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Here’s a little story about III Points, Woodstock, and Miami. Aside from George Clinton and some of the security, I was the oldest person at III Points. I was probably also the only one who was at Woodstock, so let me get down to it. Straight up—III Points is not just a festival, it’s Miami’s own Woodstock!
The concert experience has matured, evolving for Gen X into a first-class happening like Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, and others—but III Points stands out as true Miami treasure, surpassing Ultra and Rolling Loud. The Wynwood/Mana venue is our dime piece—up on the downstroke. And with my heavy concert rain history, I’m essentially an original influencer.
At Woodstock, I had no ticket, no money, and no food—having thrown down my bucket of KFC on the way. I lost my friends within an hour. The rain poured. We wallowed in the mud, had no shelter, and no change of clothes. I hitchhiked five hours home, washing the mud off in an Easton Pennsylvania train station bathroom. These stories have fortified me for decades like hot butter on my breakfast toast.
Looking back, I could have really used some of III Points’ hospitable sponsors—like that Chase ATM, Zephyrhills’ refill stations, and some merch to change into. I could have really used something spicy from the Wolf of Tacos, a few tequila shots, a cold Stella, a VIP bathroom, and maybe a makeover from Valentino.
Early on, neighborhood vibes from Lula Rios set the tone at the mighty Mind Melt stage.
Tiki Tumbao’s DJ spun tracks from local talents like Tony & the Kings, The Glades, tiny.blips, and Soul Vaccinators before Thee Sacred Souls played to a small but enthusiastic crowd. In a few years, they’ll be too big to play here, famous enough to stream in the Shops of Merrick Park – like Khruangbin. As they played and the people swayed, the crowd began to fill up.
Post set, unlike the usual Miami downpour, it began spitting. Given the ample shelter and distraction inside MANA, with its psychedelia and skating rink, the pro-Amendment 4 crowd lit up and got left alone.
Let me digress once more: when I was a ’60s teenager, I saw George Clinton perform pure soul. A decade later, I witnessed his Mothership Connection at Montreux. Parliament-Funkadelic’s influence on funk, hip-hop, and Afrofuturism is immense—they pioneered immersive performance. It’s hard to put it in perspective, but a historian will look back and say they were the most significant act ever to grace a stage at III Points. As the rain got heavier, with an ever-enlarging audience, Parliament-Funkadelic more or less baptized the entire event. The rain went full MIA till mid-Saturday evening.
Jungle, Kaytranada, Bad Gyal, Cloonee, Soulwax, Disclosure, Jamie xx, DJ Shadow, and Electric Kif were among those who immediately landed on a number of Spotify queues.
With 11 stages at III Points, I should have more words for the magnitude and quality of it all, but I don’t.
I had a bucket of KFC, Levi’s, and a jean jacket when I went to Woodstock. At III Points, some dressed in full-out, half-naked ULTRA threads, but when the moon is in the seventh house at these concert celebrations, and Jupiter aligns with Mars, hopefully peace is guiding the planets, and love will steer the stars. You are only young once, and despite the algorithms, clicks, insta, marketing and socials shaping our experiences, III Points remains a sanctuary—a blessed attraction and distraction, our own Woodstock.
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