There has been lots of speculation regarding the special meaning behind the end of the Mayan Calendar on the date 12/21/2012… is it the apocalyptic End of the World? A dawning of a new era? The astronomic crossing of our galaxy through another? For many partygoers it means “get your pale, winter fat body to the gym! BPM Festival is only 2 weeks away!”
That’s right, Playa Del Carmen becomes THE destination for music-loving tourists, international dj and ardent partiers as the 6th annual BPM begins on Friday, January 4th 2013 with a non-stop 10 day schedule packed with amazing musical talent. I didn’t think it would be possible to top the 2012 special Fifth anniversary line-up, but the organizers of BPM have once again upped the ante and given us a jackpot of artists from just about every dance music genre.
You love Techno? We have Richie Hawtin and his Minus Showcase, Sven Vath and his Cocoon party, or Marco Carola’s epic Music On all-nighter.
Or do you prefer some big-room house music? We have Luciano’s Ibiza smash hit Cadenza party, Sander Van Doorn or the legendary Danny Tenaglia
If you wanna dig deeper and get into the more underground sounds, then BPM is where you want to be with the Crosstown Rebels crew famous Rebel Rave party or Berlin label Innervisions Showcase with Dixon. Two of the most popular weekly parties from Ibiza’s notorious DC-10 club will be transported to the Coco Maya beach club: “Paradise” from the Hot Creations label featuring Jamie Jones and Lee Foss bumping some deep gangsta house and “Circo Loco” starring Resident Advisor poll topping djs Seth Troxler, Maceo Plex and Tale of Us.
And that’s just some of the nighttime events…
The daytime lineup is equally amazing with both Sasha and Digweed booked to play at the Kool Beach pool parties (unfortunately they are not playing B2B… maybe they can work on that for 2014). I expect some great things from Toronto label No. 19 Music’s Social Experiment party featuring a 4 hour set from Art Department Ialong with live music from Tone of Arc and Massive Attack’s Martina Topley Bird. My favorite daytime party from last year is also returning: Lee Burridge’s “All Day I Dream” is back on the beach at Mamita’s for another epic magic carpet ride of mesmerizing emotional house music… not to be missed!
For those of you who have been to BPM before, there have been some changes to bear in mind. The daytime events on the beach will now require a ticket for entry. Considering the caliber of talent they are providing and the increasing popularity of this festival, a $15 ticket for parties at Mamita’s or Canibal Royal or $25 ticket for Kool Beach is still a bargain (especially compared to the overpriced Miami pool party tickets).
Another welcome change is the addition of some new night time venues like the Coco Maya Beach Club for some night time parties. This club has a really large capacity and is located right next to the famous Blue Parrot night club and just down the street from the more intimate La Santanera. They have also moved the Rebel Rave out of the always overcrowded and sweaty Alux Cave venue to the lovely open-air Blue Venado beach club where you can party and dance on the beach and watch the sun come up.
If you are a music junkie or just love to party-hop, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you purchase a VIP wristband that will allow you to really get a taste of all the musical flavors BPM Festival has to offer. The festival organizers have really made this easy to do by selecting venues that are easy walking distance from each other like Kool Beach and Mamita’s. The wristband also allows you to go in and out of parties if you need to recharge with a taco or a slice of pizza. They’ve even added different wristband options depending on which weekend you will be going to BPM.
(True diehards will be there for the full 10 days: Are you up for the challenge?)
Sure, there are lots of cool touristy things to do in the Yucatan Peninsula… you can go the Mayan Ruins in Tulum or Chichen Itza, go swimming in a cenote or go snorkeling in Cozumel… But with BPM’s star-studded line-up and plethora of sonic delights, I recommend staying for an extra week after the festival to do that stuff so you won’t miss any of the fun parties.
Oh, and how can I forget, they have Carl Cox too! I don’t know how they can possibly top this lineup!
BPM Festival 2013 – What to Know!
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