Photos via BUKU Music + Art Project
We’re only a FEW months away until the BUKU Music + Art Project held at Mardi Gras World in NOLA on March 22nd and 23rd. Although pushed back to the earlier months of 2019, BUKU hasn’t let us down with what they have in store.
But wait…What is BUKU?
Straight from the BUKU project, this festival describes itself as “a vibrant music and art festival mixed with underground warehouse party vibes.” With the beautiful NOLA skyline and incredible riverside backdrop, BUKU celebrates New Orleans’ progressive subculture and gives their own little twist to it called BUKULTURE. They stand by originality, creativity, freedom and community and hope attendees will feel like they’re part of the BUKrewe.
So BUKU is a Music + ART Project. Where’s the art?
Art is everywhere. New Orleans is one of the perfect places for BUKU. Especially with a venue like Mardi Gras World, there is so much art and culture to embrace while attending. Like BUKU says, “Are you looking at art or sitting on it? Does it matter? Go and immerse yourself.”
What stages should I expect?
There are many stages, actually! And we have the rundown of each and every stage for this year’s BUKU. To start off, their main stage is called the Power Plant. The Power Plant is named after the power plant located behind the stage which will feature main acts like Lana Del Rey and A$AP Rocky. In addition there is the Float Den. The Float Den is a unique stage, much like an exclusive experience in New Orleans. Last year’s acts included Jai Wolf, Alison Wonderland, Virtual Self, REZZ; and we’re excited to see which acts will grace this stage!
Other stages include The Wharf, Ballroom, Front Yard, and VIP. The Wharf is the riverside stage experience that was a huge hit in 2018 and will be returning for this year. Also included is the indoor Ballroom stage, a new and improved Front Yard stage, as well as a VIP stage for the VIP-only sets.
The stages sound cool, but I’m not familiar with some of the artists performing…
Perfect! It’s never a bad idea to explore some new genres and discover new artists. Here are several to start off, and you can do the rest once the festival arrives!
Ella Mai
An artist that quickly rose to the top of the charts is Ella Mai. Her self-titled debut album featured singles such as “Trip,” and Grammy-nominated song for Song of the Year and Best R&B Song: “Boo’d Up.” Other top artists have quickly come to notice her talent such as John Legend, who is featured on her track “Everything.”
Kero Kero Bonito
Fun fact: I actually heard of Kero Kero Bonito‘s single “Flamingo” through a meme video and I never realized that this song wasn’t made for that aforementioned video. Challenging conformity in pop, this British indie band met on an internet forum in 2013 and since then released two albums, one mixtape, and other singles like “Trampoline” and “Only Acting.”
Papadosio
Progressive-rock and space-synth outfit Papadosio have included BUKU as part of their North American Content Coma Spring Tour. Papadosio’s best known for energetic live performances; and audiences should expect incredible production and improv during their set on Saturday. So check out their title track “Content Coma” from their recent album.
Doja Cat
Doja Cat had always intended on creating “meme music” that would reach a wider audience, as stated during her video interview with Genius. And let me tell you, she did just that with her viral hit “Mooo!” Other notable tracks to look forward to are “Go To Town,” “So High” and “Body Language.”
Trombone Shorty Academy
One New Orleans native repping his hometown at BUKU is Tony Andrews or Trombone Shorty. Trombone Shorty has worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry, like ZHU and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony in their track “Hold Up, Wait a Minute.” Other artists he’s worked with and tracks he collaborated on include “Mardi Gras” by Dierks Bentley, “Overnight” by Zac Brown Band, and “Smokin’ in the Boys’ Room” by LeAnn Rimes. Listed as Trombone Shorty Academy at BUKU, we’re curious to see what surprises and acts he has in store.
Lil Jodeci
Speaking of New Orleans based artists, another NOLA performer is DJ and Producer Lil Jodeci. Lil Jodeci is known for creating unique sonic experiences with every venue he’s set to perform at. He’s also one of the co-founders of the artist collective Pink Room Project, which has a unique, punk-neo-tech genre. You can hear a sample of this genre through his “Cocaine Remix” below.
So do I go Friday or Saturday? Or Both?
Single-day or split-day lineups have arrived which you can see below and plan accordingly! On Friday we’re blessed with sets from Lana Del Rey, Excision, the Matt+Travis “From First To Last DJ Set” and more. On Saturday BUKU’s stages will be graced by Dog Blood (Skrillex x Boyz Noise), Kasbo, Mersiv, and more. In addition, New Orleans natives like Trombone Shorty Academy and Lil Jodeci will be reppin’ their hometown throughout the weekend; like Freewater, Klutch, James Seville, and Thou.
Awesome, I’m sold! Is it too late to buy passes?
So it’s not too late; you’re just in time! A variety of single-day and 2-day passes are still available for purchase here! Pass options include General Admission, GA Plus, VIP, VIP 21+, and TOO BUKU. Below is a rundown of what each pass offers so that you can see which experience you want to buy.
We only mentioned just a snippet of what to expect at BUKU, so get ready for an experience of a lifetime and see you at the 8th edition of the BUKU Music + Art project!