III Points Music Festival is back with a killer lineup. Kicking off this Friday, Feb. 15, in Miami, the festival promises three days of eclectic music from international and local artists alike.
A mixture of today’s biggest pop stars and the most beloved talent straight from South Florida‘s thriving music scene should make this one of the most important music weekends of 2019.
To prepare festival attendees to navigate everything going during the festival, Weedmaps News spoke with Veronica Gessa, known as Mokibaby, a Miami-based artist who helped produce the festival and create the Miami identity associated with the event.
“We have always been a forward-thinking festival in having the foresight to book talent that will blow up in the upcoming years,” Gessa explained. “David Sinopoli has done an incredible job with the line up this year and honestly, I’ve been told it’s the best one out there.”
We asked Gessa to be our tour guide and breakdown what makes III Points the must-see festival of the year.
1). Some Seriously Legendary Acts
“Herbie Hancock is honestly the fucking man,” Gessa gushed. “He is 78 and still playing shows like he’s 23 in Miles Davis’ band.” While she confessed that Hancock is the legend she’s most excited to see, other illustrious artists lined up include Erykah Badu, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, and Egyptian Lover.
2). Local Talent is Full of Must-Sees
Not to be outdone by the legends, the local talent is filled with new blood in the music scene. When asked which Miami artists we’ll fall in love with, Gessa warned to prepare your heart for Poorgrrrl, Basside, Austin Paul, Dracula, Otto Von Schirach, and Lilith.
“Locally, we have so much talent, it’s honestly ridiculous,” Gessa confidently boasted. “There’s a lot of new blood, which I am thrilled about.”
3). Artists Making III Point Debuts Are Killer
“I love it when we get artists for the first time,” Gessa explained. “Because more often than not, they come back and want to play with us again.” Among the first timers popping their III Points cherry are Beach House, SZA, David August, Pussy Riot, Tyler, the Creator, Peggy Gou and DJ Seinfeld.
4). Dance Yrself Clean With These DJ Sets
There are a lot of DJs in the lineup, which means there should be something for every mood of the night.
There will be three days of Boiler Room sets with proper sets from Marvin and Guy, Moscoman, DJ Stingray, Egyptian Lover and locals gems like Sister System and Johnny from Space. LCD Soundsystem frontman and DJ-god James Murphy will be closing the Main Frame Saturday night, making his return to III Points.
“[James] actually played for us our first year and is a huge fan of the festival,” Gessa said.
5). Get Experiential
The music may be the main attraction, but make no mistake — III Points belongs to the artists as much as the musicians. One of the best parts of going to the festival is exploring the experiential moments, art installations and activations.
“I have three different installations on the festival grounds and am programming a hidden bar that’s a Gravitron spaceship with only Miami Bass Booty shake and freestyle music,” Gessa said.
Other artists include Haiiileen, NONOTAK, Max Cooper & Architecture Social Club, Brian Butler, and Jason Boogie.
6). Miami Vibe
One of the most unique aspects to III Points is the diverse audience it attracts and Miami’s cosmic goodness is on full display. “Miami vibes are flowing through III Points constantly,” Gessa said. “Everyone interacts with one another as well, especially because this festival is all about discovery.”
And while there is a large audience will many eclectic tastes and preferences, there is a beautiful weirdness that permeates throughout the city and festival. “We are also a point on the Bermuda Triangle,” Gessa said. “So much strange stuff happens, so much magic. We welcome it.”
“If people have time to explore there is so much to enjoy here,” Gessa said. “I am the queen of suggesting places to go in Miami. In fact watch this video.”
7). Weed-Friendly Crowd
Last, and certainly not least, the festival and audience is welcoming to weed. This may not be a must for some festival goers, but to those who are comfortable smoking a check joint or pipe, it’s nice to know you won’t get shade from this weed-loving crowd.
“The festival feels cosmically good, and it could have to do with the crystal gridding that’s done days before, and, of course, all the weed smoking,” Gessa explained. “We are very 420-friendly.”
