The BPM Festival

The BPM Festival
Genre Electronic music,
Dates January 6–15, 2017
Location(s) Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Years active 2008–present
Founded by Craig Pettigrew & Philip Pulitano
Attendance 70,000+
Website www.thebpmfestival.com

The BPM Festival is an annual electronic music festival, held in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.[1]

History

The BPM Festival is an annual ten day and night electronic music festival, founded by Craig Pettigrew and Philip Pulitano, held in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. BPM, which stands for “Bartenders, Promoters, Musicians” was created in 2008 as a post-New Year’s gathering of industry professionals and has grown to a 70,000+ global gathering of DJs, producers, revelers and industry professionals featuring over 400 DJs and 80+ events.[2] BPM parties are hosted both day and night at multiple venues in Playa Del Carmen,[3] a picturesque beach town that runs along miles of soft white sand beaches and sparkling turquoise waters on the Mayan Riviera. The program is split into day and night showcases hosted by different record labels and promoters,[4] across various venues in Playa del Carmen, including beachclubs, nightclubs and even an underground restaurant[5][6][7] including DIYNAMIC, elrow, ENTER., Innervisions, Life and Death, Paradise, SCI+TEC and many more. Playa del Carmen offers a variety of affordable boutique hotels and condos, and options for dining and tourism, including ancient Mayan ruins, cenotes, aquatic sports and ecotourism.

In 2013, The BPM Festival won the "International Festival" award[8] from DJ Awards in Ibiza and in 2016 was nominated by International Dance Music Awards for "Best Music Event" for a third year in a row, as well as “Festival of the Year” at the first ever Electronic Music Awards & Foundation. In addition, The BPM Festival won "Best Festival" in the EMPO Awards in 2015 with a nomination in 2016. Now embarking on its tenth year, The BPM Festival continues to be a dance music lover's tropical paradise and the perfect winter getaway.

Approximately 35,000 people attended The BPM Festival in 2012[9] which has grown to over 70,000 from 72 countries.[10] Artists on the 2013 schedule include Richie Hawtin, Sasha, Jamie Jones, Damian Lazarus, Carl Cox, Maceo Plex, Soul Clap, Wolf + Lamb, Lee Burridge, Dixon, Loco Dice and Luciano.[4] | The 10th edition was held in January 2017, with its line-up featuring Carl Cox, Cassy, Dubfire, Erick Morillo, Guy Gerber, John Digweed, Lee Curtiss, Lee Foss, Marco Carola, Nicole Moudaber, Pete Tong, Seth Troxler, Skream, Solomun, Soul Clap, The Martinez Brothers, and Wolf + Lamb.[11] During one of its shows, organizers announced that the 2017 edition would be the final edition in Mexico, as they were considering moving the festival to Brazil or Portugal in 2018.[12]

2017 shooting

On 16 January 2017, four people were killed and fifteen were wounded by a "lone shooter" during a closing event for the festival at the Blue Parrot nightclub. A woman also died in a stampede that ensued as a result of the gunfire. Organizers identified three of the victims killed as being part of the festival's security staff. Following the shootings, an image of a narcomanta found in Playa del Carmen claiming responsibility for the incident began to circulate in the media. The message, left by the drug cartel Los Zetas, contained specific references to BPM and Philip Pulitano and stated that they "didn't get in line", and also contained threats against rival gangs. While authorities have not yet officially connected the shootings to Los Zetas, a person familiar with the matter told CBC News that the attack may have been the result of non-compliance with the gang's demands.[13][14][12] Following the shooting, it was reported that the organizers had gone into hiding.[12]

On 16 January 2017, Mayor Cristina Torres Gómez stated in El Universo that the city's stance was to no longer allow BPM's organizers to hold events there. Maria Helena Mata Pineda, president of Riviera Maya's Business Coordinating Council, called for a ban of all electronic music events in the region, stating that " We don’t want BPM here anymore, or any other similar event. We don’t want it and we thank the authorities who are listening."[15][16] On 24 January 2017, organizers released their first official statement regarding the shooting, reporting that 14 of the 15 attendees wounded had been released from hospital. The organizers also stated that news reports attributing the shooting to cartel activity were "based on speculation and misinformation from unidentified sources".[17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-01-18. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
  2. ↑ "The BPM Festival directors talk 10-year anniversary and upcoming global expansion [Interview] - Dancing Astronaut". dancingastronaut.com. Retrieved 2016-12-15.
  3. ↑ Howard, Hilary (2008-11-30). "DATEBOOK". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-12-15.
  4. 1 2 "First names announced for 2013 BPM Festival".
  5. ↑ "Truncheon Cadence Part One - DJMag.com".
  6. ↑ "Red Bull Music Academy".
  7. ↑ "BPM Festival: Cave Party".
  8. ↑ "- – 2013 Winners Announced". 2013-09-26. Retrieved 2016-12-15.
  9. ↑ "Page not found – gbcmag.com". Archived from the original on 2013-01-18.
  10. ↑ "9 Reasons Why The World's Top DJs Choose The BPM Festival". Fest300. Retrieved 2016-12-15.
  11. ↑ "The BPM Festival 2015".
  12. 1 2 3 "Mexican cartel demanded payment from BPM festival ahead of nightclub killings: source". CBC News. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  13. ↑ "Mexico BPM music festival: Reports of shootings in clubs". BBC News. 16 January 2017.
  14. ↑ "Several people dead in nightclub shooting at Mexico BPM Festival". Sky News. 16 January 2017.
  15. ↑ "Playa Del Carmen's Mayor Calls for Bans on Future BPM Events Following Shooting". Thump. Vice. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  16. ↑ "The BPM Festival Banned From Playa del Carmen After Deadly Shooting: Report". Billboard. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  17. ↑ Thump. Vice https://thump.vice.com/en_us/article/bpm-festival-shooting-statement. Retrieved 2 February 2017. Missing or empty |title= (help)
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