I spent the majority of my weekend swaying back and forth in a futuristic warehouse with an oversized disco ball hovering overhead and minimalist electronic music pulsing through the air.
It was III Points Music, Art & Technology Festival in Miami, a three-day living installation aimed at highlighting some of Miami’s talented local acts, vendors, artists and art collectives.
Rather than recap the nitty gritty of the festival experience, I’ll give you the three most significant points about III Points 2015.
1. Come as you are. (Or as who you want to be.)
The breakdown of attendees seemed to fall into two categories: people who live and breathe the music + art scene and people who wish they lived and breathed the music + art scene.
From the fashion to the attitude, the crowd was filled with people whose entire closet is filled with trendy variations of the same black outfit or people who spent more time and money than they’d like to admit achieving the perfect III Points look.
Half the people lounged under neon teepees discussing the evolution of dance music and the ever-changing dynamic of the Miami art world and the other half simply took selfies on the Persian rugs and pyramid arcs around the festival grounds.
Via: Jason Koerner Photography
2. Space matters.
Festival Space
III Points was held in the Wynwood art district of Miami, a magical land of street art, studios and uber trendy everything. From a festival standpoint, it’s the perfect location. Vibrant wall murals, funky architecture and too-cool-for-school charm gave attendees from near and far excellent visual stimulation, while unique coffee shops, bars and restaurants indulged their unique appetites.
There was never a moment of searching for “something to do,” but rather a hum of excitement over what to explore next.
Musical Space
With four stages (two outside and two inside), the festival grounds provided different space for different sounds. Unfortunately, some of the space didn’t do the musical acts justice. The smaller warehouse stage had pretty rough acoustics, making it difficult to stay in for long without feeling your eardrums wince in pain. As fun as sets like DJ Tennis, Bicep and Jacques Green could have been, it was difficult to fully enjoy in the space provided.
The larger warehouse, on the other hand, was a paradise of steamy dance moves and rhythmic sounds. Acts like Nicolas Jaar, Bonobo and TEED (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs) put on incredibly energetic sets that filled the space with sonic bliss. The sound was strong and the vibes were plentiful.
Individual Space
The typical shoving crowds and pushing to get to the front of normal music festivals was virtually nonexistent. At every stage at every time, people gave each other plenty of personal space to dance, breathe and relax. Everyone had their own little bubble to do their own thing. (The dance floors were free of drunk guys trying to sneak up behind unsuspecting dancing girls as well. )
3. A music festival by any other name is still a music festival.
Despite being branded as a classy event for those who appreciate art and culture, people’s sophisticated sides weren’t exactly in full force. At the end of each night, the grounds were trashed and you had to shuffle through garbage to find an exit, a few people had trouble knowing their limits and the paramedics were spotted consoling crying girls and incoherent guys throughout the festival. I spoke to a handful of III Points newbies that were surprised at how, well, normal the festival environment was.
Via: Jason Koerner Photography
III Points is still a young festival taking shape. It has the right ingredients for a world famous event, but might need a little more time to mature. No festival is perfect and everyone’s experience is unique.
As for me, I’ll be back at III Points next year. (Wearing black this time.)
