Photo by Flor Franceschetti
Audio By Carbonatix
Day 2 of III Points Festival felt like a true celebration for Miami music fans; a space for reflection, community, and a sanctuary to enjoy a diverse array of sounds. From orchestras blending traditional compositions with DJ-driven creations, to straight-up rock bangers, on-stage improvisation, and even Black Sabbath tributes.
On an uncensored stage, artists also had room to voice their political views — like Nicolás Jaar, who took a stand against ICE and reminded the crowd of the looming presence of the Krome Detention Center and Alligator Alcatraz in our own backyard.
Like many festivals, III Points also served as a safe space for self-expression: through fashion, spontaneous conversations with strangers, wild dancing, and shared moments under the disco ball.
But let’s circle back to the music. Below are the highlights from III Points 2025’s closing night.
Bicep
The Northern Ireland duo debuted at III Points with not only rave anthems in tow but a fresh audiovisual show to let the crowd see what they could hear. The duo brought quick-sounding techno that made the crowd feel like they were at the club, despite having to pound their feet on the wood chips of the Sector 3 stage. It hurts the mind to think that less than 24 hours ago, Sean Paul was gracing the stage with his larger-than-life songs while Bicep was now blasting absurdly fast techno and blessed-out melodies under a mostly starless sky.
They played tracks like “CHROMA 005 A.L.O.E” with its breaks and glitchy pings and pangs and “Long Sleeves” by Ineffekt, which, of course, was fast-sounding but with enough melody and warm pads to bring in a breeze.
The visual side of the show featured beautiful shades of blue and orange, adding a nuclear green when things got heavy. Lasers shot out far past the stage and the crowd. The LED screen’s fast-moving colors and shapes during the song’s peaks reduced to warm hues when the duo threw in some moments for ambient. Bicep has already been making quality electronic music for years — now it’s their time to seize the ears and the eyes. By Grant Albert.
Darkside
Surrounded by hardware, a Gibson SG guitar, a full drum kit, bongos, and a mic, Darkside emerged out of their sonic fog. The distorted and drawn-out guitar riffs from Dave Harrington, Tlacael Esparza, melting the cymbals, and Nicolas Jaar digging deep into his machinery for noise penetrated through the night.
Darkside played songs from their latest album Nothing, like “S.N.C.” with its funky flair and typical Darkside hypnotic, shifting bass that has made them a household name in downtempo music since 2011. There was the tender guitar strums from “Are You Tired? (Keep on Singing)” and the almost-punk sounding “Graucha Max” with Jaar yelling, “The long second is over” on a loop.
Each track seemed to allow the three to riff and improvise at the end, like some Phish/electronic crossover with Jaar twisting knobs and pressing buttons, Harrington strumming, and Esparza banging on bongos until the band felt it was time to move on. With Jaar and Darkside’s Miami roots stretching back to the Bardot days, seeing Darkside perform, even with the new album, was a chance to experience the sonic Big Bang that spurred III Points all those years ago. By Grant Albert.
Despacio
Even during the most exciting, incredible set, my mind inadvertently wanders off to some stressor: work, my timing for breaststroke, what really was Richard III’s legacy? That doesn’t happen much at Despacio, an immersive sound experience designed by LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy and the Soulwax duo. Instead, the mind can only think of one thing — how do James Murphy and the Dewaele brothers do this? On one end, it’s the sound system courtesy of McIntosh speakers that comes from you at all angles inside Mana’s circular room. Then there is the fact that these three are playing only vinyl for seven hours, mixing songs from Queen, Soulwax, Kraftwerk’s “Trans-Europe Express,” and a remix to Baxter Dury’s “Miami” with such grace that it outcompetes mixing on CDJs.
Then there is the lighting rig, where people enter a dark room and gravitate below a giant disco ball, like worshiping a newly discovered celestial body. Indeed, when those unctuous basslines roll in, and the lights hit the disco ball to the point where the entire room illuminates, the crowd raises their hands like a call to a prayer. Strings, bass, warmth, friendship, dancing, moving, and grooving are all felt — sometimes simultaneously. The crowd couldn’t stop dancing. Even if someone accidentally stepped on another’s foot, apologies were quickly exchanged, and everyone went back into an assembly-line rhythm. The event series’ Instagram handle couldn’t be more accurate — Depacio is happiness. By Grant Albert.
Dom Dolla
Dom Dolla closed out the Mind Melt stage this year with what I’d call an above-average set — fun, polished, and full of energy, but just a touch short of greatness. The Australian DJ, best known for his sleek, sultry take on tech house and his collaborations with John Summit under the Everything Always banner, definitely brought the vibes. But for a headlining set at III Points, it felt like it needed that one extra spark to make it legendary.
Dom rolled through his usual arsenal: “San Frandisco,” “Girls,” “Miracle Maker,” “Dreaming,” the kind of records that have become festival staples for a reason. The crowd was moving, pyro was going off, people were up on shoulders, and Dom was charming as ever on the mic, hitting us with his signature “I missed you, Miami!” in that lovable Aussie accent.
Still, as the set neared its end, it felt like we were all waiting for that final punch, a big fireworks moment to seal the night. Instead, it just kind of… drifted out. Not a bad thing, but not the bang many were hoping for.
All said, it was a strong set that kept the main stage bouncing. It just left us wanting a little more — which, depending on how you look at it, might not be the worst thing. By Osvaldo Espino.
Josh Baker b2b Ben Sterling
Ben Sterling and Josh Baker came together for one of the most unexpectedly fire sets of the entire weekend. The two British selectors brought their signature blend of bouncy, rolling tech-house grooves and funky edits, creating a set that felt equal parts underground and euphoric.
From the moment they hit play, the stage was packed — shoulder to shoulder, bodies moving like a single pulse. You could tell these two were perfectly in sync, trading off seamlessly, feeding off each other’s energy. Ben’s Ibiza-season confidence met Josh’s rising-star hunger, and together they just went off.
It wasn’t just about dropping bangers; it was about flow. The duo glided from slick originals to cheeky remixes of mid-2000s classics, keeping things fun and unpredictable. Every drop landed, every transition made sense — and every person in the crowd was locked in, sweating and smiling.
By the end, it felt less like a festival set and more like a moment: two DJs having the time of their lives while taking us along for the ride. If you missed this one, you missed one of III Points’ purest dance-floor highs. By Osvaldo Espino.
Mau P b2b Seth Troxler
When III Points announced Mau P b2b Seth Troxler, everyone collectively lost it, and for good reason. Mau P has had a meteoric year, becoming what the internet lovingly calls “White Boy of the Year,” thanks to his runaway hit “Like I Like It” and his wild Badness Behavior residency at Pacha. Pairing him with Troxler, a certified house legend and mentor figure, was the perfect blend of new-school fire and old-school finesse.
Their chemistry onstage was undeniable — like Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan — a little chaotic, a lot of fun, and full of mutual respect. Mau P brought the high energy, dropping his hit “Like I Like It” to a massive crowd reaction, while Troxler kept the groove steady and soulful, lacing in his deep-house wisdom between Mau’s more explosive selections.
The crowd was thick but not unbearable — a nice sweet spot right before things got packed for Dom Dolla’s closer. It was the kind of set that reminded you why b2bs can be so special: two DJs from different eras, completely locked in and having a blast. Hopefully, this isn’t the last time we see these two share the decks, whether it’s at Space, Art Basel, or wherever the next Miami sunrise takes them. By Osvaldo Espino.
Mita Gami & Meir Briskman Orchestra
There’s no need to list all of III Points’ accolades over the last eleven years, but now the festival can add one more: spotlighting a full-fledged orchestra to play on the festival grounds. The idea of bringing in an orchestra to a popular music festival is not so novel: Coachella reserves a slot for the Los Angeles Philharmonic each year, and even DJs at Ultra Music Festival shared the stage with an accompanying flutist or violinist. The difference here, however, was how Mita Gami (electronic artist) and Meir Briskman (conductor) weaved the two contrasting genres into a fun-for-all set in spite of the acoustics from the concrete room at RC-95. Gami fed four-by-four drum rhythms and club-ready bass to the orchestra, which in turn, matched the music note for note with its string and percussion sections.
The crowd danced and swayed, and even some members of the orchestra bopped their heads — an oddity considering their usual deadpan body language at the symphony. Twenty years ago, Tiësto remixed Samuel Barber’s classical work, “Adagio for Strings,” for the clubs. Now, in 2025, Gami & Briskman decided to bring the orchestra to the festival. By Grant Albert.
Turnstile
Without a doubt, what’s sure to go down as one of the greatest iii Points sets of all time was Turnstile’s headlining 10:40 PM performance: a full-blown explosion of sound, energy, and emotion that left everyone in awe.
The Baltimore hardcore band, made up of Brendan Yates, Franz Lyons, Daniel Fang, Pat McCrory, and now Meg Mills, came out swinging, opening with the title track from their latest project, Never Enough. From there, it was pure chaos in the best way possible. The crowd erupted into non-stop mosh pits under the giant disco ball, a sight that felt both surreal and long overdue for Miami.
At a time when the city’s rock scene is starting to pulse again — thanks to the reopening of spots like Las Rosas and Churchill’s — Turnstile felt like the spark everyone had been waiting for. The kids want rock and roll back, and Turnstile delivered.
The band tore through about 15 tracks, mixing in staples like “Holiday” and “Blackout” with newer favorites like “Sole.” Every song hit harder than the last, each riff and drum break pushing the energy higher. Fans were invited into the chaos — literally — with people jumping on stage, screaming lyrics, and losing themselves in the moment.
As the set closed with “Birds,” the cameras panned over the crowd, capturing fans in their T-shirts and messages of love and unity. One even sparked a “Free Palestine” chant, a reminder of how intertwined rock music has always been with rebellion and real-world emotion.
It was raw, it was powerful, and it was beautiful. Turnstile didn’t just play III Points, they set a new standard for what a live rock show in Miami can be. By Osvaldo Espino.
