WMC Madness: MJ’s Top Picks

Marjana Jaidi / March 23, 2010

If you’re going to the Winter Music Conference in Miami this week, then you’re undoubtedly in the same head-throbbing situation as I am. With hundreds of parties to choose from, where do you begin?

Here’s a start: click through to check out my personal WMC itinerary — a (semi) realistic list of all of the parties and events I plan to attend throughout the week. And since modern science has yet to produce a human clone, the honorable mentions section includes all the parties I wish I could go to but can’t.

Here’s hoping that my headache is someone else’s headbanging good time…

LMFAO – “Shots” (Skeet Skeet’s Ignorant Dance Music Mix)

Jump To: Thursday | Friday |Saturday | Sunday | Honorable Mentions

Thursday, March 25, 2010

HARD POOL PARTY
Venue: Blade at the Fontainbleau (4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach)
Doors Open: 12 Noon
Price: $40 [Tickets]
As soon as our plane lands in Miami on Thursday, we are heading straight to the Hard Pool Party at the Fontainbleau Hotel. With a line-up that includes Boys Noize, Busy P, DJ Mehdi, Fake Blood, Jack Beats and Annie Mac (among others), along with a special duet between Kelis and DJ Skeet Skeet, we can’t think of a better way to kick off the conference. Did we mention that it’s a pool party?

A TRIBUTE TO DJ AM
Venue: LIV Nightclub at the Fontainbleau (4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach)
Doors Open: 11 PM
Price: $30 [Tickets]
It’s so sad to think that exactly a year ago, we were watching DJ AM destroy the decks at the Fontainbleau for the Bacardi B-Live preview event. We have no doubt that the evening will hold performances and tributes that celebrate the late DJ’s enormous spirit and talent. Among the “unannounced friends and contemporaries” slated to perform? A-Trak x Travis. We’re so there.

FOOL’S GOLD WMC
Venue: Grand Central (10 NE 7th Street, Downtown Miami)
Doors Open: 10 PM
Price: Free with RSVP [RSVP]
One of our favorite NYC-based record labels is taking their show on the road, with sets from Fool’s Gold signees Treasure Fingers, Congorock, Kingdom, Nacho Lovers, Sammy Bananas, label founder Nick Catchdubs and the live debut of Duck Sauce (A-Trak x Armand Van Helden). And hey, if A-Trak can be in two places at once, so can we. Just Blaze, DJ Sneak and Kid Gloves will also spin, along with some unannounced special surprise guests.

Friday, March 26, 2010

ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL (DAY ONE)
Venue: Bicentennial Park, Downtown Miami
Doors Open: 4:00 PM
Price: $89.95 Single Day Ticket / $139.95 Two-Day Ticket [Tickets]
Every year, the Winter Music Conference culminates in Ultra – the legendary two-day music festival, now in its twelfth year. Rabbit in the Moon are stepping things up this year with a special 3D set. Passion Pit, Pretty Lights, Little Boots, Dan Black, and Luciano are just a handful of artists that will join headliners Tiesto and David Guetta on the first day.

CHICKEN-N-BEER
Venue: Bar (28 NE 14th Street, Downtown Miami)
Doors Open: 5 PM
Price: Free
Major points to Mad Decent and Jillionaire for coming up with a BBQ-themed party. On top of the free chicken and beer (need I say more?) the line-up promises to be tons of fun with Skeet Skeet, Skerrit Bwoy, 77Klash, Savage Skulls, Jillionaire, and “the usual gang of Mad Decent Idiots”.

ONE NIGHT ONLY
Venue: Karu & Y (71 NW 14th Street, Downtown Miami)
Doors Open: 10 PM
Price: $45 [Tickets]
The Made Event and AM Only showcase boasts one of the strongest line-ups of the weekend, one that is simply too massive to get into right now (see it for yourself HERE). With four separate spaces that include two lush gardens, Karu & Y is one of the most beautiful clubs that we’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting. Personally, this is my #1 party pick of the week.

MIXMAG MIAMI
Venue: Park West (30 NE 11th Street, Downtown Miami)
Doors Open: 10 PM
Price: $35 [Tickets]
Mixmag brings us one of the more commercial line-ups of the week, but a good one nonetheless, with the Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am and apl.de.ap, LMFAO, Boys Noize, Jack Beats, and more.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL (DAY TWO)
Venue: Bicentennial Park, Downtown Miami
Doors Open: 12 Noon
Price: $99.95 Single Day Ticket / $139.95 Two-Day Ticket [Tickets]
We hate to say it, but the line-up for Day 2 blows the first day out of the water, with Damian Marley and Nas, Crookers, the Bloody Beetroots, Major Lazer, Rusko, A-Trak, Boys Noize, Diplo, Bassnectar, Calvin Harris, Armin Van Buuren, Skream, Benga, Donald Glaude, and Deadmau5. Quite possibly the best single-day line-up ever assembled.

TROUBLE & BASS: TEMPLE OF BOOM
Venue: White Room (1306 North Miami Avenue, Downtown Miami)
Doors Open: 10 PM
Price: $15 [Tickets]
The Trouble & Bass crew is taking Miami by storm with the Temple of Boom, featuring some of the biggest names in dubstep and electro. The Trouble & Bass crew – The Captain, Drop the Lime, AC Slater and Star Eyes – will be joined by Plastician, Skeet Skeet, J-Wow (of Buraka Som Sistema), Nero, Holy Ghost and more. We expect nothing short of face-melting, ear-shattering madness.

MAD FOOLS
Venue: Electric Pickle (2826 North Miami Avenue, Downtown Miami)
Doors Open: 10 PM
Price: Free
Mad Decent and Fool’s Gold are teaming up for a massive event that promises “three rooms of mad foolishness”. This free event features a line-up of Mad Decent/Fool’s gold all-stars, including Savage Skulls, L-Vis 1990, Nadastrom, Jillionaire (a.k.a. Trini Chris), Congorock and NYC’s own Flashing Lights (Nick Catchdubs, DJ Ayres and Jubilee), among others.

FIXED WMC FREAKOUT
Venue: Grand Central (10 NE 7th Street, Downtown Miami)
Doors Open: 10 PM
Price: $20 in Advance [Tickets]
Can WMC ever be FIXED? Residents JDH and Dave P seem to think so, and judging by the line-up (Boys Noize, Erol Alkan, Afrojack, Brodinski, Shinichi Osawa, along with JDH & Dave P) we’d have to agree. Still not convinced? Fixed is putting their money where their mouth is, offering up a pair of tickets to the party. Enter the contest by CLICKING HERE.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

BE YOURSELF POOL PARTY
Venue: Shelborne Pool (1801 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach)
Doors Open: 12 Noon
Price: $40 [Tickets]
Sunday should be a day of rest after the harrowing week we’ve scheduled ourselves into, but how can we resist an afternoon by the pool? Danny Tenaglia will host his annual Pool Party at the Shelborne Hotel, with an opening set by DJ Michelangelo. Sounds like Sunday funday will be in full effect.

Honorable Mentions

SUPER YOU & ME
Venue: LIV at the Fontainbleau (4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach)
Date: Wednesday, March 24
Doors Open: 11 PM
Price: $70 [Tickets]
Line-Up: Laidback Luke, Calvin Harris, Dada Life, Afrojack, SonicC, Ross One, Contra

GET PHYSICAL BEACH PARTY
Venue: Gansevoort Hotel Beach Club (1717 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach)
Date: Thursday, March 25
Doors Open: 12 Noon
Price: $20 and up [Tickets]
Line-Up: Damian Lazarus, Thomas Schumacher, Italoboyz, Emerson Todd, Evan Baggs, Matthew Dear, Jesse Rose, The Physical Rave Pack: M.A.N.D.Y & DJ T

PENNED
Venue: Club Cinema (637 Washington Avenue, Downtown Miami)
Date: Thursday, March 25
Doors Open: 8 PM
Price: Free
Line-Up: The Trouble & Bass Crew, Doorly, Bird Peterson, Mighty Fools, Computer Club, Hot Pink Delorean, The American Dream Team, Smash Gordon, Team Jaguar

SMOG VS. BASSHEAD
Venue: White Room (1306 North Miami Avenue, Downtown Miami)
Date: Thursday, March 25
Doors Open: 10 PM
Price: $15 and up [Tickets]
Line-Up: Mary Anne Hobbs, Plastician, 12th Planet, Datsik & Excision, Drop The Lime, Otto Von Schirach, MRK1, Bailey, Noah D, Juan Basshead, A-Sides, Von D, Roommate, Mochipet, Atlantic Connection, Random Movement, DJ Wreck, Juakali, Deathface, Emu, DLX, Pawn, DJ Evol, Steady, Kelly Dean, Dustmite

THE VAGABOND X FIXED X DURRR
Venue: The Vagabond (30 NE 14th Street, Downtown Miami)
Doors Open: 10 PM
Price: $15 [Tickets]
Line-Up: Erol Alkan as Disco 3000, Aeroplane, Classixx, Jessica 6 (Live), Pink Skull (Live), Rory Phillips, JDH & Dave P.

ANNIE MAC PRESENTS
Venue: White Room (1306 North Miami Avenue, Downtown Miami)
Date: Friday, March 26
Doors Open: 10 PM
Price: $15 [Tickets]
Line-Up: Annie Mac, DJ Mehdi, Jack Beats, Brodinski, L-Vis 1990, Riva Starr, J-Wow, Kingdom