M.I.A. / Sa-Ra / Diplo / Hollertronix - Live @ I/O in Miami / WMC 2005 / Winter Music Conference

So I made it to the annual weeklong electronic music conference(aka WMC 2005 aka debaucheryfest 2005) in Miami again this year… or more specifically the parties surrounding WMC. Originally, I had planned on blogging each day when I was there but frankly… I couldn’t type much less find my Sidekick most of the week. So… I’ll just give some post party analysis instead. Basically the party I wanted to see most was the FREE party in downtown MIA - The Triple Five Soul / Fader Magazine showcase at I/O.

Opening up the night were my heros of futuristic stankin’ space funk - Sa-Ra doing their thing. Unfortunately… It was not the full Sa-Ra electrical magical orgasmical orchestral band as it was last time I saw them in SF – only the 3 heads on 3 MICs on 3 turntables and 2 CDJs.

It was SO frickin’ disappointing. There were some sound problems yes… but the performance was a jumbled, unrehearsed, sloppy session. And I say that in the nicest possible way... I LOVE SA-RA, but they DID NOT make any new fans that night (Isn’t that the point of a free showcase?). I kept telling my friends not to judge ‘em by that show, they are good – REALLY – I SWEAR… but the show was WEAK…

Next up… the queen of blogsphere (did i just say that?) hype and current media darling - M.I.A. with Diplo (Ninja Tune). Diplo was on the 1s and 2s and M.I.A. and a background MC (female, dunno who).

I must admit I was a skeptic going in… M.I.A. has gotten so much frickin press but her album Arrullar (Now postponed for release in the states) was rather underwhelming. Yes it had a couple ill joints but the rest of the album was rather lackluster. Her live show on the other hand… brings a whole different kind of energy. A lot of the credit for that has to be given to Diplo who kicked it in true party rockin’ mashup stylee… a sort of more hyped version of the Diplo / M.I.A. mashup promo - Piracy Funds Terrorism…

M.I.A. / Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism, Vol. 1 (Hollertronix) 2004

I was sweatin’ by the end of the night and the illest tune was definitely their bassbin boomin’ rendition of 10 Dollar.

M.I.A. – 10 Dollar (Poj Cutprice Mix)

So yeah… I guess its time for me to pull out Arrullar again and see if I missed anything the first time, cause’ obviously there is much more talent there than I saw in the first place.

Also of note… Diplo’s new mix cd Favela On Blast: Rio Baile Funk 04 is out now on Ninja Tune… PICK THIS SHIT UP. Its all Brazilian Baile Funk which is essentially Brazilian Booty Bass… Same style as M.I.A.'s Bucky Gone Down and the Diplo Rhythm 12” on Big Dada… This mix is shit is hot! Cop it.

More about all the parties I didn’t go to… later.