Last March, attendees from 80 countries flocked to Miami for the annual Winter Music Conference. The legendary five-day event , which goes from March 23-27, will host some of the best parties of the year, informative panels with world-renown DJs, and of course, Ultra Music Festival.

The initial line-up for the music festival, taking place once more at Bicentennial Park, already includes A-Trak, Major Lazer, Steve Aoki, the Bloody Beetroots, and Pretty Lights. The added presence of Rusko, Skream, Bassnectar and Crookers is just another indication of how prolific dubstep has become in the music scene. Tiesto, Carl Cox, Dirty South, Rabbit in the Moon, Infected Mushroom, Deadmau5 and Armin Van Buuren were on the bill last year and will make repeat appearance in 2010.

A ticket to Ultra is included with the purchase of the Winter Music Conference badge, which is $325 if you purchase by January 6. On it’s own, a two-day pass to the festival costs $139.50.

Click through to view the complete list of the initial acts set to perform at Ultra, along with the official festival trailer. If the line-up wasn’t enough to get you psyched, check out photos from Ultra 2009 with Santigold, The Ting Tings, Armin van Buuren and Prodigy.

Stay tuned for our complete coverage of WMC – we’ll be posting info about the week’s best parties, panels, concerts, and more…

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After taking on CMJ, The Electric Zoo, Street Scene, All Points West, and the Winter Music Conference in 2009, it seems only natural to add South by Southwest to our growing itinerary for 2010.

Last year, the festival drew 12,000 participants and showcased nearly 2,000 musical acts on 88 stages. The 2009 line-up included AC Slater, Amanda Blank, Buraka Som Sistema, Deadmau5, The Golden Filter, Grizzly Bear, Ben Harper & Relentless7, Jack Beats, MSTRKRFT and The Twelves, among others.

Now in its 24th year, the annual SXSW Music Conference and Festival will be held in Austin from March 17-21. The initial line-up of 450+ artists is likely to quadruple by March, and already includes Treasure Fingers, Kidz in the Hall, HEARTSREVOLUTION, Team Facelift, Adam Tensta and The Postelles. Chauffeur is also rumored to make a rare appearance at the festival, but is yet to be confirmed.

Music badges cost $675 if you register by January 12, and will allow you to participate in all of the official SXSW music parties, panels, and courses. Click here for a full list of badge levels, rates and details about the programs that the badges include. While the price tag might seem a little steep, it includes five full days of music with nearly 2,000 acts (which, if you do the math, breaks down to less than five cents per artist).

Don’t forget, the Winter Music Conference kicks off the following week in Miami (March 23-27), so plan accordingly. But more on that later…

If you have ever been to a large scale music festival, you know that it can be quite a spectacle of sight and sound. Long lines, muddy shoes, and nagging bugs are usually the price to pay for enjoying some of your favorite bands at outdoor festivals. Well, music lovers get ready as now you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show from the comfort of a movie theater near you.

Larger Than Life…In 3D, is a full scale “visually surrounded, fully immersed” concert experience delivered to over 500 theater screens across the nation. The first production, releasing on December 11th, includes Gogol Bordello, Ben Harper & Relentless7, and Dave Matthews Band. Filmed at premier music festivals, All Points West, Mile High, and Austin City Limits, respectively, the audience will feel the excitement and energy of the bands as if they were at the festivals themselves.  Action 3D along with AEG Live has filmed over 50 artists utilizing innovative high definition 3D digital technology to give you a front row seat. Follow-up productions include “Best of Austin City Limits”, “Best of Lollapalooza”, Jay-Z, Widespread Panic and a three-day Halloween Phish festival, all slated for releases in 2010. Click HERE to find the closest theater near you.

As usual, we at The HiFi Cartel have you covered with free tickets to the show, t-shirts, and limited edition screen prints. Send us a Facebook message HERE telling us about your favorite or most memorable festival experience. The first people to post on our wall will win goodies.This contest is open to US residents, and remember supplies are first come, first serve so don’t sleep! Check out the film trailer and screen print below.

Make sure you do not miss this opportunity, as this is a limited engagement running for one week only, December 11th through December 17th.

On Wednesday night, Fool’s Gold Records celebrated their two-year anniversary with a CMJ Showcase at 88 Palace. MeanRed put on quite the soirée, which featured live performances by The Suzan, Trackademicks, Vega and Donnis, and DJ sets by Treasure Fingers, Kingdom, and Sammy Bananas. Founders A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs were the hosts and MCs for the night, keeping the party going and giving away t-shirts, stickers, and other Fool’s Gold goodies.

We arrived in time to see Treasure Fingers dominate the decks with his electro set. Next up, Vega took the stage for their live performance. Fortunately for us, they blew a fuse during the first song, and we got to chat with the bassist about their future endeavors. The Austin-based band will move to New York in early 2010 to work with Chromeo on their upcoming album. When Vega finally resumed their set, it was clear that this is a match made in heaven. Their funk-infused baselines and electro-synth grooves will definitely flourish under Chromeo’s guidance.

Atlanta native Donnis, the newest member of the Fool’s Gold family, delivered a high-energy performance off songs off his summer mixtape, Diary of an ATL Brave. Pill joined him on stage for a few songs, adding a dynamic element to the set.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PHOTO GALLERY

After the jump, check out a few photos from the Fool’s Gold one-year anniversary party at Webster Hall last year.

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Starting the evening with two local bands from Brooklyn, we made our way to Cake Shop for the experimental pop/rock of The Depreciation Guild, then Hank and Cupcakes at The Delancey. Hank and Cupcakes took electronic beats and added the nice touch of bass by Hank, drums and vocals by Cupcakes – who showed the many facets of her voice along with her versatility on the drums.

At the Bowery Ballroom, Fanfarlo (from London) played with posture – executing simple good music without any complications in their act. With six members on the acoustic guitar, bass, electric guitar, violin and exchanging places between the horns and strings – the group has a great harmony on the stage.

The catch of the night goes to The Golden Silvers from London and South East, UK. The winners of Glastonbury’s 2008 New Talent competition perform with a warmth of fervent melodies, overlaid with poetry and uplifting lyrics – perfectly fitting for the Bowery Poetry Club. With romantically enticing sounds – it would have been a sore to have missed these guys. They will perform their last scheduled show in the States at the Bowery Electric on October 24^th.

At Le Poisson Rouge we took in the musical fusions of Ninjasonik. Wu-Tang had the shaolin, Ninjasonik has “Sonik Ninjas.” Now, whether that means really fast ninjas or ninjas killing with sounds as a weapon, or something completely left field, we have no idea. If one thing is for sure about these guys, they certainly know how to entertain. From crowd surfing, humping girls on the stage, chugging beers, starting mosh-pits, and admitting they love Devo and listen to Morrissey when they are sad, Ninjasonik is a mash of punk and rap infused with elements of crunk-music and pop – get it? With samples from the Lion King,  a live acoustic guitar and drums take on Major Lazer’s Hold the Line, and with lines like “we fuck girls, do drugs…” we pretty much got the idea that the unabashed, geeky and raunchy attitude of Ninjasonik can fuel any party, anywhere.  As one  may  suspect, it is probably what “Sonik” Ninjas do.

Click here for photos by Oliver Correa and Kenroy George

We just got wind of a couple more parties you might want to check out this week…

Our friends at MeanRed are taking over 88 Palace this week with their Shanghai’d event series. Tonight is the Fool’s Showcase, featuring Kingdom and Sammy Bananas, with live performances by Vega and Donnis. Fool’s Gold founders A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs will be around to host the festivities. On Thursday, the Noise Problem Showcase features Designer Drugs, Lauren Flax, and NROTB; on Friday, Adam Tensta, VDRK and Free Magic are on the roster for MeanRed’s own showcase. As an added bonus, they’ll be passing around dim sum dishes throughout each night. Click here for the full line-ups and to RSVP.

If you’re looking for some daytime action on Saturday, Levi’s and The Fader have you covered. With continuous music from 2-10 PM, The Ace Hotel is the place to be on Saturday. We’re particularly looking forward to Chauffeur’s performance, which will feature Mark Ronson, Theophilus London and Sam Sparrow. Flashing Lights founders Nick Catchdubs and Jubilee will also be spinning at the event. Click here to RSVP.

Having heard of less than 10% of the CMJ line-up, Day 1 was an evening of new discoveries and a lesson in efficiency. The HiFi Cartel convened at the brand-new Limewire space in SoHo for the CMJ Media Meet & Greet before going our seperate ways to cover as many artists as possible. Check out some highlights after the jump.

DAY 1 PHOTOS COMING SOON…

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Creating our CMJ schedule has been no easy task. With over 1000 artists performing in NYC over the next four days, the official schedule of events is enough to make your head spin. Throw in the daily seminars and you’ve got your work cut out for you. Our top picks? The xx is performing at Mercury Lounge on Wednesday and is giving a free show at The Apple Store on Thursday. The Green Owl CMJ Showcase at Le Poisson Rouge on Wednesday also promises to be a great event, with performances by Theophilus London and The Very Best, among others. On Thursday, legendary DJs and hip-hop acts will unite at B.B. King’s to pay tribute to the late Grandmaster Roc Raida, with performances by X-Ecutioners, The Beat Junkies, DJ Craze, A-Trak, Z-Trip, and more. You can view all of the official events and create your own CMJ schedule by clicking here.

And it doesn’t stop there. In addition to the thousands of official events, we have our eyes on several unofficial events that are happening this week. Fool’s Gold Records will celebrate its two-year anniversary with events at 88 Palace on Wednesday and N8 on Thursday. Friday will keep us busy with three great events, all in Brooklyn. The Green Label Sound Bowl Party at the Brooklyn Bowl features live performances by Chromeo, Theophilus London, Amazing Baby and Solid Gold, with a DJ set by Holy Ghost. PopGun Booking is hosting their event at Glasslands, featuring a live performance by Francis and the Lights. The Trouble & Bass Crew rounds out the trifecta with an event at Cameo.

So there you have it. Are you ready for the week ahead? Check out some of the fliers for the unofficial events after the jump, and be sure to check in daily for our coverage of the CMJ Music Marathon.

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If there is a reason and cause behind every fire then The Fire and Reason certainly has one… Bella Saona. With titillating vocals from the Brazilian flame, provocative beats and riffs from Ecuadorean Steve Narvaez, the Electro Pop/Rock group have had quite a year. Dubbed as the winners of the New Now Next Awards in the “Brink of Fame” Category, the group beat out the likes of Ladyhawke, LMFAO, Lykke Li, Morningwood and Sam Sparro for the award that was last clenched by Lady Gaga. The fiery group from New York City will hit up CMJ at Rebel (251 West 30th Street) Thursday, October 22 at 9PM. In what will be a show not to miss, we look forward to their fresh act.

Click here for photos by Kenroy George from our last encounter with the Fire and Reason at the Bowery Ballroom.

Check out the Toxic Avenger remix of their track “NME” and the Roar remix of “So Electric” below.  Click through for a video of their debut television performance of “Do it Again” at the New Now Next Awards.

The Fire and Reason – “NME” (The Toxic Avenger Remix)

The Fire and Reason – “So Electric” (The ROAR Remix)

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When French producer Radioclit met Malawian singer Esau Mwamwaya inside a London thrift shop, the two began a fusion of sound and culture which evolved into The Very Best. Their debut album Warm Heart of Africa has Radioclit layering warm afro melodies over uplifting electronic beats with the soul coming from Mwamwaya’s vocals. Although he sings in his native Chichewa, Mwamwaya communicates a passion that drips with happiness universally understood. Ezra Koenig and M.I.A. both appear on the album along with a few others you’ll have to hear for yourself.

The group first arrived on the scene in 2008 with the global success of “Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit Are The Very Best”, a free mixtape with Mwamwaya singing over remixes of Michael Jackson (Free Willy theme), Vampire Weekend (“Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa”), Hans Zimmer (True Romance theme) and M.I.A. (“Paper Planes”). You can download the mixtape here.

Back in NYC for the second time this year, The Very Best will be performing at Le Poisson Rouge October 21st with Theophilus London & Ninjasonik as part of Green Owl’s CMJ showcase. Tickets are $12 in advanced. You can also catch a surprise set at Other Music October 22nd at noon sharp. Keep up with us as we bring you full coverage from this and other events at the CMJ Marathon.

The Very Best – Warm Heart of Africa featuring Ezra Koenig

The Very Best – Rain Dance featuring M.I.A.

Brace yourself for hazardous dance floor anthems well-fed on the homegrown African sounds of high-life and marabi, as well as bass-laden pop grooves from, well, all over the globe. -San Francisco Bay Guardian