BUKU Expands With 3,000 Capacity Added, New ‘Wharf’ Stage, Rooftop VIP

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BUKU Music + Art Project in New Orleans has announced an expanded site this year for its March 9-10 event, with 3,000 daily capacity added taking it to 17,500 per day and a lineup topped by Migos, Sza, Bassnectar, Lil Uzi Vert, and MGMT.

The festival’s main stage, The Power Plant stage, has been moved across the tracks, according to a festival representative, and a new “The Wharf Stage” has been added, which will feature artists including Bonobo, Lil Xan, Green Velvet and others. 

BUKU has five stages in total, taking place at Mardi Gras World ​in downtown New Orleans, with the backdrop of an abandoned early 20th Century power plant and a warehouse featuring the city’s iconic Mardi Gras floats. Also featured is live street art, custom-made industrial art installations and dozens of surprise “pop-up” performances.  

Other artists on the bill include Virtual Self, Alison Wonderland, Ganja White Night, A Day To Remember, Sylvan Esso and many others on the heavily hip-hop and electronic-leaning lineup. 

The capacity increase comes as the event has sold out and grown in attendance in recent years. 

As reported to Pollstar, the 2013 event sold out 23,788 tickets ($2.13 million gross) with a lineup including Major Lazer, Alt-J, STS9, Flying Lotus and others, while 2016’s moved 30,391 tickets and grossed $$3.08 million to see Pretty Lights, Miike Snow, Future, and A$AP Ferg among others.  at 17,500 capacity per day this year, the event would move up to 35,000. 

BUKU is put on by Winter Circle Productions, which joined with AEG Presents in 2015 to open the AEG Presents Gulf Coast office. In 2017 the company took over a lease at the 1,200-capacity Joy Theater in New Orleans and contracted with Day For Night in Houston to associate produce the festival. 

Tickets for this year’s BUKU Music + Art Project start at $100 for single-day tickets.