In its second edition, Ultra Music Festival South Africa has announced the first wave of artists that will join its revelers for next year's edition in 2015. The lineup includes your standard festival headliners Armin van Buuren, newly re-crowned most popular DJ in the world, Hardwell, Martin Garrix and Axwell Ingrosso. Ultra always looks to include some local artists and they do so with the additions of live electronic band, Goldfish and trance DJ Protoculture.
Occurring in places over two days, Cape Town on Feb. 13 and Johannesburg on Feb. 14, the festival will attempt to improve on their debut outing last year.
With dance music becoming more global by the day, the African continent is now the newest and freshest frontier for festival companies to spread their empire. Being in the Southern Hemisphere allows for greater opportunities in South Africa with the increasingly crowded North American summer festival schedule. Being able to throw a festival in the "off' season, opens up new streams of revenue for a festival and for artists in markets that they might not be hitting as often.
When it comes to global music festivals, few have the reach and power of Ultra Music Festival. Getting its start in Miami 16 and a half years ago, the festival has since grown into a global giant. It celebrated its 15 year anniversary in 2013 with a two weekend affair that included the final show of Swedish House Mafia. Now the festival is in five different countries -- the United States, South Africa, Chile, South Korea and Croatia, with plans for expansion on the cards in 2015.
Phase 2 of the lineup is expected soon so make sure you keep an eye out for that. As per Dancing Astronaut, pre-registered fans can purchase tickets now before they go on sale to the general public tomorrow, Nov. 7. Head to their website for more info, including purchasing tickets.
