Tickets to Ultra Music Festival: $299.95. Winter Music Conference passes: $475. Seeing all your favorite DJs and producers: priceless.
No, it literally won't cost you anything. The best-kept secret of the whole WMC and Miami Music Week party train: You can catch some of the hottest names in the game for absolutely nothing.
Artists from Mad Decent, Fool's Gold, Rinse FM, Slow Roast Records, Trouble & Bass, and others can all be caught live in the act, free of charge. Even some of the artists hitting the Ultra stage are just waiting for you to walk in the door of some hotel or bar.
Don't you dare stay at home all week. With Crossfade's guide to the best free parties, you've got no excuse.
See also:
-Ultra, WMC, and MMW 2013 Guide
-Ten Best EDM Cruises During WMC and MMW 2013
-Ten Best Pool Parties During WMC and MMW 2013
-Twenty Best Club Parties During WMC and MMW 2013
His & Hers: Slap & Tickle Edition With Pirate Stereo and Santiago Caballero. Saturday, March 16, at the Garret at Grand Central, 697 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-377-2277; grandcentralmiami.com. Ages 21 and up. The party starts at 11 p.m. No RSVP required. Poplife and Off The Radar have a good thing going with their new Saturday weekly. They're helping to usher in the week's festivities with a special performance from locals Pirate Stereo and Santiago Caballero. Come get loose and take advantage of the drink specials. You need to save your monies for what's to come.
Rvdiovctive Pool Party. With special guest headliner, Codes, Junior Sanchez, J Paul Getto, DJ Mes, Sazon Booya, Lazerdisk Party Sex, David Dann, Bamboora, Chemicals of Creation, String Theory, Kre8or, Metaphysical, Nate Mars, Joey Grenier, Subset and Zeratone. Tuesday, March 19, at the Carlton South Beach Hotel, 1433 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-672-5858; carltonsouthbeach.com. Ages 18 and up. The party starts at 11 a.m. No RSVP required. The headliner may be a mystery, but the rest of this lineup's got lots of cool grooves, spicy moombah flavor, and tons of electro edge. This sunny poolside get-down boasts two bars, live art, and sexy mermaids.
Flight Facilities. With Classixx, Miguel Cambell and Jozif. Tuesday, March 19, at Hyde Beach at SLS Hotel South Beach, 1701 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-455-2990; play.sbe.com/miamimusicweek. The party starts at 10 p.m. No RSVP required. Flight Facilities are two cool cats from Australia whose recent mix series has fans going crazy, not to mention their own original instant classics "Crave You" and "Clair De Lune." Joined by Austin's disco-friendly Classixx, this will surely be a smooth and sexy evening.
Stacked: Miami. With Datsik, Andy C, Doctor P, Bare Noize, Brillz, Bro Safari, Carnage, Crnkn, Damn Kids, Delta Heavy, Dirtyphonics, Emalkay, Etc! Etc!, Fei-Fei, Goldie, Heroes x Villains, Knuckle Children, Loadstar, Matrix & Futurebound, Must Die!, Nerd Rage, Roksonix, Schoolboy, Shiftee, Taiki & Nulight, Terravita, Tittsworth, Torro Torro, xKore and Zomboy. Thursday, March 21, at Finnegan's River, 401 SW Third Ave., Miami; 305-285-3030; finnegansbars.com. Ages 18 and up. The party starts at 12 p.m. RSVP at thestackedevent.com. This party couldn't have a better name. Every name on the list is famed for its massive yet unique brand of bass. Some of them are well established, some of them are new stars of the underground scene. From trap to moombahton and just plain old dubstep, this show will rattle your teeth into the water and still leave you bloody and screaming for more.
Bright Future. With Roska, Wax Romeo, Taiki & Nulight, Chalk, Bonnie Beats, Santiago Caballero, Somejerk, Gooddroid and DGTL. Thursday, March 21, at Will Call, 700 NE Second Ave., Miami; 305-577-5900; willcallmiami.com. Ages 21 and up. The party starts at 11 pm. No RSVP required. Sick of all the fratty brosteppers? Come check out Rinse FM's Roska and get you that good-good OG garage shit. More wobbly grooves will come from Calgary's Wax Romeo and London's Taiki & Nulight. Plus, a bunch of local favorites, including Chalk, Santiago Caballero, and Somejerk are sure to bring the Miami heat.
Fool's Gold Showcase. With A-Trak B2B Tommy Trash, Just Blaze, Hoodie Boyz, Congorock, Oliver, Carnage, Nick Catchdubs, Anna Lunoe, The Partysquad, Peachfuzz Crew, and others. Firday, March 22, at Grand Central, 697 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-377-2277; grandcentralmiami.com. Ages 18 and up. The party starts at 10 p.m. RSVP foolsgoldrecs.com/miami. The Fool's Gold Showcase is always one of the raddest parties of WMC and MMW shenanigans, with giveaways, boss beats, and always some fun surprises. Protip: "Hoodie Boyz" is Flosstradamus. They just can't list their name because of the Ultra Music Festival exclusivity contracts that no one actually abides by. This party is looking like a lot of hip-hop and electro grooves, so get ready to shake your rump. Hoods up!
Trouble & Bass BBQ. With Brodisnki vs. Special Guest, Drop The Lime vs. Acid Jack, Secret Guest vs. Star Eyes, AC Slater vs. Damn Kids, Clicks & Whistles vs. Strange VIP, Flinch vs. Secret Guest, and Louisahhh!!! vs. Monsieur Monsiuer. Friday, March 22, at Gramps, 176 NW 24th St., Miami; 786-752-6693; grampsbar.com. Ages 21 and up. The party starts at 3 p.m. and runs until 10 p.m. RSVP Troubleandbass.com. The T&B crew of NYC bring the heavy and evil shit with a side of hip and fun-loving. They'll be serving up BBQ food and bangers at downtown's latest cool-kid spot, featuring all their hottest talent and some supersecret guests. With Brodinski at the helm, could there be more Bromance in store? Show up to find out.
The Bed Head Hotel: Tommie Sunshine and Friends. With Audrey Napoleon, Figo, Fareoh, Mr. Black and the Disco Fries. Friday, March 22, at the Gale Hotel, 1690 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-673-0199; galehotel.com. Ages 21 and up. The party starts at 2 p.m. and runs until 8 p.m. RSVP at bedheadhotel.com. Dance music's front-line fighter brings some of his favorites to the Gale to share the stage and showcase their talents. From L.A. girl power to New York disco, this will be hours of good-time dance music.
The Bed Head Hotel: Diplo and Friends. With Jillionaire, Walshy Fire, Blkkmorris, Etc! Etc!, GTA, and special guests. Friday, March 22, at the Gale Hotel, 1690 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-673-0199; galehotel.com. Ages 21 and up. The party starts at 2 p.m. and runs until 8 p.m. RSVP at bedheadhotel.com. So, y'all heard Switch left Major Lazer right? Well, the Major Lazer new order goes Diplo, Jillionaire, and Walshy Fire. Basically, them rood boys is headlining. But they'll probably play some solo sets full of Rastafarian sounds. Plus, some sick names in the trap game to round things out. This party fina get funky.
Jeffree's Miami Showcase from Mad Decent. With GTA, Yellow Claw, The Partysquad, Moska, Etc! Etc!, Valentino Khan, Astronomar, Paul Devro, Benzona and special guests. Saturday, March 23, at Gramps, 176 NW 24th St., Miami; 786-752-6693; grampsbar.com. The party starts at 3 p.m. and goes until 10 p.m. RSVP to [email protected]. Jeffree's showcase traditionally highlights the up-and-coming talent Diplo and his friends deem the next-big-things, and this party is lookin' like some real trap shit. Show some support to local boys GTA, holding it down as headliners. And who might the special guests be?
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