Monday 21st March
After a 4 hour drive from a fun filled Orlando, we arrived for our 4th year of the Miami Winter Music Conference for a different kind of fun. It had been raining all the way into Miami, but the gods were smiling on us and the sun was out. Arriving at the Fairwind Hotel, we were pleasantly surprised by the large room 4 of us had agreed to share, kitchen table and all. I had small worries we would have been stuck in a room with 2 beds and a bathroom. Jobsa goodun!!

So down to the Fairwind café, where we learnt our first lesson of the holiday; go to the bar and pay for your drinks when you get them. The tempting offer of 2 for 1 on the drinks on all drinks between 4pm and 7pm was brilliant. The only trouble being the extra drinks they added on the bill at the end. We knew we hadn't drunk them, but we were too pissed to convey to the Cuban waitress with her fully understanding what we meant, so it's a good job we were to pissed to care!! A few hours in and the fun begins.
With our friends still arriving, we made our way to Nikki Beach to the Models and Bottles party to see D:Fuse. Arranging to meet the new arrivals on the sun beds, we sat outside enjoy the music and adding alcohol to our already diminishing state. By the time everyone had arrived we were ready to go home so back to the hotel. We nearly got to sleep without incident, until Billy Big Licks announced he had lost his passport. Ready to call the police after a long search, we convinced him it would be ok in the morning and sure enough it was!!

Tuesday 22nd March
After a long day on the beach, we were ready (and bright red) for our first night of the conference; the Resident Advisor Party @ Spin. Spin has been closed for a couple of years now and moved from their original venue on Lincoln Road to the old Liquid on Washington Avenue.
The queue was too bad so we were in pretty much straight away; the first thing I noticed as we entered the club was the sound they may have had an EAW sound system but it was shaking the fixtures and fittings. Bill Patrick was on the decks it wasn't too busy at this point but he was playing a decent set. I was struggling with the sound to enjoy it that much. We settled down the front awaiting a show from the best live act I have ever seen, yes that's right Infusion, comprising of comprising Frank Xavier, Manuel Sharrad and Jamie Stevens. The sound was much better so we could give our ears a rest and enjoy the show. It was early, but Infusion came onto the stage with that energy and passion that they have at every show, playing an array of tunes including their new single Natural; another great production from the Australian trio. I first seen Infusion at last year's conference, I was coming to the end of a heavy night out, I was about to go home, watching them on stage I found energy that I must have had in my deepest stores and bounced around too. I have been preaching to my friends about the talents of Infusion ever since. After seeing them perform this year, they were all in agreement. You can see the passion and energy in their faces with each sound, beat, melody and vocal that is created, they closed with one of my favourites Love and Imitation.. Nice one lads!

Next to the decks another one of our favourites Hernan Cattaneo for a 4 hour set; am I in heaven? Hernan started off quite fast after Infusion, and then gradually brought the tempo down to his pace. Hernan played a deep progressive house mixing tunes like Infusion Girls, Blueroom Project Aperitif, Harry Peat Affrodiziac and Andy Ling Fixation (Cattaneo mix). Hernan had the crowd in the palm of his hand, even winning over Billy Big Licks who prefers hard trance. At the end of this intense set screams of one more echoed around the room.. Hernan played another tune which had a nice driving beat and the crowd tried again.. One More!! But the powers that be had to pull the plug. I got the impression Hernan would have played all day!! What an amazing night I didn't stop dancing from beginning to end! What a perfect start to the conference.

Wednesday 23rd March
After a day of rumours, we discovered that the party to end all parties Circus at the new club Nocturnal was called off due to water leaking onto the electrics. So we had a choice. It was either, James Holden and Luke Fair @ Rumi, or the risk the rumour that Circus had been relocated to Crobar with Junkie XL and Infusion already listed to play. So TCA presents & Made in Italy @ Crobar it was after paying $60 to get in I was wondering whether we made the wrong choice as James Holden and Luke Fair was only $10, but we later found out Rumi was a bar not a club. Hence the bargain entry!

Although I've been to the conference for many years this was my first time at the infamous Crobar. I wasn't that impressed at first, you seemed to have to go all around the houses to get off the dance floor, which is bad news if you need the toilet and you have to get passed all those burly American men who have bought themselves a table for an extortionate price and don't wanna let you through. Although an over exaggerated English accent seems to work!! And another bonus was the queues at the toilets, every time I went the men's queue was huge and the women's only had a few people in it.. Makes a nice change!! Starting off our night were our beloved Infusion, so again we start off the night at a pretty fast pace, playing pretty much the same set as the previous night they ripped the place apart, I could have listened to them every night that week. They finished off with their new tune Natural..

Next were Gabriel and Dresden who again were brilliant, but rumours were circulating Fatboy Slim was playing upstairs. Upstairs was tiny so we decided to leave the sounds of G&D and headed up to get a spec. We stayed upstairs listening to (in my opinion) spangley house music, now I was getting a little depressed on spending $60 for this and Fatboy was nowhere to be seen, so we took turns going on a mission to see if we could spot him in the main room. After a few times he was spotted and we ran it down stairs to hear the wonderful Junkie XL finishing his set playing the Beastie Boys - You Gotta Fight For Your Right To Paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarty!

Next Mr Party himself Fatboy to the decks, starting his set with Audio Bootys Bang Bang, the crowd seemed excited but also a little arrogant, there was a guy in a wheelchair who rammed into the back of my legs and told me to get the fuck out of his way, as I stepped aside all his friends minced through, he nearly knocked me over! So I found my own space and settled into Mr Slims tunes, playing Cream Sunshine, Janis Joplin - Mercedes Benz

Fatboy Slim - Fuckin' in Heaven, the crowd loved it; he also played a remix of the White Stripes Seven Nation Army with the bassline of Sandy B - You Make The World Go Round. I assume this is a Fatboy remix as I heard him play it in Ibiza. Fatboy continued the night banging out tunes he played one of my favourite classics Yeke Yeke, singing and dancing around I was getting strange looks from the people around me, as the crowd didn't seem to know it or It may have been my dancing - who knows! All in all we had a good night although the door tax and crowd weren't to my agreement, the artists were second to none.

Thursday 24th March
Thursday was our day for pool parties. First off was the Perfecto Party @ The Sagamore. We arrived early to find Mr Oakenfold standing behind the decks.. He didn't play anything apart from the Creamfields CD. There was another party on the roof terrace of The Sagamore which was drowning out the sound of the Perfecto Party.

We hung around to listen to DJ Skribble, he's not really my cuppa tea, but I could listen to him without getting offended. After Skribble we headed off to the Wet Grooves party @ The Shelbourne Hotel. What a polava, there were crowds everywhere, we were on the guestlist, but it took us about 20 minutes to get in, the police were threatening to shut it down as it was getting close to capacity. People with tickets and guests of the hotel couldn't get in; they had obviously over sold on the door. That's one thing about Miami - the organisation of events just seem to be left to chance.. We just caught the end of Oakie's set when we got inside banging out Igor S Boomerang.
Next to the decks was George Acosta starting off with Underworld - Born Slippy, following with an unusual remix of Jan Johnson - Skydive a bit too banging for my liking, but it was nice to hear Jan Johnson's voice.. A classic tune!! He played quite a melodic set trancey set.

Then we were subjected to a live PA from Jon Secada which I didn't enjoy it was cheesy trance with a cheesy vocal. Next the master of cheese himself Fudgey Fools and the Americans loved him obviously not been subjected to the Judge won't budge!! Playing Tim Deluxe - It Just Won't Do with an awful thumping bass line - If it's not broke don't fix it!

The annoying MC just made things worse by chatting shit all over the tunes. So back to the Sagamore for the Perfecto Party with Seb Fontaine on the decks, playing on of last years biggest tunes Strings of life, following with Pete Tong & Chris Cox - More Intensity two great tunes, the party had certainly lived up and was in full swing. Roni Size was up next playing with the sounds from his mixer, chopping different sounds and beats in and out, very talented but not my thing so time to call it a day.

Friday 25th March
This week has flown by so quickly and its time for one if the best events in Miami; Pete Tongs Essential Selection @ Nikki Beach. This event has been at the beginning of the conference the last two years, but this year it's on the second to last day but the atmosphere is still the same. Nikki beach always gets the best crowd and anybody who is anyone in the music industry is normally here wheeling and dealing. I think this is the perfect place to hold this event, the stage area is guarded by trees to save our skin from the ferocious Miami sun, but there is also an open area which has huge beds and sun loungers if you fancy a little bit of a sun bathe or even if you just want to sit off.. There is also an area full of tee-pees if you want to hide away. Nikki beach has it all. The drinks prices aren't as bad as the other clubs and entry is free!! In 2003 it was held in Opium gardens (well it was meant to be on. but the live broadcast was called off due to the war in Iraq kicking off, we still had a great selection of DJs and Pete Tong broadcast the show from his hotel room!?!) although Opium Gardens is a good venue. It doesn't have the same vibe as Nikki beach.

Pete Tong started off his set with a recap of last years tunes: Deep Dish - Flash Dance, Satellite of Love, Shapeshiffters - Lolas Theme to name a few, and started this year's show with the brilliant, BodyRockers - I Like The Way swiftly followed by Alex Gaudino & Jerma presents Lil Love Little Love.

With Live performances from Gadjo featuring Alexandra Prince - So Many Times and Blaze featuring Barbara Tucker - Most Precious Love. These were both brilliant, unfortunately Juliet - Avalon was awful, she could put on a great show, but her voice was so out of tune, it was a shame because it's a great summer tune.

The crowd was so up for it, singing screaming and moving their bodies in all directions and who can blame them with mixes from Sandy Rivera, James Zabiela and Deep Dish what more could this crowd want? How about Nic Fanciulli, Fergie, Gabriel and Dresden, Behrouz, Christopher Lawrence, Eddie Halliwell, Lee Cabrera, Lottie, Max Graham and David Guetta to carry the party through till 6am. It was time for the next destination in our WMC finale.

Perfecto and Underwater @ Crobar
After heated debates and pissed antics we arrived at Crobar quite late. I liked it a lot better than my first visit; I think that was because I had sussed out the best routes to navigate my way around the club. Hernan Cattaneo was on the decks spinning his usual quality progressive house; he was a lot harder than normal leading nicely for Sandra Collins. I was not expecting to like Sandra. Last time I seen her was in Cream @ Nation in 2001 and she was that wrecked that they turned the decks off and she was ushered away. Surprising this lady from Las Vegas was on top form tonight. There was a buzz developing in the crowd, Hernan had set them up nice and Sandra was whipping up a storm.
Getting ready for the night ahead I headed to the bar, getting a couple of beers and a bottle of water I asked the bar man for a glass of ice, he said give me a tip and ill give you the glass of ice, as he had over charged me $5 dollars I refused he told me that's what I pay my tip for and told me to fuck off. The cheek, I couldn't believe it, he was ripping me off anyway. I did mean to get a photo to shame him but after ranting about it to everyone I got on with my night and forgot about the tosser!
Next on was Oakie and he really pulled it out of the bag this time. I didn't recognize any tunes. Oakie must have had a clean out of his record bag and replaced everything. He played a brilliant driving set, the crowd loved it, and I think maybe one tune had a vocal, the rest ranged from tech house to trance to techno. It was spine-tingling. again I danced all night this was the perfect way to end a wicked day.

Saturday 26th March
After a brilliant night out what better way to round it off than with another club Breakfast in B.E.D with Thump Radio Dave Ralph and D:Fuse. Bed is a small club with huge beds lining the walls of the clubs. The club was filled ith friendly people still going strong. Dave was banging it out, that's the only thing you can do at 11am playing Orbital One Perfect Sunrise the crowd seemed to get up from their beds and the dance floor filled up. It was a really good party atmosphere; people were dancing all over the beds & chairs. D:Fuse was next he was absolutely astounding. I wish he played over in the UK more. Like Infusion, D:Fuse puts so much energy into his sets you can really see the passion as he plays, banging away on his drum machine, the perfect accomplice for his tunes. D:Fuse plays a varying range of tunes and this morning was no exception starting of with a hard progressive sound with the crowd captivated he took us on an energetic musical journey.
Satisfied with the mornings events it was time for Ultra Music Festival 7 which is held downtown at Bayfront Park, Ultra is a 45000 capacity event with 12 stages/arenas. Ultra always has a wicked line up the only downfall is you get 1/1.5 hour sets and just as your starting to get in full swing their set is over. Arriving late as usual,(we are the worst group of people for time keeping) we headed to the amphitheatre, Ferry Corsten was playing Synaesthesia the atmosphere was electric it was about 3pm and Ferry was ripping this place apart. The amphitheatre is brilliant the sound rolls around the place.
I was introduced to dance music through trance, but of late I have not been listening to it as much due to djs playing crap, that sounds the same all the way through the set. Well ferry is an exception to the rule and he won me over last year with the special Rock Your Body Rock! Sure enough this tune was to follow; I love the synthesized voice, dancing away on the benches trying our best to balance as we bounce around, and this tune is another which will never grow old for me! And of course the classic System F out of the blue, it took me back.. Human traffic moment number 2!

One thing that really makes my blood boil and I know I'm not alone in this is the annoying MC in the amphitheatre "Ultra make some noise" "Let the games begin" there is a trend of Mc's in America just chatting crap over decent tunes "check out the cameras and make history, were going world wide with this" the words off and fuck spring to mind!

Oakie next Ferry still dancing away on the stage, that seemed to be a good trend of the night DJ's dancing to other DJs sets! Oakie opened with Your Eyes Dogzilla, also playing Tiesto Traffic, the sun was setting over Miami and the night time fun was beginning. Oakie looked tired he was sitting bending down behind the decks, he may not have been feeling it, but the crowd was!

Over to the Sound Stage for Moby, it was rammed so we made our way down the side and got a good enough position. One of the most diverse performances you will ever see. Moby is all over the stage playing hits like Go, Natural Blues, Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad? Moby is so versatile one moment saying "This might be inappropriate to say this, but while I was growing up, in addition to loving punk rock I also loved really nasty sort of dirty southern rock and even though I'm a kid from Connecticut every now and then I like to pretend I'm a bad ass from Texas, so if you can stay with me for the next 3 and half minutes I'm just gonna pretend I'm a bald bad ass from the deep south" they he played Find My Baby and the next minute he is telling us he loves big over the top rave anthems that make you throw your head around, followed by the an amazing performance of Feelin So Real. That's what I love about Moby he can go from one genre to the next it was an incredible performance.
After a wander around, we headed back for the grand finale Paul Van Dyk closing the amphitheatre, just catching the end of Tiesto finishing with Adagio For Strings. Paul Van Dyk started off with a 3 minute long build up steadily bringing the atmosphere with him, again not being the biggest trance fan I was surprised by Paul Van Dyk, playing instrumental to Streets Have No Name and then a bringing in a kinda breakbeat sounding beat, not what I expected from PVD but I really enjoyed it, of course playing the trade mark For An Angel and finishing of with his tune Nothing But You.

Well after that marathon session, that was definitely the end of my Miami shenanigans the party carried on well into the morning at the American Airlines Arena with sets from Sasha, John Digweed, Hernan Cattaneo, Unkle and James Zabiela. I wish I'd had more energy to enjoy that but my body was sayin NO!

Miami 2005 - another outstanding holiday!!

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