Ultra 2023 Day Three: Swedish House Mafia Close Out the Weekend

If you saw Swedish House Mafia when the trio brought its Paradise Again World Tour to Miami last year, you surely thought you'd get more of the same when the act closed out Ultra this weekend. For the most part, it didn't deviate too much from that show, but of course, there was a bit of drama. SHM's set started a bit late, and the trio seemed to blame David Guetta, the previous Main Stage act, as the reason why. Still, it's hard to stay mad when you are belting out the lyrics to "Don't You Worry Child."

Elsewhere in the festival, Jauz and Svdden Death silenced naysayers who thought their styles couldn't blend together. And on the Live Stage, Deadmau5 and Kaskade brought out their Kx5 project for a musical duel.

Here's what else you missed on day three of Ultra 2023:

Tale of Us

Attendees flocked to the Megastructure to catch a beat from the Italian duo Tale of Us. Over the years, Carmine Conte and Matteo Milleri have built a reputation for lengthy, mystical build-ups and synth-ridden drops. On Sunday at Ultra, they didn't tinker with the formula. The duo used silence as a secret weapon throughout the set, leaving the crowd sans beat for nearly ten seconds. At other times, they introduced melodies with warming vocals before reintroducing hammering bass. If there is a tale to tell from Tale of Us, it's that mysticism, enthralling techno, and the sound of silence are all a DJ needs to make a set remarkable. Grant Albert

David Guetta

"Nothing exists but this moment/I have never felt more real/I am lost in the rhythm," went the unreleased future rave track, a concept David Guetta created during the lockdown. The French DJ followed the weekend's Main Stage trend of playing a mix of drum 'n' bass and 2010s hits for a packed crowd as the second-to-last set to close out the festival. Halfway through, he also brought out rapper Coi Leray to perform his remix of Leray's "Players," which he declared would be his "next number-one hit." Unsurprisingly, he closed out his set with his biggest hit to date, "I'm Good (Blue)" with Bebe Rexha. Mary Gibson

Jauz B2B Svdden Death

Fans were unsure about Jauz and Svdden Death having a back-to-back set at Ultra, as their different styles didn't seem like they would make for good bedfellows. On Sunday, attendees were happy to be proven wrong. Whether watching in person or on Ultra Live, the consensus seemed to be that it was one of the weekend's best sets. "Let's see that fucking energy," Svdden Death yelled to the packed crowd at the Worldwide Stage. The audience ate up the multigenre set and did Wall of Death mosh during a set full of unreleased music and hits from both acts. Mary Gibson

Carl Cox

With Swedish House Mafia set to take the decks at the Main Stage, the Megastructure was left with only those ready to hear the crème de la crème of techno. Cox began by sounding his boat horn effect and dropping the vocals to "Commotion" by the late Maxi Jazz, who passed away last year, dedicating the track to the artist. In some respects, Cox toned down the abrasive techno from the night before for melody and breathing room. He dropped bongo rifts and Brazilian samba beats before adding another scoop of pure energy. With bass, hi-hats, and lasers in full effect, Cox dropped his track "See the Sun Rising" as the LED panels displayed the crowd for the final minutes. Cox lowered the BPM and sounded the boat horn once more as if to say, "Goodnight! See you next year!" Grant Albert

Kx5

Ready to feel old? Deadmau5 and Kaskade dropped their track "I Remember" 14 years ago. A decade and a half later, the two realized the world needed another project. Kx5 welcomed Miami for a closing live set that transformed the tiny Live Stage into its own Main Stage. The pair stood on revolving booths on opposite sides of the stage as if getting ready for a duel. They started with "Alive," the first track from their self-titled debut. Deadmau5 and Kaskade had synths and effects to add to the performance. The mau5 made the speakers bleed with his impressive synth work, while Kaskade added the emotions needed for introspection. The two then dropped their independent tracks, like Deadmau5's "The Veldt," while the pyrotechnics and lights went into overdrive. Grant Albert

Swedish House Mafia

Swedish supergroup Swedish House Mafia was set to close out the show Sunday evening but had an unknown 15-minute delay before finally taking the stage around 9 p.m., announcing, "Finally! Fucking finally!" Part of the way through the set, the trio said their delay was due to "other DJs playing a bit too long" — perhaps in reference to Guetta's previous set. The minor setback didn't keep them from playing an electric set, as they went through hits such as "Calling On," "One (Your Name)," and "Don't You Worry Child." The reception was mixed as the trio had a rushed and controversial ending, with fans taking to socials to either express their support for the new style or dismay at not having the same vibe as the SHM from back in the day. Mary Gibson