US festival Ultra draws 400,000 through Asia as it heads to Australia

Five months before America’s EDM Ultra festival makes its debut in Australia, organisers declared its further expansion in the Asian market this year highly successful.

They claimed, “Having smashed its own records yet again, Ultra Worldwide continues to live up to its reputation as the most successful international festival producer in the world, with no other festival brand coming close to accomplishing the worldwide domination Ultra has and claimed to be.”

Staging in nine countries, Miami-based Ultra Worldwide made its debut with Ultra China, Road to Ultra India and multiple standalone Resistance shows in Bali.

A total of 400,000 attended 17 events over a four month period. It wound up on September 18 in Tokyo.

In addition, 25 million tuned in to watch livestreams in China, India, Japan and Singapore.

Shows in Bali, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, and Taiwan all sold out.

In June, Ultra Korea returned to the capital city of Seoul for its sixth anniversary.

It drew over 120,000 to the Olympic Stadium, “officially cementing its position as the largest two-day electronic music festival in Asia”, said promoters, who announced that it would become a three day event in 2018.

Singapore’s draw of 50,000 over two days was Ultra’s largest in that country.

The festival’s move into India used the smaller Road To Ultra format. Both headlined by The Chainsmokers, New Delhi drew 15,000 and Mumbai 12,000.

Promoters also hailed fans’ response in its move into China as “unprecedented”. 40,000 attended across two days at Shanghai’s Expo Park to see acts including Armin van Buuren, Carl Cox, The Chainsmokers, Martin Garrix, Porter Robinson and Sasha / John Digweed.

The second Road It Ultra Hong Kong’s success with a sold-out 9500 was marred with the one death and three hospitalisations from drugs.

Road to Ultra Taiwan smashed its own record, with 25,000

packed into Da Jia Riverside Park on September 10. Headlined by The Chainsmokers, Martin Garrix and Zedd, this year saw three times as many international visitors as before.

The Bali event ran for seven days under the title Bali Music Week. Ultra Beach Bali hit capacity with 10,000 over two days at Seminyak’s Potato Head Beach Club.

Promoters stated, “The first ever ’Bali Music Week’ ended with one of the greatest techno parties the island has ever seen, with thousands in attendance at Ku De Ta to witness legends Carl Cox, Joseph Capriati and Sasha / John Digweed perform at the Resistance Bali Closing Party.”

The exact figure for the third instalment Manila Mall of Asia Arena was not given except as “thousands”, and the second time in Hong Kong drew 9500.

Ultra Japan, held for the fourth time, captivated 120,000 over three days as even as Typhoon Talim passed over Tokyo. Main acts were Carl Cox, The Chainsmokers, Empire of the Sun, Pendulum, Joseph Capriati, Porter Robinson, Seth Troxler, Steve Aoki and Underworld.

With its two Asia legs in 2017 now complete, Ultra is focused on Latin America.

From October 6, it’ll cover nine countries in ten days including Peru, Chile, Mexico and Brazil.

Ultra comes to Australia for the first time at Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl on February 24. It returns in 2019 covering Melbourne and Sydney.