(A version of this article was published in IDJ magazine)
Walking up and down Collins one kept hearing the same three questions: "Has it gotten too big?" "How did an intimate industry gathering morph into a commercialized spring break for the Europeans?" and "Were there too many parties to generate a defining record of the conference?"
With the Winter Music Conference (WMC) and Miami Music Multimedia (M3) no longer running simultaneously, a larger range of dates allowed even more events to gain the spotlight; choosing between Magic Sessions and Lust is a bit easier when there was less competition earlier in the week. As the days wore on, more and more options multiplied, before climaxing with Danny Tenaglia's traditional marathon, signifying the end for most. Even with all the nighttime action, surprisingly, the day events for WMC and M3 were quite well attended, with highlights being The Future of Music (M3) and the Producers/Grammy Panel (WMC).
The police and licensing issues that plagued 2005's events were a distant memory eclipsed by unpredictable weather. Downpours of rain threatened outdoor and poolside events, and cold evenings forced many barely dressed female to cover up, much to the chagrin of male spectators. Weather did not affect overall attendance, with the Ultra Music Festival experiencing record numbers and major clubs like Nocturnal, Space, Crobar, and Opium Garden being packed just about every night.
With the sheer volume of party people, one might wonder if it was possible to do business. But rest assured, the music industry was there in force -- that is, if you knew where to look. Private meetings in restaurants and hotel lobbies abounded. Of course, that isn't much help if you were an unsigned, unknown artist looking for a break.
DJs and artists like Carl Cox, Jay-J, and Barbara Tucker made the most of the week by booking themselves at numerous parties. Carl Cox was promoting his debut US artist album "Second Sign" with a grueling week of DJing set the stage. Jay-J, about to jet off to Australia to spin for the MTV VMAs, performed often with singer Latrice Barrett. The hardest-working artist, Barbara Tucker, hosted events for Defected and MN2S in addition to organizing the multiartist "Let the Singer Be Heard" party at the Delano.
What about the big guys? Tiesto packed Mansion with an amazing set and a fully realized visual show. Deep Dish's marathon 16-hour set satiated both the "drinkers and the tweakers," eventually keeping the duo from accepting their multiple wins at the International Dance Music Awards. Roger Sanchez's intimate set rocked the Hotel Victor. Frankie Knuckles' split-bill album release party with the Shapeshifters packed Shine with appreciative househeads, as did Shelter's 15th anniversary party the next night.
To spotlight technology and marketing, Remix Hotel teamed up with the M3 summit , showcasing cutting edge technology for DJs and producers. Junkie XL and Sander Kleinenberg taught Logic classes as Sony, Pioneer, Denon, and many other firms showed their wares in the poolside cabanas at the National Hotel.
The influx of new technology made vinyl-spinning DJs seem almost quaint. During a torrential rainstorm, Chris Liebing maanged to enterain a crowd with Traktor DJ software. Gabriel and Dresden used Ableton Live to spin their sets on the beach. Sandra Collins and VJ Vello Virkhaus teamed up to present the live visual aspects of Interference. Sander Kleinenberg pushed the limits of the Pioneer DVDJ1's during his Ultra set as well as his This Is parties as Space and Suite. Pioneer equipment was omnipresent, with the CDJ-1000s being the instrument of choice for nearly every DJ. Technology also played a big part in the monumental 20 minute performance by DJs are Alive that kicked off the International Dance Music Awards. The supergroup -consisting of Scumfrog, D:Fuse, Static Revenger, Skribble, and Kristine W - alternated gear to create the ultimate electro jam session.
