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[FESTIVAL REVIEW] III Points' 10th Anniversary: A Transcendent Melting Pot Of Music, Art, & Exploration
Being that it marked the 10th anniversary, the expectations for III Points were through the ceiling this year. Incredibly, so was the actual experience. III Points managed to give attendees a weekend packed with remarkable performances, innovative art activations, and plenty of other immersive features.
Touching down in the heart of Miami last Friday and Saturday (October 20-21), this festival transformed its venue of MANA Wynwood into a spectacular auditory-visual display.
Photo courtesy of Albert Lalamaiev.
One of the major concerns prior to the festival was how crowded it would be due to the tickets being fully dispersed. However, III Points proved to value their attendees' experiences over a boost in profit, as there was plenty of space to move around even though it had sold out.
Maybe this would also a result of the balanced lineup that had been recruited. It encompassed a wide variety of superstar acts from a wide variety of different genres and performance styles. Catering towards a broad demographic led to not a single stage being crowded to the point where it was challenging to weave through the audience.
Photo courtesy of Albert Lalamaiev.
FRIDAY: Skrillex and Black Coffee Steal The Show
Following a 9-hour drive on Friday morning, we arrived at the venue just in time for Fred again.., who was performing at Mind Melt. Technically, the main stage at III Points, a wave of fans poured in to witness Fred's Miami debut.
Fred executed a masterful display of finger drumming to his latest feel-good anthems. The crowd roared as he was in the zone, jamming to the likes of “Delilah (pull me out of this)” and “adore u.”
Post-Fred, we trekked over to the Isotropic stage to witness a flawless b2b from Adam Ten and Mita Gami. For our group, this was undeniably the best set of the weekend. The pair dispersed a nonstop influx of groovy tracks and ethnic house-inspired basslines across their audience.
Next up was another top-tier set from the fastest-rising phenom on the house and techno circuit in Mau P. Over at RC Cola, the crowd was going nuts to his assortment of funkadelic techy heaters, such as “Dress Code.”
Everyone lost their minds and broke out in shuffling when Mau P queued up “Gimme That Bounce.”
Photo courtesy of @ChrisLavado.
Just after midnight, peak hours at III Points had landed. This meant that Skrillex was putting on a DJing masterclass over at Mind Melt. He fused a variety of genres that kept ravers on their toes. Based on the emphatic cheers from the crowd, Skrillex's “Fine Day Anthem” was a main highlight.
Back at Isotropic, Keinemusik (&ME, Rampa, Adam Port) was showering III Points attendees with a completely different vibe. They played a smooth blend of airy Afro house and organic house tracks. Just about every percussion-based instrument could be heard throughout the set.
Closing out day 1, Black Coffee has the entire Mind Melt audience completely forget just how late it was. Taking center stage at 2 AM, his energetic basslines and seamless mixing abilities rained down on the smiling faces in surrounding him.
Photo courtesy of Adi Adinayev.
As amazing as Black Coffee was, there was no way we were missing Richie Hawtin throw down techno bangers at S3QUENC3. Tiga & Hudson Mohawke present Love Minus Zero at Sector 3 a perfect ending to the night.
Click to snag your 2-Day Prophet Passes for III Points 2024!
SATURDAY: Groovin’ With Despacio, Joy Orbinson, John Summit, Green Velvet, & More
Saturday started off with unmitigated exploration. With 10 stages (for the 10th anniversary) there were so many cool sounds and scenes to discover across the venue. One stage was in an extremely dark box and was overflowing with underground house vibes. Another was bumping Latin and dancehall beats, fitting for the Miami environment.
We dipped into a shop to experience some delicious gourmet beers. Then, we headed over to the Electrolit station, where they blessed me with a bottle to fill up my hydropack with. I got the chance to try all the flavors, and while they all are great, grape is a clear favorite for me.
The first full act we witnessed was Aluna at Isotropic. Transitioning from her renowned duo act of AlunaGeorge, the gifted singer-DJ-producer hybrid has quickly become a household name in regard to her solo act. Her voice rang out hypnotically over the crowd, as they sang along to hits like “Beggin’” and “More Baby”, both with Chris Lake.
Photo courtesy of Adi Adinayev.
Proceeding Aluna, we ventured into the large warehouse next to the Mind Melt stage. There was a vast display of mesmerizing art installations and lighting. A suave-looking limousine laid out towards the back of the open hall.
Photo courtesy of Adi Adinayev.
Although we missed cruising around the roller rink, next year the same mistake will not be made.
Photo courtesy of Adi Adinayev.
However, we were lucky enough to check out Despacio, which was returning for its second year at III Points. Conceived by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem and David and Stephen Dewaele of Soulwax & 2manydjs, Despacio’s dancefloor featured a custom-built, 50,000 watt McIntosh soundsystem for an immersive sound experience like no other.
Walking back across the venue, we decided to switch up our sonic atmosphere and hit Gorgon City at RC Cola. They stunned the crowd with lasers and captivating house anthems, including a couple from their new album, Salvation.
Gorgon City is a tough act to follow, but hats off to Joy Orbinson and Lane 8 for keeping the momentum going. Joy has a one-of-a-kind style that drew in listeners to the intricately designed S3QUENC3 stage. Meanwhile, Lane 8 melted together infectious deep house tunes that washed over RC Cola in electrifying waves of sound.
photo courtesy of Albert Lalamaiev.
As Lane 8 walked off, one of the most-anticipated acts for melodic techno and Latin house strolled on: Stephan Jolk b2b Malóne. The set was absolutely incredible, with Malóne queuing up heater after heater. It was obvious to tell that he was dialed in.
Unfortunately, it was a bit disappointing to see that he mixed about 90% of the time during the set, with Stephan Jolk spending more time socializing with the fan club behind him than at the decks. As diehard Stephan Jolk supporters, this was my girlfriend and I's first time seeing him, so we expected a little more engagement with the crowd.
Nonetheless, Malóne checked the box of being one of Miami's most prolific DJs, and his performance was marvelous.
Marking the final set at RC Cola for III Points 2023, Lilly Palmer assaulted the crowd with industrial, heavy techno.
To tie the knot on the weekend, there was no better way than to be in the thrilling atmosphere of a special John Summit b2b Green Velvet headlining set. The two Chicago-house legends took over Mind Melt and mixed a spellbinding series of tech house, nasty techno bits, and ethereal melodic techno tunes.
As expected from both artists, a ton of mind-blowing IDs were present, igniting the crowd like a forest fire. Some of the best moments were sourced from Summit's label Experts Only, consisting of “Losing Control” and “Legacy”.
From the handful of takeaways from III Points' 10th anniversary, the most crucial one was to get there much earlier next year, so you can experience all the talented artists, magnetizing art, and the myriad of activities it has to offer.
Photos courtesy of the III Points and the photographers mentioned above.
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