Miami, FL (City of Miami) - The Saturday following Thanksgiving has always served the 'soft' opening of the legendary Miami winter season. But now it's official: The season starts with Bang!
More than 15,000 revelers are expected to celebrate the start of the Miami 2005-06 season on Saturday, November 26, 2005 during this 13-hour, outdoor party-a-thon - the first-annual Bang! Music Festival. www.bangmusicfestival.com
Headliners include Bad Boy Bill, Chicks on Speed, DJ Dan, Doc Martin, Tiefschwarz, Robbie Rivera, ATB, Judge Jules, Front 242, Peace Division, Spam All-Stars, ICEY, and Jose Padilla (Café del Mar). They top a roster of more than 60 artists who will perform on six stages spread across 35 sprawling acres on Miami's waterfront. The lush locale is Bicentennial Park, situated across South Beach, on Biscayne Bay, next to the American Airlines Arena.
More than just another mega outdoor 'club' party with a singular music message, Bang! aims to be a preview of all that Miami promises for the season ahead. So rather than limiting itself to a purely house music format like similar dance events which have come before, Bang! will be a celebration of the city's nightlife diversity, including performances by top and upcoming names in Latin, electronic, pop, retro, and house genres, presented on thematic stages.
Background:
The storied Miami season is five blissful months (December through April) of beaches, bedlam, beauty and (bare) skin - all while most of the U.S. is shoveling snow. According to the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, more than 11 million visitors from all continents and countless countries (not to mention every state in the U.S.) descend upon the city each year, most of them during this high season.
The Producer:
'The Miami season deserves its own kick-off. What we've dreamed up is an all-inclusive 'Welcoming Party' to jump-start the magic and madness,' explains Philippe Haddad, chief executive officer of Haddad Productions, LLC, which is producing the ambitious event.
Haddad, 31, is a nightlife entrepreneur who has traveled and worked throughout the world. But he has a particular passion for Miami, which he calls home. Haddad's educational background is in music, mathematics and theater. (He holds degrees from Berkeley School of Music and Boston University).
But his career materialized in Miami's nightlife scene, where in recent years, he earned a reputation as a respected VIP-room club promoter for venerable South Beach venues such as Crobar and Nerve. At Haddad Productions, he oversees a 10-member staff, which is in overdrive, booking, producing and marketing Bang! Future projects include a planned festival on the very sands of South Beach during the 2006 Winter Music Conference in March.
Collaborators:
Haddad's history and relationships with Miami's top venues has lent itself to a unique relationship for Bang! Rather than competing with the venues, Bang! is collaborating. Top clubs and promoters will be hosting special areas within Bicentennial Park to offer event-goers a very-Miami nightlife experience: Private, seated VIP bottle service lounges (and the best stage sightlines).
As Bang! will end at midnight, collaborating clubs and promoters will be hosting after-parties, including shuttles from Bicentennial Park to their velvet ropes. (The official Bang! After Party will be located two blocks away at the 4,000-capacity club Metropolis, which launched in September; headliners to be announced one week prior to the event.)
For complete, up-to-the minute details about the lineup, ticket sales, venue, and other information, visit the Bang! website at www.bangmusicfestival.com.
WHAT: Bang! The first annual Miami winter season launch party.
WHEN: Saturday, November 26, 2005 (11 a.m. to midnight)
WHERE: Bicentennial Park, Miami 1075 Biscayne Bay (next to American Airlines Arena)
WHO: 60 live acts and DJs, including . . .
Front 242, Vhs Or Beta, Chicks On Speed, Tiefschwarz, Jose Padilla, Doc Martin, Kaskade, Atb, Benny Benassi, Judge Jules, Bad Boy Bill, Dj Dan, John Acquaviva, Dj Icey, Baby Anne, Robbie Rivera, Peace Division, Jose Padilla (Café Del Mar)... complete lineup at www.bangmusicfestival.com
