6 March 19-25, 2026 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | Month XX–Month XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | F or nearly two decades, brothers Steve Martinez Jr. and Chris Marti- nez, the Martinez Brothers, have been fixtures on the global house music circuit, but the path from Bronx teenagers to Ibiza mainstays has never felt like an arrival. Even now, Chris and Steve Martinez talk about their career less like a victory lap and more like a long learning process. “We got into this game re- ally young,” Steve Martinez tells New Times over Zoom. “We’re still learning all the time.” That mentality has carried the brothers through a career that’s now pushing toward its 20th year. It’s one that includes residencies in Ibiza, collaborations with pop and reggaeton stars, and their own influential house label, Cuttin’ Headz. But their latest project, a full-scale North American concept tour called Orbita, may be their most ambitious live experience yet. The show centers around a floating UFO-like stage installation suspended above the crowd, part sci-fi spectacle and part club experiment. It’s the kind of theatrical production that house mu- sic historically avoided, but in today’s booming dance scene, the Martinez Brothers saw an op- portunity to push things further. And like most things in their career, the idea started casually. “It happened in stages,” Steve explains. “We were talking about doing some- thing different for our residency. We had this alien concept at first, and then we were like, ‘Man, wouldn’t it be sick if there was a spaceship in the club?’” The concept evolved quickly. The duo began experimenting with visual mockups using AI ren- der tools like Midjourney, sketching out possible stage designs. “Before we knew it,” Steve says, laughing, “we were actually building the thing.” The result is Or- bita, a touring show that combines immersive vi- suals with the groove-heavy house music the brothers have spent years refining. The tour also marks a shift in how they ap- proach the U.S. market. For years, much of the Martinez Brothers’ dominance existed overseas. They were frequent fixtures at Ibiza clubs and Eu- ropean festivals, where underground house music has long enjoyed mainstream cultural weight. But the American dance scene has changed dramatically in recent years. House music, once relegated to underground clubs, has surged into wider popularity, fueled by festival crowds, viral DJ clips, and a new generation of producers em- bracing the genre’s roots. The Martinez Brothers have watched the re- surgence from the inside. “Being in the States more has been amazing,” Chris Martinez says. “People are really receptive right now.” Part of the shift has been generational. Younger listeners discovering house music often find themselves tracing the lineage backward and inevitably landing in the Martinez Brothers’ catalog. Still, the duo seems almost puzzled when peo- ple talk about their influence. “When people say stuff like that, it’s humbling,” Steve says. “But honestly, I don’t really know how people see us like that. Sometimes I’m like, ‘Really?’” That humility is surprising considering the lon- gevity of their career. Chris and Steve were teen- agers when they began DJing in New York. They grew up surrounded by dance music culture, in- troduced to classic house records by their father, and immersed in the legacy of New York nightlife icons like Larry Levan and the legendary club Par- adise Garage. By their late teens, the brothers were already playing serious gigs. Within a few years, they were traveling internationally. Longevity in dance music is notoriously difficult. Scenes change quickly, trends cycle, and DJs can fade just as fast as they rise. But the Martinez Brothers credit their survival to one simple rule: evolve constantly. “If you look at artists who last, people like Michael Jackson, they were always changing their sound,” Steve says. “They weren’t trying to stay stuck in one decade.” The same philosophy has shaped their label, Cuttin’ Headz. Founded more than a decade ago, the imprint began as a home for the duo’s own releases before evolving into a platform for rising producers across the global house scene. Over the years, the label has helped launch the careers of sev- eral emerging artists, something the brothers say remains one of their proudest accomplishments. “At first it was just a vessel for our music,” Chris explains. “But then we realized there were all these talented friends making incredible stuff. So we wanted to give them a platform.” Watching those artists grow, sometimes after just one or two releases, is deeply satisfying. “It’s cool to see someone put out a track with us and then suddenly they’re touring the world,” Steve says. That community ethos will be on full display this spring when the Martinez Brothers host their own Cuttin’ Headz stage at Ultra Music Festival in downtown Miami. The lineup reads like a family gathering: long- time collaborators, close friends, and newer art- ists connected to the label. “Everybody on that stage is someone we really mess with,” Steve says. “It’s like a reunion.” The festival appearance comes at a moment when house music is arguably bigger than it’s been in decades, but the brothers remain careful not to overanalyze the trend. From their perspec- tive, inspiration still comes from the same place it always has: listening widely. “We listen to every- thing,” Chris says. Their playlists span genres and eras, from salsa and soul to hip-hop, funk, and disco. Lately, they’ve even been diving into punk-influenced hardcore. Steve points to Baltimore band Turnstile as one recent obsession. “That music just makes you want to rage,” he says. “But in a positive way.” That eclectic listening habit also fuels their studio process, which remains deliberately unpre- dictable. Some tracks begin with a drum groove. Others emerge from obscure samples dug up during record store trips. Sometimes the spark comes from collaborating with artists outside their usual orbit. In recent years, that orbit has expanded sig- nificantly. The Martinez Brothers have worked with Latin artists including Rauw Alejandro and Dominican rapper Tokischa, bridging the gap between house music and the broader Latin pop world. Those sessions have also ex- posed the duo to new creative workflows. “Some producers move incredibly fast,” Steve says. “They’ll build a whole track in min- utes.” Watching those approaches has changed the way the Martinez Brothers think about production. “You take what works and bring it into your own process,” he ex- plains. Even after nearly two decades behind the decks, that curiosity remains central to their identity. When asked about career milestones, the Ibiza residencies, the fashion collaborations, and the global tours, the brothers acknowledge the achievements but quickly shift the conversation back to the work itself. One moment still stands out: their Ibiza resi- dency. “For a lot of DJs, that’s a box you want to check,” Chris says. “Being there every season, playing those rooms, that’s special.” But the real reward, they insist, remains the same simple thing that started it all. Playing mu- sic. Sharing it with people. And finding whatever comes next. “We just love making music,” Chris says. “And we love sharing it.” Ultra Music Festival 2026. Friday, March 27, through Sunday, March 29, at Bayfront Park, 301 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; ultramusicfestival.com. Tickets from $479 via ultramusicfestival.com. CUTTIN’ UP The Martinez Brothers bring Orbita to Ultra. BY OSVALDO ESPINO the producer behind timeless records like “Hey Hey.” Expect a night rooted in soulful grooves, deep house rhythms, and the kind of proper club energy that defined the golden era of dance music. In a week packed with massive production and superstar DJs, this one is for the purists who just want to dance. 7 p.m. Friday, March 27, at Sable Miami, 2219 NW Second Ave., Miami; 305-209-5758; sablemiami.com. Tickets cost $49 via dice.fm. BLACK COFFEE AT THE HIALEAH RACETRACK The Hialeah Racetrack has been gaining traction as a venue for artists to perform, recently being used for events like 305 Day. This time, famed Afro-house DJ and producer Black Coffee is set to take over the venue alongside Carlita and Kaz James for what is sure to be one of the more unique and exciting parties of the week. 6 p.m. Saturday, March 28, at Hia- leah Park Casino, 2200 E. Fourth Ave., Hi- aleah; 305-885-8000; hialeahparkcasino. com. Tickets cost $85 to $200 via dice.fm. STEVE AOKI AND FRIENDS AT E11EVEN MIAMI Steve Aoki may be celebrating 30 years of Dim Mak at Ultra, but we’re sure his ap- pearance at E11even is going to be just as wild, if not more. The club, in particular, is known for its over-the-top, upscale decadence, making for one of the more chaotic nights of the week, as the EDM veteran is sure to deliver one hell of a show. 8 p.m. Saturday, March 28, at E11even Miami, 29 NE 11th St., Miami; 305-829-2911; 11miami.com. Tickets cost $82.63 via speakeasygo.com. Party Up from p5 20 26 Martinez Brothers photo Orbita may be their most ambitious live experience yet.
