The Mainstage Trap - Is it Really Worth the Hype?
- Shane Samuel, Matthew Monteith
- Apr 13, 2017
- 3 min read
I know what you’re thinking. Why wouldn’t the main stage be the best? Wouldn’t the organizers want to gain the most exposure from their best artists?
Through my personal experience from attending festivals and watching live streams, I’ll tell you why the smaller stages are often better.
The main stage is usually reserved for the big names of a lineup such as your Tiestos and Hardwells; it's where most people gather at EDM festivals. Especially newer EDM fans who flock here because of the stereotype that it’s more exciting.
My favorite DJ and artist of all time is the man himself, Don Diablo. I’ve been listening to his songs for years now and I’ve always thought of him as underrated. In the DJ Mag’s rankings of top 100 DJs, he finished 15th this year; an increase of 15 spots from last year. After finally getting the recognition he deserved, he performed at the main stage for Miami Ultra Music Festival 2017. However, he was given one of the earlier, less prestigious, time slots (4:45pm). Undoubtedly, I felt he deserved a later slot, considering he is better than DJs such as Robin Schulz and Tchami who were after him.
Here is Don Diablo's set from 2017.
The crowd atmosphere from this year’s to last’s - like night and day. Last year it seemed as if every fan knew every song he played and vibed to all the new tracks released. I know I shouldn’t have expected much from the fans this year because of the early time slot, but I was still disappointed. As his set progressed there was a glimmer of hope as the real fans started showing their stuff and were actually jamming to fan favorites such as Chemicals and On My Mind.
One of the main reasons for the lack of fan interaction was because Don Diablo did not perform at the worldwide stage. The atmosphere is very different as this stage is smaller and the experienced ravers never let up as they jam to each and every song. Everyone jumps up and down to the sound of the beat, and it’s also not as crowded, giving people the chance to shuffle. If you’re as adventurous as I am, you can even start mosh pits!
Other renowned DJs such as KSHMR and Nicky Romero, who usually have no problem attracting 40,000 fans night in and night out, declined the opportunity to perform at the main stage. They wanted to try out new styles that would make their sets unique and to do that, they needed their real fans. KSHMR actually brought out live musicians to play some of his hit songs, and it was pretty interesting to see them synchronize with the beat. He essentially wanted to pay homage to his culture by doing this.
There were many other stages at Ultra Music Festival such as the Resistance and Carlcox Megastructure and each of them was unique in their own way. I experienced a similar phenomenon at Veld Music Festival last year in Toronto. I was faced with the unfortunate choice of deciding between two sets: DVBBS or Flume. Although DVBBS has a special place in my heart they have a history of playing repetitive big room drops during their live sets. I knew Flume would bring his A-game and the atmosphere would be better at the smaller stage. So, I decided to see Flume, and I kid you not I was close enough that our eyes locked (probably not but a man can always dream...) When Flume played some of his classics like his remix of Tennis Court and Never Be Like You, the crowd entered a state of frenzy which eventually led to a dope sing-along. This would have never happened at the main stage!
Sure, I love the main stage and all that it brings, but there are times when you just have to be at the smaller stage to really experience the music for what it is!
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