The Main Frame stage final 12 months was a nightmare due to the tight area, however these points appeared to have been fastened. Some of that needed to do with the truth that III Points averted placing acts that might draw monumental crowds on the stage, and it additionally nixed final 12 months’s VIP space towards the again. All of this made for a way more nice expertise.
Friday additionally introduced music, after all. From Porter Robinson’s heartfelt digital beats to Homeshake’s considerably handicapped set, followers had their decide. The spotlight of the night was LCD Soundsystem’s headlining set. Anyone who is aware of the competition’s historical past is aware of the band was purported to headline the competition in 2016, however the specter of Hurricane Matthew noticed the band cancel its look. (The competition nonetheless managed to go on that 12 months even with out LCD Soundsystem.)
Here’s what else we witnessed on the primary day of III Points:
Pink Siifu
When Pink Siifu instructed New Times to not anticipate something throughout his debut efficiency at III Points, all I may take into consideration was what he deliberate to drop. Was it going to be a hip-hop-meets-punk-thrasher combo? Or was he going to go along with his extra tame model of hip-hop mixed with parts of cosmic jazz and Prince-like sexuality? Well, it was all of that and extra. During his 40-minute set, Siifu introduced the acquainted trap-laden hip-hop we all know and love whereas additionally dashing up the tempo to show his polished rhyming model. He soared by means of his discography with songs like “Fk U Mean/Hold Me Dwn” off 2021’s Gumbo’! Siffu and his longtime collaborator Peso Gordon saved the viewers bouncing on the Main Frame stage with few breaks between songs. He ended with “Lng Hair Dnt Care,” singing and dancing with aplomb to the gang. Grant Albert
La Femme
With the band carrying ensembles of black-and-white fits and blazers, Biarritz-born act La Femme commenced at 7:30 p.m. with a crescendoing introductory instrumental of castanets and a really enthusiastic “Hello Mi-ya-mi!” Each member stood entrance and middle to carry out their very own vocal or instrumental solo all through the one-hour set. As the funky, jagged dancing on stage trickled into the gang by cofounder Marlon Magnée’s lively engagement with the viewers, La Femme catalyzed a Y2K coming-of-age movie sequence within the steadily rising crowd and attendance to the Sector 3 Stage. Complete with a blinking pink-and-blue background, each zingy numbers, resembling “Cool Colorado” from the band’s 2021 album Paradigmes, joined along with the dreamy breeze of music previews from the upcoming November 4 launch of the band’s fourth album, Teatro Lúcido. One specific music, “Sacatela,” was launched with a rhetorical query for the Miami viewers: “Does anyone right here converse Spanish?” We all know the reply to that one, monsieur. Isabella Marie Garcia
James Blake
Can’t actually anticipate a Miami present to go right through with out the usual technical difficulties. The early to halfway level of James Blake’s set was stricken by defective earpieces, leaving the drummer and keyboardist idle as Blake virtuosically improvised piano covers on the spot. A heartening rendition of Frank Ocean’s “Godspeed” was a heat, tender embrace in lieu of all of the confusion, and funnily sufficient, it’ll most likely be the closest we’ll get to seeing Frank stay right here any time quickly. Blake’s makes an attempt at preserving the Band-Aid on the efficiency visibly bred frustration from the Londoner, nevertheless it was good to see him piece collectively an exoskeleton of “Mild High Club,” his collaboration with Travis Scott. A random cameo from Atlanta rapper and collaborator Swavay breathed more life into the crowd, buying time for Blake and Co. to eventually click and find their sweet spot with the pulsating post-dubstep of “Klavierwerk.” The few totally fleshed-out tracks on the finish had been kinetic, frantically rhythmic, and well worth the await positive. Olivier Lafontant
Uncle Luke, Trick Daddy, and Trina
One of probably the most endearing features of III Points is that irrespective of how large the competition will get, it by no means forgets its Miami roots. Contemporary native acts have at all times been well-represented, however Friday night time was an opportunity to pay homage to the OGs. Running about half-hour delayed, Uncle Luke lastly took the Main Frame stage round 9 p.m. and ran by means of debauched classics “Me So Horny,” “Hoochie Mama,” and “I Wanna Rock,” amongst others. Trick Daddy additionally made an look, performing “I’m a Thug” and “Nann.” Trina joined for the latter, eliciting the loudest crowd response of the all-too-short set. Trina appeared genuinely touched by the reverent reception, particularly when Uncle Luke congratulated her on her current I Am Hip Hop Award, a lifetime achievement recognition, on the BET Music Awards. One low level: the absence of “Take It to da House” — an enormous oversight for this celebration of all issues 305. Celia Almeida
The Marías
As the final present of the Los Angeles band’s Cinema Tour, the Marías ship a spread of hits, resembling “Calling You Back” and “Cariño,” interspersed with a canopy of Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time” and the band’s Bad Bunny collab, “Otro Atardecer.” Lead singer Maria Zardoya emphasised a have to compete with the beating techno of the close by S3quenc3 stage and declared how particular it was to hitch forces with Bad Bunny as a boricua herself. Draped in a pink mummy-like strappy corset and sarong two-piece, which acquired caught momentarily within the mic stand onstage, the Marías grew to become the winners of the night time of their dealing with of a doubtful audio setup. Zardoya commanded the system to degree out its sound, both increased in quantity or decrease in depth, by means of refined and swift hand actions as she saved the viewers swaying in a candy rhythmic vogue. The crowd may not have been in a position to compete with the sonic increase from the neighboring levels, nevertheless it gained the loyalty of the act as they expressed their real appreciation for the nice and cozy welcome all through the set. Isabella Marie Garcia
Porter Robinson
Porter Robinson had lengthy defected from his dubstep origins lengthy earlier than releasing his critically acclaimed album, Nurture, final 12 months, leaping into the emotional underbelly of digital music. He was now a one-person band — taking part in a piano one second, managing his stay DJ set in one other, and taking to the mic all through his set to sing and uplift the gang. At instances, the set felt like it could be lengthy, drawn-out ambient pads after which explode into previous Atari-sounding climaxes as he bounced from tracks like “Musician” to “Sad Machine.” Robinson would run to the piano earlier than a music ended to steer into the subsequent one. He additionally took moments to have an actual heart-to-heart with the gang, whether or not that was the which means of the subsequent music or giving excessive reward to III Points. Whatever the end result, the balmy, gooey emotions had been floating within the air as hypersonic melodies blanketed the gang. Grant Albert
Freddie Gibbs
Freddie Gibbs is an emcee in peak kind and he is aware of it sufficient to let you understand about it, too. His entrance to Mark Morrison’s “Return of the Mack” amid the standard “Freddie! Freddie!” chants from the gang speaks for itself. Gibbs’ confidence was evident, chains gleaming, head shining, and rapping means as sharp because it might be. The Indiana rapper flew by means of the beginning of each music acapella, spitting full verses even earlier than the suave piano backdrops and electrical guitar loops of The Alchemist graced the audio system. It felt like watching a star athlete put up pictures in a half-empty fitness center as his voice bellowed by itself. The luster of “Scottie Beam” and “Something to Rap About” had been fully overpowered by bass heavy sufficient to start out a rattling hurricane (“Too Much” made my skeleton vibrate), nevertheless it was cool nonetheless. It’s refreshing to see a rapper actually rap his ass off on stage as an alternative of ad-libbing their very own backtrack. Olivier Lafontant
Miss Kittin & the Hacker
History repeating itself just isn’t at all times dangerous — French digital icons Miss Kittin & the Hacker reside proof. Fresh off their newest challenge, Third Album, the duo remodeled the Mad Max-style S3quenc3 stage right into a new-wave goth haven. The smoldering synths traces and pounding bass imparted the sensation of a real rave. Miss Kittin sang over cuts like “Stripper” and “19” as she and the Hacker transported everybody again into the early aughts. The crowd, laden with tattoos, piercings, spikes, and jet-black mascara, solely appeared so as to add to the ambiance. Each transition was distinctive, with a brand new layer being delivered to the fore both by means of a buzzy synth, hissing hi-hat, or thunderous clap to distinction Miss Kittin’s vocal work. It was nothing wanting violent bursts of power among the many metal skeleton of the S3quenc3 stage and a cloudy night time sky overhead. Grant Albert
Kenny Beats
Some of probably the most enjoyable available all night time undoubtedly got here by the hands of Kenny Beats, a producer and DJ who flexed his intensive knack for probably the most obscure pockets of hip-hop, entice, R&B, dance, and EDM. There’s a level of issue that comes with flexing his eclectic choice in a approach that is sensible, however Kenny’s easygoing nature made it look like respiratory air. He leaned closely on his favourite cuts from Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem, mixing “Family Ties” and “Range Brothers” with fluid, thumping home beats. Mixes of Benny Benassi’s “Satisfaction” and Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” are at all times euphoric in a membership setting, however putting them in the identical setlist as Playboi Carti’s “Beef” and Young Thug’s “Danny Glover” was a second of lovely confusion that Kenny has become his novelty. Plus, there isn’t any chance of sitting by means of a rap DJ set in Florida with out listening to XXXTentacion’s “Take a Step Back” and Kodak Black’s “No Flockin’,” a monitor Kenny mentioned he is waited years to play stay in Miami. Did I rap alongside to Kodak’s entire verse to shut out the set? Of course I did. Olivier Lafontant
La Goony Chonga
Dominican rapper Tokischa not too long ago declared, “Ser perra está de moda,” and it is true that from “WAP” to bichotas and bebesotas, oversexed ratchetería is having a second. La Goony Chonga has been at that recreation longer than most with tongue-in-cheek Latin entice and reggaeton odes to perreo and chongitonas lengthy earlier than these phrases hit the U.S. mainstream. Goony opened her Main Frame set by wishing Celia Cruz a contented birthday as she wrapped a shimmering Cuban flag round her waist. From there, the set grew to become an unabashed celebration of Miami at its tackiest: There had been shiny hotpants. There had been see-through stripper heels. There had been bralettes with bedazzled fringe. Most of all, there was loads of “Chongivity Activity.” It reached its apex with a shock cameo from licensed 305 aughts royalty and YouTube parody pioneers the Chonga Girls, who crashed the set to carry out a verse from 2007’s “Chongalicious” to the delight of each Miami millennial within the crowd. Celia Almeida
LCD Soundsystem
James Murphy’s total profession revolves across the anxiousness of getting older. One day, you are a child making an attempt to determine your house within the New York City music scene, and the subsequent, you are the elder statesman of dance-rock and the voice of a whole technology. I hate to explain LCD Soundsystem as a “legacy act” as a result of that might be admitting my very own standing as a geriatric millennial — however, alas, that is what they’re, and rightfully so. The band kicked off its set on the Mind Melt stage with “Get Innocuous!” off of 2007’s Sound of Silver and took the viewers by means of a catalog of their hits, together with “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House,” “Yr City’s a Sucker,” “Tribulations,” “Losing My Edge,” and “New York, I Love You however You’re Bringing Me Down.” By the time the band dove into “Dance Yrself Clean” towards the tip, it felt like a cathartic launch of emotion that had been increase all through all the set. We are all getting older, and we simply need to cope with it. Jose D. Duran
Madeon
When DJ/producer Madeon broke the information early this week on Twitter that III Points “couldn’t accommodate” his Good Faith Forever stay present and would, as an alternative, ship a boilerplate DJ set, it appeared like sure demise. But whenever you stepped into the ocean of individuals swarming the RC Cola stage to get a glimpse of Madeon, all appeared to be forgiven. The Frenchman used his 90-minute slot time to ship the big-room DJ power that felt akin to that different Miami music competition in March. He took to the mic repeatedly and drove rapidly down musical avenues starting from drum ‘n’ bass percussive loops to “Mr. Blue Sky” by the Electric Light Orchestra. The crowd was transfixed by no matter he dropped, together with his collaboration with Porter Robinson, which Robinson additionally dropped throughout his set earlier. There had been no pitchforks when the information broke or any point out of it by Madeon throughout his efficiency. Instead, it felt extra like a contented little accident and him not directly saying, “Maybe not this time, however you understand I will probably be coming again to Miami very quickly.” Grant Albert
Shygirl
If the Mind Melt stage appealed to growing older millennials, then Shygirl’s efficiency on the Main Frame stage was for the brand new technology. Dressed in black, the British singer ran by means of her small but deceivingly robust music catalog, opening with “Woe” from her debut album, Nymph. She slinked throughout the stage as she went by means of “Slime,” “Freak,” “Nike,” and “Shult” whereas offering some banter between every monitor. By the time she went into “Coochie (A Bedtime Story),” the gang was consuming out of her hand. And with the bass rumbling and her vocal coating the RC Cola plant, it virtually appeared like a siren name for anybody inside earshot to return in and pay attention. And as she closed out her set with “BDE,” she turned every thing right into a deliciously darkish dance celebration as she demanded, “Read my lips, I would like an enormous dick boy” — it felt extra like a risk than foreplay. Jose D. Duran
Homeshake
Taking the stage on the sore ft hour of 1:15 a.m, Peter Sagar’s solo musical challenge was launched with a frank admission by the frontman that he had forgotten two important items of his vocal setup amidst an in depth iPhone record. Visibly frazzled and irritated by the required tools’s absence, Sagar checked in with the gang, asking, “Is everybody OK? Am I OK? Playing competition units is attention-grabbing and difficult.” Despite the less-than-optimal sound system, Homeshake introduced a relaxed, sluggish fizzle out to the night with a mixture of devotees huddled on the barricade and a garden full of teams laying on the grass dwindling in power and searching for a relaxed closing sway to the overwhelming competition. Curating a chronological vary of tunes from their trajectory, from “I Know I Know I Know” to “She Can’t Leave Me Here Alone Tonight” and even paying tribute to Deftones by means of their twist on the music “Change (In The House of Flies),” birds had been chirping by the sleepy culminating finish. Despite a now-deleted apologetic tweet by Sagar noting, “i assume i owe uall one other live performance down right here sooner or later, however for now goodbye ceaselessly,” Homeshake is bound to be inspired to return to carry out in Miami as soon as once more. Isabella Marie Garcia