Legendary live event producer Ray Steinman joins Hidden Florida & Beyond for a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the world of massive live events—from Ultra Music Festival to global productions spanning over 30 countries.

A true “behind-the-scenes” operator, Ray shares how he built a career not by being in the spotlight, but by making everything run smoothly when the spotlight turns on. He breaks down what it really takes to build a music festival from the ground up—turning an empty piece of land into a full-scale production involving stages, technology, artists, and tens of thousands of people—all while knowing something will inevitably go wrong.

The conversation dives into the reality of live event production, where there’s no such thing as a perfect show. Ray explains why every event comes with its own set of “fires” to put out, from technical failures to last-minute artist issues, and why experience is everything when it comes to adapting in real time.

He also shares wild stories from decades in the business, including managing shows during Hurricane Andrew, navigating massive crowd logistics, and dealing with unpredictable variables like weather, equipment failures, and human behavior—all while the clock is ticking.

From there, the conversation shifts into Ultra Music Festival itself—how a small, niche electronic music event evolved into a global phenomenon, and how the explosion of EDM in the mid‑2000s helped push it to another level. Ray talks about the challenges of scaling something that big, the role of technology in modern festivals, and why creating a platform for artists—not just a show—is what makes Ultra different. 

Hidden Florida & Beyond…where the real stories live beneath the surface.

Legendary live event producer Ray Steinman joins Hidden Florida &amp; Beyond for a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the world of massive live events&mdash;from Ultra Music Festival to global productions spanning over 30 countries.
A true &ldquo;behind-the-scenes&rdquo; operator, Ray shares how he built a career not by being in the spotlight, but by making everything run smoothly when the spotlight turns on. He breaks down what it really takes to build a music festival from the ground up&mdash;turning an empty piece of land into a full-scale production involving stages, technology, artists, and tens of thousands of people&mdash;all while knowing something will inevitably go wrong.
The conversation dives into the reality of live event production, where there&rsquo;s no such thing as a perfect show. Ray explains why every event comes with its own set of &ldquo;fires&rdquo; to put out, from technical failures to last-minute artist issues, and why experience is everything when it comes to adapting in real time.
He also shares wild stories from decades in the business, including managing shows during Hurricane Andrew, navigating massive crowd logistics, and dealing with unpredictable variables like weather, equipment failures, and human behavior&mdash;all while the clock is ticking.
From there, the conversation shifts into Ultra Music Festival itself&mdash;how a small, niche electronic music event evolved into a global phenomenon, and how the explosion of EDM in the mid‑2000s helped push it to another level. Ray talks about the challenges of scaling something that big, the role of technology in modern festivals, and why creating a platform for artists&mdash;not just a show&mdash;is what makes Ultra different.&nbsp;
Hidden Florida &amp; Beyond&hellip;where the real stories live beneath the surface.

Welcome to Hidden Florida and Beyond.

This is a show about the people, passions, and moments shaping culture, leadership, and influence.

Each episode dives beneath the surface with athletes, entertainers, business leaders, and cultural figures to talk ambition, discipline, success, failure, reinvention, and the paths that get people where they are. Some conversations start around major moments or careers, others wander into unexpected territory, but all of them are candid, wide-ranging, and driven by curiosity. 

Big guests. Real access. No small talk.

<ul></ul>
Welcome to Hidden Florida and Beyond.
This is a show about the people, passions, and moments shaping culture, leadership, and influence.
Each episode dives beneath the surface with athletes, entertainers, business leaders, and cultural figures to talk ambition, discipline, success, failure, reinvention, and the paths that get people where they are. Some conversations start around major moments or careers, others wander into unexpected territory, but all of them are candid, wide-ranging, and driven by curiosity. 
Big guests. Real access. No small talk.
<ul></ul>

Hidden Florida and Beyond

Ultra Music Festival Producer Ray Steinman: Behind the Scenes of Global Festivals and Live Event Production

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/6d988eda-6277-49a3-8ed9-b46c000f4e7f/transcript