We’ll go ahead and say it: III Points is the best music festival in Miami. Whereas Ultra is for the world, III Points is for us—and there’s really something for everyone to hear. The festival has had a several-year winning streak with some heavy-hitting headliners like LCD Soundsystem, Wu-Tang Clan and Rosalia. Though the lineup for 2023 (its tenth anniversary) skews less mainstream, we think that makes it all the more impressive.
If you have plans to attend, you’ve probably already decided whether or not you’ll be queueing up for Skrillex or Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Fred Again or Iggy Pop. What we want to make sure of is that you make a little room in your festival itinerary to check out a few acts you may not have heard before, whether they’re local, up-and-coming or hot somewhere beyond our sunny shores. We’ve scanned the extensive two-day bill to bring you these five music acts to keep on your radar for III Points 2023.
1. If you want to thrash so hard you need an Advil: Nia Archives
Play Baianá right now and you’ll see what we mean. Nia Archives is one of the most exciting acts in the jungle genre. The British-Nigerian artist might soothe you in with R&B, but drop the most infectious bass that’ll pop the stuff out of the stuffiest person in the room. There’s no room to breathe when she’s on; you and everyone around you will be jumping and singing to what she mixes all set long.
2. If you’re craving a ’90s warehouse rave: Jacques Greene
It might be 2023, but your soul is firmly planted in The Matrix—and probably an abandoned warehouse somewhere in London or Berlin. Jacques Greene is a Canadian electronic artist best known for tracks like "Fold" (a collaboration with Bonobo) and "Another Girl" (which Pitchfork deemed one of the best songs of the 2010s). His sound is soulful, fast and deep; he combines emotional and ethereal melodies and vocal samples with layers of percussion, blending influences from house, techno, garage and bass with remixes of songs you might already know. With BPMs that’ll drive your heart rate up, his is the kind of music that makes you want to hop in a car and drive fast.
3. If mystical-gypsy is your vibe: Bedouin
Listening to American duo Tamer Malki and Rami Abousabem will pin-drop you down into the deserts of Jordan (where they played a once-in-a-lifetime set amidst the carved cliffs of Petra). Their music is hypnotic; it’s filled with mystery and Middle Eastern influences, an experimental take on deep house that’ll have you swaying your hips and rolling your wrists over stomping your feet. If you miss them at III Points, they’ll play at Floyd on Sunday.
4. If you stay ahead of homegrown hip-hop: Roc Chamberlin
Roc Chamberlin is a Miami-raised hip-hop artist who raps wisdom like he’s been doing life for a while, even though he’s only 22. His first solo album, The Speed of Light, dropped this August and is inspired by chakras and his own coming-of-age story. He’s also big on collaborating with other local and Latino talents, as evidenced in Agua Bendita, a perreo-ready album he was featured on this year. Though he streams consciousness and introspection through his lyrics, his sound is bold and energetic—with a charismatic stage presence to match. This will be his second time at III Points—and with big dreams, it definitely won’t be his last.
5. When you’re ready to embrace your softer side: ¿Téo?
One of the things we love most about III Points is that it’s not a genre-exclusive festival. It’s one of the best concerts to discover indie acts in Miami, specifically and more increasingly, Latino artists like ¿Téo? The Atlanta-born, Colombian-American singer/songwriter has one of those deep, soulful and sultry voices that whisks you into a daydream—though he’ll keep you on your toes with some bass-heavy tracks that showcase his adept rapping skills.