The creative and immersive sounds of Synthesis Microfest II will soon be filling the streets of Miami. This annual mini festival returns to Thee 23 Skidoo in downtown Miami on Jan. 23 and 24 to showcase avant-garde and experimental elements of electronic music, featuring artists hailing from all over Arizona.
Amanda Rae, of Thee 23 Skidoo, welcomes the community to experience the venue, which features comfortable booths, coziness, and a bar with a wide selection of drinks, ranging from beer to non-alcoholic choices.
At this festival, expect to hear “music with foundation in electronic instruments as opposed to traditional music,” says Lob Instagon, the venue’s booking manager, “including dance beats and synthesizer-generated grooves, loops and drum machines, vocals with effects and dreamy, spacey atmospheric qualities.”
This music is considered more experimental and “originally interesting” than a typical four-piece band with a singer, Instagon says.
Courtney Odom, a musician of more than 30 years and Miami local, will return to the festival this year performing her electronic music, which uses live looping with her vocals.
“I improvise most of my performance and use a big multi-machine beast I call Mega Maggie to build a musical world for my audience to get lost in,” she says.
Tres Ikner and Jen Juniper, who comprise the duo Dutch Holly and are regular Miami Loco Arts Festival performers, are organizers of the event and founders of Low Key Organic, the production company producing the mini festival alongside Thee 23 Skidoo.
“Jen and I have a great affinity for the town and do whatever we can to raise awareness about it,” says Ikner, who is on the board of the Miami Arts Commission.
The two say they hope this event will also get people to come back and play at Miami Loco in April, which is an event they feel strongly about.
Synthesis Microfest I took place in January last year and was considered a success, Ikner says, so Low Key Organic decided to bring the festival back.
“This microfest is important to our community. We are a small town with many talented artists living and creating in a space that often feels like the art district of a much larger city,” Odom says. "This festival is bringing some major talent to our town and I hope that it encourages a lot of people to come up here and experience this rad little art town.”
As with Synthesis Microfest I, the event will feature a free “art/craftivity” facilitated by Tempe collage artist Erin Pulford, ECPCollages, whose likeness appears on Phil Freedom’s mural in the Miami Art Works courtyard. Event attendees will have a chance to create collages upstairs in the bar while the musical acts are performing.
"The first Synthesis Microfest proved that there is a vibrant and enthusiastic audience for experimental and original electronic music in the region," Ikner says. "Synthesis Microfest II is our commitment to nurturing that scene, blending beloved acts with fresh, boundary-pushing voices for an unforgettable two-night experience."
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