[Changing Times] Ultra Miami's Lineup Has Less EDM: Can We Expect the Same Direction from Ultra Japan 2019? [Feeling Past Its Prime]

Ultra Japan 2019 marks the festival's fifth edition.

Apparently, this year's announcement came later than usual, and it will change to a two-day event on September 14 and 15.

In this article, I'd like to discuss Ultra Japan and Ultra Japan2019 “with plenty of my own opinions”.

2014 Was Wonderful, with Music Fans Gathering in Force! But Afterward...

When it arrived in 2014, the EDM scene was at its peak globally too.

I was putting considerable effort into DJing at Tokyo clubs then, and 2014 was a time when new EDM producers and hit tracks emerged one after another.

But I think awareness of EDM was still low in Japan then.

Having watched dance music culture for around 20 years, I've written that bluntly, but it's a fact, and EDM was no exception.

Attendance grew from 2015, and Ultra Japan expanded to three days.

But without going into detail, the deterioration in the audience (the proliferation of party people) stood out.

EDM culture itself was still interesting then, but “people uninterested in music who just want to make a drunken commotion and mistake the festival for a giant bar” rapidly increased, unfortunately.

Of course, when the overall numbers grow, the number of unfortunate people grows proportionally too, and that can't be helped...

But the audience is part of a festival's content too, and it was becoming an unproductive way to spend time, so unfortunately I stopped following EDM before the total numbers grew further...

The 2019 Ultra Miami Lineup Is the Benchmark

Ultra Japan is, so to speak, a “franchise” of Miami, USA's Ultra Music Festival.

When people say “Ultra”, they mean Ultra Music Festival in Miami.

In other words, the direction of Ultra Music Festival in Miami represents the original Ultra's intentions and the current trends.

With that in mind, let's look at Miami this year.

▶Ultra Music Festival – Mar. 29, 30, 31, 2019

Reflecting Changing Times, EDM Loses Momentum and Techno and House Become Mainstream

There are too many acts to break down individually, but it feels as though the number of techno and house headliners has increased.

Ultra has always leaned toward fashionable lineups (in the 2000s, the main stage focused on trance), and it hadn't felt as though techno and house were featured prominently before. But with a turning point in time (the end of the 2010s, the deaths or retirements of EDM star acts, and so on), I sense a major transformation.

If you're interested, the site is in English, but check Miami Music Week's website.

I think you'll feel how much the proportion of techno and house parties and lineups has increased.

▶Miami Music Week | March 25-31, 2019

Look to the Global Scene, Discover New Sounds, and Go Hear Them

The good thing about the dance music scene is its healthy turnover, making it less prone to stagnation.

Also, the good thing about festivals is the chance to stumble upon new sounds as well as see your favorites.

Quite a few people try to carry music they once liked to the grave, while ceasing to look toward new sounds and new talent.

*Incidentally, some people also apply the concept of “graduation” to festivals and clubs.

This is often seen in Japan, and I think it's a terrible waste.

Dance music, though a subculture, has played a role in leading the times and shaping taste.

Now, thanks to the internet and digital devices, the globalization of our lifestyles is accelerating further.

In other words, perhaps it's about time the gap between Japan's scene and the global scene disappeared.

I think Japan's audience and scene also need to look to the global scene, enjoy it from the same perspective and at the same time, and energize the dance floor that way.

ULTRA JAPAN2019 Event Information

So, although it won't have as many acts as Miami, I'd like to hope Ultra Japan 2019's lineup reflects the direction of the Miami scene.

Ultra Japan 2019 takes place on Saturday, September 14 and Sunday, September 15 at the specially set-up Odaiba ULTRA PARK venue.

*All accurate information is on the official website below, so please check there.▶Ultra Japan – September 14, 15 2019

For Cheaper Festival Tickets, Use Resale Sites

For popular festivals such as Ultra Japan and EDC JAPAN, one way to buy tickets cheaply is to use resale sites.

I introduce recommended sites in the article below, so take a look if you're interested.

[Ultra Japan, EDC JAPAN, and More] Three Ticket Trading Sites for “I Want to Go After All,” “I Can No Longer Go,” and “I Want to Go Cheaply” [Use at Your Own Risk] September 10, 2019

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