Another sign that Miami is OVA . . .

[Guest sobe2004]

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14154674.htm

From today's paper:

Posted on Tue, Mar. 21, 2006

MTV Awards return to New York this year

Associated Press

NEW YORK - The MTV Video Music Awards - perhaps a little homesick after spending the last two years in Miami - are heading back to the Big Apple this August.

"New York City is our hometown," MTV's president, Christina Norman, said in a statement released Tuesday to The Associated Press.

The ocean-blue waters of Miami had been the backdrop for the awards since 2004, with stars arriving by yacht, the awards taking place at the AmericanAirlines Arena, and after-show parties held on fashionable South Beach.

But this year, Radio City Music Hall will be the venue, and MTV promised to do all in its power to focus attention on the Aug. 31 event.

"We are really looking to showcase the music, culture and people from every borough of this amazing city on TV, online, broadband and wireless to fans around the globe," Norman said.

[Guest trancelator]

Miami's ova based on the vma's? ??? What kind of statement is that? And I don't even live there.

[Guest JMT]

good riddance.

[Guest Seb]

good riddance.

no doubt

[Guest jbit]

doubt anyone here is heart broken....one negative, no first hand accounts of which rapper got shot ;D

[Guest LeVeL]

The guy who started this thread is fucking retard, someone needs to drive to guy out of Miami and drop him off somewhere in the midwest since he sooo doesn't like it here....... :

[Guest sobe2004]

More proof . . .

Music fests amp up as profits dwindle

More events are competing for the shrinking dance-music dollar as Winter Music Conference returns.

BY EVELYN McDONNELL

emcdonnell@MiamiHerald.com

Several years ago, one sound emerged out of the electronic rattle and hum that turns Miami and Miami Beach into the dance-music capital of the world every March: ka-ching, ka-ching.

Do the math: Thousands of international industry professionals at the annual Winter Music Conference coupled with tens of thousands of spring breakers equals millions in disposable income. Small wonder this year's conference week is bigger than ever -- 327 events at 88 venues in seven days, in Miami Beach alone, according to the city's official count.

''This year, the events have really just exploded,'' says Dennis Leyva, Miami Beach's entertainment industry liaison. ``A lot more sponsors are getting involved than in years past. We've been saying all along this is a crowd advertisers are targeting, that they want these folks that are trendsetters. It's a marketer's dream.''

Conference week is not just busier -- it's longer. In a sense, activities kicked off Saturday with the Global Gathering, an all-day music festival that featured Nine Inch Nails among dozens of performers at Bicentennial Park. Miami Beach's calendar starts Wednesday, when the M3: Miami Music and Multimedia Summit launches. It kicks into high gear Friday, when WMC officially begins, and ends March 28.

Most events will take place this weekend. A graph of the calendar would look like a snake that swallowed an elephant, with less than 20 events at the head and tail and 70 in the middle, on Saturday.

DECLINING SALES

It could all be a case of too much of a good thing. Though neither the Recording Industry Association of America nor Nielsen Soundscan track dance-music sales, industry insiders say sales have been declining since 2001. Some question whether there will be enough people in town to sustain two conferences (WMC and M3), two giant festivals (Global and Saturday's Ultra Music Festival at Bicentennial Park, 1075 Biscayne Blvd.), Funkshion Fashion Week, and hundreds of poolside parties, club nights, restaurant mixers, and concerts.

''I don't think so,'' says Bill Kelly, founder of the Winter Music Conference. ``It depends on the health of the economy. Spring breakers don't have enough money to come to more than one event.''

Winter Music Conference costs $395 for walk-up registration; M3 is $149 for a four-day pass, $20 for individual events. Ultra tickets start at $66.

Kelly says he expects attendance at his flagship event at the Wyndham Resort, 4833 Collins Ave., to reach about 3,500. M3 reports 2,500 registrants for its summit, which takes place primarily at the Doubletree Surfcomber, 1717 Collins Ave. While those are respectable numbers, neither event is growing, with attendance flat for two years. Both conferences are aimed at people who work in the music industry and associated businesses, where budgets have become notoriously tight.

David Whitaker, senior vice president of marketing for the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, says he expects most Miami Beach and downtown hotels to be sold out this weekend.

[Guest sobe2004]

article continued . . .

THE FOLLOWING

The festivals aim for the masses, particularly spring breakers. The week got off to an auspicious start when the Global Gathering drew more than 20,000 revelers, according to its publicist. Ultra's promoters say they hope to top 50,000 in attendance Saturday. They say the festival drew 48,000 last year (but only reported sales of 27,989 to Billboard magazine; the rest were complementary admissions and ticket sales from street teams and small retailers, according to a publicist).

''People think electronic music doesn't have such a following,'' says Lainie Copicotto, national brand director for Ultra. ``We know better.''

Ultra, which primarily features deejays, is relying more heavily on rock acts this year -- including headliners the Killers -- to add to its draw. Global mixed equal parts dance acts with hard and industrial rock.

''When I look at both of those lineups, they're good, there's a lot of new stuff this year,'' says David Prince, founder of M3. ``But the new stuff that's there isn't the DJ side of things.''

Dance music's luster has been declining for some time -- and that hurts WMC, the genre's primary annual conference. For instance, Astralwerks was once one of the hottest electronic labels, featuring such artists as Fatboy Slim and Chemical Brothers. Now the company focuses on rock acts and for the second year in a row is not throwing its once-famous Nikki Beach Club barbecue.

''Has [WMC week] plateaued?'' Leyva wonders.

Such past WMC faves as Slim, Basement Jaxx, Dimitri from Paris, Felix Da Housecat and Roni Size aren't performing this year. Still, such stalwart house, techno and trance legends as Danny Tenaglia, Tiesto and Paul Oakenfold will spin. There will also be new draws and first-timers, such as English rapper Lady Sovereign and world-music star Femi Kuti.

GROWING COMPETITION

WMC became one of the biggest events in the South Florida cultural calendar in the mid-'90s, when dance music was breaking big and the industry was flush. The week has always been famously decentralized. Thousands of people attend the parties associated with the conference without ever registering.

But competition among all of the events is especially fierce now. If someone says they're going to Miami for ''conference'' this year, you have to ask, ''which conference?'' Not only is there WMC and M3, but Club Space, a Global sponsor, has advertised its events as part of ''Miami Music Conference,'' an otherwise unidentified gathering.

It drives the originator of the madness a little crazy.

''All that's meant to mislead people,'' says Kelly, a longtime South Florida DJ. ``I'm not sitting in a New York City office getting ready to do something in Miami to divide the dance music community, which is already divided enough. I'm here all year long. It's my passion.''

Prince, on the other hand, thinks the more the merrier.

''That makes it a blast,'' the New York-based journalist says. ``There's a lot of noise competing for people's attention. This year in particular, I've just really been thinking about being what M3 wants to be. I'm not trying to be WMC, but better. I'm just trying to be M3.''

[Guest coach]

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14154674.htm

From today's paper:

Posted on Tue, Mar. 21, 2006

MTV Awards return to New York this year

Yet another case of a bunch of NYC losers who can't make it in Miami. Wah wah.

[Guest]

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14154674.htm

From today's paper:

Posted on Tue, Mar. 21, 2006

MTV Awards return to New York this year

Associated Press

NEW YORK - The MTV Video Music Awards - perhaps a little homesick after spending the last two years in Miami - are heading back to the Big Apple this August.

"New York City is our hometown," MTV's president, Christina Norman, said in a statement released Tuesday to The Associated Press.

The ocean-blue waters of Miami had been the backdrop for the awards since 2004, with stars arriving by yacht, the awards taking place at the AmericanAirlines Arena, and after-show parties held on fashionable South Beach.

But this year, Radio City Music Hall will be the venue, and MTV promised to do all in its power to focus attention on the Aug. 31 event.

"We are really looking to showcase the music, culture and people from every borough of this amazing city on TV, online, broadband and wireless to fans around the globe," Norman said.

The VMA's arent in Miami this year because of the Hurricane season... If you dont like Miami.. Move and get the fuck out... go freeze your ass off.

[Guest jbit]

big deal, the scene will taper off ... but your acting like EDM is going to dissapear March 28th....

actually...Level was right....your a fucking tool

[Guest tijuanarave]

Everything is going GREAT... if for some reason this year's parties are a bust... only better, that means that next year only WMC will be around, which just takes everything back to status quo... If everbody makes money then more partying next year... I guess since Saleen is kind of famous in here, there's some other stupid fucks like himself trying to "predict" doomsday for EDM... All you should say to them is : FUCK OFF... and go have a great time partying.

[Guest vegasguy25]

If there is a dropoff in attendance at some parties this year, it's because of the admission price. $50 for a day party? Give me a fuckin' break.

[Guest ramon]

yeah miami is over that twilo is opening here FFS!!!

[Guest rhythmburn]

big deal, the scene will taper off ... but your acting like EDM is going to dissapear March 28th....

actually...Level was right....your a fucking tool

[Guest slamminshaun]

Miami is over because the VMA's are leaving? Does that mean Miami didn't exist until they started doing the VMA's here?

[Oni1414777741]

44 really isnt that cold.

[Guest]

44 really isnt that cold.

go lay out by the pool or on the beach drinking your corona's in 44 degree weather then... sounds like a blast to me.

[Guest spinderella7713]

big deal, the scene will taper off ... but your acting like EDM is going to dissapear March 28th....

actually...Level was right....your a fucking tool

that could be the funniest fing shit i've ever seen.....

and i dont understand this thread...buddy do u live in Miami? If you dont like it why do I have to read about it? Just leave. Please your probably contributing to the reason for these articles in the first place.....I mean Miami over ? can u please name another place where i can see several all star DJ's every day of the week (WMC) in a friggin small venue for free...r u nutzz....i have a suggestion....today go to the south beach walk up and down washington and tell me how many parties u run into between now and 5am.....buuahahaha.

[B-SIDE1414779017]

funny thing is the ONLY reason they are really moving is $$$

they lost money the last year due to extreme weather conditions the cost them staging & production money... and NY's tossing their salad to come back...

lets see how many people will be freezing thier asses off inthe street for the same TRL B.S.

LOL

[Guest coach]

And besides, MTV is about the lamest thing on the planet, now. I'll take my A3TV over that shit, any day. MTV is more appropriate for NYC.

[Guest addictedtospace]

Buddy you have no ground to stand on, just go to the link below....

New York City night life ending at 1:am?

http://www.nyna.org/issues.html

And I am not hating on NYC, I like it, would hate to see it happen, but will NYC be over because of that? NO. Plus, it was never said that MTV was moving the show down here for good. It will probably be in a rotation of sort. So like everyone on this thread says, if you hate Miami, get the Fuk Out!

-eLio

[Guest obby]

twilo is opening here !!!

[Guest michael^heaven]

---Sobe....your articles are overflowing with contradiction.

Do the math: Thousands of international industry professionals at the annual Winter Music Conference coupled with tens of thousands of spring breakers equals millions in disposable income. Small wonder this year's conference week is bigger than ever -- 327 events at 88 venues in seven days, in Miami Beach alone, according to the city's official count.

''This year, the events have really just exploded,'' says Dennis Leyva, Miami Beach's entertainment industry liaison. ``A lot more sponsors are getting involved than in years past. We've been saying all along this is a crowd advertisers are targeting, that they want these folks that are trendsetters. It's a marketer's dream.''

Conference week is not just busier -- it's longer. In a sense, activities kicked off Saturday with the Global Gathering, an all-day music festival that featured Nine Inch Nails among dozens of performers at Bicentennial Park. Miami Beach's calendar starts Wednesday, when the M3: Miami Music and Multimedia Summit launches. It kicks into high gear Friday, when WMC officially begins, and ends March 28.

--Alright...the above tells me that the WMC has grown & is now bigger than ever.

It could all be a case of too much of a good thing. Though neither the Recording Industry Association of America nor Nielsen Soundscan track dance-music sales, industry insiders say sales have been declining since 2001.

---What does this have to do with the WMC?? More so, attributed to file sharing & free downloads.

Some question whether there will be enough people in town to sustain two conferences (WMC and M3), two giant festivals (Global and Saturday's Ultra Music Festival at Bicentennial Park, 1075 Biscayne Blvd.), Funkshion Fashion Week, and hundreds of poolside parties, club nights, restaurant mixers, and concerts.

---Ok, hold that thought.

The week got off to an auspicious start when the Global Gathering drew more than 20,000 revelers, according to its publicist. Ultra's promoters say they hope to top 50,000 in attendance Saturday.

---Hmmmm....seems like quite a few people to me.

Dance music's luster has been declining for some time

---Obviously, someone hasn't been across the pond.

WMC became one of the biggest events in the South Florida cultural calendar in the mid-'90s, when dance music was breaking big and the industry was flush. The week has always been famously decentralized. Thousands of people attend the parties associated with the conference without ever registering.

---Who wrote this?? Did this person even live in Florida in the '90s? There were, obviously, parties happening during the WMC back then but not even close in comparison by sheer number as is today. In addition, the conference was much more focused on seminars & information sharing in the '90s & not the parties.

If someone says they're going to Miami for ''conference'' this year, you have to ask, ''which conference?'' Not only is there WMC and M3, but Club Space, a Global sponsor, has advertised its events as part of ''Miami Music Conference,'' an otherwise unidentified gathering.

---The WMC has become a spring break for anyone who's ever heard a dance track. Many, if asked at a party, couldn't even tell you what dj is spinning. Much less possessing such knowledge that there is more than one conference occurring. My $0.02.

[Guest sobe2004]

Article is from yesterday's Miami Herald . . . attendance is only where it is because WMC is now during Spring Break . . . used to be first week in March . . .