Running Riot With The Dub Pistols

By far the biggest day for pure partying, Friday's line up of events has us pulled in all sorts of directions but first there's the small matter of our cover shoot and interview with Barry Ashworth. One of dance music's true characters, the Dub Pistols' front man directs us downtown to a stunning, thirty third floor penthouse suite where we find him two thirds of his way through a sleepless three day party mission. Not that Barry is ever short on energy. Or a story or six. Firing off explosive rants and comical stories through his cockney brogue, the interview is everything we'd expect from Barry; irreverent, opinionated and relentlessly energetic.

Miami Pool Party
With Barry in tow, we head up to Radio One's Pool Party on Collins' Avenue where Pete Tong is behind the decks for Friday night's Essential Selection. This is Miami. Soaking up the rays surrounded by sunshine, silicon, sand and a soundtrack of the world's finest house music - currently being provided by Pete's guest Frankie Knuckles. The crowd is a classic Miami mix of Americans, Europeans and industry heads - young and old alike. Steroid pumped US males strut arm in es strut arm in arm with silicon enhanced beach babes, industry figures from trancers Above & Beyond to Toolroomâ's Mark Knight take advantage of a day off in the sunshine and prop up the bar whilst the pool sides are a scene of sun soaked partying. It's not quite the 'roadblock' Pete Tong is saying it is over air, but as Miami parties go this is what it's all about. .

Non Stop Partying
From here we head check out some of the many buzzing hotel parties along Collins Avenue before a quick pit stop for at the penthouse for some food. Then the night's non stop partying begins. We swing into the Fifth to catch Zabiela and Fancuilli rockin a rammed warehouse style venue with their One + One concept, drop down to the Soho Lounge for Viram's high octane drum and bass session before finishing up at Area 51 for the Future Sound Of Breaks party where General Midi is boshing out heavyweight breaks growlers. It's a measure of how much the Miami musical landscape has branched out in recent years. What was once purely a house domain now houses parties of every electronic genre imaginable and many in between. The night finishes off back at the Penthouse, Barry still going and launching into anecdote after rant after comical monologue before we eventually retire as the sun comes up over the panoramic view of Miami's surreal palm tree paradise.