The event featured a pantheon of megastar DJs and attracted people in their thousands to the Nasrec Showgrounds.
The crowd partied at two stages under a blazing sun, and then well into the night; the darkness broken by the light of a full moon and spectacular lightshows featuring lasers, streamers and pyrotechnics.
The masters of electronic music who kept feet stomping until the wee hours included Afrojack, Alesso, Black Coffee, Blasterjaxx, Claude VonStroke, DJ Fresh, Euphonik, Goldfish, Krewella, Martin Garrix, Mi Casa, Nicky Romero, W&W, and headline act Tiesto.
Ultra began in Miami, USA, 15 years ago and spread its reach to Argentina, Chile, Croatia, Brazil, Korea and Ibiza.
Festival founder, executive producer and CEO Russell Faibisch, said the South African demand for world-class electronic music acts had become “overwhelming”.
“South Africa is without a doubt one of the most burgeoning territories in the world when it comes to their ever-growing enthusiasm toward electronic music… The infrastructure in place to put on an event like Ultra is healthier than it’s ever been,” he said.
“This thriving scene, coupled with the… fact that the two venues [one in Johannesburg, the other in Cape Town] we found for the first edition are some of the most beautiful I’ve ever come across, made the decision to expand into Africa an extremely exciting one to make.”
Details: www.ultrasouthafrica.com
