Impeccable sound, killer views of the Magic City, and "water in the sky" ... That's what you'll find 50 stories above sea level at Ciel Eau.
"It's actually pronounced cielo," explains Alex Butler, the musical mastermind behind this Sunday pool party. "Its literal translation is 'water in the sky.' It's French. The venue, Fifty at the Viceroy Hotel, lends itself to that name -- it's the only rooftop in Miami that has that panoramic view."
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As the U.S. coordinator for electronic music publication Mixmag, Butler and his team were approached by Kyle Edwards, the general manager at Fifty, to create a fête that "catered to the music-loving Miami crowd."
"He contacted us and wanted us to do something that Fifty and the Viceroy hadn't done before. That's when we created Ciel Eau."
Only going on its second month, the weekly has already revamped the club's sound system, lured high-profile corporate sponsors, and hosted some of the biz's big names, like English house producer Carl Kennedy, currently in contention for DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs of 2014.
"The first thing we needed to do was bring in a new sound system," Butler says. "We brought in a Montarbo sound system from Italy. They're a very high-end European brand and were looking to make a statement in the U.S. They gave us a brand new system to use here."
"The second step was to figure out what partnerships we wanted to have, which now include Uber, Red Bull, and the Sports Club/LA at the Four Seasons.
"And the next step was to do what we know how to do best, which is to curate music."
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With quality sound, cool customer perks, and skilled DJs, Ciel Eau is the kind of pool party that's perfect for vibing, relaxing, or dancing.
"In the beginning, it's a sexy, deep house feel. As the day progresses, it transforms into a more high-end atmosphere," Butler explains. "I hate to say Saint-Tropez is our inspiration, but from a musical standpoint, it's there."
And unlike the typical poolside bash, Ciel Eau mixes art with its uhntz-uhntz.
"We'll be featuring monthly contemporary art installations by Blink," Butler points out. "In the past, we've had live painting and art displays from the featured artist."
Art and music aside, partying 50 levels above the ground is itself, as Butler points out, "a breath of fresh air."
"We've installed mesh above the pool area. It's very prevalent in Ibiza, and we wanted to bring a little bit of Ibiza to Miami. It gives the pool a different kind of vibe."
But at the end of the day, it's still a locals party.
"Come, show up, have fun. There's no cover, no minimum spending, nothing like that. Go, have a good time, and be surrounded by the people you wanna be surrounded by."
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Ciel Eau. With Ivano Bellini, Thomas Anthony, Peter Hoogerwoerd, AXL, Le Brion, and Calderi. Sunday, August 17. FIFTY at the Viceroy Hotel, 485 Brickell Ave., Miami. That party runs from noon to 9 p.m and there is no cover to get in. Call 305-503-4417 or visit viceroymiami.com.
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