Ultra South Africa 2023

After 3 years the Ultra Music Festival returned to South African shores to mesmerize and thrill local electronic dance community. Cape Town and Johannesburg were treated to some of the best in international and local artists over Friday and Saturday with an unconfirmed record crowd for the Johannesburg leg. While there were many despondent comments after the final line-up was released, with the lack of headliner acts for the main stage especially, the ones who were named did not disappoint!

Local acts such as Kyle Cassim, Gold Fish and Grammy award winning artist Zakes Bantwini got the masses going on the main stage before the international acts took over. Gold Fish who have toured the world with their mixture of electric and live sounds, signed with Armin van Buuren's record label Armada have been entertaining crowds world over, and their set in Johannesburg was nothing short of world class. 

Next up, that crazy Australian Fisher took to the stage with what can only be described as electric energetic performance that had the crowd jumping on their feet.  Dutch DJ Oliver Heldens got the groove on with his future house style deep melodic sounds before Swedish maestro Alesso played probably the best set of the night for me, kicking up classics like his remix of Pressure by Starkillers before ending his set with the iconic "If I loose myself Tonight" with One Republic which had the entire crowd singing in harmony. Ending the night on the mainstage was another Aussie, Timmy Trumpet. His hardstyle big room music took the crowd over 150 bpm as it was a rather raucous end to the night. 

Resistance stage as always did not disappoint with Dane DJ Kolsch and Adam Bayer sending the crowds into pure ecstasy with their sets. I was a bit disappointed with the lighting and stage design for Resistance as I felt it was cut down a lot compared to the 2020 show. Being in an indoor venue there was so much more that could have been done in terms of lighting. Overall though, Ultra SA 2023 proved to be one for the record books with massive crowds, excellent organization and plenty of stalls for beverages, food and top up kiosks for the cashless wristbands. I'm glad to hear that the festival will be back next year on the weekend of March 1st, with shows confirmed for Cape Town and Johannesburg. 

One sad thing to come out from the festival was the passing of Costa Titch who sadly passed away after collapsing on the Smirnoff Stage midset. Condolences go out to his family, friends and fans. 

ULTRA SA 2023 - Final Line Up

The final countdown to Ultra South Africa 2023 has officially begun! In just over four weeks, on 10 and 11 March in Cape Town and Johannesburg, the iconic Ultra stages will be set up, the Ultra Angels warmed up and choreographed, and the biggest names in dance music brought together for the continent’s biggest electronic music festival, Ultra South Africa! 

Recently added to the already stellar Main Stage lineup is returning future house superstar, Oliver Heldens, homegrown heroes Goldfish, and very recent Grammy winner and additional homegrown legend, Zakes Bantwini!  

They will join none other than global icon Alesso, Australian firecracker, Fisher and of course, the dynamic Timmy Trumpet for the first time on SA soil. Local heroes set to wow the fans are Sun-El Musician, Kyle Cassim, Timo ODV, Max Hurrell and New Hero. 

Moving over to the Resistance Stage you’ll find some of the world’s finest underground house and techno artists including legendary DJs Adam Beyer, Joris Voorn and Kölsch. Joining them will be none other than Desiree, Hyenah, Djeff, Floyd Lavine, Jamiie, Abby Nurock, Natasa, Fogshow b2b Karoo, Talia Zaken and Siphe Tebeka. 

The Smirnoff Storm Room is a brand new highlight of Ultra SA showcasing the hottest AmaPiano and urban culture stalwarts featuring the likes of Focalistic, DBN Gogo, Uncle Waffles, Msaki (Electronic Set), Musa Keys, TwoBunnies, DJ Buhle, Mat Elle, Lisa Stofella, DJ Lag, Kooldrinks, Costa Titch and Lelowwhatsgood.  The Smirnoff Storm Room will debut as a stage at Ultra South Africa Music Festival, before becoming a touring event property for the brand.

Staying in the City of Gold, the Clubhouse Stage is also a new feature at Ultra SA which is designed to bring budding club culture into a festival environment, creating a space for artists to play all shades of club music, including house, afro house, tech, bass and everything in between... This stage will feature a lineup designed for dancing that includes Cinimin, Vimo, Das Kapital, Aidin Caye, Karyendasoul, Lemon & Herb, FKA Mash, Jevan Binder, Jordan Arts, Blanka Mazimela, Roz, and Sons of Denis b2b with Tristian. 

So… Are U ready for a festival experience of a lifetime? 

Book your tickets to Ultra South Africa, happening in Cape Town and Johannesburg this March, now before they sell out.

CAPE TOWN | 10 MARCH | HOLLYWOODBETS KENILWORTH RACECOURSE | CONFIRMED LINE-UP

MAIN STAGE:

Alesso, Goldfish, Fisher, Karyendasoul, Max Hurrell, New Hero, Oliver Heldens, Timmy Trumpet, Timo ODV and Zakes Bantwini.

RESISTANCE:

Adam Beyer, Desiree, Floyd Lavine, Fogshow b2b Karoo, Hyenah, Joris Voorn, Kolsch, Talia Zaken, and Siphe Tebeka. 

JOHANNESBURG | 11 MARCH | EXPO CENTRE, NASREC | CONFIRMED LINE-UP

MAIN STAGE:

Alesso, Goldfish, Fisher, Karyendasoul, Kyle Cassim, Oliver Heldens, Sun-El Musician, Timmy Trumpet, Timo ODV and Zakes Bantwini.

RESISTANCE:

Abby Nurock, Adam Beyer, Djeff, Floyd Lavine, Hyenah, Jamiie, Joris Voorn, and Kolsch.

SMIRNOFF STORM ROOM:

Costa Titch, DBN GOGO, DJ Buhle, DJ Lag, Focalistic, Kooldrink, Lisa Stofella, Lelowwhatsgood, Mat Elle, Musa Keys, TwoBunnies, and Uncle Waffles. 

CLUBHOUSE STAGE: 

Aidin Caye, Blanka Mazimela, Cinimin, Das Kapital, Jevan Binder, Jordan Arts, Karyendasoul, Fka Mash, Lemon & Herb, Roz, Son of Denis b2b Tristian, and Vimo.

BOOK YOUR TICKETS TODAY

Have you booked your tickets to Ultra South Africa 2023? With only a few weeks left, make sure you get your hands on tickets today! Click here to book. 

Ultra South Africa 2023: Phase 1 Line Up

ULTRA South Africa, the continent’s largest electronic music festival, will return in March 2023 with an incredible lineup of world-class talent. 

The last ULTRA South Africa in 2020 brought 50,000 ecstatic partygoers together for gold-standard performances, pyrotechnics and party moments - the memories of which have lasted until today. But now it’s time to make some new ones. 

Friday, 10th March 2023 will host ULTRA South Africa’s first show at its brand-new Cape Town home. The well-known, well-situated and beautifully designed Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse. Home to some of Cape Town’s most iconic events, the ULTRA South Africa organisers will transform this space into a fantastic festival fantasy-land. From the iconic and jaw-dropping Main Stage set-up, to the mesmeric RESISTANCE experience, this venue is the perfect setting for an expansive outdoor festival like ULTRA South Africa.

On Saturday 11th March, 2023, ULTRA South Africa will take over the historic Expo Centre at Nasrec in Johannesburg for the 8th time since the festival’s inception. Maximizing the vast space of the venue, ULTRA will host the best international and local talent with unparalleled production.

Are you ready to go big at ULTRA South Africa 2023? If so, you’ll be in good company with the following incredible Phase 1 international headline artists. 

MAIN STAGE LINEUP

Fisher

Australian DJ Fisher, AKA Paul Nicholas Fisher, is known for his undeniably electric presence and party tech-house style. He’s a crowd favourite, and knows how to get a party started better than anyone, as he’s proven over his 10 year career with tracks like You Little Beauty, Losing It and Ya Kidding. 

Black Coffee

South African DJ, producer and songwriter Black Coffee is a legend in the industry. His long list of hits, including Turn Me On, Never Gonna Forget, and Ready For You has won him a massive following. He has bagged major awards along the way, becoming the first African to win a Grammy. 

Alesso 

Swedish DJ Alesso is a bonafide superstar, known for his progressive music hits and collaborating with acts like One Republic and Calvin Harris. He’s developed a global following thanks to his ubiquitous hits like Falling, I Wanna Know and Sweet Escape.

Chris Lake 

Blackbook Records boss Chris Lake will bring his dynamic brand of house music to ULTRA South Africa’s Main stage for an invigorating performance. The British producer and DJ skyrocketed to fame over the past decade with chart-topping releases such as Turn Off The Lights, Boneless, and Deceiver. 

Timmy Trumpet

Australian multi-platinum artist Timmy Trumpet is known around the world for his unique blend of electronic music with tracks like Oracle, Mad World and Call Me. His infectious stage presence makes for an unforgettable headlining performance as he incorporates live trumpet and jazz elements.

RESISTANCE LINEUP

Adam Beyer 

Swedish DJ Adam Beyer is heralded as a techno titan, having founded his own tastemaking Drumcode Records imprint and curating Drumcode Radio Live which reaches nearly 11 million listeners weekly. His iconic discography includes timeless tracks like “Your Mind,” “Going Down” and “Teach Me” and his legendary performances make him one of the most sought after techno acts. 

Joris Voorn

Joris Voorn’ sits at the epicenter of the Dutch electronic music scene, celebrated as one the most renowned and instantly recognisable underground artists from Holland. For the last 20 years, he’s been a favourite in the festival circuit, wowing audiences to his hits like “Ringo,” “Transmission” and “Safe.” 

Kölsch

Danish DJ Kölsch is known for his otherworldly productions, concocting melodic, emotional dubplates and selling millions of records worldwide. His body of work, including tracks like “Grey,” “Loreley,” and “All That Matters” have made an indelible mark on the techno landscape.

Tickets are on sale now at https://ultrasouthafrica.com/. 

Stay connected with ULTRA South Africa on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for additional updates and phase 2 lineup announcement.