Miami Nights

As the Ultra and WMC picture grows ever clearer - I can't help but feel a gaping hole in my heart for what once was the most cutting-edge of all mid-march Miami events, the M3 Summit. For those who never attended, the M3 Summit was a four-day festival held at the Surfcomber Hotel that sought to counter-program the WMC and represent a broader spectrum of music and ideas than the old tired veterans.

Starting in 2004, M3 took the panel-laden industry incest of the actual conference and filled it with people who actually mattered to the non-DJ. They featured Danger Mouse at a panel when his only achievement was the Grey Album, they featured MySpace Tom when MySpace didn't belong to Rupert Murdoch. Shit, they were even sponsored and partially programmed by Wired "I have nothing to do with electronic music" magazine.

But most importantly, because it looks so much better in retrospect - they featured a generous helping of bands we love to complain never come to town. Some acts to note: Hot Chip, Vitalic, Mylo, Diplo, The Juan Maclean, Jamie Lidell, Dizzee Rascal and Coldcut.

If Hot Chip ever comes to town again, I implore everyone to stampede the venue like a gas station after a hurricane. They are worth paying exorbitant badge prices to go exclusively see.

According to an excellent New Times article about it, promoters Flavorpill and founder David Prince canceled the event indefinitely in 2007 as it pretty much made no money at all. Intriguingly though, the article features this choice quote from founder David Prince:

His new project, which he hopes to launch in 2008, is being developed with the Carnival Center for the Performing Arts and the producers of the Sonar music festival in Barcelona, Spain. "It will be a version of Sonar in Miami," Prince says.

Sonar is another awesome European festival that takes place in Barcelona in June. Sonar is also fucking amazing. Does anyone know what the hell happened? I can't find a single shred of information about the fate of Mr. Prince, the Carnival Center's involvement or his glorious idea. Or better yet, does anyone know what the hell we can count on to actually bring cutting edge talent to town?

In other awesome music news: Radiohead's coming to town again at an unspecified date.