Electric Zoo Festival

Electric Zoo New York – to be held in Randall’s Island Park, New York City on Saturday, September 5 & Sunday, September 6, 2009 – releases the latest notable additions to the massive line-up. On Saturday, the festival kicks off with Buzzin’ Fly label head and Everything But The Girl’s Ben Watt, Deep Space dub master Francois K, pioneering Rhythm & Sound’s Mark Ernestus featuring Milton Henry, Berlin’s first lady of techno Cassy, and rising Detroit/Berlin transplant Seth Troxler. On Sunday, the newest additions include; a DJ set from British electropop band Hot Chip’s Felix Martin & Al Doyle, Norway’s space-disco kings Lindstrom & Prins Thomas, and NYC’s own burgeoning star Jason Jollins.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5th

• Armin van Buuren
• Deadmau5
• Benny Benassi
• Danny Tenaglia
• Roger Sanchez
• Luciano
• Robbie Rivera
• Tiga
• Ben Watt
• Francois K
• Busy P
• Marco Carola
• Chus & Ceballos
• Kaskade
• Steve Aoki
• DJ Mehdi
• Paco Osuna
• Mark Ernestus (Rhythm & Sound)
• featuring Milton Henry
• Chris Lake
• Speedy J
• The Whip
• Martin Buttrich
• Cassy
• Yuksek
• Seth Troxler

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6th

• David Guetta
• Ferry Corsten
• Richie Hawtin
• Markus Schulz
• Special Disco Version featuring James Murphy & Pat Mahoney (LCD Soundsystem/DFA)
• Felix Martin & Al Doyle (HOT CHIP) DJ Set
• Andy Butler (Hercules & Love Affair)
• Frankie Knuckles
• Lindstrom
• Prins Thomas
• Steve Bug
• Audion
• Josh Gabriel
• Desyn Masiello
• James Holden
• Adam Beyer
• Tom Middleton
• Nathan Fake
• Menno De Jong
• Chateau Flight
• Jason Jollins

Ultra Music Festival 2008

The Ultra Music Festival (UMF) — the world’s leading two-day electronic and alternative music experience set for Friday March 27 and Saturday March 28, 2009 during the Winter Music Conference in Miami–has announced more exciting additions to its lineup. Promoters for the festival have revealed that The Prodigy (who will release their new album Invaders Must Die on March 2) and Pendulum, two of the most anticipated live acts for 2009, have been confirmed along with DJ titans Paul Van Dyk and Armin Van Buuren. Moby has also tapped UMF for his exclusive Winter Music Conference appearance.

Ultra Music Festival at night

Other acts that are newly confirmed for UMF include: David Guetta, Above and Beyond, Erick Morillo, Booka Shade, the Swedish House Mafia featuring (Steve Angello, Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso), Benny Benassi, Rabbit In The Moon, Infected Mushroom, Fedde Le Grand, Richie Hawtin, Luciano, Tiga, Perry Farrell, ATB, M.A.N.D.Y. v. Tiefschwarz, Kraak & Smaak, Dirty South, Pete Tong, Loco Dice, Steve Lawler, Boys Noize, Markus Schulz, Kaskade, Late of the Pier, Planet of the Drums, Andy C + MC GQ and The Whip.

The complete listing of participating artists to date is:

FRIDAY, MARCH 27

Main Stage:

Tiësto, Bloc Party, David Guetta, The Ting Tings, Deadmau5, Santogold, Steve Lawler, Perry Farrell, Late of the Pier. Bayfront Stage: Pendulum Live, Roni Size Reprazent, Rabbit In The Moon, Craze & Klever, Kevens. Carl Cox & Friends Stage: Carl Cox, Richie Hawtin, Luciano, Loco Dice. Mid Park Stage: Swedish House Mafia, Benny Benassi, Tiga, Dirty South, Busy P, Chris Lake.

SATURDAY, MARCH 28

Main Stage:

The Prodigy, Paul Van Dyk, Armin Van Buuren, Eric Prydz, Above and Beyond, Fedde Le Grand, Infected Mushroom, ATB, Kaskade, Markus Schulz. Bayfront Stage: Deadmau5, Bookashade, Cut Copy, Simian Moblie Disco, Crystal Castles, M.A.N.D.Y. vs. Tiefschwartz, Boys Noize, Hercules and Love Affair, The Presets, Kraak & Smaak, The Whip. Carl Cox & Friends Stage: Carl Cox, Moby, Erick Morillo, Pete Tong, Elio Riso. The Mid-Park Stage: Roni Size DJ Set, Planet of the Drums (featuring AK1200, Dara, Diesel Boy, J. Messinian), Goldie, Andy C and MC GQ, Hybrid DJ Set, Ed Rush and Optical, Bassbin Twins, Soul of Man, DJ Icey, Evol Intent Live, Chase and Status, Drumattic Twins, Baby Anne.

The Ultra Music Festival is South Florida’s favorite music festival, internationally renowned for its memorable live performances and DJ sets from the world’s top electronic and alternative rock artists. It will take place during the 24th annual Winter Music Conference on Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28 at the beautiful waterfront location of Bicentennial Park in downtown Miami (the same grounds it has occupied since 2006). Tickets are currently available via www.ultramusicfestival.com for $129.95 and then $149.95 as the event approaches. Two-day VIP passes are available for $350.00.

Access the UMF online at these sites:

www.ultramusicfestival.com

www.myspace.com/umf

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Okay…so in all my years of working in and around DJ culture, I never got the chance to hear Richie Hawtin spin. I wasn’t much into rave culture or Techno. I was mostly into the house sound with DJs like Roger Sanchez, Erick Morillo and Danny Tenaglia. Boy, now do I know what I’ve been missing! My favorite DJ is Terry Lee Brown Jr., who is the bridge between the former and the latter. Terry Lee Brown Jr brings the flavor of house, but also the sounds of Hawtin’s techno. I’ve now connected the dots and hope you will too.

For those of you who don’t know Richie Hawtin, he’s a legendary DJ/Producer who made music under the pseudonym Plastikman. Recently he’s been producing under his own name. He’s also responsible for input into the development of DJ tools like Stanton’s Final Scratch and–correct me if I’m wrong–has a hand in the online music store, Beatport.com. I think that’s true. Need to check my sources.

On this day, the crowd of young people who follow Richie showed up and were rewarded with an incredible performance. Hawtin created such energy with his music, it leaned into the spiritual realm all DJs who operate in Techno and its many offshoots. The minimal pounding beats, staccato fills, clicks, mind numbing leads and all sorts of intelligent sounds took your breath away. Everyone in the place, face forward toward the stage, hands slicing and fisting pumping in the air. On this day, it was Richie’s tribe of followers seeking the elements of life, love, joy and pain in his music.

Our new friend, Tiphany Parker, who’d we’d met the day before during the Underworld event, had also never experienced a Hawtin set. She was blown away as well. Richie just earned himself another new fan. I know she’ll be scouring Beatport and the other services for the rest of the week looking for Hawtin’s Plastikman tracks, while hoping to learn more about his history and the legacy he’s built in the DJ culture and Techno genre. I’m a new (renewed?) fan as well.

I thought I knew before, but I really didn’t. Even though I’ve heard Carl Cox spin at the long defunct Twilo, seeing Richie in the tent at the Virgin Mobiel Festival was a different experience altogether. Now, I can honestly say that I know why they use the term, “This IS Techno!” Because, with Richie…this REALLY IS Techno! It’s a way of life, just like Rock or Alternative. It has its roots, fashion, dance moves…everything. It’s a genre that will come and go but never die. We see new genres, like Electro, becoming the fad of the moment. But the contributions of Techno makes the sounds of Electro possible. A parent child relationship if there ever was one.

One final note. I have to personalize apologize to Richie, or anyone who reads this blog for that matter, for never making the effort, until now, to hear him tear it up. As someone who’s been in the electronic music scene for some 25-years, I should know better. I guess now, I do.