March is total mayhem for the Miami music fan.
For a solid week, the world's greatest DJs descend upon the city to make our clubs, hotels, and poolside bars their bitch. With over 300 parties, it's nothing to drop hundreds before the workweek even ends. But it doesn't have to be that way. There are plenty of totally free parties with massive lineups too.
So, because we don't want your phone to get shut off this weekend, here are five of the best cheap beats during Winter Music Conference and Miami Music Week.
Super Music Group Showcase. Tuesday, March 20, 9 p.m., The Well, 444 W. 41st St., Miami Beach; supermusicgroup.com. Free admission with RSVP to [email protected]. Ages 21 and up. The Super Music Group dudes are kicking the week off right with some free and funky jams. Of course, their boy Amtrac is headlining the night. But he'll be joined by funky UK electro master Louis La Roche as he makes his first-ever appearance in a Miami club. And then the nu-disco will flow with additional sets from hypergroovy J Paul Getto and the rest of the SMG crew. So please, bring your dancing shoes.
Ed Banger Records' ♥ ∞ M. Friday, March 23, 2 p.m., Bayside Dock at The Standard Hotel, 40 Island Ave., Miami Beach; 305-673-1717; standardhotels.com. Free admission. Ages 21 and up. The best of the best in French electro-house, Ed Banger Records, will be letting 200 lucky fans into a poolside memorial for late labelmate and friend DJ Mehdi, who tragically passed away last year at the age of 34. The ♥ ∞ M lineup is only six names long. But it packs a heavy punch with A-Trak, Boys Noize, Brodinski, Busy P, Gesaffelstein and Surkin. If only Mehdi were there to see it.
See Miami New Times' complete Winter Music Conference and Miami Music Week event listings.
Trouble & Bass's Tropic Thunder. Friday, March 23, 10 p.m., Blackbird Ordinary, 729 SW First Ave., Miami; 305-377-4628; blackbirdordinary.com. Free admission till midnight. Ages 21 and up. Stationed in Brooklyn and fronted by heavy-hitters Drop the Lime, AC Slater, and Star Eyes, Trouble & Bass is one of the hottest, darkest, banging-est labels in the game. When these cats throw a party, it's guaranteed to get nasty. They're bringing the big guns to this rager, packing two rooms with 15 epic DJs including Bart B More and Harvard Bass. But the best part is the free entry before midnight. And after the witching hour, it's only $10.
Fool's Gold Miami. Saturday, March 24, 10 p.m., Grand Central, 697 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-377-2277; grandcentralmiami.com. Free admission with RSVP to [email protected]. Ages 21 and up. For those who don't know, A-Trak's label -- Fool's Gold Records -- is a powerhouse of funk, disco, and all-around awesomeness. Last year's showcase went hard and 2012's only gonna go harder with Jacques Lu Cont, Just Blaze, Congorock, and others dropping everything from disco to hip-hop to bass and bangers.
Dim Mak Pool Party. With Sidney Samson, Felix Cartal, Lil Jon, R3hab, Joachim Garraud, and others. Saturday, March 24, noon, Dream South Beach Hotel, 1111 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305.673.4747; dreamsouthbeach.com. Tickets cost $50 plus fees via wantickets.com. Free with contest at facebook.com/dimmaklive. Ages 21 and up. Thanks to label boss Steve Aoki and the good people over at Dim Mak Live, there's a chance you can pool party at Dream without having to drop $50 on a ticket. Just head over to Dim Mak Live's Facebook page and "Like" it! Then check out the little tab that says "Win WMC Tix!!!" Unfortunately, though, the Dim Mak peeps aren't just giving away gratis passes. You've got to get creative and tell them why you deserve freebies, and it's probably best to get weird with it. Good luck!
See Miami New Times' complete Winter Music Conference and Miami Music Week event listings.
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