Because the Extremely Music Pageant marks its twenty fifth anniversary, a particular dialogue introduced collectively digital music legends Afrojack, Carl Cox, and Armin van Buuren to replicate on the pageant’s deep historical past and wide-ranging affect. Their dialog make clear the occasion’s humble beginnings, its progress into a world phenomenon, and the lasting mark it has left on dance music tradition.
Afrojack recalled his early days at Extremely, beginning with a temporary ten-minute set in 2008, a possibility given to him by David Guetta. This preliminary look shortly led to an invite to play on the famend Carl Cox stage the next yr, a big step in his profession.
Carl Cox shared his personal vivid recollections of the pageant’s early years at Bayfront. He described the challenges of taking part in vinyl within the intense Miami warmth, which frequently precipitated information to warp. He additionally spoke concerning the primary setup of the primary festivals, which featured a mixture of reside bands and DJs in a considerably undeveloped space. The Carl Cox stage itself developed over time, starting as a easy marriage ceremony tent earlier than rising into the huge construction recognized at the moment because the “Megastructure,” which might maintain 2,500 individuals.
The artists mentioned their method to performing, noting that they constantly change their units every year, usually making an attempt out new songs at Extremely. They freely admitted to feeling nervous earlier than their performances, viewing this pure nervousness as a option to improve their reference to the viewers. Carl Cox recounted experiences with sudden points like sound system failures or rain throughout his units.
This and rather more was talked about within the full 19-minute video, which you’ll be able to watch by heading beneath.
![[WATCH] Carl Cox, Afrojack, And Armin van Buuren Reflect On Ultra Music Festival’s Legacy](https://dance-on-air.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/NxxPJhJBR1k-HD-1024x576.jpg)