ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL 12 Sells Out Two Days With Record Breaking Numbers With Over 100,000 in Attendance

MIAMI, March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- This past weekend, Friday, March 26 and Saturday, March 27, over 100,000 music enthusiasts descended on Miami's Bicentennial Park for the 12th annual ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL (UMF), drawing its largest attendance numbers ever for its first sold-out show as a two-day event.  This astounding number also marks the first time ever an event has sold out, let alone for two days, at Bicentennial Park.  The festival was also the recipient of an IDMA (International Dance Music Award) for "Best Music Event" for its fifth year in a row.

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100330/LA78971)

Wrote Askhay Bahnsali of MTV News (3/27/10) about UMF, the world's leading two-day electronic and alternative music experience, "Dance music's biggest weekend in America kicked off with a series of powerful performances...With a multitude of stages (and even a Heineken-inspired dome), the weekend's lineup is probably UMF's largest and most star-studded grouping yet."  Over 200 international leading electronic music performers, DJs and cutting-edge bands alongside Miami regional artists performed over the two-day extravaganza.  

In addition to the festival's stellar line-up spearheaded by Friday mainstage headliner Tiesto and Saturday's headliner Deadmau5, the success of UMF can be attributed to its multi-million dollar production created by Florida festival producer Ray Steinman and Steve Lieberman of SJ Lighting who helped the festival's promoters -- Alex Omes, Russell Faibisch and Adam Russakoff -- to generate over 10 stages of high-caliber music areas.  Over 1.4 million people in 178 countries logged on to watch a stream of two of the festival's stages.  During that time, 65,000 chat messages were exchanged about it.

States UMF promoter Russell Faibisch, "We are thrilled about the amazing turnout for this year's ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL.  It's been an incredible 12 years." "We remember the early days when we were on the beach and being very happy when 11,000 people showed up.  I want to thank God, all our fans and our incredible staff for making this Ultra so special," adds UMF Promoter Alex Omes.  "The production, artists and everything else that's gone into the festival has only gotten bigger and better.  Thank you to Ray, Steve and everyone who has supported us," says UMF Promoter Adam Russakoff.

Highlights of ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL encompassed several guest appearances.  On Friday (March 26), France's David Guetta was joined by Lil Jon, LMFAO and the Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am and Apl.de.ap, while Felix Da Housecat welcomed Sean "Diddy" Combs.  On Saturday (March 27), chanteuse Kelis guested with Benny Benassi for their song "Spaceship" and the Guetta-produced track "Acapella"; Florence from Florence and the Machine graced the stage during Swedish House Mafia's set; and drummer Tommy Lee along with vocalist Sofia Toufa joined Deadmau5 to debut a brand-new untitled song during his closing set. Other special guests in attendance were singer Macy Gray and TV personality Kelly Bensimon of "The Real Housewives of New York."

About ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL:

As the world's most famous outdoor electronic music event, UMF has won "Best Music Event" by the International Dance Music Awards (IDMA) from 2005 - 2010, "Best International Dance Music Festival" by the Ibiza DJ Awards in 2008 and "Best Festival" by the Village Voice Media New Times consecutively five years running from 2005 through 2009.  Originally created as a pure EDM (electronic dance music) festival in 1999 by founders Alex Omes and Russell Faibisch, Ultra has grown through the years to present not only the genre's hottest, biggest and best headline artists (The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, Tiesto, Underworld, MOBY, Fatboy Slim, Carl Cox, Paul van Dyk, David Guetta, Armin Van Buuren, Erick Morillo, Deadmau5 and Paul Oakenfold, to name a few), but also crossover headline bands that incorporate EDM elements in their music and have a history, or new beginning in the EDM community and culture (The Cure, The Killers, the Black Eyed Peas, Santogold, The Ting Tings, The Bravery). Tapped "Best Overall Event" by URB.COM and heralded by the Los Angeles Times as bringing "out raucous revelers as well as electronica's elite," UMF had its biggest year yet in 2009. With a line-up that included the launch of the Black Eyed Peas' massive single "Boom Boom Pow" and exclusive performances by a wide range of DJs and electronic-influenced artists, it was recognized as the ninth Top Grossing Concert by Pollstar's mid-year issue and saw more than 100,000 attendees coming from 57 countries & territories, 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico.  In addition to the annual Miami festival, UMF has expanded internationally. Look for upcoming UMF events in Brazil, Ibiza, Puerto Rico and more cities soon.

www.ultramusicfestival.com

www.myspace.com/umf

SOURCE ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL