday brought the heat, literally, as fans enjoyed the warmest weather of the entire weekend.
My heart was full from Saturday’s redemption, and I looked forward to making the most of my final day at Ultra Music Festival. After a long night of partying at Club Space, our squad rallied to Bayfront Park to bask in the much-needed, hot Miami weather. Taking care of business first, I had a quick interview with Armin van Buuren before heading out to catch the end of Oliver Heldens’ dance-fueled performance at Main Stage.
To cap off the weekend’s adventures, I decided to check out a few sets around the festival, circulating between Afrojack on the Main Stage, Camelphat in the RESISTANCE Megastructure, and Sub Focus on the LIVE Stage, before later returning to Main Stage for Armin van Buuren. Rock legend Jon Bon Jovi made a surprise appearance during Armin’s performance, launching their “Keep The Faith” remix for a special occasion that no one saw coming.
While Calvin Harris marked his return to Ultra Miami after nearly ten years, I ended my Ultra experience this year in RESISTANCE, catching the end of Eric Prydz’ dynamic slew of IDs into Adam Beyer’s driving techno force. As 10pm hit and the festival ended, I left Bayfront Park feeling accomplished, conquering another monumental edition of Ultra Music Festival.
While it wasn’t the Ultra I had anticipated, 2024’s edition left a lasting impact on me, sparking memories I’ll never forget.
Even through the rain, mud, lightning, and a tornado warning, festival organizers delivered the best experience possible for attendees during the weekend in Miami. At any festival, rolling with the punches and adapting as needed is a must to ensure an optimal time. Ultra aided in this endeavor by cleaning up Bayfront Park and creating a safe space for us to dance after the torrential events of night one.
While the lineup is always a main draw of Ultra, it’s the passionate atmosphere of fans from around the world coming together for dance music that fuels the festival itself. It’s this infectious energy that pushes artists to deliver their utmost performances, and Ultra’s organizers to prepare an otherworldly escape for us all. If you’ve been contemplating attending Ultra Music Festival, and especially if you’re making an international or cross-country trip like me, I truly believe you will not be disappointed.
