As Ultra Music Festival gears up for its 25th anniversary celebration, legendary DJ and producer Carl Cox is set to headline the festival with the global premiere of his groundbreaking *Evolution* live show. Slated to close the inaugural “Carl Cox Invites” stage takeover at Ultra’s iconic RESISTANCE MegaStructure, *Evolution* will be Carl Cox’s first fully live performance, utilizing a cutting-edge combination of hardware and software to shape sounds in real-time. Unlike traditional DJ sets with pre-recorded tracks, *Evolution* will offer fans a completely immersive and unique experience, with music evolving moment-to-moment, delivering a spontaneous and electrifying performance.
The *Evolution* live show has been in development for some time, and Cox is excited to bring this ambitious vision to life. Describing it as an experience unlike anything he’s done before, Cox shared that this performance is designed to elevate his music beyond the conventional DJ experience, bringing an added layer of creativity and unpredictability to each sound. It’s a special tribute to Ultra’s milestone anniversary and is sure to be an unforgettable experience for attendees.
Ultra 2025 will see the official debut of the “Carl Cox Invites” stage takeover, a curated showcase featuring some of the finest names in underground house and techno. Building on the success of the RESISTANCE MegaStructure and Carl Cox’s long-standing partnership with Ultra, the festival’s organizers are bringing a fresh lineup of talent to the stage. As the pioneering face of Ultra’s house and techno scene since 2001, Cox’s influence has grown from his first modest tent, “Carl Cox & Friends,” to one of the festival’s most celebrated stages. The “Carl Cox Invites” takeover is the culmination of Cox’s two decades at Ultra, embodying the festival’s spirit of innovation and boundary-pushing performances.
The *Evolution* show is just one of many live sets planned for the “Carl Cox Invites” takeover. Drumcode founder Adam Beyer will bring his relentless techno sound to the stage, while Richie Hawtin is set to unveil his *DEX EFX X0X* performance, an avant-garde live experience that melds his iconic digital manipulation style with forward-thinking music production. Hawtin’s performance represents the exciting intersection of traditional DJing and future-focused techniques, further underscoring Ultra’s commitment to electronic music’s evolution.
Dubfire, another techno luminary, will take the stage with *EVOLV*, an innovative visual show that brings his debut solo album to life through a dark, sci-fi-inspired narrative. With 11 meticulously crafted tracks, *EVOLV* transforms the dancefloor into a futuristic experience, setting a new standard for live electronic music performance. Also joining the lineup are Stephan Bodzin, known for his intense and transformative sets, melodic techno master Joris Voorn, and German DJ-composer Marc Romboy, who will make his first Ultra appearance.
Kicking off the stage, Carl Cox will perform a special back-to-back set with his Awesome Soundwave label-mate Christopher Coe, setting the tone for a night filled with underground music talent and boundary-pushing live performances. This extended stage takeover will offer festivalgoers a deep dive into the roots of techno and house music while pushing the genres’ limits with cutting-edge live technology.
Held at its home base, Bayfront Park in Downtown Miami, Ultra’s anniversary event will take place from March 28 to March 30, 2025. Tickets are currently available, promising fans access to an extraordinary lineup of music pioneers and exclusive, never-before-seen performances. With a legacy built on pushing musical boundaries and uniting fans from around the world, Ultra Music Festival’s 25th anniversary, anchored by Carl Cox’s *Evolution*, is set to be a defining moment in electronic music history.
