III Points 2017
photo by Adinayev

III Points Saturday & Sunday pics/review: The xx, Skepta, Nicolas Jaar & more

Following a killer opening night featuring broadly popular acts like Danny Brown and Gorillaz, Miami’s III Points Music, Art, and Technology festival continued on Saturday (10/14) and Sunday (10/15) with prime headlining sets given to artists with more particular audiences. That’s not a bad thing over a three day festival – compared to the herds exiting the area after Gorillaz and the twenty minute waits for food & drinks on Friday, it was somewhat of a relief.

Nevertheless, the festival was certainly still crowded and lively throughout. Skepta‘s Saturday warehouse performance was intimate and exciting from an audience perspective, with dancers in the crowd often momentarily taking up the spotlight around them. Skepta was sharp and on top of his every move.

Nicholas Jaar, who wraps up his Brooklyn Steel run tonight (10/20), initially gathered a large crowd, but began his house set with a long, experimental piece that weeded out anyone who wasn’t truly committed to the progressive genre. His lengthy deliberation eventually paid off with a moving but danceable set that felt free-flowing but calculated.

On Sunday, Bonobo offered an artful performance with beautiful, natural world visuals. The XX also headlined, but paled somewhat compared to the more invigorating performances of the rest of the festival — though that likely is a matter of genre. Sunday left plenty of opportunity to explore the art installations that one would have previously missed. There were almost too many medium-scale minimalist metal sculptures, and a handful of interesting pieces working with sound and electronic visuals.

Brian Eno‘s “The Ship” space at the festival became somewhat of a refuge for those needing to cool down from whatever festival festivities they had partook in. Alternatively, however, some of the smaller areas curated by local artists and venues were ultra lively with performances from Miami musicians. These areas offered a different kind of respite, successfully cultivating the feeling of a small venue.

III Points was on many levels a massive success, especially considering the hurricane season that had hit in the weeks prior. It seems that in its fifth year, the festival came into its own as a premiere event for an audience beyond Miami. III Points lauds itself as presenting the diverse and unconventional, and it seems that even as it grows, it’s been able to hold on to these values.

photos by Adinayev and Skyler Greene