Miami, FL – September 30, 2016 – With the highly anticipated III Points quickly approaching, the buzz around town is heating up as major musical acts and artists begin to descend on Miami. III Points Music, Art & Technology Festival, was born in 2013 as a platform to shed light on Miami’s talented local acts, vendors, artists, thinkers, dreamers, doers and idea people. This city’s artist community was thriving but the perception of Miami was stereotypical to South Beach bottles and model culture. David Sinopoli and Erica Freshman created III Points as a home and voice for the “other” Miami. III Points curates a line-up of cutting edge international performances paired with the best of the Miami’s music scene. Over the three days of the festival, III Points takes over the town with lectures, labs, tech talks, music and gallery showcases and a fully immersive 5 stage main ground.

This year is without a doubt one of the biggest yet, bringing renowned acts including LCD Soundsystem, Thievery Corporation, M83, Flight Facilities, to name a few, to a city that doesn’t typically see this variety of genres. You can also expect some jaw-dropping activations including Vaporwave Mall, Love Bus Project: A Roving Activation, Wynwood Farmers Market, Virtual Reality Lounge, Art By God Recharge Lounge and more.

World Red Eye caught up with the III Points masterminds, David Sinopoli and Erica Freshman, who gave us a closer look into how this festival all began, what goes into creating such a unique experience and what we can get excited for during this year’s festival.

WRE: How was III Points first created?

DS: III Points was created from an idea to do a SXSW style festival in October and to really shine light on the other Miami. The one that doesn’t exist in the bubble of that VIP stereotype; that ‘Vegas by the Sea’ stigma we have to outsiders.

WRE: What exactly are the III Points?  

EF: Music, Art and Technology.

DS: The festival that acts as a living, breathing installation for three days.

WRE: How did the necessity to create this “other Miami” come about?

DS: The identity of the other Miami was and is made up of all the humans that are pushing to evolve the culture renaissance that we have going on in Miami right now. This is directly around the people who want to re-identify what Miami means to the rest of the world when it comes to music, art, tech and community.

EF: Not sure creating “other Miami” was a necessity but there was all of this amazing shit happening, it was interesting, inspiring and something we wanted to do.

Not sure creating “other Miami” was a necessity but there was all of this amazing shit happening, it was interesting, inspiring and something we wanted to do.

Erica Freshman, Co-Founder of III Points

WRE: Are there any festivals around the world that have influenced the feel you want your festival to have?

DS: Not really, we like to think that III Points is truly a site specific, time specific project. Each year a different feel, each year its own, each year a glimpse into what Miami is right now.

EF: I always love FYF Festival and Primavera bookings.

WRE: III Points is well known to have a vastly diverse gathering of acts. In a world of festivals seemingly bound to specific genres, was this you guys being the change you wanted to see?

DS: Yeah definitely. We want to program quality, not genre specific and most importantly, program 60% Miami acts. We want people to truly feel our city when they come to III Points.

EF: It just needs to be artistic and awesome.

We like to think that III Points is truly a site specific, time specific project. Each year a different feel, each year its own, each year a glimpse into what Miami is right now.

David Sinopoli, Co-Founder of III Points

WRE: People have been going crazy for some of the announcements you’ve been dropping this year from Flight Facilities to Dixon to the recently reunited LCD Soundsystem. What kind of thought goes into your bookings?

DS: It’s an open canvas every year and we try to work on acts that really correspond to what Miami has been producing or making at the time. Plus, we love to get acts that would otherwise miss playing in our city because of routing or because it didn’t work in their schedule. We take pride in debuting new acts to the city, that otherwise wouldn’t come here.

EF: Insane planning, praying (or something like that) and relationships.

WRE: Technology plays a crucial role in the festival as well. Can you speak briefly on how III Points is pushing future-forward for a more advanced tomorrow?

DS: We are just trying to create a space and atmosphere for people to make their own experience. We do not want to preach or push anything, we just want to create a magical space for people to have their own transcendence.

WRE: What is the most fun part about planning a festival?

DS: Personally, I love the booking process and then correspond the visuals aspects or installations to that sound. But I also love the build, the process the week before where it all comes together. 362 days of the year planning for a 3-day event is super intense but when it comes together, there is no better feeling.

EF: All of it; making something in your head come to life.

WRE: The question everyone must be asking, how did III Points get their hands on a naked Donald Trump Statue to pull off one of the best marketing stunts of the year? 

DS: I really don’t want to comment on it. We just are trying to make festivals great again.

WRE: III Points is much more than just a music festival. Last year we were blown away by the geometry detailed throughout the grounds. What kind of art installations are you brewing up this year?

DS: We have a lot of returning artists plus a beautiful partnership with ICA Miami. They have been a huge supporter of us and the local art scene and we are proud to have them as a partner.

EF: Stay tuned. We are working with Bonfida who is creating a large scale interactive installation, FNDR and Fusion VR experience, ICA, Aileen Vaporwave mall, Jason Boogie and more.

WRE: You guys do an amazing job at shining a spotlight on local talents as well, allowing even native Miamians to rediscover the magic of their city. Is that something you feel is integral to III Points as a festival?

DS: One hundred percent. It’s the true reason we are doing what we are doing. They support us all year, they work their ass off putting out beautiful projects and the world needs to wake the fuck up and understand that Miami is. Really, it’s one of the hotbeds for talent right now. We take pride in showcasing that.

WRE: The intimacy of III Points is something you can’t find at many other festivals. How do you guys pull this off so well?

DS: Well, Miami is really a small major market city and we are babies still. The boutique feel lends itself to those pieces of us doing this in Miami. I think our team will always be committed to the experience and sometimes when you grow to large, the experience gets diluted.

EF: Giving a shit and thinking about the 360 experience.

WRE: How have you seen III Points grow throughout the years?

DS: I think the mission has become clearer to us. The growth in numbers, acts or size of acts has come with time but the mission has become more specific and people here in Miami have been so supportive of that intention. That local support has been key for us to be in this position.

WRE’s Favorite Past III Points Memories