rickyleepotts.com | a voice of rhythm, reason, & reality

This year I spent Thanksgiving in Scottsdale, Arizona. We actually got in on Thanksgiving Day and went straight to lunch. Lunch turned to dinner, and by the time we left it was getting dark. But we needed booze. It was Thursday, we had a long day of traveling, and we needed a stiff drink before we settled in. We hopped in the car, and headed to BevMo!. BevMo is my my happy place… one of the best liquor stores around, with the best selection I have seen anywhere.

When we got to BevMo, they were closed. Duh… it’s a holiday. Why would they be open on Thanksgiving? But wait… what’s that… a Total Wine SPIRITS • BEER & MORE across the street. They were open! Total Wine is similar to BevMo. Their prices are about the same, too. They were open, so we headed over there to shop around. While walking around the store, I saw a Top 20 Wines of 2011 list. I picked one up, and starting flipping through it. Total Wine carries all of the wines listed, and Total Wine employees voted on these. It was pretty neat to see what the staff liked.

In the spirit of this list, the holidays, and sharing a good bottle of wine I have decided to share the list of the top 20 wines of 2011 with you as well. Below are the 20 wines and a brief description of each wine. I have not had them all, but this gives me something to do… let’s drink people!

#1 – CULT Cabernet • Napa, California • 90 Wine Enthusiast

The #1 wine of 2011, a 90-point Wine Enthusiast’s choice CULT Napa Valley Cabernet comes with a family of pedigrees that dates back more than 60 years. The Salvestrin family began growing grapes for local wineries with the repeal of prohibition and added winemaking to the family portfolio in 1987.

California is home to many heavy-hitting cult wines – offerings from famous winemakers that catch the eye of collectors and fetch astounding process. CULT Cabernet made the top spot on the list because it offers you the opportunity to try a great cult wine at a reasonable price. Salvestrin Winery delivers a product as good as any cult winemaker could offer; handcrafted, smooth and smoky, full-bodied Cabernet with black fruit flavors and dark chocolate nuances.

#2 – Kitchen Sink White Blend • California • 90 Wine Enthusiast

This wine makes the list because it offers everything… including the kitchen sink. This delightful blend is a party-perfect, easy-drinking fantastic value that is meant to be enjoyed, not analyzed.

(This wine is awesome. It’s cheap, and tastes great. I love sharing wine… but this wine is so good, you might want to grab a bottle for yourself!)

#3 – Domaine Mas du Bouquet Vacqueyras • 2009 France • 91 Wine Enthusiast

The Rhone Valley is a treasure trove of value, and this highly rated Grenache-Syrah blend should not be missed in the fantastic 2009 vintage.

(I have had this wine, and it is delicious. This wine goes really well with red meats and has a wonderful finish. Might be one of the better red wines I have had in 2011.)

#4 Chateau La Papeterie Montage St Emilion • 2009 France • 92 Wine Enthusiast

Savvy shoppers are seeking out values like this impressive Merlot-based red from critically acclaimed 2009 vintage in Bordeaux. Merlot is my least favorite red… but this one is worth trying.

#5 Tesoro della Regina Pinor Grigio • 2010 Italy • 91 Wine Enthusiast

The Valdadige is home to some Italy’s most complex whites, and this stunning and stylish Pinot Grigio will top your list of crisp and refreshing whites.

#6 Maipe cabernet Reserve • 2009 Argentina • 90 Wine Enthusiast

Renowned Italian winemaker Alberto Antonini makes this velvety and dark berry flavored Cabernet Sauvignon from prime Mendoza vineyards.

#7 Muirwood Chardonnay Reserve Zanetta • California • NA Wine Enthusiast

Muriwood Reserve Chardonnay reflects the family’s commitment to produce distinctive wines with great nuance and depth from their finest vineyard estates.

#8 Anam Cara Pinot Noir Nicholas Estate • 2008 Oregon • NA Wine Enthusiast

Owner Nick Nicholas grows the grapes for his outstanding 2008 vintage Pinot in Oregon’s famous Chehalem Mountain District of the Willamette Valley.

#9 Flichman Malbec Tupungato • Argentina • NA Wine Enthusiast

Allow the magic of Malbec to charm you with this plush and vibrant red from high-altitude vineyards in the prime Tupungato zone from Mendoza, Argentina.

#10 Villa Lanata Moscato d’Asti • Italy • NA Wine Enthusiast

Fragrant, fruity, lightly sparkling and delightful with desserts or as an aperitif, this delicious bubbly hails from Italy’s famous Piedmont region.

#11 Clos des Quatre Vents Fleurie • 2009 France • 91 Wine Enthusiast

Fleurie is one of the finest villages of Beaujolias and in the outstanding 2009 vintage… you won’t want to miss this medium-bodied and fabulous single-vineyard red.

#12 Radius Merlot • Washington State • NA Wine Enthusiast

Super bargains like this crowd-pleasing Merlot have earned the wines of Washington state critical acclaim and legions of loyal consumers.

#13 Sobon Zinfandel Rocky Top • California • NA Wine Enthusiast

Paul Sobon makes a firm commitment to our environment by handcrafting this outstanding Zinfandel from organic grapes at this carbon-neutral winery.

#14 Casisano Colombaio Brunelo • 2004 Italy • 90 Wine Enthusiast

Brunello is one of the most prestigious wines of Italy and owner Riccardo Ciarpella has taken his classic 2004 vintage Brunello of the top tier of the region’s greatest producers.

#15 Martin Ray Cabernet Santa Cruz • 2007 California • 90 Wine Enthusiast

The Santa Cruz Mountains have long been recognized as ideal for producing world class wines like this outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon value.

#16 Aspaldi Rioja Reserva • 2006 Spain • 90 Wine Enthusiast

Aged to perfection by the Ugarte family in Rioja Spain, this silky bargain is ready for your enjoyment.

#17 River Road Pinot Noir • Russian River Valley • NA Wine Enthusiast

Gary Mills owns vineyards smack in the heart of the Russian River Valley and is dedicated to producing world-class Pinot Noir.

(Pinot Noir is my favorite style… I follow the 20/20 rule with most wines, but I totally prefer my Pinot chilled. Not cold… slightly chilled. )

#18 Kemblefield Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough • New Zealand • NA Wine Enthusiast

Winemaker John Kemble makes the list with his racy, yet bargain-priced Sauvignon Blanc from the prestigious Marlborough region of New Zealand.

#19 Chateau Ferrand St Emilion Grand Cru • 2005 France • 90 Wine Enthusiast

The critics all agree that the 2005 vintage in Bordeaux is one of the best ever produced. Total Wine selected this Grand Cru, Merlot-based red for its excellent value.

#20 Gumdale Chardonnay • Australia • NA Wine Enthusiast

One way to stretch your wine-buying dollar is to focus on value-oriented producers like the Casella family.

Like I said, I haven’t had all of these wines, but the ones that I have had are amazing. I am excited to try more of these, as these wines will still be good into the 2012 season. I wonder if they do this every year… because that’s a really cool concept! Total Wine is known for having the lowest prices, the best service, and an incredible selection. Based on what I saw while in Arizona… I would have to agree!

Have you had any of these wines? What was your favorite 2011 wine?

Click here to “like” Total Wine on Facebook.

Click here to follow Total Wine on Twitter.

Have you guys seen this? This boggles my mind. Watching this makes me wonder what sort of damage our packages really suffer. What would you do if this was your package? I do have to give the guy props… he was brave enough to share this video and didn’t seem that upset. This was the text associated with the video on his YouTube channel:

This video has nearly 6,000,000 views and has received a ton of comments/likes/dislikes. Watching this, I don’t know if I should “like” it because the guy caught him on camera or if I should “dislike” it because the dude threw his monitor. Regardless, stuff like this makes me mad and I am glad that he got caught. Funny thing… a lot of people in the comment section are talking about UPS. They also released a video this week of a delivery man flipping off the camera and tossing a similar package. I guess the holiday stress is getting to us all!

Have you ever had a package delivered that was damaged? What would you do if this happened to you?

Tomorrow is shopping day… you know, the ONE day where I go all out and buy all of my Christmas gifts. I have been buying one or two gifts here and there, but tomorrow is what I like to call “Shop 2011!” I even told Sheryl to tweet about it using the hashtag #shop11. I take my shopping day serious, have a plan of all the stores I want to hit, and even plan in lunch and dinner. Yeah, it’s a LONG day. Last year World Market was a big hit, and this year it is on the list. From coffee cups to wine, they have it all. Anyway, as we prepare for the 2011 Christmas season, there are some gifts you should NEVER buy. Below you will see the 7 items, as seen on Yahoo! News, and my personal reason why I agree. These gifts are NOT a good idea. Here’s why!

Household Appliances

When was a blender ever a good idea for a Christmas gift? Unless you know EVERY appliance the person you are buying for has, then just skip this section. Sure a good blender would be nice. But unless the person asked for it, you are reaching. Or a toaster… who buys a toaster as a gift? Trust me, when I am ready to buy my next toaster… I will think long and hard, do my research, and buy the toaster that is best for me!

A Pet

This one is funny, because yesterday while I was driving home from work, there was an adoption center on the radio talking about this. We have seen this in the movies, but it really is a bad idea. The same thing applies here… unless the person has asked for it, he or she might not want a dog or cat. (I wonder how many people gift snakes and turtles!) Pets are a BIG deal, take a ton of effort, and cost a lot of money. If you do want to get a pet for a present, make sure the person that you are buying for has not only agreed to it, but has picked out said animal. It is better to not buy the pet than to buy a pet that won’t be loved.

Jewelry 

The Yahoo! article said “Jewelry You’ve Seen on a TV Commercial”… but still. Jewelry is expensive, unless you shop at Walmart. Unless it’s a diamond ring, and you plan to propose, skip the jewels. A watch might be nice, but I know some folks who are VERY picky about what they put on their wrist. You are taking a risk getting jewelry, and unless you KNOW for a fact that the person will like what you are buying, skip it. Wait until you can shop with said person and pick out the perfect piece.

“Every kiss begins with Kay.”

Gift Baskets

Do I really need to tell you why this is a bad idea? Talk about being lazy… Now, I will say that with caution. I have purchased gift baskets before. But as soon as I do, I open them and break the items into several other gifts. That way, even if the person has seen the gift basket before, it’s not all packaged together. That is just… well, lazy.

A Sweater

What size do I wear? What is my favorite color? Am I allergic to wool? Unless you know ALL of these, don’t buy me a sweater. You wonder where the ugly sweater party came from… it came from people buying sweaters as a gift! (I wear an XL and if I am buying a sweater, long sleeved and black is fine. I am not allergic to wool, in case you are still looking!)

Credit Card Gift Cards

Gift cards are NOT allowed in my family. This is another lazy way to shop. If you are going to get me a $25 gift card somewhere, just give me the cash. Save the trouble!

Lingerie

I don’t like shopping for this stuff WITH Sheryl, let alone by myself. What am I going to do… walk into Victoria’s Secret and ask to try something on? Creeper! It would be fun to buy some secy lingerie, but not for a gift. Especially for Christmas. Let’s think about the POINT of this holiday for a second. Do you think lingerie is the best way to get into the holiday spirit? (Being serious here guys!)

Source: http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/759/7-gifts-to-avoid-this-holiday/

Avicii, born Tim Bergling in Stockholm, releases his new video for current single Le7elsdirected by Petro and shot in Los Angeles. Le7els has already conquered club charts worldwide, climbing to No. 1 on the international Beatport chart, as well as on the club charts in Germany and Australia, while the success of prior singles Seek Bromance, Street Dancer and Fade Into Darkness have also propelled him into the ranks of superstar DJs who are able to perform to massive crowds.

Released by LE7ELS Records/Atom Empire/Interscope, the single is available now.

Avicii North American Tour Dates Confirmed

• December 27 – Flames Central in Calgary, Canada
• December 28 – Events Centre in Edmonton, Canada
• December 29 – The Warfield in San Francisco, CA.
• December 31 – Pier 94 – New York, NY

Paper Diamond (Pretty Lights Music, Elm & Oak) announces new tour dates, continuing his progression across the great expanse of America, bringing beats to every state. Paper Diamond will be stopping by New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Memphis, as well as many others in between. Paper Diamond joins Tiesto, Benny Benassi, Laidback Luke, and Diplo for Lights All Night a pre-New years Eve gala on December 30 at the Dallas Convention Center. Then kicking the New Year off to a fab start Paper Diamond will be joined by Pretty Lights, Thievery Corporation, The Glitch Mob, Bassnectar, and Theophilus London for SnowGlobe Music Festival in Lake Tahoe for a festive NYE celebration! Following that Alex B will also be performing on the Jam Cruise, which passes through Ft. Lauderdale, Haiti, and Jamaica, and features a comprehensive line-up of artists across many different genres.

Paper Diamond has been consistently touring during the fall with his musical cohorts from both Pretty Lights Music and Elm & Oak. These artists have included Michael Menert, Sorry For Partying, Minnesota, and Raw Russ. Expect to see more outstanding musical talent featured in the new leg of his tour, furthering the reputation of Pretty Lights Music and Elm & Oak for housing some of the best up and coming talent in the US. M Machine who is signed to Skrillex’s label OWSLA joins on dates January 18-28.

Winter Tour Dates

• December 1 – Webster Hall, New York, NY
• December 2 – Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA
• December 3 – The Filmore, Silver Spring, MD
• December 16 – Three20South, Breckenridge, CO
• December 30 – Dallas Convention Center, Dallas, TX
• December 31 – SnowGlobe Festival, Lake Tahoe, NV
• January 7 – Belly Up Aspen, Aspen, CO
• January 9 – 1/14/12 – Jam Cruise 10, Ft. Lauderdale, Haiti, Jamaica
• January 18 – The Venue at the Hub, Fargo, ND
• January 19 – Varsity Theater, Minneapolis, MN
• January 20 – Winter Warmer Fest, Oconomowoc, WI
• January 21 – Clutch Cargo’s Pontiac, MI
• January 25 – Bluebird Theater, Bloomington, IN
• January 26 – Majestic Live, Madison, WI
• January 27 – Bottom Lounge, Chicago, IL
• January 28 – Laird Room, University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, WI
• February 1 – Awful Arthur’s, Blacksburg, VA
• February 4 – The Orange Peel, Asheville, NC
• February 8 – The Engine Room, Tallahassee, FL
• February 9 – Bourbon Street Bar, Auburn, AL
• February 10 – Newby’s, Memphis, TN
• February 11 – Cam’s Ballroom, Tulsa, OK

Paper Diamond is following up the first Turnt Up Tour Webisode, which features Paper Diamond, Michael Menert, and Sorry For Partying, with a second Webisode. This edition features Paper Diamond, Two Fresh, and Sorry For Partying, and chronicles their experiences on the road, including of course the sounds and sights of the music and fans.

“Can We Go Up” offers a choppy dance anthem, complete with Hoover synths and electronic strings, but rearranged for a hyper dance floor.” – Interview Magazine

“Paper Diamond’s sound has the capacity to make a packed dancefloor vibe as one.” — Huffington Post

“He mixes dubstep’s hard-hitting beats with synthesizing sounds that make you want to dance.” -Hipster Overkill

After the smash success of the third annual Electric Zoo, Made Event is pleased to announce that early bird passes for Electric Zoo 2012 go on sale today at 1:00 PM EDT. Buy your early bird pass at www.electriczoofestival.com. The supply is very limited, so don’t miss out! Electric Zoo 2012 will take place at Randall’s Island Park, New York City, on Labor Day Weekend, August 31 to September 2, 2012.

Official Electric Zoo 2011 Recap Video

The Official Electric Zoo 2011 Recap Video has just been released! Recapture a glimpse of the magic that was Electric Zoo 2011 in this official post-festival recap video!

Electric Zoo is also working with Music Unites, a 501(c)3 non-profit, to auction off a CDJ-2000 provided on behalf of Pioneer DJ and signed by Electric Zoo 2011 artists: 12th Planet, ATB, Beardyman, Benny Benassi, Big Gigantic, BT, Calvin Harris, Daedelus, Egyptrixx, Fake Blood, Felguk, Gabriel & Dresden, Gui Boratto, Guti, James Holden, Jaytech, Michael Woods, MiMOSA, Sander Van Doorn, Serge Devant, Sidney Samson, Steve Bug, Sub Focus, The M Machine, The Martinez Brothers, Tiga and TOKiMONSTA. In addition, the auction includes 2 general admission tickets to Electric Zoo 2012. All the revenue generated from the auction goes to Music Unites to bring music education to underprivileged children in underfunded inner city school systems.

About Electric Zoo

Electric Zoo: New York’s Electronic Music Festival now in its 3rd year, featured more than 100 of the world’s biggest electronic music talent, including DJs and live acts, providing the finest techno, trance, house, dubstep, electro, indie dance music and more across four stages on beautiful Randall’s Island Park. Electric Zoo received a coveted IDMA nomination for “Best U.S. Festival” and “Best Music Event” by URB magazine, as well as press coverage from major media outlets like CNN, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, Village Voice, Time Out New York, New York Post, The Source, DJ Mag, Mixmag and Ocean Drive, establishing it as New York City’s premier electronic music festival as well as a top American event. After a sold-out capacity crowd of 50,000 over 2 days in 2010, Electric Zoo expanded to a new 3-day format with over 85,000 attendees in 2011. This year’s lineup included headlining sets by: Tiësto, David Guetta and Armin van Buuren with Moby, Above & Beyond, Afrojack, Benny Benassi, Boys Noize, Calvin Harris, Carl Cox, Diplo, Richie Hawtin, Skrillex and many more.

About Made Event

Made Event, helmed by Mike Bindra and Laura De Palma, working with a team of industry leaders, is committed to excellence in the programming, promotion, and production of electronic dance music events. They stand at the vanguard of their field due to the world-renowned caliber of entertainment and expert production values they bring into a variety of distinctive and innovative venues. In 2009, Made Event launched the inaugural Electric Zoo and was nominated for “Promoter of the Year” by URB magazine and “Best Music Event” and “Best Event Promoter” by the International Dance Music Awards for the best of 2010. With over 25 years of combined experience, and over 400 successful events produced in New York City and Miami, Made Event continues to set the bar for quality electronic music events.

Following the success of his previous single – the massive Alive – Dirty South teams up with fellow Australian DJ/ Producers Those Usual Suspects to produce Walking Alone – THE anthem of fall 2011; available now from Beatport.

Walking Alone has been buzzing well in advance of its release thanks to the mighty Swedish House Mafia who named it “essential new tune” during their takeover of Pete Tong’s legendary Friday night Radio 1 show. Swedish House Mafia had carte blanche when it came to choosing a track to make their “essential new tune” and they chose Walking Alone Since then the track has become a favorite in the sets of top DJs including Tiësto, Kaskade, Avicii, Armin Van Buuren and many more.

In support of Walking Alone Dirty South embarked on his largest ever North American tour. The tour got underway at Nocturnal Wonderland and closes out in mid-November with pre-Thanksgiving gigs in New York City and a twin bill in Miami. See below for the entire tour schedule.

• October 28 – Voodoo Festival in New Orleans, LA
• October 29 – Fur in Washington, DC
• November 11 – Pacha in New York, NY
• November 12 – Mansion in Miami, FL
• November 13 – Set in Miami, FL

Click here to follow Dirty South on Twitter.

Click here to “like” Dirty South on Facebook.

Click here to watch Dirty South on YouTube.

Cats and trolls and phantoms do indeed roam through the night, and the Indianapolis Children’s Choir will bring these creatures to life in an evening of family-friendly spooky music where admission for kids is only $5. In its first ever Halloween-themed concert, you’ll enjoy songs not only from two of the ICC’s advanced choirs, but from ICC accompanist Martin Ellis offering a variety of ghoulish organ music on the Grand Kimball pipe organ.

Participating choirs are Bel Canto, led by Josh Pedde and Kantorei, led by Ruth Dwyer. Spooky selections include a song simply title Cat, a song about witches called Hist Whist, and Black Snake Wind, a haunting Native American piece. In addition, Bel Canto will present a special performance of O Fortuna , Carl Orff’s iconic ode to fate. Ellis, who appears frequently with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, will regale the crowd with classic television theme songs and selections from Phantom of the Opera. Tickets are now on sale!

• Kids 12 yrs. & under $5
• Adults  $12 in advance, $13 at the door

Purchase tickets at www.icchoir.org or by calling. 317-940-9640. You can also purchase tickets at the ICC office located in Lilly Hall, next to Clowes Hall on the campus of Butler University.

About the ICC

In its 26th season, the Indianapolis Children’s Choir has grown to one of the largest children’s choirs in the world. Founded by Artistic Director Henry Leck, the ICC serves nearly 2,500 central Indiana children from pre-school age through high school.  (The Indianapolis Youth Chorale is the choir comprised completely of high school students.)  The Indianapolis Children’s Choir has performed in a wide variety of professional settings, helping set a standard of excellence in children’s choral music.   The organization is comprised of 17 choirs, many which rehearse on the campus of Butler University as well as several regional locations.  A non-auditioned preparatory choir program for grades 1 – 3 is offered as well.

Below watch a short video on the ICC new season-KALEIDOSCOPE of SONG! I also want to thank Laura Neidig, the ICC Marketing Director, for continuing to share these stories with me. She is doing her best to spread the word, and I am happy to help any time she needs an outlet!

The BPM Festival is proud to present the first phase of the 2012 artist lineup, featuring 150+ of the world’s best DJs and producers returning to the sunny shores of Playa del Carmen on the Riviera Maya for a blow-out fifth year anniversary from December 30, 2011 – January 8, 2012.

The BPM festival phase one artist line-up includes Art Department, Behrouz, Boris, Carlo Lio, Cedric Gervais, Damian Lazarus, Dan Ghenacia, Daniel Dubb, Danny Howells, Danny Tenaglia, Davide Squillace, Deniz Kurtel, Dirty South, DJ Sneak, Droog, Dubfire, Dyed Soundorom, Gaiser live, Guti live, Guy Gerber, Heidi, James Teej, Jamie Jones, Lee Burridge, Lee Foss, Leon, Loco Dice, Luca Bacchetti, Marco Carola, Martin Buttrich, Matthias Tanzmann, Marko Nastic, Nic Fanciulli, Nick Curly, Pleasurekraft, Richie Hawtin, Saeed Younan, Sean Miller, Simon Baker, Soul Clap, Stacy Pullen, Steve Angello, Steve Lawler, Tanner Ross, tINI, Wolf + Lamb and many more to be announced.

For NYE 2012, The BPM Festival & Circo Loco present Grammy-nominated New York DJ legend Danny Tenaglia and Italy’s Hideout Music boss Luca Bacchetti to ring in the new year at Blue Parrot for an EPIC celebration on December 31, 2011.

“10 Best International Parties” – Mixmag

“BPM Festival has delivered a truckload of house and techno to an extraordinarily idyllic Mexican beach resort at the start of every year since 2008. This year, celebrating its fifth anniversary, it’s expected to be ten times the size of the inaugural event. The countdown has begun.” – DJ Mag

“I’ve been fortunate enough to have been a part of the BPM Festival since the beginning and have seen it grow to such an important, communal and positive gathering of fans and talent over the past 5 years. I look forward to doing my best to help take it to the next 5 and beyond!” – Dubfire

“BPM is very important for me because it’s such a great way to start the year, with so many great parties happening that week.” – Marco Carola

“…It’s grey and shitty in most parts of the world in January and the Playa is calling! I’ve had great experiences there in recent years so looking forward to returning.” – Richie Hawtin

“First off Playa del Carmen is where my wife and I got married, and with the who’s who in our music scene playing down there during the cold winter months is even better, perfect get-away after the holidays.”  – Stacey Pullen

“We have been hosting VIVa MUSiC Events there since it started back in 2008, and what always makes this special is the locations you can throw the party’s in and the people who attend BPM, We have always done our VIVa MUSiC Party’s at the Blue Parrot as we will this coming BPM Festival in 2012 and the atmosphere has been incredible.” – Steve Lawler

NYE 2012, 3-Day NYE Weekend VIP, 7-Day VIP, 10-Day VIP wristbands are now available at bpm.wantickets.com.

About The BPM Festival

The BPM Festival is an annual world-class electronic music festival which takes place in idyllic Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, heralding in the new year. Originally designed as an elite dance music industry networking event, the festival has morphed into an international mélange of electronic music lovers, DJs, producers, revelers and partygoers. Named one of Mixmag’s 10 Best International Parties, the BPM Festival in 2011 hosted 120 of the best DJs and producers playing day and night for 10 sun-drenched days in the beautiful Mexican Caribbean featuring world class international DJs and producers, which in the past has included: Behrouz, Damian Lazarus, Dubfire, Guy Gerber, Jamie Jones, Laidback Luke, Lee Burridge, Loco Dice, Marco Carola, Richie Hawtin, Seth Troxler, Stacey Pullen, Steve Angello, Steve Lawler, and many more. BPM parties are hosted both day and night at multiple venues around the beautiful resort town, tucked into the coastline of the Mayan peninsula, warm turquoise Caribbean waters, white sand beaches, mysterious jungles and ancient ruins. With a variety of luxurious and affordable boutique hotels and endless number of places for dining, dancing, beach parties and clubbing, the BPM Festival is a perfect opportunity for music lovers and party-goers all around the world to escape winter and revel in the sun.

Click here to follow BPM Festival on Twitter.

Click here to “like” BPM Festival on Facebook.

Click here to watch BPM Festival on YouTube.

This New Year’s Eve 2012, The BPM Festival & Circo Loco present Grammy-nominated New York DJ legend Danny Tenaglia and Italy’s “Hideout Music boss” Luca Bacchetti to ring in the new year at Blue Parrot in crazy circus style on December 31, 2011. The 10-day BPM Festival kicks off on December 30th through January 8th, celebrating its fifth anniversary this year. To ring in the end of the Mayan calendar, BPM is teaming up with the infamous Circo Loco party brand, known internationally for its hedonistic underground house and techno after-parties in Ibiza. The colorful carnival touches down on the shores of the Mexican Caribbean for this blow out New Year’s Eve party.

The BPM Festival lineup with 150+ artists to be announced shortly – be sure to “like” them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter for the upcoming announcement!

Danny Tenaglia’s rise to fame started in his native New York, where he was a resident at every big room throughout the ‘90s, including Roxy, Limelight, Tunnel, Twilo and most notably at Vinyl, where his “Be Yourself” party allowed him to recreate the vibe of the club that had changed his life: The Paradise Garage. Tenaglia has been hailed as the “DJ’s DJ”, with awards that include the Dancestar Lifetime Achievement, Club World Awards Best Resident DJ and a GRAMMY nomination for Best Remixed Recording of Depeche Mode’s I Feel Loved. With a discography spanning over twenty years, Danny Tenaglia has altered the course of dance music history with his combination of classic, soulful groove and modern, club-ready depth, both at the decks and in the studio. He spins legendary sets as his fanbase has continues to grow worldwide.

Italy’s Luca Bacchetti is one of the foremost proponents of the seminal swing sound coming from the peninsula and abroad. Currently residing in Barcelona, this DJ/producer spreads his signature twists and musical turns through myriad productions released and remixes on Ovum, Crosstown Rebels, Wagon Repair, Be As One, Supernature, Tenax, Safari Electronique, Sci+Tec and of course, Hideout Music, the label he runs with Davide Squillace. Named Beatport’s Best Artist in 2008, his incomparable style showcases a unique ear for rarity, adding in a sexiness uncommon among his peers. Equally versed at moving a dark basement club to fits of revelry as he is to casting a deep shadow across a sunny beach party, his duality of emotion inspires his many releases and the clubbing masses from Berlin to Tokyo.

About The BPM Festival

The BPM Festival is an annual world-class electronic music festival which takes place in idyllic Playa del Carmen, Mexico, heralding in the new year. Originally designed as an elite dance music industry networking event, the festival has morphed into an international mélange of electronic music lovers, DJs, producers, revelers and partygoers. Named one of Mixmag’s 10 Best International Parties, the BPM Festival in  2011 hosted 120 of the best DJs and producers playing day and night for 10 sun-drenched days in the beautiful Mexican Caribbean featuring world class international DJs and producers, which in the past has included: Behrouz, Damian Lazarus, Dubfire, Guy Gerber, Jamie Jones, Laidback Luke, Lee Burridge, Loco Dice, Marco Carola, Richie Hawtin, Seth Troxler, Stacey Pullen, Steve Angello, Steve Lawler, and many more. BPM parties are hosted both day & night at multiple venues around the beautiful resort town, tucked into the coastline of the Mayan peninsula, warm turquoise Caribbean waters, white sand beaches, mysterious jungles and ancient ruins. With a variety of luxurious and affordable boutique hotels and endless number of places for dining, dancing, beach parties and clubbing, the BPM Festival is a perfect opportunity for music lovers and party-goers all around the world to escape winter and revel in the sun.