The 5th Anniversary of Ultra South Africa leaves fans wanting more!
- Carin
- Feb 13, 2018
- 2 min read
From the likes of Afrojack to Armin van Buuren, fans were in for a real treat on Friday. With such an explosive line-up, not even the rain could stop me from dancing.
The Atmosphere
Upon entering Cape Town Stadium, where it was held, I was slightly disappointed in that there was no fancy decorations. Nothing screamed that I was at an international music festival that cost a small fortune besides a really pretty tunnel of lights. The choice was definitely not the best but all of that was irrelevant once the music started.
The Line-Up
My Ultra experience was kicked off by DJ Carnage. While I enjoyed his set and his beat drops were all quite unique with hip hop elements, his shouting over the mic sounded a lot like Lil Jon and I could have done without it.
Next was Afrojack. I thoroughly enjoyed his set as he incorporated a lot of popular songs into his mix by adding an EDM twist. I didn't expect to find myself rapping to Cardi B then jumping up and down in the same song. I would say that generally Afrojack had a more radio-friendly set which was a great way to ease everyone into the more trance set that was to come.
Armin van Buuren was definitely the highlight of the night. With massive beat drops, insane effects and rain, everything seemed to work together for his set. While his music leaned heavily into the trance genre he pulled it off incredibly well as no song felt too long or too repetitive and this coming from someone who only occasionally enjoys trance music. Armin also had Mr Probs join him for a remix of "Waves" which was a great addition.
Following Armin was no easy task and that job went to Hardwell. His set was great but unfortunately it wasn't a stand out for me personally. I enjoyed it but after the beast that was van Buuren's set my expectations was insanely high.
To end the night Axwell & Ingrosso took the stage. With more radio-friendly songs and even throwbacks such as Benny Benassi's "Satisfaction" and nods to Swedish House Mafia, it was the perfect way to end an epic festival.
My final thoughts
Even though Ultra South Africa kept the venue very simple, the music and the effects did not disappoint. The fact that it rained just took the whole festival to another level. I would definitely return for the 6th one if the line-up is as good as this one.
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