It’s less than a month away, and we’re starting to get restless. All day we dream of The BPM Festival in Playa del Carmen, Mexico – a 10-day marathon dance party with the some of the biggest talent on the scene right now.
And whom do we have to thank for this extravagant getaway, now celebrating its fifth year anniversary? You can start with Craig Pettigrew, director and co-founder of the event. We chatted it up with Pettigrew to find out more about the town, the bookings and the party.
This year, mybeatFix is taking you with us The BPM Festival! Make sure to check back for some footage, pics and reviews!
Check out the full lineup and schedule below the interview, and watch an interview video Jamie Jones, Seth Troxler and Damian Lazarus from BPM 2011!
Official title: Director & Co-Creator BPM festival
Most memorable moment at BPM 2011: Too many to mention but probably the after-party where I got to enjoy myself the most was with Marco Carola playing all day in our friend’s villa.
Most anticipated set for BPM 2012: The entire festival is going to be EPIC. That’s why we do it for 10 days so we can see all our favorite artists.
Congratulations on five years of The BPM Festival! What is it about Playa del Carmen that makes it a great city to host the festival in?
The people are amazing! We always get such a great vibe from the locals. The vibe of the city is really special and it feels like a small village rather than a huge city. It’s also a walking city so you can pretty much walk everywhere you need to go — from the beach to the bars, restaurants and clubs.
Is there any concern that the festival could eventually become bigger than what Playa can handle? The population in Playa is about 150,000 – that’s just as many people as attended Ultra Music Festival 2011 in Miami.
That’s always been in the back of our minds, but we always book talent that we believe is top notch but not super popular in the mainstream. That way we can keep the quality of people high and the numbers at a rate the city and the festival could grow with.
The lineup for BPM 2012 is incredible, and so diverse! Is there a certain ideology behind the artists that the festival books and promotes?
We all really love what we do and have been listening to house music for 20 years, so for us, we’re just throwing parties we all want to be at.
How has the festival grown in the past years as far as artists, venues and hotels involved?
When we first started we really had to call in favors to get DJs to play. Now it’s really become a must-stop on their tour itineraries, so we really have most of the line-up completed roughly a year in advance. The venues have always been super supportive of the Festival. That’s why we do different events in all of the various venues that have been around since day one. The hotels have also been really great in not getting greedy and trying to overcharge guests during the 10 days. We really think that’s important so that we can make the festival affordable to everyone who likes good music. That’s been key in getting the right crowd out.
The BPM Festival full Lineup and schedule of events
The BPM Festival Lineup: Adam K, Addy, Afrilounge, Ambivalent, Andrew Grant, Antonio Piacquadio, Art Department, Behrouz, Bioniq, Black Light Smoke, Boris, Carlo Lio, Cedric Gervais, Craig Pettigrew, Crazy Larry, D-Paack, D. Ramirez, Damian Lazarus, Damian Romero, Damian Uzabiaga, Dan Ghenacia, Daniel Dubb, Danny Daze, Danny Howells, Danny Tenaglia, Danny Torrence, Dave Powers, Davide Squillace, Dead Seal, Deniz Kurtel, Digitalique, Dirty South, DJ Draggon, DJ Lukas, DJ Sneak, Donovan, Dory, Droog, Dubfire, Dyed Soundorom, Endo, Fary, Frank & Tony, Fredo Cortez, Funkagenda, Gaiser live, German Wagener, Gregorythme (live), Guti live, Guy Gerber, Halo, Heidi, Hoj, James Teej, Jamie Jones, Jeff Gold, Joee Cons, John Digweed, Jojo Flores, Jonny Cruz, Julien Loreto, Kate Simko, Kenyon Clidero, Lauren Lane, Lee Burridge, Lee Foss, Lee Jones, Leon, Loco Dice, Louie Fresco, Luca Bacchetti, Manzone & Strong, Mar-c, Marco Carola, Mark Henning, Mark Knight, Marko Nastic, Martin Buttrich, Matthew Dekay, Matthias Tanzmann, Max Jacobson, Metrika, Michelangelo, MightyKat, Miguel Puente, Mike Khoury, Mike Montano, Miketrix, Mobius Strum, Mr. C, Muan, My Favorite Robot, Naveen G, Neno, Nic Fanciulli, Nick Curly, Nik Nik, Niko Glenn, Nina Kraviz, Nitin, Nymra + Sofisticated, Omar Labastida, Paskal & Vesselinov, Peter Bailey, Pillowtalk (live), Pleasurekraft, Puente + Rosch, Richie Hawtin, Richie Santana, Richy Ahmed, Robbie Akbal, Robert James, Rodrigo Madrid, Ross Evana, Russ Yallop, Saeed Younan, Sean Miller, Sebo K, Serge Devant, Shaun Reeves, Shdwplay (live), Simon Baker, Soul Clap, Stacey Pullen, Steve Angello, Steve Aries, Steve Lawler, Tanner Ross, Tara Brooks, Tato, The Junkies, The Midnight Perverts, Three, Thugfucker, tINI, Tini Tun, Uppercut, Wolf + Lamb, XO-Chic and more to be announced!
The BPM Festival 2012 Day Events
December 30 Niko Glenn / Antonio Piacquadio / Julien Loreto / Miketrix @ Kool Beach Club
December 31 Mike Montano / Neno / German Wagener @ Kool Beach Club
January 1 Michelangelo / The Midnight Perverts / Digitalique @ Kool Beach Club
January 1 Digital Delight label showcase: Puente + Rosch / Wildkats / Damian Uzabiaga @ Canibal Royal
January 2 Lauren Lane / Tini Tun / Mar-C / Nik Nik @ Kool Beach Club
January 2 Akbal Music label showcase: special guest Sebo K + Afrilounge / Robbie Akbal / Muan / Fredo Cortez / Mobius Strum / Max Jacobson / Dave Powers @ Canibal Royal
January 3 John Digweed / Craig Pettigrew / Paskal & Vesselinov / Jeff Gold @ Kool Beach Club
January 3 Life and Death vs Scissor & Thread label showcase: Thugfucker / Pillowtalk (live) / Frank & Tony / Black Light Smoke @ Mamita’s Beach Club
January 4 Daniel Dubb / Endo + special guests TBA via BPM Twitter @thebpmfestival and Facebook @ Kool Beach Club hosted by Bal en Blanc
January 4 Cityfox showcase: Gregorythme (live) / Lee Jones / Mark Henning + Listed artists @ Mamita’s Beach Club hosted by Listed Productions
January 5 Julien Loreto / Rodrigo Madrid + special guests TBA via BPM Twitter @thebpmfestival and Facebook @ Kool Beach Club
January 5 ***BPM 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY EVENT*** Therapy line-up TBA @ Blue Parrot Beach Club
January 5 ***BPM 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY EVENT*** My Favorite Robot label showcase: special guest Shaun Reeves + James Teej / My Favorite Robot / Metrika / Donovan / Jonny Cruz @ Canibal Royal
January 6 Saved label showcase: Nic Fanciulli / Matthias Tanzmann / Stacey Pullen / Ross Evana @ Kool Beach Club
January 6 No.19 Music label showcase: Art Department / Nitin / Deniz Kurtel / Tanner Ross / Dead Seal / Louie Fresco / Miguel Puente @ Canibal Royal
January 6 Give It to Me Old School: Addy @ Blue Parrot Beach Club
January 7 Toolroom Knights: Mark Knight / Adam K / D. Ramirez / Nik Nik @ Kool Beach
January 7 All Day I Dream: Lee Burridge + special guest Matthew Dekay @ Mamita’s Beach Club
January 7 Therapy line-up TBA @ Blue Parrot Beach Club
January 8 Hed Kandi: Steve Aries / Nik Nik / Kenyon Clidero @ Kool Beach
January 8 Hot Creations vs Crosstown Rebels: Richy Ahmed / Robert James / Russ Yallop / Danny Daze + more! @ Mamita’s Beach Club
The BPM Festival 2012 Night Events
December 30 Danny Howells / Sean Miller / Omar Labastida @ Blue Parrot Beach Club
December 30 Air London presents A Night in the Air: Simon Baker / Kate Simko / Nitin / Bioniq @ TBA
December 31 ***NYE 2012*** Circo Loco & The BPM Festival present Danny Tenaglia / Luca Bacchetti / Andrew Grant @ Blue Parrot Beach Club
January 1 Cecille Label showcase: Nick Curly / DJ Sneak / Neno @ Blue Parrot Beach Club
January 1 Superfreq: Mr. C / Three / XO-Chic / Damian Romero @ La Santanera
January 2 Viva Music showcase: Steve Lawler / Lee Burridge / Leon @ Blue Parrot Beach Club hosted by Vessel/Base San Francisco
January 2 Heidi presents the Jackathon vs Varsity All Stars: Heidi / Crazy Larry / Mike Khoury / Naveen G / Mar-c / Dory @ La Santanera
January 3 Sci-Tec label showcase: Dubfire / Davide Squillace / Carlo Lio / Shadwplay (live) / The Junkies @ Blue Parrot Beach Club
January 3 Clandestine Agency showcase: Guy Gerber / Nina Kraviz / Tato / Fary @ La Santanera
January 4 Movement + BPM present Minus showcase: Richie Hawtin / Gaiser (live) / Ambivalent @ Blue Parrot Beach Club
January 4 Dirty South / Serge Devant / Joee Cons @ Pink Elephant
January 4 Culprit label showcase: Lee Foss / Droog / Dan Ghenacia / Nymra & Sofisticated / Mightykat @ La Santanera
January 5 ***BPM 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY EVENT*** Desolat label showcase: Loco Dice / Martin Buttrich (live) / tINI / Guti (live) @ Blue Parrot Beach Club
January 5 ***BPM 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY EVENT*** Cedric Gervais / Funkagenda / Manzone and Strong @ Pink Elephant
January 5 ***BPM 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY EVENT*** Soul Clap / Wolf + Lamb @ La Santanera
January 6 Stereo MTL presents Marco Carola all night @ Blue Parrot Beach Club
January 6 Boris / Richie Santana / Peter Bailey / Danny Torrence @ Pink Elephant
January 6 Jojo Flores / Halo @ La Santanera
January 7 Steve Angello / Uppercut @ Blue Parrot Beach Club hosted by Glow DC
January 7 Rebel Cave: Damian Lazarus / Jamie Jones / Art Department @ Alux Cave
January 7 Younan Music showcase: Saeed Younan / Pleasurekraft / Addy / Tara Brooks @ La Santanera
January 8 BPM closing party: Behrouz / Marko Nastic @ Blue Parrot Beach Club
