Belize’s First Electronic Music Festival at The Belize Ocean Club, Placencia

I arrived at The Belize Ocean Club, Placencia at about 10pm on Friday night for the kick-off party of the first Belize Electronic Music Weekend.  10pm and the party and the DJs, who would play until 5 or 6 in the morning, were just getting started.

IMG_7084

Two full days and nights of events were planned and to be honest…until a few weeks ago, I didn’t know too much about the EDM (Electronic Dance Music) scene.

electronic

Dance music, club music, dance, house, techno… I’ll admit to being WAY behind the curve on this one.  When it comes to live music festivals, what young people are listening to and even the Grammy’s (they’ve given a “Best Dance/Electronic Album” award since 2005), EDM is where it’s at.  Article after article calls it the new rock n’ roll.

I chatted with the organizer, asked her a few questions and packed my bag.

I am ALWAYS up for a trip to the gorgeous Placencia Peninsula, I love to try new hotels (especially with lagoon and mountain views like this…)

balcony vie

and I love something new and something ambitious.

This weekend is all of that.  To get in the proper mood, you can listen to what Billboard Magazine called 2014’s Best EDM Song.  “Faded” by ZHU.  I wanna give you the full effect.

The HUGE event building/bar/lounge/upstairs restaurant of the Belize Ocean Club – The Shore Club – was fully done up like a super posh night club.  It looked gorgeous…seriously professional.

During the day.

IMG_6956

IMG_6966 IMG_6968

Lovely furnishings…

IMG_6957

And that view.  Better, to me, than the ocean side.  Ambergris Caye is flat as a pancake.

IMG_7070 IMG_7071

I can think of no other indoor space that could handle an event of a couple hundred people.  This space is HUGE!  Indoor and out.

And then turned into a night club when I arrived.

IMG_6914 IMG_6901

The music was thumping…the VIP section was busy…

IMG_6907

Tents with couches and a pretty fire.

IMG_6892

IMG_6926

Inside and out, The Shore Club totally looked the part.  We SO could have been in Ibiza.

IMG_6930

And by 8am the next morning, you would hardly have known there was a party.  Nice work staff!  And good coffee and great internet?  I’m liking this spot.

IMG_6945

The party started up again at the Tipsy Tuna in Placencia Village on Saturday afternoon and lasted until midnight.   The same international list of DJs…

Sunday, the resort hosted a “Deep Chill Pool Party”.  And like their lagoon side Shore Club, this is one beautiful venue.  Great pool, GREAT LOUNGE CHAIRS…man these things are comfy and a beautiful beach.

Some pictures from the day before of the venue.

IMG_6973

IMG_6975

Modern and beautiful.  Trendy but comfortable.

IMG_6971Beautiful places to sit.  This place is really built for a HUGE crowd.

IMG_6983

And then step right out onto the beach.  Not bad…

IMG_6984 IMG_6985

And then the day of the party.  Beautiful as well…

IMG_7090

And by the pool.

IMG_7087

And the screen for the Superbowl later in the evening.  Not bad.

IMG_7079

And if you were you wondering what my suite looked like… very comfortable.

IMG_6871

IMG_6873

IMG_6874

And a shower big enough to hold a small rave in.

IMG_6875

And the outside…by the lagoon at moon rise/sun set.

IMG_7101

IMG_7104

For lots more (more beautiful and true to life) photos of the Belize Ocean club, check out their website.  This weekend and the Belize Electronic Music Festival was a risk for sure.  But whether you are a fan of the music or not, the line-up was impressive, the venues were beautiful and the lighting, sound and set-up were incredibly professional.

All the attendees that I spoke to had an amazing time.

I hope this catches on.  As cities around the world (from Playa Del Carmen to Atlanta) have seen, these types of events attract new visitors and their dollars from all over.

And the Belize Ocean Club, with it’s beautiful HUGE Shore Club, is a great spot to host it.

And for those who are interested…here is a list of the 10 biggest EDM festivals in the world.  Wild!

IMG_7085

 

Posted in: