BUKU Music + Art Project
BUKU Music + Art Project | |
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Genre | Electronic dance music, Hip hop, Indie rock |
Dates | March 22–23, 2019 |
Location(s) | New Orleans, LA |
Years active | 2012-Present |
Website | Official Website |
BUKU Music + Art Project is a New Orleans based two-day music and arts festival founded in 2012 by Winter Circle Productions and held annually at Mardi Gras World.[1][2] BUKU considers itself to be a boutique event that delivers a big festival punch without compromising its house-party vibe. BUKU seeks to serve as a platform for the intersection of pop culture and the New Orleans underground arts community, and combines international musicians with local food vendors, local visual artists, and various surprise pop-up street performers throughout the site. BUKU's musical tastes have been a relatively even mix of electronic dance music, hip hop music, and indie rock featuring past performances by Bassnectar, Virtual Self, Kid Cudi, Migos, MGMT, Travis Scott, A$AP Rocky, Illenium, Nas, Explosions in the Sky, Major Lazer, Alt-J, TV on the Radio, A Day to Remember, REZZ, Flosstradamus, Sleigh Bells, Earl Sweatshirt, Porter Robinson, Die Antwoord, RL Grime, Seth Troxler, Purity Ring, Jamie Jones and dozens of others.[3][4][5]
Location and Stages
The festival is held on the New Orleans riverfront at Mardi Gras World, within walking distance of the Warehouse District and the famed French Quarter. BUKU's unique stages include the Power Plant (outside along the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad with the spooky Market Street Power Plant as the backdrop), the Ballroom (a concert hall with wrap around balcony viewing), the Back Alley (tucked away with the feel of a secret riverside dance party), which was replaced by the Wharf Stage in 2018, and the Float Den (one of the leading Mardi Gras float production houses).[1][4] Being on the Mississippi River allows BUKU fans incredible views of the Crescent City Connection bridge while boats and barges roll along the river.[6] The Creole Queen riverboat (2012-2017) docked next to the festival, acting as the VIP-only S.S. BUKU for the weekend, with an open bar, special performances and a viewing area of the main stage from the boat's top deck.[4]
In 2018, the festival doubled the size of its site space outside Mardi Gras World and increased its capacity to another 3,000 people each day, totaling 35,000 across its two-day event.[7] This site expansion allowed BUKU to move the Power Plant Stage across the train tracks for even more space, including the new TOO BUKU Rooftop providing VIP ticket holders a perfect view of the main stage. The Wharf Stage, which replaced the Back Alley Stage, is located next to the Mississippi River where the Power Plant Stage used to be. Another big change was the departure of the river boat and the addition of the new VIP Stage, located behind the Float Den.
Artwork
In addition to the musical performances, BUKU features installations by prevalent local and national artists.[6] Sculptures, paintings, graffiti, and other mediums are all included, including the annual live gallery, the pieces of which are created in real time during the festival's two days and auctioned off to fans to raise money for charity.[2] In 2013, the festival worked with over 20 artists and designers to put together pieces that were mostly interactive or integrated into the experience of the festival, including Fort BUKU made out of shipping containers and dredge netting creating a fun place for fans to hang and watch the main stage.[8] BUKU also focuses on an all illustrated branding approach conceptualized by Los Angeles-based music and art enigma Young & Sick, who also made his debut festival performance on the Float Den stage at BUKU in 2014.
Lineup
2012
March 17, 2012
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March 18, 2012
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2013
2014
March 21, 2014
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March 22, 2014
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2015
March 13, 2015
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March 14, 2015
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2016
March 11, 2016
VIP
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March 12, 2016
VIP
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2017
March 10, 2017
VIP
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March 11, 2017
VIP
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2018
March 9, 2018
VIP (Presented by Space Yacht)
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March 10, 2018
VIP (Presented by Brownies + Lemonade)
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See also
References
- 1 2 McGovern, Kyle (December 5, 2012). "BUKU Music + Art Project Returns in 2013 With Kendrick Lamar, Best Coast, Calvin Harris". SPIN.
- 1 2 Plaisance, Stacey (March 16, 2012). "Wiz Khalifa, Skrillex Set To Perform At Buku Music + Art Project Festival". Huffington Post.
- ↑ Spera, Keith (March 16, 2012). "Avicii, Wiz Khalifa and Skrillex top the bill at BUKU Festival". nola.com.
- 1 2 3 Shapiro, Benjamin. "trinidad jame$, japandroids, action bronson, flying lotus and public enemy added to new orleans' buku music and art project, noisey teams up for coverage". Vice.
- ↑ "Past Lineups - BUKU Music + Art Project". Retrieved 2015-09-19.
- 1 2 "The BUKU Music and Art Festival 2013- A Preview". Our Vinyl.
- ↑ Woodward, Alex. "What's new at Buku: the festival makes room in 2018". Gambit. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
- ↑ Fensterstock, Alison. "The Buku Music and Art Project delivered on the river, with a well-run sophomore fest". Nola.com.