A couple of days ago, my wife and I just got back from Miami for Winter Music Conference.  This was our first time going in about five years.  It's really changed.  This morning I finally finished going through the original music received.  Last night I posted all of the pictures (about 150 of them).  I have yet to go throught the DJ mixes, but I'll do that while working.  I came in a day late and left a day early, so my trip wasn't nearly as long as most peoples, and I actually regret not having the opportunity to add time to the trip.

CONFERENCE:
The conference itself was the biggest waste of time for me.  It was so poorly attended.  The panels were late and weren't quite as packed with heavy-hitter panelists.  I really didn't learn anything new, and didn't meet anyone at the conference who would seem to have a substantial impact on my life.  Granted, I did miss the Producers Panel, which is the most important one for me.  This is only because we arrived in Miami after the panel.  Panelists included BT, Deep Dish, Peter Hook (from New Order), Roger Sanchez and Louie Vega.  I can guarantee you, pretty much anyone in the biz could learn a lot from that group.  That alone is worth the cost of the badge.  Otherwise, I'm not so sure.  No one, I mean NO ONE was at the pool.  This used to be the social Mecca of the conference.

MIAMI:
Miami has so few palm trees since hurricaine Wilma.  The ones left are quite bare.  Miami looks a lot more like Los Angeles.  The Guido/Hoochie factor has not been diminished in the slightest.  There's also a much bigger thug contingent.  The place looked like a big hip-hop video shoot.  In fact, I saw a hip-hop video being shot on the street with a rented orange Lamborghini.  We had lots of good food.  The beach was great.  The ocean was so warm and nice to swim in.  I wish I had taken more advantage of that when I was there.  I guess I'll have to go to LA when it warms up.  I really like Miami, but wonder what it's like outside of WMC, and further, outside of South Beach, which I never really left while there.

The architecture is really cool.  Coming from a city where almost all architecture looks to the past, it was great to see so many deco, mid-20th century and MODERN buildings.  It was truly stimulating.  The lighting was fun and daring.  I'd like to take a trip there where architectural touring is the agenda.

MUSIC:
Techno...don't call it a comeback.  Lots of techno everywhere.  Even the progressive and trance DJs are playing techno.  It's cool, but not all of it is good.  Let's not make the same mistakes of the past by allowing shitty techno to be played and burning people out on the genre.  I received a lot of music.  Most of it is crap.  Some of it is exceptional.  The sickest stuff I got was from  Radio Slave's new label "Rekids".  I got to hear Matt (Radio Slave) DJ @ a party put on by Tommie Sunshine.  He was very good.  On the house tip, C-Soul kicked down some really good music as well.  Solid.  Almost no one is handing out vinyl.  It's all CD's for promos.  That's a bit disheartening, but I understand.

NIGHTLIFE:
Events reanged from major music events to crackfests.  Sets that really were eye opening and inspiring were heard from Nikola Baytala, Sven Vath, Steve Bug, Matthew Johnson and DJ Three.  Every club owner should take a trip to Miami to understand how clubs should be.  Even shitholes like the Marlin were better than most of the clubs I've frequented in SF.  Granted, not every club can be as perfect as Bed, but at least try to be better than using the cheapest solutions possible.  And for Bob's sake, Mackies are not acceptable club speakers.  The Marlin can get away with it because they have way more than they need, but you look at the clubs in SF that use them, they think that what might work for a DJ monitor will work as a dancfloor speaker.  Don't get me started....  Essentially, Miami nightclubs are dope.  During WMC, the music is unbelievable, truly.  I can't express how much fun we had going out.  The Ovum party and Sven Vath @ Bed were definitely the best events.

THE FUTURE:
The future will not be televised.  It will be downloaded!  The amount of DJ's I saw using laptops was staggering.  A few hold onto playing vinyl.  Many had CD cases open on top of the turntable platter.  My prior trips to WMC would yeild stacks of wax.  This time, I got two records.  Granted, most of the records I got were crap, but there were choice cuts mixed in there as well.  Foolishly, I brought an empty record bag to tote my new wax back.  SUCKAH!  I really hate playing CD's and I think the laptop really creates an even bigger blackbox barrier between DJs and dancefloors.  I even think laptop live acts are kinda stupid.  Click-click-click...stare at the screen.  Too much eye focus is drawn away from the crowd.  Too much automation removes the human element.  We will be replaced by robots.

SUMMARY:
If you are into the music and going out, check it out at least once.  I'll be going back next year if at all possible.  Hopefully I'll see you there.  Hit me back around then if you are.