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- March 15, 2022
Our Five Must-See Acts at the Return of BUKU Music + Art Project Next Weekend! Playlist and Set Times Included
With the return of BUKU Music + Art Project right around the corner, excitement and anticipation are building up across all social media platforms. The New Orleans staple is finally celebrating their 10th year, after having to pull the plug back in 2020 so close to the actual date and then still laying low throughout 2021, on March 25 and 26 next weekend. Bringing diverse artists from hip-hop, EDM, and indie together into two days and across five stages, BUKU promises attendees an unforgettable weekend that will make the wait worthwhile. Set times are below and you can also read on for our five must-see acts!
Alison Wonderland hardly needs an introduction. The Sydney-born and Los Angeles-based singer, producer, songwriter, and DJ has received a number of accolades throughout the years: “Highest Female DJ Billing Ever at Coachella”, #1 on the BIllboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums Chart twice consecutively, Billboard Dance’s “Breakout Artist of 2018” and the magazine’s 2019 Dance Issue cover star, and even though she first emerged in 2009, she still somehow seems to be getting started with drawing listeners into her unique world. With her forthcoming third album set to release on May 6, Alison Wonderland is guaranteed to drop new tracks throughout her main set on Saturday, 6 PM at Skyline, as she comes straight from a prior-day performance at Ultra Music Festival. She will also be playing a house set at the Republic NOLA afterparty on Saturday.
Speaking of house music, Denver-based DJ and producer Lane 8 has become the leading light in today’s melodic house scene. Curator of the This Never Happened imprint, Lane 8 shows are an unforgettable experience as he encourages fans to not record or take photos to create a more positive and engaging atmosphere for all attendees. Reviver is his latest album, released in January of this year, and wraps up a lifetime of musical influences into its expansive vision for modern festival stages – 80s synth-pop, electronica, indie, European techno, and beyond. It is a promising indicator for the sort of emotional set one may experience when he closes out the Wharf on Saturday, 9 PM.
Another staple in house music culture comes John Summit, hailing from Chicago, a city known for its house scene. He has quickly risen through the ranks in dance music with multiple successful releases across different labels that have sat atop Beatport’s overall chart. He has collaborated with the likes of SOFI TUKKER, Lee Foss, and Nic Fanciulli, also all notable names within the EDM industry. Having already headlined many of North America’s signature dance venues, John is set to leave his imprint on many of the most notable clubs and festivals worldwide this year. You can catch him on Friday in Ballroom, 6:15 PM.
Maxo Kream is a Houston-based emcee that positions himself as an open book in the world of gangsta rap. With a surprisingly goofy and playful demeanor, often cracking self-aware jokes and displaying a smile showcasing his good grin or trademark gap, Maxo may not fit the bill of his songs upon first impressions. But his backstory, which he shares in his latest album, Weight of the World, is a tale consisting of crime and death that would catch the attention of the most jaded followers of gangsta/trap rap. Even with his meteoric rise in the rap world, he knows that his world remains fragile, but acknowledges that strength still keeps it together. He will be packing in Ballroom on Saturday, 7:45 PM.
I had to save a personal long-time favorite for last: Glass Animals, the four-piece British indie-rock band that has taken the world by storm ever since their first album, Zaba, was released in 2014. They have since notched up over two billion streams, appeared on James Corden and Jimmy Kimmel, and toured the world to strikingly diverse audiences, from Glastonbury to Primavera and Red Rocks to Coachella. Their third and latest album, Dreamland, was recorded in London in 2019. Their most enthralling album to date, it’s a pop record of rare scope, vision, and emotional depth, and carried fans through so much of the past two years. If you want the chance to hear “Heat Waves,” the ever-popular and captivating track that made its rounds across social media again late last year, in person, do not miss Glass Animals at Skyline on Saturday, 7:50 PM.
If you somehow still need more music to listen to, you can also check out our Spotify playlist which features tracks from so many artists that we simply didn’t have the space to cover in this post. NOLA and BUKU fam, see you very soon!!
