Ultra 2023 Day Two Saw EDM Superstars Go Techno and a Tiësto Classic Re-emerge

Let's face it: EDM's heyday is long gone. So can you blame that some of the biggest names in dance music have been looking to earn their underground credentials? On the second day of Ultra Music Festival, Oliver Heldens and Deadmau5 took over the Megastructure to deliver surprisingly one of the most enjoyable techno sets of the weekend as Hi-Lo and Testpilot. Eric Prydz also appeared under his techno alias, Cirez D, to spin back-to-back with Drumcode leader Adam Beyer.

But the biggest winner on day two of Ultra was perhaps Tiësto, whose 2005 trance classic "Adagio For Strings" appeared during the Dutch DJ's set on the Main Stage and the Hi-Lo and Testpilot's back-to-back set. Whether you love or hate Tiësto's turn to EDM, he's certainly left behind a legacy that speaks for itself.

Here's what else you missed on day two of Ultra 2023:

Hi-Lo B2B Testpilot

The last time Deadmau5 (AKA Testpilot) played the Megastructure was for A State of Trance in 2016. He opened with metal and closed with Motörhead's "Ace of Spades." But Joel Zimmerman is much more austere when he puts on his Testpilot cap. Joined by EDM DJ Oliver Heldens, who spun under his techno alter ego, Hi-Lo, the pair were the first to resupply an empty stockpile of dark techno missing from the Megastructure. Bass pulsated both endlessly and restlessly until there was nothing left to give. The two dropped a remix to the already face-melting bass riff to Bjarki's "I Wanna Go Bang" and manipulated some voice samples that sounded like monsters growling in their sleep. Toward the end of the set, Zimmerman dropped a remix of his "Sometimes Things Get, Whatever" and a remix to Tiësto's legendary "Adagio For Strings," a track that has laid dormant for some time. Grant Albert

Armin van Buuren

"Will you dream a little dream with me?" Armin van Buuren yelled to the crowd before playing an unreleased song with lyrics of similar nature. The Dutch DJ played his sunset set on the Main Stage to a packed crowd as red-mohawked aliens danced in front of the stage. Accurately nicknamed "King of Trance" by attendees, his hypnotic visuals matched the entrancing, thumping beats. For the first time in a long time, he came to stage to his 2012 hit "This Is What It Feels Like," taking the audience on a journey replete with techno, bass drops, and a fun remix of "Sweet Child O' Mine." Mary Gibson

Tiësto

A fan favorite, Tiësto's set included track after unreleased track, along with a mix of old and new hits and a sprinkle of drum 'n' bass bangers. The Dutch DJ played dubstep mixes of SZA's "Kill Bill," the Weeknd's "Can't Feel My Face," and the haunting theme song to HBO's White Lotus. With a discography that spans decades, eagle-eared fans must have noticed he dropped "Adagio For Strings," released nearly 20 years ago, to smoke, fireworks, lasers, and, of course, crowd applause. Mary Gibson

Adam Beyer B2B Cirez D

Between illness, travel delays, and a pandemic, it has been an almost five-year ordeal trying to get the Swedish producers of Adam Beyer and Cirez D (Eric Prydez's techno alias) together at Ultra. But that is all in the past, as the two quickly made up for the delay. The Swedish techno duo worked in tandem, with Beyer balancing Prydez's penchant for trancey arpeggios while Prydz prevented it from getting too dark. Still, it got dark with the bass working its magic and the two adding effects to bring buildups to soaring highs. Strobe lights flickered as if slowing time and lasers shot past the stage as the two went deeper, with each track letting the listener take in the long journey. Grant Albert

Alesso

Alesso kicked off his Main Stage with his 2015 hit featuring Tove Lo, "Heros (We Could Be)," leading into a jam-packed progressive house set full of new music. Highlights included an unreleased intro track with Ty Dolla $ign, a "When I'm Gone" remix featuring Katy Perry, and "Under Control" with Calvin Harris. As a special guest, Swedish singer Zara Larsson hopped onstage for her collaboration with the DJ on "Words." But the biggest testament to Alesso's place among EDM greats was when he played his 2013 collaboration with One Republic, "If I Lose Myself." Whether sitting by the water in VIP, in line to buy pizza, or in the front row of the stage, everyone who heard the first few notes sang every lyric back to him. Ending on a nostalgic note, after playing his brand-new hit "Look Inside Our Hearts" with Martin Garrix, he played "Calling (Lose My Mind)" to close the show. Mary Gibson

Carl Cox

"How you doing, Miami? You okay?" bellowed Carl Cox in the darkness of the Megastructure as the crew was gearing up for his hybrid set. We had already lost a minute; some looked slightly concerned, but then, like a superhero, Cox sounded his signature boat horn followed by a kick and then bass — we had liftoff. Cox rang out the speaker first by playing his and Franky Wah's "See the Sun Rising." Techno is a simple yet powerful sound; no one knows this better than Cox. Cox stuck to his signature stadium techno for what seemed like an hour: a hammering bass, a slick hi-hat, and not much else. Even as he added drum patterns and effects via his hybrid setup, the rhythm was simplicity at its absolute finest. Grant Albert

Marshmello

Marshmello, famously recognized by the marshmallow-shaped helmet he wears, closed out the second day of Ultra on the Main Stage. To fans' surprise, he brought out three different special guests that felt somewhat random, including rapper GloRilla who performed "F.N.F (Let's Go)," and Roddy Ricch sang "The Box." His final guest was Puerto Rico raper Farruko, of "Pepas" fame, who performed their unreleased collaboration, "Esta Vida." Overall, the reception for his closing performance was not particularly warm, especially by those watching the live stream. Fans were seemingly annoyed that despite having a great music catalogue at his disposal, Marshmello didn't bring greatness to this set. Ending with his melancholy collaboration with Bastille, "Happier," may have indicated how fans felt: "I want you to be happier... but I know that means I'll have to leave." Mary Gibson